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 ou…

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 receiv…

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 ed…

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 …

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, his policy work looking at ‘coping strategies’ against populism and preventing violence in mass protest, and what might happen during…

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…

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…

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 ins…

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 infor…

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…

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 …

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 sho…

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…

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 ab…

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 humanitar…

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…

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…

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 …

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-it…

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 m…

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 professi…

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 …

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, anot…

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 o…

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 Framewor…

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 E…

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-f…

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…

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 …

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 wor…

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…

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 th…

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 …

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 …

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 despit…

In this podcast we hear about whether or not young people who aspire to teach actually become teachers. Most research into teacher recruitment surveys existing teachers to retrospectively find out why they went into teaching. Emily MacLeod’s research seeks to track young people from childhood and into adulthood. What has Emily learned from her rese…

Liam Anderson has packed a huge amount into his 8 years and, when you hear how he fills his days, you will understand how. Fortunately, he is also a mentor on the UCL ECF programme. Here, he tells us how he makes each mentor meeting specific to his ECT’s curriculum and how – together – they boost their subject and pedagogical knowledge. Full show n…

In this podcast we hear about whether more pay and fewer working hours should be prioritised to address teacher shortages, and what can be done to support the retention of new teachers. In outlining the challenges current teachers face, and how might that have changed over time, Professor Caroline Daly also shares her thoughts about the idea of fle…

Elaine and Mark add their mere 42 years of classroom experience to the 58 (and counting) of Annie Powell and Helen Lugger, meeting in the staffroom to answer questions put by ECTs on Twitter. When will it start to get better? How do you recover from a tough lesson observation? These, and other questions, answered by teachers who have seen it all be…

We know that teacher shortages are an issue in most developed countries. How has the pandemic and pay played a role, and what can be done to address this? Research for the Real World welcomes back Dr Asma Benhenda to talk about the issue of teacher shortages and how England compares to other countries. Emily MacLeod also finds out what policy and n…

It’s widely reported that there are ongoing and severe teacher shortages around the world. But what do we mean by teacher shortages? In terms of causes, teacher shortages are driven partly by low teacher recruitment, meaning that not enough new teachers join the profession each year, and low teacher retention, meaning that a high proportion of exis…

Kate Hill, a first year ECT, is an Art teacher at Chosen Hill School near Cheltenham. She talks about having ‘to be like a swan’, projecting calm when nothing seems to be going right. She described the benefits of our Wellbeing Charter – especially how her mentor and facilitator have given peer support when she most needed it. Full show notes, tran…

Sofia Eleftheriadou and Lisa Baines are post-doctoral researchers at UCL’s Centre for Educational Leadership. Sofia and Lisa came into the ECF Staffroom to share the initial findings of their longitudinal study, ‘The impact of the ECF programme on the work engagement, wellbeing and retention of teachers.’ They talked to us about how the research of…

This roundtable is the first event in the TCRU@50 programme of activities celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Thomas Coram Research Unit. Following an introduction to TCRU’s history, the speakers reflect on race, multiculture, and conviviality in the shadow of Brexit, COVID, and the Windrush scandal, three events that have each exposed and exac…

Join Dr Michael Spence (UCL President & Provost) and Professor Li Wei (IOE Director & Dean) as they discuss their shared love of languages: from raising bilingual children and language learning mishaps, to preserving heritage languages and the importance of supporting language teaching in schools. [BONUS CONTENT] You can also watch Dr Spence and Pr…

Being an ECT cheerleader and a facilitator of their pedagogical progress. Haili Hughes is a writer, expert on mentoring and facilitator on the UCL ECF programme. Haili took us through the ‘long, winding road’ of her career, and shared with us her passion for mentoring. She says that mentors have a huge job on their hands to be conversant with the r…

This podcast aims to bring the latest academic research on the Holocaust into the classroom. ‘Survivors’ is a conversation between Dr Rebecca Clifford of Swansea University and Dr Tom Haward of the UCL Centre for Holocaust Education about her book ‘Survivors: Children’s Lives After the Holocaust.’ Aimed at educators who are teaching about the Holoc…

Siobhan Goffee is co-host of the podcast series and coaching programme for educators, ‘Joyblockers – and how to get rid of them’. Siobhan talked to us about when teaching can feel like being in a bad relationship. Living off the adrenaline of teaching, being constantly in survival mode, and struggling to admit you are struggling. And she talked abo…

Why the ECF programme needed to be adapted for teachers in special schools Melanie Hogan is the deputy headteacher at Castlebar Special School in Ealing. Melanie invited us into her school to talk to us about the specific needs of ECTs in special education, how the ECF programme supports them, and what more we can still do to make the programme rea…