CompletedInterventional

Developing adaptive expertise through reflective self-study: A randomised controlled trial during contrasting school placements in Initial Teacher Education

This study is for new teachers to help them become more adaptable and skilled in different classroom settings. It compares two ways of learning during their placements: one group will spend some time on guided self-study, learning to reflect on their experiences, while the other group will follow the usual practice of observing lessons. Researchers want to see if the guided self-study helps teachers apply their knowledge more flexibly and handle new challenges better. The study also explores if these different approaches affect teachers' career goals and what kind of schools they'd prefer to teach in. The aim is to find the best ways to support new teachers in connecting their coursework with real classroom experience.

At a glance

Status

Completed

Sponsor

Department for Education

Enrolment target

690

Start

28 Nov 2025

Estimated completion

04 Dec 2025

Developing adaptive expertise—teachers’ capacity to apply knowledge flexibly and respond effectively to novel classroom challenges—is a core goal of initial teacher education (ITE). However, trainees often find it difficult to navigate the emotional and cognitive demands of moving between contrasting school contexts and to integrate theory with practice. Contrasting School Placements (CSPs) are designed to support this adaptability, yet there is limited empirical evidence on how best to structure such experiences to promote reflective, transferable learning.

What is this study about?

Learning to be a great teacher means being able to adjust to different situations and challenges in the classroom. This study is all about helping new teachers develop this important skill, which we call 'adaptive expertise'. It's often tough for new teachers to move between different schools and connect what they learn in their training with what actually happens in the classroom. This research aims to find the best ways to support them in doing just that.

The study will look at two different approaches during what are called 'Contrasting School Placements' — these are times when new teachers experience very different school environments. One group of teachers will try a new method where they spend some time each week on structured self-study and reflection, instead of just observing lessons. The other group will continue with the usual amount of lesson observation. The main goal is to see if the self-study approach helps teachers become more flexible and better at solving problems in various teaching situations.

Researchers will also be interested in how these different approaches influence what kind of schools new teachers want to work in, and what their long-term career hopes are. By understanding more about how teachers learn to adapt, this study could help improve teacher training programmes, making sure new teachers are well-prepared for any classroom they enter.

Key takeaways

The study aims to improve how new teachers learn to adapt in different schools.
It compares guided self-study with traditional lesson observation methods.
Participation involves online tasks, surveys, and potentially interviews.
The study runs from December 2025 to August 2026.
Data privacy is a priority, but a small risk of re-identification exists for qualitative data.
The Department for Education is funding this research.

Who may be eligible?

This study is looking for new teachers who are starting their training in primary or secondary education during the 2025/2026 academic year. You need to be enrolled in the full-time, fee-paying programme at the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) and be based at one of their various campuses across England.

Unfortunately, if you are on a different type of training course, such as a postgraduate teaching apprenticeship, a salaried school direct programme, or if you are training part-time, you won't be able to take part. This is because these programmes have different structures, and the study needs everyone to have a similar training experience to compare the results fairly.

The study also includes some NIoT staff, such as tutors and senior faculty members, who deliver the teacher training programme. If you are a staff member in one of these roles, you might be invited to take part in interviews or focus groups to help the researchers understand how the different teaching approaches are working.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you starting primary or secondary teacher training in 2025/2026?
Are you enrolled in a full-time, fee-paying programme at the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT)?
Are you at least 18 years old?
Are you NOT on a postgraduate teaching apprenticeship or salaried school direct programme?
Are you NOT training part-time?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part, you'll be randomly assigned to one of two groups for your Contrasting School Placements. One group will follow the standard approach, meaning you'll have the usual amount of time observing lessons. The other group will swap three hours of lesson observation each week for structured self-study, where you'll follow guided modules to reflect on your experiences.

Before your placements begin and then again three months after they finish, you'll complete some online tasks to measure how well you can adapt your teaching and solve problems. You'll also fill out a short survey about your career goals and attitudes towards different school settings. To understand how the different approaches actually work, you might be asked to complete more surveys, take part in interviews, join focus groups, or share your reflection logs. The study will run from December 2025 to August 2026.

Potential risks and benefits

As a thank you for taking part, you might have your name mentioned in the thank you section of any reports or publications that come out of this research. You could also have the chance to join a group that helps guide the study, giving your ideas on how the findings are shared. When it comes to risks, the researchers will be very careful with your information to keep it private. However, because some of the information is deeply personal (like what you write in reflection logs or say in interviews), there's a very small chance that someone might be able to figure out who you are, even though names will be changed and specific details removed. This risk will be explained clearly, and you'll have the option to review your own information before it's used in any reports and ask for changes if you're uncomfortable. You are always free to stop participating in the study at any time, for any reason.

Locations (18)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

National Institute of Teaching - South & West Campus Birmingham
City only
Birmingham, England
National Institute of Teaching - North & West Campus Blackburn
City only
Blackburn, England
National Institute of Teaching - South & West Campus Bristol
City only
Bristol, England
The National Institute of Teaching - North & East Campus Doncaster
City only
Doncaster, England
National Institute of Teaching - Harris Institute Peckham
City only
London, England
David Ross Education Trust
City only
Loughborough, England
The Harris Fedration
City only
London, England
Kernow learning
City only
Newquay, England
Learn A-T
City only
Leicestershire, England
North East Learning Trust
City only
Peterlee, England
Oasis Community Learning
Unverified
London NO COUNTRY SPECIFIED, assuming England, England
Ormiston Academies trust
Unverified
Birmingham, England

Common questions

What is 'adaptive expertise'?

It's a fancy way of saying a teacher's ability to be flexible and good at solving new problems in different classroom situations.

What are 'Contrasting School Placements'?

These are training periods where new teachers get to experience working in very different types of schools, to broaden their experience.

Will I have to do extra work if I join?

The study involves some online tasks, surveys, and potentially interviews, but for one group, some observation time will be replaced by guided self-study, not added on top.

Who is paying for this research?

The study is being funded by the Department for Education in the UK.

Can I choose which group I'm in?

No, you'll be randomly put into one of the two groups (standard observation or self-study) to make the study fair and scientific.

How to find out more

Lydia Lymperis

l.lymperis@niot.org.uk - Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.