Developing as an ‘extended’ pedagogic researcher: addressing the ‘three Rs’

Based on selected content from the keynote talk which opened the 2019 University of Brighton Pedagogic Research conference, in introducing what the author calls the ‘three Rs’ of pedagogic research: ‘revelation’, ‘reading’ and ‘rigour’, this article is intended as a highly readable and engaging outline starter guide for pedagogic researchers who want to improve the quality of their research and begin to make names for themselves as serious researchers. Framed within a broader message about the importance of developing as a researcher, the three Rs are identified as the key ingredients of pedagogic research that is taken seriously by the wider educational research community. Adapted from Eric Hoyle’s models, the notion of a continuum of researcher professionality, ranging from ‘restricted’ to ‘extended’, is introduced, and illustrated by indicative characteristics of the restricted and of the extended researcher. With its capacity to propel the researcher along the notional professionality continuum, towards the extended end, mastery of the three Rs is presented as a developmental process, and specific ways of enhancing pedagogic research though revelation, reading and rigour are outlined.