Research Consultant: English teacher training project

Location: Thailand + desk-based research

Apply by: 12.00 midnight Sunday 8th May 2018

Start date: 1st June 2018

End date: 31st September 2018

Project description – About the project

RETC Core programme

The Regional English Training Centre (RETC) Project was set up following an approach by the Thai Ministry pf Education to the British Council, to help develop a more communicative approach to English Language teaching (ELT) by Thai state school primary and secondary teachers.

Online pilot - Phase 1

To address the limitations of off-site, intensive training, the project trialledan on-line follow-on support for four months with teachers in four trial centres. Each of these centres had an additional e-mentor on staff who built relationships with the participants over the three weeks of training, participating in micro-teaching observation/feedback and introducing teachers to a video sharing and reflection platform and concept.

Online pilot – phase 2

With the aim of developing this mentoring role to provide longer term support and development, the next phase of the online pilot aims to embed online support within face-to-face school-based support.Mentors will be available for online support as well as school visits over a three to four month period with 15 selected teachers each. Observations will take the form of videoed lessons with time-tagged written feedback, allowing school visits to focus on mentoring and support. A ‘film club’ concept that has been successfully used for continuing professional development (CPD) in the UK and US will be trialled.

Timeline

  • 1st April – 15th May 2018 - recruitment of consultants, mentors and teacher participants.
  • 4th June – 31st Sept - school visits and delivery
  • September 2018 - Research fieldwork
  • 22nd October 2018 - Draft paper submitted
  • 31st October 2018 - Final paper submitted for publication

Role description – about the role

Key aims:

  • To explore the effectiveness of specific models of teacher CPD using video based observation in non-whole school professional development (PD) context e.g. are increased levels of reflection demonstrated through ‘film club’ concept/model?
  • To add to body of knowledge on video based observation technology deployed in teacher CPD (specifically in lower resource, emerging economy type context)

Methodology

The research consultant will work with British Council staff and other stakeholders to agree research questions that will achieve the above aims. The methodology deployed is likely to draw on some of the following data sources:

  • Analyses of videos (both of classroom practice and ‘film club’ discussion groups)via agreed framework
  • Field-work data, e.g.: visits to training centres, focus groups, observations of training sessions, interviews with key stakeholders etc. as appropriate.

Child protection, privacy, and ethics

The study will be conducted in line with the ethical standards of the British Eduction Research Assocation (BERA) and measures (e.g. permissions) will put in place to ensure that video material (including where pupils are filmed) is used appropriately.

Outputs – proposed publications

  • Open-access article in peer reviewed journal, for example, the International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning

The consultancy, which is subject to proposal approval by the Thai Ministry of Education, is expected to require five working days fieldwork and up to five working days desk-work.

Qualifications and experience required

  • track record of publication in high-impact academic journals
  • previous experience in designing and undertaking educational research in developing countries
  • previous experience with video based observation technologies deployed in state education systems
  • extensive experience of conducting quantitative and qualitative data collection and subsequent analysis
  • background in online teacher development and use of educational technology more broadly
  • able to build relationships and communicate effectively and with empathy with a range of stakeholders including project beneficiaries
  • understanding of both teaching and learning English as a second language in a state school context
  • understanding of primary and secondary ELT curricula and institutional change to state school education systems in developing world contexts
  • ability to work effectively in difficult circumstances where the reliability of services, service providers, co-workers and systems are not always guaranteed
  • excellent communication skills with people of varying linguistic, educational, socio-economic and cultural backgrounds

How to apply

Consultants should supply:

  • full CV in English tailored to the above requirements
  • brief proposal (two pages maximum) outlining how you would go about this commission and providing your daily consultancy rate

and send to with subject line “RETC Research application”

British Council Thailand will evaluate submissions against the following equally weighted criteria:

  • track record in relevant research and publications
  • track record of consultancies in related projects
  • approach to this evaluation
  • qualifications and experience of consultant
  • value for money

Please note, we can only respond to successful applicants and only within 10 working days of the application deadline.