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Your opportunity to help develop children’s pleasure in reading
Bishop Grosseteste University invites anyone committed to developing children’s desire, delight and engagement as readers to join our online OU/UKLA Reading Group. Informal, friendly and supportive we welcome teachers, librarians, student teachers and support staff to join us and commit to attending all five virtual CPD sessions. We will be developing evidence-informed practice, widening our knowledge of children’s literature and other texts, enriching our RfP pedagogy and documenting the impact on the young people as readers. When: 12th January – Introduction and reviewing practice, 4th February – Identifying areas of focus – measuring the impact of RfP 24th March – Exploring RfP – Poetry picnic19th May – Exploring RfP – Non-fiction Book Blether9th June – Celebration and sharing Time: All 4.00-5.30 To book a place, register your details on https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/teachers-reading-group-tickets-132959131341 For further details email Emma.Rogers@bishopg.ac.uk www.research–rich-pedagogies/readingforpleasure -
Hull’s Historic Docks and Ceremonial Culture Explored in Lecturer’s Award-Winning Essay
Dr Michael Reeve, Lecturer in History at BGU, has won the 2020 Gordon Forster Essay Prize, awarded by the Northern History journal, for his article exploring Hull’s historic docks and civic ceremonial culture. The piece, entitled ‘'An Empire Dock’: Place Promotion and the Local Acculturation of Imperial Discourse in ‘Britain’s Third Port’', looks in detail at civic ceremonial culture in Hull in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, with a specific focus on new dock openings. This includes the grand opening of the 'Joint Dock' in east Hull in June 1914. This state-of-the-art dock was later known as King George Dock in honour of George V, who opened it with his wife, Mary, the Queen-consort. The article is concerned, in particular, with the way the British empire figured as a symbol and motif in dock openings and the promotional materials that surrounded them. Speaking following the article’s publication, Dr Reeve discussed what drew him to the subject: “This area of history has long interested me as a native of the port city of Hull, where I grew up just a stone's throw from the King George Dock. I kind of stumbled upon the topic when trying to develop a blog post about urban culture and civic ceremony during the First World War about three years ago (most of my work to date has focused on this conflict)! I ended up developing it into something much broader, related to the mid-nineteenth and early-twentieth century history of the British empire and its impact on urban culture in culture in coastal places. I found the opening ceremony for the dock fascinating and thought that it had clear connections to historical accounts I had read about imperial citizenship, as well as a wider research concern I have with 'coastal-urban' experience and identities in history. When I got into the archives (mainly the Hull History Centre and the British Newspaper Archive), I found a wealth of material to go on, from colourful brochures and ticket stubs, to richly-detailed newspaper accounts and planning documents. The article should be of interest to students enrolled on modules related to the British empire and identity (such as the third-year module, The Sun Never Set and the Blood Never Dried: The British Empire in the Long Nineteenth Century and the first-year module, History of Identity) and those researching local historical topics and methods. It will also relate to the MA Social and Cultural History module, City and Countryside in Transition 1870-1914, given its focus on urban historical change.” The article is currently available to download for free (for a limited time) by clicking here. To find out more about how you can uncover new adventures on a History course at BGU, visit our website, book onto one of our Open Events or speak to a member of our Enquiries Team. -
Christmas at BGU – Bringing Cheer and Raising Funds
By Linette Wallace, CELT Coordinator Support and activities for Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) students over the festive period looked slightly different this year due to the second national lockdown and the staggering of students leaving the campus earlier than normal and focusing on remote learning. However, to ensure the safety and welfare of our students, (some of whom still remained on campus during the holiday period) a suite of activities and support were put in place to help people not feel isolated and so that they could access key advice and assistance should they have needed it. Prior to the Christmas break, the University started on-campus Lateral Flow Testing for both students and staff. This helped to ensure that students could be tested for COVID-19 and protect themselves and their families as much as possible by having the required amount of self-isolation time if applicable before returning home for the holiday period. Whilst the campus was closed, the security team were present on-site 24/7 and accommodation and Chaplaincy staff also provided support. The Students’ Union continued to add wellbeing advice to their social media pages throughout the season and students could continue to access a range of resources and advice through the Student Advice Centre and via the Health Assured service BGU have put in place so that students can access wellbeing advice 24 hours a day. All BGU students have access to the Resilience Toolkit which is situated on their virtual learning environment and provides a raft of information on stress/resilience and mindfulness. In addition, goodie bags containing a range of treats were delivered to International and Erasmus students living on campus and