IOE insights, debates, lectures, interviews

We explore the growing financial pressures on UK universities and what they mean for the future of higher education. From frozen tuition fees to the reliance on international students, the system is reaching a tipping point. But alongside the challenges, we highlight the research-driven solutions already emerging. Through expert insights and real-world stories, we uncover how universities are adapting and what sustainability could truly look like. Guests:Professor Gill WynessHend Aly and Heather RolfeProfessor Huw Morris

Dr Michelle Cannon joins Dr Hakan Ergül to explore the ethical dilemmas that arise when using digital technologies for creative work in the classroom.How do we strike a balance between guiding students in their storytelling while preserving their agency? What strategies can researchers employ to navigate the complexities of confidentiality, privacy, and consent in digital production?In this episode, they discuss how digital tools can empower students, fostering creativity and amplifying their voices without compromising their autonomy.Full show notes and transcript: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2025/jun/embracing-chaos-creativity-agency-and-ethics-digital-storytelling-research-ethics-s01e03

Evelyn Forde shares her lived experience, from not feeling she mattered in school to becoming headteacher of the year.Evelyn tells Mark and Elaine about finding her way back into education, after feeling like she didn't belong and was disillusioned with school.She talks about the importance of making both children and adults feel like they matter – which is shaped by one's actions, behaviour and attitudes.Cultivating this sense of belonging is integral to Evelyn's practice as an educator and a leader."It's about nurturing leadership without bias, being yourself and just being nice."Full show notes and transcript: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2025/jun/making-sure-everyone-matters-evelyn-forde-tells-herstory-staffroom-s05e04

Dr Sara Young reflects on her experiences collaborating with children in the context of migration.How feasible is it to uphold ethical principles amid the uncertainties of the field?Taking the participants' vulnerability into account, what ethical considerations should be made both before and during fieldwork to ensure that children are actively included as co-researchers?Sara shares her valuable suggestions and insights on ethics, in conversation with Dr Hakan Ergül.Full show notes: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2025/may/empowering-agency-collaborating-children-context-migration-research-ethics-s01e02

Sarah and Phoebe from Freshwater Theatre show how drama builds creativity and empathy... and can improve wellbeing for teachers too.Sarah and Phoebe explore how drama can be a vehicle for teachers to enhance lessons and deepen learning – but also a way to inject fun into the classroom, for both students and the teachers themselves.They talk about how drama can enable teachers to have more agency over what they teach and how they teach it, especially when it comes to adapting their curriculum to the needs of their pupils and their communities."Drama is the best multi-tool you'll find. It's really malleable.. and can bring people and teachers joy alike."Full show notes and transcript: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2025/may/has-creativity-gone-out-fashion-no-its-more-important-ever-staffroom-s05e03

What ethical questions does working with young children raise? A conversation with Dr Karen Wilkes.How should researchers approach collaborating with children in creative ways to ensure the research is beneficial for all involved?In this conversation, Karen discusses her thoughts and experiences on research ethics, offering advice to researchers working with children on ethics preparation prior to fieldwork.Karen shares insights from her recent research on the societal repercussions of rapid gentrification in London, aiming to document the transformations through the eyes of primary school students.Full show notes: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2025/may/working-withfor-children-documenting-social-change-research-ethics-s01e01

Julie Dockrell talks to us about how oral language is the foundation for all other learning and what the implications of this are for teachers.Julie talks about how her research aims to help children develop a flexible use of language across different contexts, for instance through a programme that supports children's conversational skills.She explores the importance of developing children's inference skills and oral comprehension by encouraging children to talk about and understand the texts they're reading.Julie also discusses the different types of multilingual classrooms and how teachers can address the challenges of teaching when there are many different languages in a classroom – though she also emphasises the importance of acknowledging the diversity of languages and translanguaging in particular.Full show notes, links and transcript: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2025/feb/if-we-dont-create-opportunities-talk-we-build-disadvantage-staffroom-s05e02

There is no form of culture or society without music – it's something that's part of us all. We take a look at the power of music, and how it intersects with technology, health and wellbeing.Show notes and links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2025/mar/we-are-all-musical-rftrw-s24e03

