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BGU Lecturers Go Dutch
BGU lecturers Pat Beckley, Yvonne Hill and Tony Luby recently embarked upon an exchange visit to the Netherlands visiting schools in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. In their first visit to the country, they found excellent further education practice at ROC van Amsterdam zuid-oost in Amsterdam where students received personalised learning based on their workplace. Outstanding classroom practices and relationships based around Hattie's Visible Learning were displayed in Rotterdam's Emmaus primary school. Tony and Yvonne met with the 16 MA students who will be coming to Lincoln to study at BGU this October. Yvonne said the MA Education course at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences has given her "food for thought" - and with 14 of the students being primary teachers BGU should be able to give them a good experience for their third year stay in the UK. Tony Luby said that "the future looks orange" as he discussed during the visit various opportunities for building international relationships with schools in the Netherlands. The CEO and Principal of the Forge Trust expressed interest in taking forward this scheme which could benefit schools local to BGU. Find out more about teaching courses at BGU. -
From BGU to Tamil Nadu and back again
A journey of learning, discovery and friendship for our Special Educational Needs and Inclusion Students. As University field trips go – this has to be one of the best around. Eleven students studying Special Educational Needs and Inclusion (SENI) and four members of staff from Bishop Grosseteste University spent ten days in India learning how trainee teachers are educated in Tamil Nadu and visiting special education schools. At BGU, in addition to developing expertise in specific subject areas, students are also encouraged to develop a global outlook, strong academic practice, and the skills, qualities and attitudes needed for success in their future work and life. These are described as the BGU Graduate Attributes. Dr Claire Thomson, Head of Centre for Enhancement in Teaching and Learning (CELT) at BGU. said “there is little doubt that opportunities like this broaden our students’ horizons and foster a level of cultural understanding that will serve our students throughout their careers.” As part of the trip, BGU students had the chance to visit teacher-training colleges and engage with both undergraduate and post-graduate students enrolled on teacher education programmes. Through their interactions, both sets of students were able to discuss teaching methods and the educational systems in their own countries - and share information about their own lives. The visit also involved visiting a number of special schools, including a school for the blind, a school for the deaf and a school for students with learning disabilities. The BGU students led activities in each of these settings tailored to the students’ needs and greatly enjoyed the opportunity to put the skills they have learnt on placement in the UK into practice overseas as well as having the opportunity to gain real world experience, to back up their theoretical learning. “It was a once in a lifetime experience that will remain with us all forever” said Claire McGovern, a second year SENI student. Leader of the visit, Dr Julia Lindley-Baker said: “The University has established very positive relationships with the Southern India Diocese, who welcome and support our student study visits. Students continue to benefit from the warm hospitality we receive which facilitates opportunities to experience, understand and embrace cultural differences”. To give something back to their hosts in India the students took over a number of gifts for the institutions they visited and presents for the children in the special schools, including gifts for the girls living in a church-supported orphanage. Special Education Needs and Inclusion student Laura Hakner had, through a range of charitable events organised within her village in East Yorkshire, raised over £800 to be given to a range of deserving causes. It wasn’t all work, work, work however. The students were thoroughly entertained during their visit and enjoyed traditional and modern dance demonstrations, mime performances, and of course, delicious meals and refreshments – they even got to meet the Bishop of Tirunelveli Rt. Rev. J.J. Christdoss. It wasn’t all one-sided either with our students doing their best to entertain their hosts with dance moves of their own; leading a conga line of over 500 students in the Sarah Tucker College in Tirunelveli as part of a programme of entertainment. The momentum has not diminished since the students return to the UK either; one student is running a Students Creating Change project - as part of our acclaimed student engagement programme – to raise enough money to fund a student in India through their three-year BA Education programme. If you would like to contribute to this campaign, please contact Helen Waters-Marsh, Student Engagement Facilitator at helen.waters-marsh@bishopg.ac.uk Helen was fortunate enough to accompany the students on their trip to India thanks to the support of the Centre for Enhancement in Teaching and Learning (CELT centre) – which now sits at the heart of the BGU campus. CELT is committed to enhancing learning, teaching and the student experience and supports staff and students in terms of learning development, digital learning and student engagement projects. -
Lincoln Skyline to Feature on BGU’s Knight Sculpture
