An Investigation into schools & research: Part 3

By Liverpool YPAG,

Part 3: Discussing and presenting research to the whole year group

 

In two of the 40-minute sessions, I planned a discussion based lesson that got the classmates to work together and discuss the ethics behind research, and whether the ethical guidelines took the child or young person into consideration. I asked them about the age of consent, whether assent was essential in the process, the ages at which certain information would be given in an information leaflet. This opened their eyes to the issues about research and allowed them to develop knowledge and opinion about research, explaining that research isn’t always perfect and these guidelines are there to prevent not-so-perfect research from being carried out.

 

In the last 40 minute session I presented in front of the whole year group, explaining the possibilities for research if children and young people are involved more. I gave them information about different ways for children and young people to get involved, such as research groups that plan and carry out research themselves, research advisory groups such as Young Persons Advisory Groups (YPAGs) which are needed to develop information for young patients or even to be a patient in a research study. This was a way of opening their minds to the ways in which children and young people play a vital part in research.

 

After these lessons, I asked my teacher if he thought that this had been successful and he seemed convinced that it would be useful for people to learn about research and be more aware.

 

I loved this experience and I think that I learned a lot from doing this project. I hope to be able to use what I learned about teaching about research when talking to researchers in the future, and even when I meet a person working in the field of Patient and Public Involvement, or education.
I thank my teacher, Mr. Eden, for being supportive through this. I was super nervous when I stood up in front of my year group to present. And I thank my fellow YPAG members and friends, Freya Lynch and Amy Beckett for helping me to carry out this Personal Development successfully.