In this episode, Guy Claxton takes us beyond simplified conceptions of the learning sciences and explains why teachers are sometimes vulnerable to fads and trends. "We undersell ourselves as educators, educating young people for the future and for life, if we lazily assume that all we mean by learning is the kind of thing that leads to good grades in schools." Guy shares his hopes as an educator – to help young people develop beyond just the periodic table, the Tudors and examination technique, and cultivate something of more lasting value. He hopes to design a classroom culture that isn't solely defined by Ofsted, GCSEs or A-level results, probing at the question: what are you teaching? What are you teaching for? Full show notes and transcript: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2025/jan/asking-awkward-questions-staffroom-s05e01

Those in creative sectors have made it loud and clear that there's been a lack of funding and a disregard for the arts in the school curriculum. We hear about why media, arts and play is so important from an educational perspective. Full show notes: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2025/jan/state-arts-and-media-education-and-whats-play-here-rftrw-s24e02

The IOE Podcast is delighted to share with you an episode from the UK Data Service's ‘Experts' Expert Podcast' series . Professor Jennifer Symonds, Director of CLOSER, Robin Flaig, Co-Director of the UK Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration and Chief Operations Officer for Generation Scotland, and Dr Nigel de Noronha, Research Associate at the University of Manchester, discuss their personal data journeys and what they have found so rewarding about working with data. This episode was first released as part of Love Data Week 2024, where you can listen to more episodes where the group highlight the impact that data and research has had on society.

We look at the potential power of learning and understanding other languages to take on the challenge of bridging cultural differences in an increasingly divided world. Show notes and links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2025/jan/how-do-you-improve-language-learning-and-intercultural-understanding-rftrw-s24e01

It won't come as a surprise to realise that the arts are struggling right now. This is certainly not just a UK-centric issue. When you look at how the cost of living crisis has impacted society, usually policies around the arts are slashed or go unnoticed. In this season of Research for the Real World, we're exploring the contribution of IOE research on Language, Culture and Arts Education to turbo-charge this much-needed reset. Joining us will be experts from the IOE to unpack the key issues at play. Professor Zhu Hua will talk about the key pressing issues facing language learning and intercultural communication. Professor John Potter and Annie Davey will share artistic research collaborations with external partners and what that means in terms of developing arts education. Professor Evangelos Himonides joins us to talk about how research projects around music can impact our health and wellbeing, and the importance of music education. More Research for the Real World: https://bit.ly/researchfortherealworld

In this episode, Sally Adams tells us about her new role leading adult learning – and the ways teaching can be a great stepping stone for a host of different careers. Sally talks about the complexities of leading professional learning and the barriers teachers sometimes face. She recommends that teachers schedule a little bit of time every now and then to take a step back from day-to-day tasks and really find time to think, reflect and focus on professional development. "I think teachers really need to invest in themselves because they deserve it – and so do the children that they work with." Full show notes and transcript: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2024/dec/early-years-school-research-school-ecf-staffroom-s04e06

Mark and Elaine hear from researcher Emily Macleod, who says that if we want more people to try out teaching, we have to stop thinking of it as a vocation. "These trajectories into teaching, they're not linear. They're multi-directional, they're complex... No one's trajectory into anything is going to be straightforward." Not a vocation? For Emily Macleod teaching is an expert profession – nobody is 'born' to do it. One in three young people consider teaching at some point. What happens to the ‘could have beens'? Full show notes and transcript: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2024/nov/what-happens-could-have-beens-who-decided-not-teach-ecf-staffroom-s04e05

As human beings, how do we learn? In this episode, Dr Rebecca Gordon explores how educational neuroscience can be used in the classroom. Rebecca reminds us how complex and fascinating the human brain is and cautions us about the dangers of oversimplifying research. She urges us to question ‘how we know what we know' and evaluate the research for ourselves. Full show notes and transcript: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2024/nov/beware-anyone-who-claims-know-it-all-ecf-staffroom-s04e04

Emily Taylor, ECT in Airdale Academy in Castleford, talks about how her strong bond with her mentor has supported her personally and professionally, and how she in turn builds strong relationships with her pupils. Emily talks about her relationship with her ECF mentor Rachel. She details the professional, practical, and emotional support she received. Emily shares how her mentor helped her to make a good start in her school, imparted pedagogical content knowledge, and supported her wellbeing as an ECT. In turn, she also makes sure to be a steady adult in her students' lives, and gives advice to new ECTs about how to build good relationships with pupils. Full show notes: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2024/oct/happy-teacher-ect-emily-importance-relationships-ecf-staffroom-s04e03

