Every year, BERA’s Early Career Researcher (ECR) Network runs an annual symposium series that spans the four nations and focuses on a particular theme. At the events, ECRs are invited to present and discuss their research in front of an audience made up of their peers as well as two discussants who are experienced academics. Presenters are encouraged to highlight key points for consideration to guide the discussion and invite constructive feedback. The symposium series seeks to provide ECRs with an opportunity to present their research in a supportive environment, gaining valuable experience that will stand them in good stead for attending and presenting at conferences.

After each event in the 2022 symposium series, participants and discussants were invited to write blog posts to continue the conversation on the series theme, Framing research: Theories, concepts and reflexivity in educational research. This theme involves ECRs discussing the theoretical and conceptual frameworks that they have drawn on (or will draw on) as part of their studies and considering how they have been (or will be) reflexive within the research process.

In this resulting blog collection, the ECRs who presented at the events examine the research, concepts and perspectives they shared in more detail and reflect on what they gained from taking part in the symposium series, while discussants summarise key takeaways and highlights of the events they attended.