Pedagogy is a word that many people appear to find difficult. Essentially it is about teaching and who is taught (Walker, 2006) or “the processes and relationships of learning and teaching” (Stierer and Antoniou, 2004, p. 277). Both uses pedagogy appear be less encompassing than ‘education’ which can include institutions, political and professional regulations, and the needs and demands of society, as well as pedagogy.

Pedagogic research, therefore, “is systematic and sustained enquiry, planned and self-critical, which is subjected to public criticism and to empirical tests where these are appropriate (Stenhouse, 1985, pp. 18-19). It is research which enhances theoretical and/or conceptual understanding of:

• teaching and learning processes in HE

• teacher and learner experiences in HE

• the environment or contexts in which teaching and learning in HE takes place

• teaching and learning outcomes in HE

• the relationships between these processes, outcomes and contexts.

Pedagogic research is not “reports of studies providing descriptive and anecdotal accounts of teaching developments and evaluations ....Pedagogic research is firmly situated in its relevant literature and high quality pedagogic research makes a substantial contribution to that literature” (RAE generic statement, 2006).

• they will make informed judgements about the best ways to present material to encourage student learning;
• they respond appropriately if students have problems in learning;
• they teach more effectively;
• they evaluate and adopt, where appropriate, new teaching methods.

Doing pedagogic research means using various research methods to understand and investigate our teaching practice and how best to enhance students’ learning. It means being aware of the teaching and learning literature, relating what occurs to what is understood by good practice and what is suitable in a particular context. It is not necessary to agree with that literature and it is of course possible to critically comment with reference to particular experiences. The research methods used can collect qualitative data (e.g. interviews, focus groups) or quantitative (e.g. questionnaires) or a mixture of both. It is possible to draw on different methodologies in designing research and analysing data and the methods you choose will reflect the data needed to answer your research question.

Some people find the use of qualitative data challenging, feeling that it is somehow less rigorous or valid in its use of subjective opinion and perceptions, but data that best answers or sheds light on a particular problem is often qualitative in nature. Consider the case of students not understanding a particular concept: a conversation (or interview) with several students, perhaps of differing abilities, that takes them through a relevant problem will shed more light than a tick box survey based on your assumptions of their misunderstandings. A focus group of students who have used a particular system will allow you to understand their experiences and the processes involved in use.

This may even highlight some peripheral element that you had not considered that is a real issue for students, or something as simple as a misunderstanding of purpose which impacts on use. Any data collection and analysis, be it quantitative or qualitative in nature, does need thorough planning and careful interpretation and contextualisation. As has been explained above it is important to explain the context of any study. For example, in investigating how your students perform a particular task, you may wish to include reference to computer room or workshop availability and other constraints that could affect their ability to complete a piece of work and thus impact on their results. Class sizes may have caused you to adopt a particular teaching strategy or you may want to comment about teaching and learning in the context of professional regulations.

Pedagogic research involves the study of people, which means it can get messy and is not easy to measure. Being a study of people and their experiences, it also means that “ethical concerns should be at the forefront of any research project” (Wellington, 2000, p. 3), paying attention, for example, to any bias or manipulation in the research or any potentially negative impact on participants. All staff wishing to conduct an investigation involving human participants should consult the university’s ethical guidelines for research projects. Many provide a checklist to help you determine if ethical clearance is needed for your work.

One of the criteria of pedagogic research is that it should inform and be scrutinised by a wider audience (Ashwin and Trigwell, 2004; Stenhouse, 1975) and certainly if you are researching or evaluating something you believe will be of interest to your colleagues you will want to share your ideas and findings.

The most highly regarded way of sharing knowledge and disseminating in academia is, of course, through peer reviewed academic journals, but a good way to try out your ideas or early drafts is at a conference; this is a valuable way to gain feedback and see what others in the field are working on. It is perfectly ethical to redraft a conference paper for submission to a journal, although this should be acknowledged.

When planning, writing and submitting your paper think about the focus and how the paper might get written and accepted:

• Identify which journal you are writing for early in the process. Different journals may have a different focus, different word lengths, different refencing styles, so knowing who you are writing for is a good starting point. If your idea has only subject appeal, choose a subject-specific teaching journal (such as the Journal of Geography in Higher Education). It is has cross-disciplinary appeal, then choose a suitably cross-cutting journal (such as the Curriculum Journal). There is a (by no means complete) list of journals which you may choose to publish in here.
• Collaborate with colleagues, especially those who are strong in your weak areas (e.g the use of statistics or in collecting data through interviews or focus groups). Don’t forget to think outside your discipline area and across institutions.
• Base any research on the literature with a strong theoretical underpinning, making sure you reference the education literature in the chosen area (don’t forget international references if the audience is international).
• Explain how the research has been conducted, including the institutional context and the data collected – others may want to try the strategy so think about generic application.
• Be honest!  Admit when it doesn’t work but explain why if it is relevant to the discussion. Remember that research is rarely the linear process it is often portrayed as!
• Write with a purpose, get into the habit.
• Have something to say, identify what is original or new about what is being presented.
• Devise an interesting question (with a teaching and learning focus).
• Avoid information overload.
• Ensure the research is accessible to the chosen audience.
• Pay attention to your purpose,
• structure and presentation.
• Consider including data that is both quantitative (any numbers you have) and qualitative (any relevant quotes) and highlight your evidence.

All journals provide detailed guidelines and submission advice, and it is worthwhile reading these carefully, not only to check you are sending your work to the correct journal, but also to make sure you follow style and formatting requirements. When you are writing a paper, you should do some background research. Look at other papers which a journal has published. Consider whether the style suits your work and if your research is accessible to its audience before targeting a journal for publication. If you are still unsure about the suitability of your article for a particular journal, approach the editor for advice. Just go for it! Lack of confidence and fear is what paralyses most of us. “Feel the fear”!

For those still in doubt, there is a very easy to read guide to getting started with research here