IRIS launches free resources to bring research into classrooms
Getting Started with Research helps teachers introduce questions, evidence and investigation
Teachers can now access Getting Started with Research, a free resource from the Institute for Research in Schools (IRIS) designed to introduce research and innovation alongside existing classroom teaching.
The scheme includes lesson plans, activities and PowerPoint presentations exploring how researchers ask questions, find answers and use data. Teachers can follow the sequence or select individual lessons, working towards a Ready to Research mini-project.
The aim is to help young people practise critical thinking, problem-solving and teamwork. Schools and teachers register through the IRIS website to access the materials.
Why this matters for policymakers
- STEM participation: Early research experiences can broaden pupils' sense of who science is for.
- Teacher support: Ready-made materials offer a practical starting point for classroom investigation.
- Evidence skills: Asking questions and interpreting data matter beyond scientific careers.
Sources: IRIS: Getting Started with Research and free registration.
Image: Professional Images / Find a Future, via Wikimedia Commons. Pupils at a Women in Engineering Day activity at Middlesbrough College in 2015; illustrative photograph, not an IRIS session. Resized for the website CC BY 2.0.