WHY DO SECONDARY SCHOOL CHEMISTRY TEACHERS ENGAGE IN LONG-TERM OUTREACH PARTNERSHIP WITH A UNIVERSITY? - Abstract, Introduction, and Interview Study

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Rizky

A study examines why secondary school chemistry teachers engage in long-term outreach partnerships with a university, an area previously underexplored compared with pupil-focused research. Detailed interviews with chemistry teachers involved with Bristol ChemLabS reveal motivations for sustained collaboration, including student inspiration, enjoyment, motivation, and curriculum enrichment. The research also explores impacts on teachers through repeated visits, considering relationship language and underlying power dynamics.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Outreach provision and the CHeMneT network

Long-term relationships and teacher perspectives

Secondary teacher interview study

Participant selection and interview process

WHY DO SECONDARY SCHOOL CHEMISTRY TEACHERS ENGAGE IN LONG-TERM OUTREACH PARTNERSHIP WITH A UNIVERSITY? S.R. Glover, T.G. Harrison, D.E. Shallcross Abstract While the effects of outreach with secondary school pupils has been researched the reasons teachers engage or the impacts on the teachers engaging in long-term relationships with a university department have not. Detailed interviews with chemistry teachers associated withoutreach at Bristol ChemLabS have revealed many reasons for prolonged partnership both for their students and themselves. Perceived impacts on students include; inspiration, enjoyment, reward, motivation, experience of a university chemistry department, raising aspirations, curriculum support, extension, enrichment, stretch and challenge and each are discussed. Impacts on the teachers from repeated visits over time including those on subsequent teaching are explored. The language of links and partnerships and the power dynamics of relationships are also considered. Key words: chemistry outreach, secondary teacher engagement. 1. Introduction The School of Chemistry at the University of Bristol is the home of Bristol ChemLabS ~~[~~7] which has been engaged with outreach activities for more than a decade [16, 19,~~ ~~20, 23] . Outreach provision for secondary schools is varied and extremely popular, with 25000-30000 students engaged annually. Outreach events take place either at the Bristol University School of Chemistry, and involve practical work and lectures, or teachers can host demonstration lectures at their schools. The events are sometimes organised at the request of particular teachers, or they may be arranged by the Bristol ChemLabS team or an external sponsor. A feature of Bristol ChemLabS’ interaction with secondary schools is the network of secondary teachers, not their schools, called CHeMneT. As well as chemistry teachers, the network covers schools and other interested individuals, largely from South West England and South Wales, but also from the rest ofthe United Kingdom (UK) and beyond. A feature of the kind of interaction that the CHeMneT network has developed is long-term relationships with particular teachers and their schools. Some of these relationships have followed teachers from school to school as they have progressed in their careers and have seen teachers using the outreach provision and resources in their teaching over the whole period of Bristol ChemLabS’existence. There are about 30 different activities on offer for secondary school pupils through Bristol ChemLabS outreach, suitable for a range of ages and many activities are adaptable. A feature of the kind of interaction that the CHeMneT network has developed is long-term relationships with particular teachers. Since previous research has focused on the responses of pupils to the outreach work [16, 19,~~ ~~20], teachers have been interviewed or surveyed in order to gain their perspective on pupils’ response. Teachers who have engaged long term with Bristol ChemLabS have not previously been profiled. Asthe recent reports on Widening Participation reiterate, the importance of relationship development with teachers and parents and the development of long-term partnerships have been highlighted as an important and effective means of reaching students regularly and over the course of their school careers [5, 9, 11] . The support and development of relationships with teachers and schools could be the key to effective outreach strategies that improve chemistry tuition at secondary schools and positively impact both attainment and progression to tertiary education, but neither the funding for outreach nor the research usually undertaken has effectively targeted this important area. This study begins to explore these relationships and answer questions about how and why these relationships develop through universityled outreach to secondary schools, as well as how these relationships impact and influence secondary

FAQs

Why did the study focus on teachers’ reasons for long-term university outreach partnerships?

Prior research examined pupils’ responses, while reasons teachers engage—and impacts of sustained relationships with a university department—were less well understood. This study addresses those gaps by centering teachers’ perspectives.

What impacts on students were reported from prolonged partnerships with Bristol ChemLabS?

Teachers reported effects such as inspiration, enjoyment, reward, motivation, exposure to a university chemistry department, raising aspirations, curriculum support, enrichment, and challenge.

How was the secondary teacher interview study conducted?

Teachers were selected based on the length of engagement with Bristol ChemLabS, using schools identified in the CHeMneT database. Twelve teachers were contacted and nine were interviewed using semi-structured interviews conducted in person and by phone.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Rizky