MESH supports the professional judgement of educators using evidence from the science of learning.
Welcome to an ongoing experiment designed to help all teachers learn continuously by using evidence-based methods in their teaching.
We have chosen the word ‘MESH’ to represent the interconnectedness of the knowledge required for teaching.
Introducing MESH
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Overview:
MESH is a design for a teacher/researcher-led international knowledge management system. It utilizes digital tools to keep costs low while ensuring teachers remain current in their subject and pedagogical knowledge. -
Key Components:
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MESHGuides: Research summaries periodically updated for teachers and parents, linked to the original research that informed the advice.
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MESHConnect: Facilitates collaboration and international networking as part of the MESH knowledge management strategy.
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Global Impact: The MESH system aims to address access to the latest knowledge in education, contributing to UNESCO’s SDG 4. MESH takes an active part in the UNESCO/Teacher Task Force and has also inspired worldwide partnerships.
How is the MESH vision put into practice?
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Through Technology and Research:
By leveraging technology and existing research to:-
Build a professional knowledge base of research summaries to enhance classroom practices.
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Maximize knowledge accumulation and research impact while minimizing duplication.
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Publish research summaries as knowledge maps, exemplified by MESHGuides.
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Why is MESH Needed?
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Keeping Teachers Informed: Teachers must stay updated with the latest knowledge to improve teaching quality.
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Testing Strategies: MESH furthers the..
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Pooling of quality-assured knowledge for teachers in subject content and pedagogy.
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Provision of open access to updatable, trusted research summaries
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The Benefits of MESHGuides
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Professional Standards: MESHGuides can assist teachers in demonstrating compliance with Professional Standards.
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Access to Knowledge: Much valuable research is often inaccessible, buried in theses or academic journals. MESH offers a pathway for teachers to access this knowledge, enabling them to leverage it for improved student outcomes.
- Cost Efficiency: MESH mobilizes knowledge through technology, achieving efficiencies of scale and reach
- Supporting SDG Goals: Contributes to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in education.
Developing Evidence Informed Education Practice
The Challenge for Educators
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Knowledge Accessibility: Published educational research often lacks focus on the practical knowledge teachers need to enhance educational outcomes.
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Translational Research: MESH exemplifies translational research in education, aiming to convert research-based concepts into effective classroom practices.
How you can contribute
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For Governments, Charities, and Policymakers:
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Value, require, and encourage MESHGuide research summary production.
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Join the MESH Advisory Board.
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For Universities:
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Require contributions to MESHGuides from Master’s and PhD theses and involve research staff.
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For Individuals:
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Participate in the MESH community and contribute to the knowledge base.
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Fostering Collaboration
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Global Collaboration: MESH provides the necessary e-infrastructure to support worldwide collaboration among educators, researchers, and policymakers.
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Evidence-Based Profession: It aims to strengthen the educational evidence base, promoting teaching as an evidence-informed profession.
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Publishing and Toolkits: Through publishing MESHGuides and utilizing toolkits, practitioners, teacher educators, and policymakers can interact with educational research in meaningful ways.
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Specialist Contributions: Specialist groups are responsible for producing MESHGuides tailored to specific areas of educational practice.
Managing Uncertainty
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Challenges in Applied Research: We acknowledge the difficulties in making educational research findings accessible and applicable to practitioners.
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Invitation to Collaborate: We invite those willing to engage in this innovative approach to education to join us in exploring new possibilities.
Example MESHGuides
Draft Guides: A limited number of draft guides illustrate the concept of MESH, including:
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The Entrepreneurial Education Guide: A collaborative effort among teachers, academics, and NGOs to support budding entrepreneurs.
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Reluctant Writers and Assessment in Primary Science Guides: Summaries derived from extended research projects.
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Further Evidence
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Foundational Information: Background information and references regarding the foundations of MESHGuides are available throughout the site.
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UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 4: For more insights, see the UN’s SDG 4.
