Learning from learning disruption linked to COVID-19
IOE researchers sought to ensure that research evidence helped make sense of the pandemic as it unfolded, and that the lived experience of teachers was brought to the attention of policymakers.
A rapid initial response
In May 2020, as plans to re-open schools after the first lockdown began to take shape, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funded a team of researchers at IOE led by Professor Gemma Moss, including Dr Sinead Harmey as one of the co-investigators, to explore the challenges that the COVID-19 crisis set primary school teachers.
The resulting systematic review surveyed the literature on other episodes of unplanned school closures caused by natural disasters such as hurricane Katrina and its relevance for school closures in the context of COVID-19. Its findings highlighted the need for teachers to focus on care and community rather than on a ‘learning loss’ narrative.
The review emphasised that school leaders were pivotal in leading successful returns to school following disruption; that, on re-opening, the curriculum needed to be responsive to children’s needs; and that schools were essential in supporting the mental health of the community.
This open access review, published in Educational Review with over 19,000 views, is the third most cited article in the past three years from this journal. A blog based on this research, published by the British Educational Research Association (BERA), was in the top-five most read of blogs for 2021. The research team also submitted evidence to the Education Select Committee Inquiry into the impact of COVID-19 on education and children’s services, July 2020.
Involving education professionals in activating the research findings
Since then, Dr Harmey’s Impact Fellowship has focused on developing resources to bring the results of this research to education professionals and schools. She conducted semi-structured interviews with five education professionals to explore how the research resonated with their experiences and how they might add to it considering their own experiences of working through the crisis.
The resulting booklet outlines the original research recommendations and, for each, further recommendations for how these could be implemented from those who took part in the project. For example, the original research suggested that local knowledge was key, and schools should have autonomy to spend funds as they see fit.
The booklet has broadened the reach of the research with educational professionals and schools and increased its international reach. It has been downloaded over 200 times in many geographical locations including the UK, USA, France, Australia, and Indonesia.
About the academic
Dr Sinead Harmey is an Associate Professor in Literacy Education in the Department of Learning and Leadership at IOE. Much of her research to date has focused on understanding more about early writing development and supporting evidence-based practice, with a specific focus on review methodologies. She was a former student at IOE in 2007, where she trained to become a Reading Recovery Teacher Leader. [2022–23 cohort]