On foot of its survey of teachers in 2013, a Research Alive! conference was hosted in May 2013 in Coláiste Bríde, Clondalkin, Dublin. The purpose of the conference was to bring together teachers, researchers and other stakeholders to discuss and explore teachers’ experience of, engagement with, and access to, educational research. Planned outcomes of the event included ideas and support for:
- teachers on how to access research on education;
- researchers and policymakers on how to make research findings more accessible; and,
- a broad audience on what research matters and makes a difference in teaching and learning.
A total of 90 delegates attended the conference and feedback from all participants at the event, including teachers, was overwhelmingly positive. Teachers engaged in discussions throughout the day, and in the course of their contributions, articulated two key demands:
- They wanted easier access to high quality research.
- They wanted opportunities for critical engagement with that research.
