Author: George Roberts

Tealab? TEL me about it

Reviving Tealab: Tealab is explicitly a Teaching Laboratory and discussion "space". There are a number of excellent initiatives across the university that lap over the territory. When Tealab was set up it was intended to replace the Learning and Teaching  Forum (LTF),  with a focus on people (possibly "younger" whatever that might mean) interested in … Continue reading Tealab? TEL me about it

Education for all: a public good?

This is still the question to be addressed as the consequences of less and less certain funding are felt in actual institutions with payrolls and contracts and food service and students. While the recharged Labour Party debate suggests there is political risk, there will be at least four more years of opposition and for institutions … Continue reading Education for all: a public good?

Usurpation: the condition of the university?

Usurpation might better be seen as the condition of the university than as a problem for any particular aspect of that complex phenomenon: higher education today. Taking Subramaniam, Perrucci, & Whitlock's (2014) theoretical framework of social and intellectual closure we might see usurpation as - in parts and in places - an ameliorating response to … Continue reading Usurpation: the condition of the university?

Getting away with it (a blimage challenge)

Bounced off Steve Wheeler's post, "Blimy its a blimage" and thought I could be a nay-sayer or a player (more on which somewhere else maybe).  The image was of old school desks shot from above. The challenge -- for the Blimage is a challenge -- is to write an education-related piece about the image. Two … Continue reading Getting away with it (a blimage challenge)

School of Education Research Conference 26 June 2015 #soeresearch

Semi-live blogging from the Oxford Brookes University School of Education Research Conference at Harcourt Hill, Glasgow Room, Friday 26 June 2015. hash #soeresearch Mandy Winter: Pupils conceptions and practices of composing. Mandy Winter launches the proceedings: the Clangers travel in a boat powered by music. She reports on 3 Studies Revisioning compositional pedagogy for adolescents … Continue reading School of Education Research Conference 26 June 2015 #soeresearch

Reflection, criticality and transformation

I would like to know how to test a belief that I am forming. I suggest that some people - perhaps especially mature learners returning to education - enter higher education with an unstated and often unconscious aim of becoming better at arguing for their prejudices. I do not mean to use the term "prejudice" … Continue reading Reflection, criticality and transformation

Humanities and Social Sciences Research at Brookes

Semi-live blogging from the Faculty research conference. Yet more 1000-mile questions. In general, academics need to learn that not keeping to time is unprofessional and disrespectful of colleagues and audience. Roger Griffin on Nomic modernity. Cites Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd, as well as old and new academic writers in a compelling whirl of suggestions about … Continue reading Humanities and Social Sciences Research at Brookes

Flipping questions

These are the questions about flipped teaching that we will be discussing: Why would you reduce the time spent on "homework" and increase the time given to didactics? Is the significant difference only that texts are presented as multimedia? How do you design for the periods between class? Is higher education is moving from a … Continue reading Flipping questions

The role of the PVC International (PVCI)

Alastair Fitt, Vice Chancellor, on the role of the PVC International (PVCI), Thursday 23 April 2015 These comments and reflections are mine and do not necessarily represent the views of the Vice Chancellor, Oxford Brookes University or any other member of the audience. The Vice Chancellor’s talk, which opened the Internationalisation Steering Group’s Away Day, … Continue reading The role of the PVC International (PVCI)