In this episode, Cesc Masdeu discusses how mentoring and professional development can transform school cultures and contribute to institutional change. Barcelona teacher Cesc, an associate at UCL, explains how schools in Catalonia are learning from the mentoring experiences of the ECF programme. He discusses his hopes for increased investment in education – particularly in terms of professional development programmes and support for novice and experienced teachers. Cesc hopes their programme can install this culture of continuous development and support throughout the teaching career. Full show notes: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2024/sep/lessons-catalonia-ecf-staffroom-s04e02

Step out of your bubble: Raf Alleyne, Assistant Principal at London Screen Academy, tells us about the importance of reflecting on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. In this podcast, Raf talks about why playing a role in students' lives is exciting – and most importantly, why EDI is not a ‘nice to have' but an ‘essential to have'. He discusses why it's important to create spaces to talk, listen, and break down misunderstandings. He also kindly shares with us The London Screen Academy's' Equity Dictionary, a great starting point for anyone wishing to develop their thinking about EDI in their school. Full show notes: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2024/sep/thinking-about-life-through-all-their-eyes-ecf-staffroom-s04e01

In this podcast, Jason Ilagan hears from Dr Benjamin Abrams about a theory on how and why movements such as the 1789 French Revolution, the Arab Spring as well as Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter take place, ‘coping strategies' against populism, preventing violence in mass protest, and what might happen during and after the elections in the United States this November. Production note: This episode was recorded on Monday 8 July 2024, before the assassination attempt on Donald Trump (Saturday 13 July 2024) and Joe Biden's withdrawal from the US presidential election race (Sunday 21 July 2024). Full show notes and links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2024/jul/protest-whats-point-rftrw-s23e02

In this episode, hosts Dr Keri Wong and Dr Alina Pelikh dive into the particular and sometimes daunting process of job interviews within academia. Let's face it, while we all aim to secure job interviews, the process itself can be a nerve-wracking experience. Keri and Alina share their personal experiences and insights, having been on both sides of the interview table. What are the key differences between interviewing for academic positions and industry roles? In a world where remote interviews are becoming more common, how can you convey your enthusiasm and strengths effectively? Keri and Alina break down what you can expect in each scenario and offer practical tips for both formats to help their fellow early career academics shine. We also asked our listeners to send in their most awkward interview questions. Join us for an enlightening discussion - your dream job might be just an interview away! Finally, stay connected with the Academia et al. podcast series for future episodes filled with insights and tips for navigating the academic landscape. Subscribe, leave us a review, and share with your colleagues! Full show notes: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2024/jul/how-do-i-get-next-job-start-these-steps-academia-et-al-s03e03

What changes would benefit the UK early years education system? And what's it like dealing with government and parliament to make funding and policy changes possible? Dr Claire Crawford's research focuses on childcare and education and is particularly interested in understanding inequalities and how policy can help reduce these gaps. She also has a strong track record of high-impact research, including giving evidence to select committees on education, social mobility, and diversity and inclusion issues. Full show notes and links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2024/jul/improving-childcare-and-early-years-education-rftrw-s23e02

Is being a PhD researcher just a continuation of being a university student? No! This episode's guest, Dr. Jenny Chanfreau, shares advice on how to treat your PhD like a full-time job. Drawing from her experience of embarking on a PhD after working at the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), the UK's largest independent social research institute, Dr Chanfreau offers valuable insights. Join hosts Alina and Keri as they and Jenny compare their journeys into PhD life, think about how to make the most of their new academic communities, and air some thoughts about the unique 'twilight' status of PhD researchers within universities - more professional than students but not quite fully-fledged staff - while discussing what universities can do to recognise and protect the contributions PhD researchers make to their department's operation. And as you approach the end of your PhD, the big question arises: now what? The episode explores the challenges of job applications, potential visa stress for international scholars, and the skills needed to stay in academia. It also covers the importance of showcasing your research, exploring post-doctoral opportunities, and dealing with feedback or rejection - it can be emotional! The discussion includes how to process feedback constructively and the surprising usefulness of memes in navigating this journey. Full show notes: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2024/jul/phd-z-what-can-i-do-maximise-my-phd-journey-academia-et-al-s03e02

