Unpacking the complexities and challenges of education in Northern Ireland
Stimulating debate with Ulster University’s Transforming Education project
BERA Blog
Making the case for technologically imminent classrooms
The way in which education is being delivered in England is faltering. A study by the National Foundation for Education Research found that 44 per cent more teachers stated their intention to...
Social media: Distraction or traction in higher education
Social media is an important part of young people’s lives in our connected society; however, its use in higher education is currently sporadic, localised, and not aligned with the large and...
Reflections from teaching primary science in the Northern Irish sySTEM
Teaching primary science in Northern Ireland is a journey filled with both challenges and exciting opportunities. Revised in 2007, the Northern Ireland Curriculum for Primary was designed to...
Brokering experimental knowledge for educational policy and practice
In recent years, governments have moved social policy towards being ‘evidence-based’. To give just two examples, in the US the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) restricts funding to...
Autism: The benefits of Monotropism and Flow States and its applications for the classroom
Despite the surge of the neurodiversity movement and tremendous efforts by schools, parents and SEND specialists, negative connotations around autism still pervade. One need only to look towards...
Black History Month: Moving beyond tokenism
I was inspired to write this blog post after contributing to a social media soundbite for Black History Month, specifically addressing the challenges Black researchers face. The cognitive...
Researcher of early career teachers and tutor of early career teachers: How to navigate conflicting interests
Holding a position of responsibility in a field within which the researcher is researching can pose challenges in terms of remaining true to professional values while maintaining research...
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Branching Out: Mobilising community assets to support the mental health and wellbeing of children in primary schools
Children's mental health is a pressing concern, with recent data suggesting 18 per cent of children aged 7–16 years in England have been diagnosed as having a probable mental health disorder...
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The workforce of tomorrow needs creative thinking now
It’s 2030 – technological advancements continue at a rapid pace through artificial intelligence (AI) and digital developments, displacing businesses, disrupting business models and automating...
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Editorial: Education and the climate crisis: A curriculum for sustainability – A BERA Blog special issue from the British Curriculum Forum
Over recent years, the climate crisis has become an accepted scientific fact, and around the world, children and young people have become some of the most vociferous activists for a more...
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Revisioning the marginalisation of creative curricula at a time of political change: What can we learn from the work of Manuel Alvarado?
The dissolving of UK parliament ready for a general election in 2024 and the subsequent new parliamentary term provides an opportunity for those vested in education to reflect upon the past and...
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Top tips for facilitating creative research spaces with arts-based methods
The appeal of creative methods in research has been well noted across literature, including their potential for enhancing participant-led forms of expression (see Ascroft, 2021; Kara, 2020; Vaart...
Continue reading blog postEditorial: Arts for all: Exploring inclusivity in arts education
There are many shared themes and ideas across the fields of arts-based and inclusive research: the arts have the capacity to connect different communities, provide a means of expression, and...
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A Hong Kong school music education perspective
The context: Understanding inclusivity in Hong Kong In Hong Kong, inclusivity is not just a policy, but a way of delivering special education that embraces individual differences and celebrates...
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Story crafting a picture of me
In this blog post we share learning from research into a collaborative community-based project led by Prism Arts, a charity with the vision of ‘Art without Barriers’. Their mission is to...
Continue reading blog postPractising collaborative filmmaking for inclusivity
The Covid-19 outbreak has made a serious impact on many vulnerable populations and revealed social justice issues (Lowell et al., 2022; Meda & Chitiyo, 2022). Embodying diversity and inclusivity...
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