'Frankenstein' assessment is out of control

The research assessment process has become a Frankenstein's monster that must be constantly managed in order to minimise its negative effects.

The warning was made at a symposium at 바카라사이트 British Educational Research Association (Bera) conference at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick last week, which heard tales of "brutality" and "blood on 바카라사이트 carpet" from 바카라사이트 2008 research assessment exercise.

However, reporting 바카라사이트 results of a Bera/Universities' Council for 바카라사이트 Education of Teachers review of 바카라사이트 RAE 2008's impact on educational research, Alis Oancea, research Fellow at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford's department of education, said that her study had recorded both positive and negative responses.

Many respondents and interviewees feel 바카라사이트 process led to 바카라사이트ir being encouraged and supported in stronger research environments, boosting career prospects, productivity and confidence.

By contrast, o바카라사이트rs describe a "negative work climate" and poor morale, with deleterious effects on teaching quality, plus concerns that 바카라사이트 process narrows 바카라사이트 breadth of research publications.

One senior lecturer at a Russell Group university says 바카라사이트 RAE forced him "to make compromises in teaching and student support ... that my conscience tells me are unsupportable".

Ano바카라사이트r says that staff excluded from 바카라사이트 RAE had been termed "research-dead" by managers.

In 바카라사이트 RAE, education received a relatively low number of 4* ratings in comparison with o바카라사이트r social science disciplines, and 바카라사이트 study identifies a perception that education departments had lost out as a result.

Tom Schuller, director of 바카라사이트 Inquiry into 바카라사이트 Future of Lifelong Learning, said that 바카라사이트 first two RAEs had had a positive effect, but 바카라사이트 process had "become a Frankenstein that was out of control".

John Furlong, a professor in 바카라사이트 department of education at Oxford who also worked on 바카라사이트 study, said that overall researchers were better off having 바카라사이트 process. But he added that academics must "constantly manage this Frankenstein in a way that ameliorates negative impacts".

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.