The winners of elections in the UK and abroad need to ensure the right conditions are in place to allow cutting-edge ideas developed by experts in our universities to meet today's policy challenges, and vice versa. Dr Laura Outhwaite talks to our guests, Professors Marc Stears and Huw Morris about their approaches to undertaking research that informs policy, their experiences working across the academic/political divide, and what they'd do if they had a direct line to the next UK government. Full show notes and links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2024/jul/how-can-researchers-help-politicians-and-policymakers-do-their-jobs-better-rftrw-s23e01

Academia et al is back with three new episodes exploring life as an early career academic! Today we're thinking about how to use media engagement as a vehicle for making an impact. Dr Alina Pelikh speaks to in-house media relations expert Chris Lane, who works in UCL's central press office team. We discuss the ins and outs of communicating research and expertise to the wider world via the media. Where do the media headlines about research come from? As an early career researcher, how do I write for the media and bring my expertise to life in the minds of the public? Full show notes: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2024/jun/why-engaging-media-phd-will-help-your-career-academia-et-al-s03e01 Transcript: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/about-ioe/ioe-life/digital-and-social-media/podcasts/academia-et-al/transcript-academia-et-al-s03e01

Did you know that in 2024, more voters than ever in history will take part in elections across the world? In this season of Research for the Real World, it's all about how research evidence informs policy. How could we not cover it when we know that policies implemented by the winning parties will prove consequential for years to come, shaping the future of democracy around the world? Guests: Professor Marc Stears and Professor Huw Morris on how policymakers can meet the challenges of modern Britain Dr Claire Crawford on what it's like providing evidence to government and the UK Parliament Dr Ben Abrams on how modern societies have responded to the rise of populist governments. More episodes of Research for the Real World: ⁠⁠bit.ly/researchfortherealworld⁠⁠The IOE Podcast: ⁠⁠bit.ly/ioepodcast⁠

In this podcast we hear about research that seeks to understand the causes of eating disorders and develop innovative treatments and support. Dr Amy Harrison talks in detail about a project funded by the Medical Research Council looking into how decision-making skills in childhood is associated with eating disorder symptoms in adolescence. Full show notes and link: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2024/jun/whats-link-between-decision-making-and-eating-disorders-rftrw-s22e03

In this podcast we take a closer look at international development and global health research that shapes the way we respond during times of crisis. Dr Mukdarut Bangpan and Dr Kelly Dickson's work with governments and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) includes research on the impact of mental health and psychosocial support programmes to inform their policy and practice. Full show notes and links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2024/apr/how-do-we-know-if-mental-health-support-people-affected-humanitarian-emergencies-working

You're not dreaming! There's so much going on in the field of sleep and research right now. We take a closer look at how things have crossed over into tech and AI, cancer and our wellbeing. Professor Dagmara Dimitriou leads a lab that takes a multi-disciplinary approach to examine sleep's role in affecting our cognitive, behavioural and academic abilities and has also been working with the likes of the NHS and the US Army on a wide variety of projects. Full show notes and links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2024/apr/sleep-and-tales-our-mental-health-might-tell-rftrw-s22e01

This season of Research for the Real World is all about mental health, and we'll be hearing from researchers whose work encompasses such wide-ranging areas and offer solutions to address these challenges. Professor Dagmara Dimitriou on the role of sleep on neurodevelopmental disorders and cancer Dr Mukdarut Bangpan and Dr Kelly Dickson on humanitarian emergencies and the impact it has on mental wellbeing Dr Amy Harrison on social-emotional functioning and cognitive skills in eating disorders More episodes of Research for the Real World: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/researchfortherealworld⁠⁠ The IOE Podcast: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/ioepodcast⁠

In this podcast, Mark Quinn and Dr Polly Glegg talk about what makes great professional learning for teachers and leaders. Polly and Mark, the masterminds behind UCL's High Quality Outcomes for Great Professional Learning, explain how their thinking about professional learning has been influenced by research and practice. They also let us into some of their secrets about how they, as seasoned facilitators, make sure participants encounter these high quality outcome in their professional learning sessions. Full show notes, transcript and links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2024/mar/if-participants-dont-value-their-learning-then-what-left-ecf-staffroom-s03e08 ECF Staffroom speaks to Early Career Teachers, mentors and participants at all levels of the UCL Early Career Teacher Development programme.