small, potted Christmas trees were also delivered to some of these students living off-campus so that they could make their environments as homely as possible. To help engage with and safeguard students who were away from family and friends during the holiday period, staff at BGU organised online chit-chats, door step meets, organised walks and a remote virtual ‘Escape Room’ game. Students, some of whom were resident on campus and some who still participated after securing a flight home, worked together to answer a range of challenges and puzzles to advance through the game and solve the conundrum. The Escape Room was hosted by Macmillan Cancer Support and donations were made to the charity of £160.56 including Gift Aid to support the event. To find out how you can create your own successes in our collaborative learning community, visit our website, speak to a member of our Enquiries Team or join us on one of our Open Days. -
MA Student’s “Outstanding” Thesis Nominated for National History Prize
MA in Social and Cultural History student Simon Bromiley has been nominated for the RHS Rees Davies Prize for outstanding Master's thesis in History for his thesis ‘Misogyny in Manchester? Understanding the violence against women at Peterloo in 1819’. The thesis explores the Peterloo Massacre in 1819, which saw 18 people killed and over 700 injured as troops dispersed a peaceful Manchester crowd rallying for electoral reform. Interestingly, few historians have studied the massacre using a gendered approach which is striking given that women were nearly twice as likely to be sabred or truncheoned. Utilising a range of sources, Simon’s study revealed that the Peterloo women were deliberately targeted by the authorities who demonised and ‘othered’ them as non-citizens within a worldview that was inherently masculine, militaristic and misogynistic. During a period stereotyped by the gentile world of Jane Austen, the dissertation highlights a more disturbing form of Pride and Prejudice. Speaking following the nomination Simon’s supervisor Dr W. Jack Rhoden, Programme Leader for History at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) praised his work and the impact it could have on future research: “Drawing on archival materials, Simon has demonstrated the importance of understanding the event in gendered terms, with complex ideas of masculinity and femininity underpinning the tragic violence and ensuing political battle for its memorialisation. The thesis also offered new avenues for future research by linking this violent episode to British imperial identity and experience in the early 19th century. It's an outstanding piece of research underlining the importance of using a gender history approach to revisit familiar historical events and draws heavily upon the collections of the People's History Museum in Manchester.” Dr Rhoden’s praise was echoed by Dr Claire Hubbard-Hall, Programme Leader for the MA in Social and Cultural History at Bishop Grosseteste University, who shared how the MA programme equips students for advanced historical research: “It has been a privilege to support Simon on his postgraduate journey at the university. Simon's Dissertation is an original contribution to the topic of Peterloo which has undergone a renaissance of interest in the wake of its 200 year anniversary. The MA in Social & Cultural History equips students with enhanced historical research skills, enabling them to conduct independent research and produce high-quality writing. At the undergraduate level, the aspiration is to become a historian, and the MA enables them to fully realise this, becoming an independent historian pushing the frontiers of historical knowledge.” If you’d like to follow in Simon’s footsteps and uncover new adventures on a History course at BGU, visit our website, book onto one of our Open Days or speak to a member of our Enquiries Team. -
"By choosing BGU you are doing more than just a degree, you are setting yourself up for life" - How studying at BGU started Jake's career in sport
I came to Bishop Grosseteste with the ambition of becoming a PE Teacher. BGU helped me achieve everything, and more, than I could have ever hoped for. During my three years studying Education Studies and Sport, I was able to gain my first experiences of what it would take to become a teacher. I was able to work in a variety of settings including a secondary school PE Department along with Primary and UTC college environments. The secondary placement in particular, reaffirmed to me that I was right in wanting to be a PE Teacher and chase my dream career. I was able to work alongside the entire PE department, assisting in delivering lessons, running extra-curricular clubs and gaining experience across different Key Stages. The modules allowed me to learn about educational philosophies and different pedagogical approaches to teaching, which allowed me to form my own style of teaching. The wealth of experience the lecturers have meant you could be challenged but also challenge them on contemporary issues and have a high-level discussion about what is happening in the world of sport and education. I was able to achieve a first-class honours degree and I felt like I earnt my degree as the level of scrutiny and academic rigor made sure you get what you put into each assessment. My favourite module though was when I got to complete my dissertation. I used my dissertation as preparation for my PGCE at Loughborough University. I was able to interview many PE teachers across the country about the feasibility of a Models-Based Practice being adopted in a PE curriculum. Rafe Elliot, my sport lecturer was always there to give me advice and support throughout. To this day, my dissertation is my proudest piece of work. -
New international partnership to offer language and teaching opportunities with Thailand
Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) has begun a new partnership with Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University (NRRU) in Thailand to provide language and teaching exchange for students. In response to the ongoing pandemic the academic team for the MA Education with TESOL course (MA EdTESOL) are using online learning and digital tools to extend and develop current provision for English language teaching practice for their students, further partnerships with international HE institutions, along with offering an opportunity for language and cultural exchange. The NRRU students are studying an English language module before being assessed on their use of spoken English for formal and special occasions. Our MA EdTESOL students will be working with the NRRU students to improve their English language presentations for their assessments with ongoing virtual meetings in which they will work on a 2-1 basis (2 NRRU students to 1 BGU student). This language support will be arranged between the students in their free time and take the 7-hour time difference into consideration. BGU students will then be assessed on a lesson they deliver to their Thai students to practice English language teaching methodology. Dr Kay Johnson, Programme Leader for MA EdTESOL at BGU, discussed the positive impact the partnership could offer: “The initiative to partner with colleagues in Thailand is indicative of our creative and proactive teaching teams' commitment to making the best of a difficult situation. Using online tools to deliver our MA students opportunities for authentic English language teaching practice is proving to be a successful and popular addition to the programme!” “This exchange and other intercultural events embedded in the MA aim to support our postgraduate students' growth as global citizens, in addition to developing their awareness of the complex role of English as a global language and the part they play in this as language education professionals. We are a keen to fulfil BGU's commitment to internationalise the curriculum, alongside strengthening our ties with high-calibre institutions at the forefront of education and teacher-training worldwide” Piyachat Dhephasadin Na Ayudhaya, Director of the Language Institute at NRRU, shared Kay’s excitement at the unique learning opportunities the project could create: “It’s a great opportunity for all the students to practice their English with native English speakers who are fluent. In their lives they don’t have a lot of chances to engage with foreigners in in-depth conversations, so this is a fantastic way for them to learn despite ongoing travel restrictions. It’s very exciting to be in partnership that is utilising these online resources so effectively to benefit of both sets of students” To find out how you can create your own successes in our collaborative learning community, visit our website, speak to a member of our Enquiries Team or join us on one of our Open Days. -
Participatory Autism Research Symposium
Bishop Grosseteste University’s LORIC Autism Ideas Café and the Participatory Autism Research Collective (PARC) are pleased to announce details of their joint event to be held on 24th March 2021. -
PGCE Trainees Use Lockdown Experiences to Craft Personal Poems
Inspired by poet Nina Alonso, PGCE trainees at Bishop Grosseteste University have created personal, Cento poems to share their experiences of life in lockdown -
New virtual enterprise room provides first step for entrepreneurs at BGU
In January the Enterprise Team within BG Futures re opened their student enterprise room…in a virtual capacity. Sarah Moseley, Enterprise Development Manager explains: “National lockdowns and the ‘stay at home directive’ have led us to consider innovative ways to support our self-employed / entrepreneurial students and graduates. At the end of January, we held the launch event for the collaborative enterprise space via MS Teams. In the context of their business / enterprise / idea, attendees were asked to come prepared to give a brief overview if their business / idea, their very own ‘top tips’ for starting a business, and to share barriers to progression. We believe that our own BGU student’s and graduate’s experiences can offer a great many rich learning points; not just for their fellow entrepreneurs, but for ourselves as professional support staff.” Cassie Rainey, Enterprise Advisor added: “This is a safe and supportive environment where our students and recent graduates are given the opportunity to engage with like-minded people. We are keen to unearth common themes and to identify specific areas of support so we can tailor future sessions.” Initial responses to the session have been overwhelmingly positive with feedback from participants of “Great to chat with everyone and see how we can help each other” “Really good to meet other students wanting to start their own businesses” The next session will take place on Wednesday 24th March at 7pm – 8pm via MS Teams. We will be joined by Mikey, Student Enterprise Coordinator at the University of Lincoln who administers the Growing Graduate Enterprise scheme. This will be of particular interest to anyone who has graduated within the last 3 years or is due to graduate this summer and is thinking of starting a business in Greater Lincolnshire. On hand will be George Hughes, BGU Graduate of 2020 who made a successful pitch for £5000 for his venture. Email sarah.moseley@bishopg.ac.uk for the link to the session. To keep up to date:Check the Student & BG Futures portalsFollow us on Twitter Like us on FacebookConnect with us on LinkedIn -
How to manage relationships away from home
Ebony Thurland - BA (Hons) Education Studies and Special Educational Needs student - shares her guide to keeping in touch with your loved ones
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