How does research get commissioned?

Where education research is commissioned, it is important for teachers to consider the organisation that has done the commissioning

Research studies are carried out for various reasons. Some are conducted in an academic setting, either for publication in an academic journal or as part of a PhD.

However, research can also be commissioned by third parties, such as the government, a company, a charity or other non-governmental organisation.

The EEF view: what are the implications for education research?

Some organisations commission research studies directly. For example, the government may need a specific policy trialled as part of a rollout. This type of research commissioning may specify the methodology and just seek capacity to carry out the research.

Other research commissioning processes might be more open-ended: looking for programmes that close the attainment gap or research projects that examine school attendance, for example.

The way research is commissioned is likely to be influenced by the aims and budget of the organisation.

Third-party commissioning does carry risk of bias, because of potential interests of the commissioner. However, just because research has been commissioned by a private company with a commercial interest in a particular outcome, it does not inherently mean that the research is biased. If the research methods are transparent, the risk of bias can be mitigated.

However, it is a problem if commissioners of research choose not to publish studies if they don’t get the findings they were hoping for.

The commissioner is an important factor to consider when judging the quality of a piece of research. However, this should always be considered alongside the methods that the research uses and the level of transparency the author or organisation demonstrates in publishing the results.

Where can I see research commissioning in action?

There are many examples of commissioned research studies; here are two that have recently been covered by Tes.

In June 2018, the Department for Education commissioned and published a review of the Return to Teaching pilot programme.

Researchers from the National Foundation for Educational Research, Jack Tattersall, Ruanne Fensham, Kathryn Hurd and Neelam Basi were commissioned to run the study. The project also received funding and assistance from the National College for Teaching and Leadership, which provided data, encouraged participation, and commented on research instruments and reports.

In 2019, Now Teach, a charity that supports career changers into teaching, commissioned Timewise (a social consultancy aimed at creating a fairer workplace for all) to conduct research into the viability of flexible-working practices in education. Timewise interviewed members of staff in two academies to identify the benefits and barriers to flexible working, and analysed their responses to provide practical advice on how schools can make these practices work.

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