Connecting the dots: painting, thesis and writing

I am a newly minted PhD from the School of Education and Professional Development at the University of Huddersfield. Two months after graduation, I am still coming to terms with the ‘what...

Using tablets in free play: The implementation of the digital play framework in Greece

The integration of technology in the early years of education has followed a rocky path, with many obstacles to overcome. Together with research around the use of new technologies by young...

Promoting children’s wellbeing, and right to make choices and engage in playful activities, in restricted environments through music and singing

In an era in which creative subjects are being squeezed in education, the role and value of the arts in health settings is increasingly acknowledged. The all-party parliamentary group on arts,...

The unspoken power of collage

‘Collages manage to satisfy all of my madness. I’m able to make these obsessive things but then I’m also able to make these very strong statements… in my mind they have a very strong...

How do we truly assess success and long-term achievement in learning: exams, or innovative contextualised creative assessment?

There is a continual debate and discussion about exams – whether it is standard attainment tests (SATs) at primary school or GCSEs and A-levels at secondary – and how effective they are not...

Writing a world-leading (four star) publication

Highlights from the first 1,000 BERA Blog posts

The idea that research could be described as ‘4*’ came from the UK’s Research Excellence Framework (REF). Four-star research is 'world-leading in terms of originality, significance and...

Metaphorically speaking…

I’m currently reviewing some guidance as to how to make lecturing notes/teaching materials as accessible as possible. It is, of course, important to be as accessible to all as possible, but I am...

Rhetoric in Vocationalism

The BERA SIG: Post-Compulsory Education and Lifelong Learning has held a number of runs of events in the last year or two and I’ve enjoyed being able to make a small number of the London ones....