Previous conferences

This keynote explains the changes to WBQ post 09/15 and specifically the Individual Project.

• Key teaching and learning within the new framework.
• Challenges faced by teachers in delivery and opportunities to engage with relevant organisations to support and/or share best practice.
• Relate Cardiff University to Research led Organisation and links to HE.

Download the WJEC presentation.

This keynote addresses:

• Research findings recommended changes to WBQ.
• Development of a School Engagement Programme for Cardiff University that support the new qualification that links with researcher engagement opportunities and research skills.
• Value to HE of students with effective research skills – critical thinking, data analysis etc.

Download the WISERD presentation.

This keynote disucsses planning and organising a research project including key aspects and pitfalls and issues. Student transitions to HE and usefulness of research skills.

Download the Cardiff University presentation.

This workshop will explore how to construct good questions for survey projects.  Areas covered will include: how to develop hypotheses, data collection questions, the problem of falsification, problems of access, using appropriate research literature, and also methodological choices.   Census data will also be explored; with participants being encouraged to develop their own research questions.

Download the Social Data in Research workshop.

Critically engaging with information is vital for successful research. One has to develop techniques for determining which claims ‘out there’ are most plausible. In this workshop, I will provide some basic pointers for helping your students gain confidence and experience in asking questions about what they read. A knock on effect is that they will become more discerning about the quality of their own arguments when they write.

Download the Critical Thinking in Research workshop.

Any investigative project requires extensive preparatory study in order to understand the background to the topic and to formulate a meaningful research question. As part of this preparation it is important to think critically when evaluating any source of information: Is this source likely to be reliable? What are its strengths and weaknesses? When writing a project report it is important to use a consistent system of referencing to acknowledge all sources of information.

This workshop will include two exercises, the first on critical thinking using an article of general interest related to the biomedical and life sciences, and the second on how to reference sources of information in a written project report. Both exercises can be adapted for use in the classroom.

Download the Biological Data in Research workshop.

The purpose of this workshop is to demonstrate how students can benefit from using real social science research as part of the individual research projects for the Welsh Baccalaureate. A three year, longitudinal study of primary and secondary pupils in Wales has generated an impressive body of data regarding the lives and schooling experiences of young people in Wales.

In addition to a discussion of the research and its benefits to your students, you will be given a hands-on introduction on how to conduct basic analyses of the data. By incorporating real research data, teachers can provide students with opportunities to analyse and interpret actual topics relating to their students’ lives set within their own social, cultural and geographic context.

Download the Access to Real Research Data workshop.

This session aimed to capture feedback/ideas/share best practice on delivering the Individual Investigation and how researchers/professional services in Cardiff University can support teachers. To identify partnership working opportunities which support strategic aims of the University and that of schools and colleges.

Download the Schools Partnership Project presentation.