I was encouraged to write this by Jill Berry and Lena Carter, who both wrote excellent reflective blogs recently that show why they’re two of the most important voices in education, and are people that I respect greatly (links are at the end). It’s been far too long since I wrote something for my own … Continue reading Beginning the World Over Again
Blogs
COP26 and Education: Change in the Making
In a few days’ time, Scotland will play host to COP26. The eyes of the world will be on Glasgow, and the conference has been discussed in terms of being a last chance opportunity to create the change needed for human life on this planet to be sustainable. What is meant by sustainable development needs … Continue reading COP26 and Education: Change in the Making
Let’s talk about race: a provocation for teachers
Let's be brave. Let’s talk about race. I’ll begin by showing my hand. I am white, male, middle-aged, protestant, heterosexual and read history at Oxford University. I have the exact same profile as many of the people who led us to this moment in time. It is now past the time for a paradigm shift … Continue reading Let’s talk about race: a provocation for teachers
Teaching in the Time of COVID
It’s not so much a case of ‘Love in the Time of Cholera’ but ‘Teaching in the Time of COVID’. Schools around the world have been moving to online learning and this has been a massive culture shock. Faced with the likelihood of having to teach entirely online, I put out a tweet asking for … Continue reading Teaching in the Time of COVID
Brains, Computers and CogSci: the Quiet Revolution in Learning
This blog was written for the Voices in Education Series and is reproduced here with the kind permission of Odgers Berndtson. This Spring Term the Schools Practice at Odgers Berndtson is pleased to present the second series of articles for its Voices in Education initiative. These articles are written by a number of leading voices across the … Continue reading Brains, Computers and CogSci: the Quiet Revolution in Learning
UnsustainED? Why ESD isn’t working.
“Why should I be studying for a future that soon may be no more, when no one is doing anything to save that future? And what is the point of learning facts when the most important facts clearly mean nothing to our society?” - Greta Thunberg 2019 has seen millions of schoolchildren across the world strike … Continue reading UnsustainED? Why ESD isn’t working.
COBIS and researchED Dubai: takeaways
I spoke at the Innovation in Education conference last week at Dubai College for COBIS and researchED, which was a great chance to catch up with friends and meet new people working in the Middle East. Here are a few thoughts based on the sessions I saw. Becky Allen - @profbeckyallen This is always a pleasure, because … Continue reading COBIS and researchED Dubai: takeaways
The Ship of Theseus: the Nature of Change in Schools
“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” - Heraclitus This is about a philosophical thinking problem, and the messages that emerge for teachers and school leaders. If you know your philosophy, you can skip to the second half. If you don’t, … Continue reading The Ship of Theseus: the Nature of Change in Schools
Scottish EduTwitter
At the start of 2019, UKEdChat.com published a lengthy list of educators to follow in both the UK and abroad. Without wishing to sound parochial, I was frustrated at the presence of just a couple of people based in Scotland. The list is made up by nominations, so it’s not necessarily anyone’s fault. However, I … Continue reading Scottish EduTwitter
The Effect Size Effect
There’s nothing more satisfying than winning a staff-room or pub argument about what works and what doesn’t by quoting effect sizes. There they are, in black and white: stats that show you are right. Homework is rubbish, class sizes don’t matter, feedback is king. However, my concern is that effect sizes in the hands of … Continue reading The Effect Size Effect
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