Trust Activities
2007
Graham Nuthall Classroom Research Seminar
The annual seminar Classroom-Based Research was held on 11 October, 2007. This event was once again sponsored by South Pacific Press, and attracted a large audience.
Highlights of the evening included:
Keynote address - Dr Adrienne Alton-Lee: "Teaching for Learning: Creating Powerful Learning Cultures" (powerpoint, 1.67MB).The purpose of the evening was, as in the past, to: highlight the philosophy of classroom-based research, to present researchers at different stages of the research process and to inform and inspire teachers/educators about the benefits of classroom-based research.
Highlights of the evening included:
*Keynote address – Dr Adrienne Alton-Lee: "Teaching for Learning: Creating Powerful Learning Cultures"
*Dr Christine Rietveld's summary of the project she completed as the 2004/2005 Graham Nuthall Classroom Research Trust Award recipient *Michelle Clarke's summary of the project she completed as the 2004/2005 Graham Nuthall Classroom Research Trust Award recipient
Celebrating The Hidden Lives of Learners
The publication of The Hidden Lives of Learners has been the cause of great celebration, and the party continues. There’ve been events in Christchurch and Wellington, with Dunedin next in line.
There have been events in Christchurch, Wellington and Dunedin.
Bob Manthei did the introductions, and then Jill Nuthall talked about the work involved in getting the manuscript to publication after Graham’s death and thanked all those involved. Alison Gilmore spoke about the work of the trust and NZCER director Robyn Baker gave the publisher’s perspective on the importance of the book.
On June 26 it was on to Wellington for the Parliamentary event, which was hosted at the Banquet hall by the honourable Ruth Dyson. Ms Dyson paid tribute to the teachers, students and schools who had allowed the researchers into their classrooms over the years. It was a rare privilege to have the Prime Minister, Helen Clark, deliver the keynote address. The Prime Minister discussed the significance of the research and of Graham’s contribution – and promised to hand the book over to her sisters who are teachers. (Click here to view the Prime Minister’s speech.) Auckland University School of Education dean John Langley, a former student of Graham’s, gave a more personal perspective on the author, while Elody Rathgen talked about the work of the trust and Robyn Baker spoke for NZCER. The Minister of Education, Steve Maharey, was also present at the event.
Southern educators welcomed the Hidden Lives of Learners at the University of Otago College of Education on 24th July 2007. Professor Terry Crooks of the Education Studies and Professional Practice Department spoke of his long-standing links with Graham back to their alma mater days at Illinois and of the rarity of such thorough research in classrooms. Jill Nuthall told the story of how the book evolved along with some insights into the complexity of the evidence. Deputy Director of Primary Programmes at the College, Tracy Rohan described how this university was applying the learning from Graham's research in classrooms. The New Zealand Council of Educational Research's criteria for publication were explained by Publishing Manager Bev Webber and this book met their highest standards.
Many present used this warm and friendly occasion to reminisce about their connections with the author and to talk about the book's clear language and logic and its relevance to their work.
The book can be ordered at bookshops by quoting, ISBN 978-1-877398-24-7
or order through NZCER sales, sales@nzcer.org.nz. fax 64 4 3847933
or through NZCER’s website: www.nzcer.org.nz
2006
Classroom-Based Research Seminar
September 7, 2006
The Trust annual seminar
Classroom-Based Research, sponsored by South Pacific Press and Lift
Education, attracted a keen audience to the Christchurch College of
Education.
The purpose of the evening was to: highlight the philosophy of
classroom-based research, to present researchers at different stages of
the research process and to inform and inspire teachers/educators about
the benefits of classroom-based research.
Highlights of the evening included:
• Keynote address – “Shadow and Substance: What can we see in the
classroom as classroom researchers?” Dr Jean McPhail explored the issues
and complexities of doing classroom-based research.
• Anna Johnstone presented the findings of a classroom-based research
project that she completed as the 2003 Graham Nuthall Classroom Research
Trust Award recipient.
• The Graham Nuthall Classroom Research Trust Award recipients for 2006
were announced and Fleur Harris and Jae Major presented outlines of their
projects.
Click on the names below to view seminar presentations.
Anna Johnstone
Fleur Harris
Jae Major
Dr Jean McPhail
Teachers as Researchers Seminar June 2, 2005
The purpose of the 'Teachers as Researchers' evening was
to: highlight the philosophy of 'classroom-based' research, to present
researchers at different stages of the research process and to inform and
inspire teachers/educators of the benefits of classroom-based research.
The evening format included:
- Introduction and information about the spirit of the Graham Nuthall Classroom Research Trust.
- Ronnie O'Toole and Sue Collins (Graham's doctoral students) shared what difference their research experience has made to their professional lives and how their classroom-based research has influenced the ways they now think about teaching and learning. (Primary School setting)
- Anna Johnstone (1st Graham Nuthall Classroom Research Trust award recipient, 2003) presented her experiences as a classroom researcher and preliminary findings of a classroom-based research project. (Primary School setting)
- Michelle Clarke (Primary School setting) and Christine Rietveld (Early Childhood setting) (2nd Graham Nuthall Classroom Research Trust award recipients, 2004-2006) discussed the award application process, why they are interested in classroom research, equipment use and how data will be managed.
This event was recorded and
videotaped copies are available for purchase.
For video orders please forward $NZ15.00 per copy (includes postage and
GST) to:
Tracey Snape
Numeracy Facilitator
Christchurch College of Education
P O Box 16 128, Hornby, Christchurch
Phone 349 2504
Fax 349 1351
tracey.snape@cce.ac.nz
Image from the Launch of the Graham Nuthall Classroom Research Trust
May 5th 2004
Discovering the hidden realities of teaching and learning in the classroom
Emeritus Professor Graham Nuthall
Talk
given at the launch of The Graham Nuthall Classroom Research Trust
University of Canterbury, 5 May
2004
I would like to give a brief overview of the some of the things I have discovered about teaching and learning over nearly 45 years of research, carried out, on and off, as other duties permitted. I usually think of it as 40 years, but Jill says it is 45 years, and she should know because in my first research study, I borrowed her bike with the cane basket on the front to carry the heavy Phillips tape-recorder and all the wires and bits of string that I needed to record in the classrooms of long-suffering teachers.
One of the most important things about school classrooms is that they are both very familiar and at the same time very mysterious.
Because all of us have spent at least 10 years as pupils in school classrooms we are thoroughly familiar with what happens there. There seems to be nothing mysterious about teaching. We can all do it, maybe not well, but we know what to do.