In this podcast, we discuss how eating disorder symptoms affect men. We cover what our guests have learned about how to ask for help and care for themselves. We speak about how eating disorders affect friendships and sexual relationships, and reflect on what our guests have learned through their experiences about how to cope with challenges in life. Content warning: this podcast contains information about eating disorders, experiences of mental health difficulties and sex and sexual experiences. There is some language that may offend. Full show notes, transcript and links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2024/feb/two-men-and-their-experiences-eating-disorders

In this podcast, George Wolstenholme talks about messing up, forgiveness, and being on the way to becoming the teacher he wishes to be. "Everyone's experience with neurodiversity is going to be different." George Wolstenholme – or Mr. W to his pupils – tells us how his practitioner inquiries have granted him his independence, liberating him to try things out and learn from his failures as well as his successes. He explains why neurodivergent teachers should be given their moment, and how he is learning to handle his environment and himself within it. Full show notes, transcript and links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2024/jan/be-ambitious-and-fail-dont-fail-be-ambitious-s03e07 ECF Staffroom speaks to Early Career Teachers, mentors and participants at all levels of the UCL Early Career Teacher Development programme.

This podcast hears about the impact of the UK's School Meals Service on schools and their communities since its inception in 1906, and how it can adapt to the challenges of food insecurity and the impact of the economic crisis on children's learning. Full show notes and links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2024/jan/history-free-school-meals-how-its-past-dishes-out-lessons-future-servings-rftrw-s21e03 Research for the Real World is an IOE Podcast series featuring conversations about education and social science research and its impact on policy, practice and our everyday lives.

Nancy Karmali-Belmonte and Farzana Akther respond to our ECTs' questions, and remind us that looking after wellbeing and being a good teacher are two sides of the same coin. "It is up to the induction tutors, I think, to set the school culture so that those more challenging feedback conversations are couched in a framework of support and everyone moving forward and growing." Mark and Elaine hear Nancy and Farzana discuss the importance of Induction Tutors, and the important role of ensuring ECTs find their advocates in the staffroom and are able to build their supportive communities. They discuss building a culture that is open and filled with a willingness to share advice and listen – which includes listening to ECTs and knowing what they need. Full show notes, transcript and links: www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2024/jan/fostering-strong-professional-relationships-find-your-staffroom-friends ECF Staffroom speaks to Early Career Teachers, mentors and participants at all levels of the UCL Early Career Teacher Development programme.

Mark and Elaine speak to Louise Dwyer, Assistant Headteacher at the Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls, and discuss how the ECF builds upon a growing movement of evidence-informed practice, enabling a more accessible exchange of ideas. "There will still be that joy to be found in teaching." Louise says that if we want to keep teachers in the profession, we need them to see the joy that is to be found in the classroom. And the ECF, she says, gives new teachers a shared language that helps them to ‘grow together'. In this episode, she also talks about her love of delivering training and challenging early career teachers through continuing professional development (CPD), and through modelling the realities of the classroom. Full show notes, transcript and links: www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2023/dec/giving-ects-springs-run-marathon-louise-dwyers-enthusiasm-ucls-ecf-programme ECF Staffroom speaks to Early Career Teachers, mentors and participants at all levels of the UCL Early Career Teacher Development programme.

In the context of a cost-of-living crisis and increased child poverty, this podcast hears about the growing use of food banks, how they operate and the impact this has on children whose families use them. Full show notes and links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2023/dec/what-impact-do-food-banks-schools-have-childrens-learning-rftrw-s21e02

This podcast hears how mental health and life chances of young people and their parents are being dramatically affected by post-pandemic cost of living pressures. Not only is there an elevated risk of psychological distress, the research also found food bank use and long-term poverty is associated with lower GCSE attainment. This sparks additional concerns about the long-term impact of the current cost-of-living crisis. Full show notes and links: coming soon More IOE podcasts: https://bit.ly/ioepodcast

