SPRinG Project
Improving the effectiveness of pupil group-work in classrooms
Welcome to the SPRinG (Social Pedagogic Research into Group-work) web site. The project was part of a large research programme on teaching and learning, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). The project ran from January 2000 through to the end of 2005 but further research and writing continue in 2020. The original research involved a collaboration between researchers and teachers to find ways to enhance the effective use of group work in everyday classrooms settings for pupils in Key Stages 1 to 3.
The original SPRinG research project was jointly conducted by the Institute of Education (IOE) in London, the Faculty of Education at the University of Cambridge and the Education Research Centre, Unviersity of Brighton. The project was the first large scale study designed to develop and evaluate effective group-work in everyday primary and secondary school classroom settings.
The project aimed to enhance the learning potential of pupils (at Key Stages 1-3) working in classroom groups by actively involving teachers in a programme designed to raise levels of group-work during typical classroom learning activities. Although the IOE led on the overall project, each site had responsibility for a key stage. Key Stage 1 was co-ordinated in Brighton, Key Stage 2 in London and Key Stage 3 in Cambridge.
