5 Legacy
Imagine you are a researcher and you have completed your research. You have disseminated your research to all those you hope will benefit. You then build a website for your project in order to keep the findings in the public domain, and you are thinking about what to do next.
Before you turn to your next project, think back to the list of responsibilities you have for the piece of research that has just been completed. Activity 9 supports thinking about the legacy your research might have.
The BERA ethical guidelines for educational research (2018) list the following responsibilities:
- responsibilities to participants
- responsibilities to sponsors, clients and stakeholders in research
- responsibilities to the community of educational researchers
- responsibilities for publication and dissemination
- responsibilities for researchers’ wellbeing and development.
Activity 9 Planning for legacy
Timing: Allow approximately 10 minutes
Review the following checklist and add ideas to the third column, exploring how the legacy of the research might be limited if these actions are not followed.
| Responsibilities to… | Actions for legacy… | Possible negative consequences if not considered |
| Participants | Have I thanked all those involved? Is it culturally appropriate to offer a gift? Have I made my research findings available? | |
| Sponsors, clients and stakeholders | Did I meet all the requirements of me? Did I report on time? Did I manage my budget (if relevant) efficiently? | |
| Community of educational researchers | Have I developed positive relationships with those in the research site? Have I raised positive understandings of research? | |
| Publish and disseminate | Can people find my research findings readily? Did I reach as many potential audiences as might have been interested in my findings? | |
| My own wellbeing and development | Have I increased my skills and confidence in carrying out research? Have I identified training I need? |
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