In January 2023, the Food Foundation estimated that 24% of UK households with children were living in food insecurity. This staggering figure brings to light issues affecting their life chances. We'll hear about how IOE research is raising awareness and informing policies and efforts in the midst of a new school and academic year now underway, another challenging winter and a general election in 2024. This season's guests: Dr Jake Anders - the links between food poverty and hunger with academic attainment Professor Alice Bradbury - educational responses to the cost of living crisis and in particular how schools are doubling up as food banks for their local communities Professor Gary McCulloch - the history of school meal provision and nutritional standards. More episodes of Research for the Real World: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/researchfortherealworld⁠⁠ The IOE Podcast: ⁠https://bit.ly/ioepodcast --- Audio snippets featured: Children's health chief calls for free school meals for all to end ‘disturbing' food poverty - The Independent Rishi Sunak rejects Marcus Rashford's call for free school meals extension - The Indepdendent Sadiq Khan says making free school meals programme permanent is his ‘aspiration' - London Evening Standard 'Inside the Factory', Series 7: Rice Pudding - BBC Two

Alison Wiggins, a PGCE and anti-racist lecturer, emphasises the need for teachers to develop their racial literacy – 'naming it changes the power of it.' She talks about building positive relationships and the connection she forges with mentees and students. One of her highlights, she explains, is they joy of being able to pass on her experiences of teaching, and the opportunity to see mentees' progress as they grow. In this episode, she also shares her thoughts on a culturally responsive pedagogy as well as the need for racial literacy: 'we can't tackle something if we can't name it'. Alison says that we've been socialised to avoid racism as an issue in schools, which creates a greater call to action to do something about the issue, and develop a shared language and understanding of the central aspects of race and racism. Full show notes, transcript and links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2023/nov/speak-and-speak-out-even-if-your-voice-shakes-anti-racism-too-important-leave-chance ECF Staffroom speaks to Early Career Teachers, mentors and participants at all levels of the UCL Early Career Teacher Development programme.

Hilary talks about her journey as an educator and doles out some advice for early career teachers (ECTs): find the joy, discover your own teacher persona, and be unapologetically yourselves. "We want our new teachers to train and stay and thrive in our classrooms." Mark and Elaine speak to Hilary, the Programme Director of the Early Career Framework (ECF), and she talks about her role at the UCL Centre for Educational Leadership. She talks more deeply about the ECF programme and emphasises the importance of the relationship between mentors and their ECTs. She sets policymakers, school leaders and her UCL colleagues some challenges too – and shares her hopes that the ECF programme will improve teacher recruitment and retention. Full show notes, transcript and links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2023/oct/be-unapologetically-yourself-ecf-director-hilary-adli-shares-her-recipe-success-s03e03 ECF Staffroom speaks to Early Career Teachers, mentors and participants at all levels of the UCL Early Career Teacher Development programme.

Tapping into the experience of induction tutors, facilitators and an ECF lead to learn about ensuring high-quality mentoring and cultures of professional learning. Elaine and Mark attend an Induction Tutor conference, which emphasises working with and learning from peers. They speak to Saiqua Zaneb, Tessa Blair and Lara Boyer, who are part of the East London Teaching School hub. They discuss what is important for Early Career Teachers (ECTs) to experience on a day to day basis, particularly the opportunity to connect with colleagues at their school and build relationships. Full show notes, transcript and links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2023/sep/taking-staffroom-road-gatecrashing-induction-tutor-conference-east-london-s03e02 ECF Staffroom speaks to Early Career Teachers, mentors and participants at all levels of the UCL Early Career Teacher Development programme.

This podcast hears about research evidence focused on the role of apps in early education. A key part of Dr Laura Outhwaite's work includes examining claims of many products on Google and Apple's app stores to be “educational” and having an impact on young children's learning. Full show notes and links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2023/sep/how-find-maths-learning-app-you-can-count-your-kids-rftrw-s20e03

Jan shares her wisdom from decades in teaching and teacher education. She reminds us why teaching can be a great – and still greater – profession to join. She talks about her commitment to the importance of teaching, and the ways in which the profession can transform people and fill them with confidence. Full show notes, transcript and links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2023/sep/what-teaching-does-people-people-what-can-ecf-providers-learn-ite-s03e01 ECF Staffroom speaks to Early Career Teachers, mentors and participants at all levels of the UCL Early Career Teacher Development programme.

