The Educational Psychology Service conducts research on behalf of the local authority or the children’s commission.
We have completed a psychology and numeracy project, Bridging the Gaps and completed a meta study on the psychological factors of numeracy as part of a regional collaborative. It is linked to a National Education Scotland Action Enquiry Project where the summaries are published.
The Bridging the Gaps project was completed in two phases:
Phase 1: Morrison, S. & McLafferty, L. (2018). Bridging the gaps in mathematics and numeracy: Supporting schools in practitioner research. Educational & Child Psychology, (Special issue, September 2018).
Phase 2: Balchin, N and McLafferty, L (2019). Bridging the gaps: Long Term Outcomes of an Action Research Programme to Improve Numeracy. In Balchin et al (2019) Psychological Factors in Promoting Numeracy. FVWL RIC.
Nick Balchin also wrote the chapter examining the psychological factors identified in the four regional collaborative studies.
Balchin (2019), Psychological Factors in Promoting Numeracy: A meta study is published in the full report: Psychological factors in improving numeracy 2019
Balchin and McLafferty, presentation at the SDEP and ASPEP National Conference, 2019. Psychological-Factors-in-Numeracy-2019-Balchin-and-McLafferty
Summaries of the Phase 2 paper and the Meta Study paper have been published on the Education Scotland Improvement Hub. You will see the summaries for all the Action Enquiry projects across Scotland, including the Forth Valley and West Lothian RIC project.
Previous research publications:
A colourful dot on a dreary economic canvas: Building capacity for innovation in schools through the Coach Consult
Programme. Leisa Randall, Susannah Turner & Lyn McLafferty (2015).
The Coach Consult Method: A model for sustainable change in schools. Balchin, N., Randall, L. & Turner, S. (2006). Educational Psychology in Practice, 22(3), 237–254.
Nonviolent Communication, Cameron S (2015). In “Restorative theory in practice: insights into what works and why”, Editor Hopkins, B. Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2015.
Local authority research topics have included:
Autistic Spectrum Disorder prevalence and incidence (2015-18)
Inclusion and additional support needs (2014)
Attendance Research Report February (2013)
