Services

We can work with you in many ways.

Undertaking research

In our first few years we have received funding to undertake research into practical and vocational learning as well as into the wider skills of learning needed for the 21st century. Now published as: 

Current research

Oxford and Cherwell Valley College

An exploration of the extent to which successful learners in different vocational contexts (hairdressing, furniture making and plumbing) exploit a common core of mental habits and dispositions using CRL's 4:6:1 learning model. Ellen Hodgkinson, our senior CRL researcher, has written a report entitled

Creating powerful learners and teachers: an action research approach to curriculum and pedagogical development, 2010.

The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation

A major study of how secondary schools conduct project work with a focus on Design and Technology. The research aim is to demonstrate how teachers and students can improve the visibility and critical effectiveness of their learning. Dr. Ellen Hodgkinson, our senior CRL researcher, is currently analysing the data. Making It: Studio Teaching and its impact on teachers and learners will be published in Autumn 2011.

Learnable Intelligence Project with Hampshire County Council

Drawing on approaches described in New kinds of smart; how the science of expandable intelligence is changing education, CRL is working with teachers of Looked After Children in five Hampshire schools. Teachers are undertaking a range of action research projects designed to cultivate 'reslience' and 'optimism' with the classes/tutor groups where there are Looked After Children. The impact of these changes have been noticed by teachers and the data collected are currently being analysed by CRL researcher, Dr. Ellen Hodgkinson.

Hampshire County Council Lead Curriculum Primary Schools

CRL is working with thirteen schools across Hampshire to explore ways of making the primary curriculum more innovative. Schools are being stimulated and supported by thinking developed by Guy Claxton and Bill Lucas. The schools are assessing the impact of their innovation in a range of ways and sharing their learning with their partner schools.

Creativity Culture and Education

CRL is currently working with six field trial schools, nationwide to test the feasibilty of developing an assessment tool for creativity which will be useful for both teachers and their students.

Carrying out consultancy

Among a variety of diverse clients, Professor Bill Lucas and/or Guy Claxton are working with the following organisations:

  • Phoenix High School
  • Solent University
  • The London Underground

Contact:

Bill.Lucas@winchester.ac.uk or

Guy.Claxton@winchester.ac.uk 

to ask them to speak, facilitate or organise an event for you.

Building Communities of Practice

With Local Education Authorities

  • Hammersmith and Fulham
  • Hampshire
  • Milton Keynes
  • Newham

Creating learning local authorities. A special initiative with Milton Keynes engaging senior authority staff to share research into rL and build understanding and capacity.

“We are delighted to be founding members of the Centre for Real-World Learning at the University of Winchester. Milton Keynes has a history of innovation and has been promoting better understanding of how pupils learn for some years. We are delighted to be working with such exciting educators as Professor Guy Claxton and Professor Bill Lucas.”
Denise Bonnette, School Improvement, Milton Keynes  

Expansive Education Network website launch in Sept 2011

Take a sneak preview

CRL has teamed up with seven universities to launch an exciting, new network for teachers who are passionate about creating powerful learners. EEN is a network of teachers who are committed to the idea that 21st century education must be centrally about expanding young people's capacity to deal with real-world complexity and uncertainty and want to explore ways in which this vision can be turned into practical reallity.

EEN will be both a Creative Commons where knowledge and tools are freely available and a membership space set up to encorage local networking. In addition to use of the member space on the site, members will be entitled to attend three sessions to learn how to lead a teacher enquiry using action research approaches. Sessions will be led by colleagues in the universities of Plymouth, Bath Spa, Wolverhampton, Manchester Met, Durham, Winchester and in the the Institute of Education in London. Teacher enquiries will be published on the site for other like-minded colleagues to use.

EEN will fully go live in September 2011 but membership is available from July onwards. To find out more about benefits and costs click here and register your interest or become a member. Early adopters (joining before September) qualify for a 10% discount on membership fees.

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