This podcast explores how artificial intelligence (AI) has grown over time and whether it can be used as a tool to support education, rather than as a replacement for human thinking. Professor Manolis Mavrikis talks about the role of technology in schools and the obstacles that can prevent further integration, like infrastructure, teacher workload and professional development. He discusses the potential of AI in particular, and the role of schools and educators in helping students understand how to use AI as a tool to aid learning. This includes awareness of its pitfalls – like concerns around privacy and biases – but also how to self-regulate and think critically about it. Full show notes: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/evolution-artificial-intelligence-rftrw-s20e02

Professor Alison Clark-Wilson has a wealth of experience breaking down barriers between research communities and industry through her work with educational technology entrepreneurs, experts, and end users all over the world. We hear about some of the projects she's led and collaborated on, how nurturing humility in EdTech might be possible in a world of “tech bros” and big egos, and why “fake it till you make it” is not acceptable in education. Full show notes and links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2023/aug/how-do-we-make-edtech-work-everyone-rftrw-s20e01

This roundtable is the second event in the TCRU@50 programme of activities celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Thomas Coram Research Unit. The speakers offer perspectives on the benefits of engaged fatherhood for men, for children, for families and for gender equality. Speakers- Professor Esther Dermott (University of Bristol)- Professor Paul Hodkinson (University of Surrey)- Professor Margaret O'Brien (UCL, Thomas Coram Research Unit)- Chair: Professor Alison Koslowski (UCL, Thomas Coram Research Unit) More info: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/events/2023/jun/tcru50-roundtable-families-fatherhood-and-future Transcript: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/about-ioe/ioe-life/digital-and-social-media/podcasts/transcript-tcru50-roundtable-families-fatherhood-and-future

In this season of Research for the Real World, we're highlighting IOE research that provides insights on finding ways for technology to play a meaningful role within education. We know that parents, teachers and students have concerns about the way in which society reacts with technology, but how can we improve our relationship with it? Maximise the use of high-quality content? Is there a way we can take advantage of personalized learning? There's also all that chat about AI… well, we're going to provide some examples on how this technology improves lives. We'll hear from: Professor Manolis Mavrikis on artificial intelligence's role in education Professor Alison Clark-Wilson on the intersections between industry and research in EdTech Dr Laura Outhwaite on all things educational maths apps, and how we can look for high-quality learning content. More episodes of Research for the Real World: https://bit.ly/researchfortherealworld The IOE Podcast: https://bit.ly/ioepodcast

In this episode, we talk about what it's like to return for a career in academia, the fluidity of career trajectories, and the importance of supporting neurodiversity in universities. Drs Keri Wong and Alina Pelikh are joined by Brian Irvine for a discussion on his personal career path and work experience over the years, which include his roles as a childminder, a teacher of Religious Education, and balloon modelling. We hear about Brian's decision to return to academia, his love of education, and why students need to see how passionate their teachers are about the subjects they teach. Brian also talks about the importance of inclusive education - prioritising student wellbeing to facilitate learning, in addition to empowering neurodiverse people so they can flourish in the university setting. Full show notes: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2023/jul/academia-after-all-academia-et-al-s02e03Transcript: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/about-ioe/ioe-life/digital-and-social-media/podcasts/academia-et-al/transcript-academia-et-al-s02e03

In this episode, we talk about what it's like to work for the Office for National Statistics and the differences between life in academia and life outside of it. Dr Alina Pelikh is joined by James Robards to talk about applying for jobs once you make a decision to change careers and the different factors that may influence that decision, including workload, logistics and responsibilities. James talks about the differences between working in a research setting and in the civil service, and discusses how his interest in UK demography led him to working with and later for the ONS. He also shares the importance of finding a mentor to guide you along your early career path. Full show notes: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2023/jun/careers-civil-service-academia-et-al-s02e02 Transcript: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/transcript-academia-et-al-s02e02

In this episode, we talk about pursuing a career outside of academia and discuss the many transferable skills we have as researchers that can be applied to other contexts. Dr Keri Wong is joined by Audrey Kittredge for a discussion on discovering what pursuing a career outside academia looks like, and how to successfully enter a new industry despite how daunting it feels to leave the research setting. We hear about Audrey's background in postdoctoral research and her decision to change course into a new industry. She weighs in on the question, 'Is the grass really greener on the other side?' and talks about the benefits of the work cultures both inside and outside academia. Audrey also talks about networking with individuals outside of academia through informal coffee chats, and discusses the many transferable skills she developed as a researcher that she now uses in her job at Duolingo. Full show notes: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2023/jun/grass-greener-other-side-academia-academia-et-al-s02e01Transcript: www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/about-ioe/ioe-life/digital-and-social-media/podcasts/academia-et-al/transcript-academia-et-al-s02e01