Search results
-
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 -
Research Symposium Seeks to Highlight Participatory Autism Research
Last month Bishop Grosseteste University’s Lincolnshire Open Research and Innovation Centre (LORIC) Autism Ideas Café joined the Participatory Autism Research Collective (PARC) to hold a Research Symposium event to discuss a collection of projects aimed at widening society's understanding of Autism. The virtual event saw four participatory autism researchers showcase their projects via short presentations and discussions with other researchers in front of an audience of over 70 attendees comprised of individuals, allies, professionals, and academics from around the world (many of whom were autistic). Topics and projects discussed included: “The Precariat” is a good name for a band: Autism, employment and the creative industries – Examining the experiences of autistic individuals as they transition from university into employment within the creative industries.Parents’ stories involving autism diagnosis for their child – Exploring the advantages and disadvantages of having an autism “diagnosis”.Autistic Teachers – The lived experiences of autistic professionals as they enter, manage, stay in, or exit the professionExploring classroom literature from an autistic viewpoint – How lenses of perception can impact on emotional interaction with a text. Following the presentations, attendees had the opportunity to discuss the research, network and share ideas. This has already led to some interesting collaborations with researchers from all over the UK and overseas,with a range of presentations already lined up for future events. Further details will be released in due course, but to register interest for these events, please visit the LORIC events page. Dr Clare (Kate) Lawrence (Senior Lecturer in Teacher Development at BGU, East Midlands Convener for the Participatory Autism Research Collective(PARC) and L.C.C. Autism Champion) shared her excitement at the potential impact of the event: “I am very excited by our first event as part of the Participatory Autism Research Collective (PARC). This symposium showcased how BGU is embedding participatory autism research into our work through interesting and innovative projects that will further enrich and widen understanding of autism. It was a pleasure to listen in to these exciting research projects and on the discussions about them that took place between the participants. This is participatory autism research both in that the researchers are members of the autistic community and in that those researchers are exploring how best to capture the voices of their autistic community participants. There is real richness here, and I feel deeply privileged to be a part of this work.” Autism Ideas Café founder, Kay Purle, echoed Dr Lawrence's excitement, and discussed her hopes for future events: “It was very exciting to partner with the Participatory Autism Research Collective to deliver this event and it provided an exciting addition to the calendar of Autism Ideas Café events, which are based on a World Café Model of ideas sharing and collaboration. It was great to see such a positive response to the event in terms of sign up and of feedback so far, and it is hoped that we will be able to run further joined up events in the future”. Recordings of the event are available to view on the Participatory Autism Research Collective website: View recordings This event was funded by the Research England Strategic Priorities Fund. -
Students and lecturers launch new documentary on their work to 'plot new worlds' as part of Being Human 2020
A group of Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) students and lecturers have launched a new documentary showcasing their contribution to the Being Human Festival amidst the pandemic.The documentary, directed and produced by third-year English Literature student Tyson Warren, reflects on an autumn 2020 poetry event held at BGU on the theme of 'plotting new worlds' which featured the 2020 John Pollard Foundation International Poetry Prize Winner, Isabel Galleymore.Ideas for the event and documentary sprung from a module in BGU's English department devised by Dr Jonathan Memel called 'Writing the Environment'. This final-year module aims to bring students' understanding of environmental literatures to bear on pressing questions in the environmental humanities today. -
I went to the LORIC autism café and this is how it went…
The next Autism Ideas café event will be held on Wednesday 19th May from 10am-12pm using MS Teams.It is open to anyone with an interest in autism, and we particularly welcome autistic staff and students, or those who are autism allies to attend. You can register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/loric-autism-ideas-cafe-may-2021-tickets-142215718041 Not sure if it's for you? Read the experiences of one of our students who attended the last event below:
Explore BGU
Browse our wide range of degree courses and find the perfect one for you.
Open days are the best way to find out what BGU has to offer.
Download your copy of our prospectus to find out more about life at BGU.