Where is the ‘theory’ within the field of educational technology research?

We know that research in the field of educational technology has grown substantially in importance over the last decade or so – mainly due to the huge investment by many governments in...

Exploring learning entanglement

Learning spaces are changing. Classrooms, once filled with uniform furnishings and distinct ‘teacher’ and ‘student’ territories, are being reimagined to provide learning spaces that...

Having a secure and safe place to conduct the fieldwork: Further anecdotal tales in pursuit of the elusive doctorate

This blog is part of the series ‘From Zero to Hero: Anecdotal Tales in Pursuit of the Elusive Doctorate’. Click on the links to read part 1 (the introduction), part 2 (‘Having a critical...

The Future of Educational Research in Wales

This report, published by BERA in partnership with the Welsh Government, presents the proceedings of and lessons from the Future of Educational Research in Wales conference. Held in Cardiff on 14...

Linking school teachers’ practice with research in educational technology: A call to action

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the British Journal of Educational Technology (BJET), Melissa Bond (University of Oldenburg), Dr Olaf Zawacki-Richter (University of Oldenburg) and Dr Mark...

Peering through the looking glass: Making sense of the observation process in HE

This blog is inspired by two recent experiences. The first was attending Matt O’Leary’s recent seminar at Liverpool John Moores’ University on ‘Observing teaching and learning in higher...

The gender wars, academic freedom and education

Academics who do not adhere to a particular line on gender and transgender issues have suffered intimidation by trans activists. The people under attack are not mavericks or extremists. They are...

Having a handle on time, sacrifice and resilience: Further anecdotal tales in pursuit of the elusive doctorate

This blog is part of the series ‘From Zero to Hero: Anecdotal Tales in Pursuit of the Elusive Doctorate’. Click on the links to read part 1 (the introduction), part 2 (‘Having a critical...

Heutagogy: Panacea or predicament in higher education?

In recent years, teaching within higher education has undergone a shift toward increasingly student-led pedagogies, as institutions seek to improve student autonomy, motivation, and achievement...

Are there individual differences in developing spatial thinking skills of university students within a web‐based GIS mapping environment?

Spatial thinking as a set of cognitive skills is essential for success in academic, workplace and everyday settings, particularly in the contemporary information age. Existing research shows that...

Can Swedish images of engineering help UK universities widen participation in engineering degrees?

Although recruitment to undergraduate degrees in engineering in the UK has risen slightly in recent years, concerns remain. Last year, Engineering UK predicted an ongoing 20,000+ shortfall in...

BERA Blog highlights from 2018

BERA Blog end of year highlights

A seasonal welcome to all our BERA Blog readers in the UK and around the world in this, our third end-of-year-highlights special edition. And what a year this has turned out to be. (I really will...