A pair of talented artists from Birmingham are putting Lincoln on the map by featuring the city’s iconic skyline on the knight sculpture being sponsored by Bishop Grosseteste University. Kieron Reilly and Lynsey Brecknell have called BGU’s statue ‘Knight and Day’, and it is one of 35 knights which will make up this year’s Lincoln Knights’ Trail celebrating the 800th anniversary of the Battle of Lincoln. The event organised by Lincoln BIG runs from 20th May until 3rd September and the knight statues will be unveiled at a launch evening at The Showroom in Lincoln on 27th March. As part of the trail BGU’s knight will be stationed near Newport Arch not far from the university’s campus. “Our design ‘Knight and Day’ shows off Lincoln’s beautifully unique skyline in silhouette form against a bold sunset, including our sponsor Bishop Grosseteste University,” said Lynsey. “Following the success of the Lincoln Barons’ Charter Trail in 2015 we’re sure that the Lincoln Knights are going to be loved by the locals and visitors from across the country, and we are proud to be a part of such an exciting project.” Kieron and Lynsey have very different artistic backgrounds: Lynsey has developed a career in theatre as a scenic artist and set builder while Kieron has a background in animation and now focuses on model making and design. They have successfully collaborated on many public art trails in the past and are looking forward to showcasing their design alongside the other sculptures on the Lincoln Knights’ Trail. “I’ve had a preview of our knight and it’s looking fantastic,” said the Reverend Canon Professor Peter Neil, Vice Chancellor of Bishop Grosseteste University. “We chose this design because we found it eye-catching and attractive, and also because it features the Lincoln skyline. The artists have adapted this to include the Skinner building on our campus in the silhouette, along with colours in the sky which fade up to BGU purple at the very top. “We think it looks wonderful and we’re looking forward to seeing it take its place as part of the Lincoln Knights’ Trail this summer.” Following the launch on 27th March each knight will be hosted by its sponsor to promote the trail, which will starts on 20th May – 800 years to the day since the Battle of Lincoln. The Lincoln Knights’ Trail is a Wild in Art event brought together by Lincoln BIG in partnership with Visit Lincoln and Education Business Partnership (EBP), in support of local homeless charity the Nomad Trust. Following a call for artists back in September 2016, over 200 innovative designs were submitted. A shortlist of 70 was drawn up and the artists given the opportunity to paint their design onto a miniature knight sculpture. The 35 sponsors then selected their favourite design. Following the trail the knights will be sold at auction at Lincoln Cathedral on 30th September. Two-thirds of the money raised will go to The Nomad Trust and one-third will help to create a new Art and Innovation Fund for Lincoln. The knights were designed and created by Wild in Art’s Creative Director Chris Wilkinson in the style of a chess piece. -
BGU laptops powering Imps to success
Two laptops provided by Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) are helping Lincoln City's Danny and Nicky Cowley in their bid to gain promotion back to the Football League. The Imps are flying high in the National League this season and have become the first non-league team in 103 years to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. Danny and his assistant (brother Nicky) have been using powerful coaching tools to help gain an edge on their opposition, and laptops provided by BGU have helped them. The laptops were provided to the Imps as part of BGU’s ongoing partnership with the club. At the start of the three-year sponsorship deal signed in 2016 various links were explored and the laptops were part of a conversation about academic and leadership development both at the club but also at BGU. Graham Basten, Head of School of Social Sciences at BGU, said, "I'm really delighted that our training facilities and IT support have contributed to the club's ongoing success" Lincoln City’s assistant manager Nick Cowley said, “(BGU) were great in providing us both with laptops and we use an app called Hudl which all our players have too. It’s used to go over our previous match. “The laptops which BGU have provided have given us the opportunity to look at thorough detail not only on our own performance but that of teams we are due to play against.” Hudl is an American company and their technology allows the Cowley brothers to upload clips and make annotations with specific instructions for each individual player. The brothers are both former PE teachers and the software has allowed them to get back to their teaching roots and set homework for the Imps players. Nicky explains, “We are able to see how much time they spend on (the app) as well. Sometimes they have a little extra work to do as we send a lot of clips of the opponents we’re about to play for our players to look at.” Have you been inspired by Danny and Nicky Cowley and the incredible success of the Imps this season? Find out how you could follow in their footsteps with our new Sport, Coaching and Physical Education degree. -
BGU Supports Campaign to Tackle RE Teacher Shortage
Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln is giving its backing to a national campaign to address a shortage of specialist RE teachers. The university is supporting a campaign by the Religious Education Council of England and Wales (REC) to encourage graduates and career changers to train as RE teachers. The ‘Beyond the Ordinary’ campaign, supported by universities and colleges that offer specialist RE PGCE courses, highlights the benefits of a career in RE teaching and raises awareness of the availability of bursaries to cover training costs. RE specialists do not need to have a theology degree – the PGCE course is open to graduates from a variety of academic disciplines and from diverse backgrounds. Despite two years of campaigning by the REC, which created a surge in RE PGCE applications, there is still a shortage of qualified teachers to teach RE in our schools. Meanwhile demand for RE from pupils continues to rise: in 2016, the number of pupils in England and Wales taking the GCSE Religious Studies full course was at its highest since 2002. Mark Plater, Subject Co-ordinator for PGCE Secondary Religious Education at BGU, said: “Last year the offers we made for places on the secondary PGCE in RE at BGU were up by a quarter on the previous year. This year applications have been steady and some of those applying are exceptionally strong candidates. Today I interviewed someone who was as good as any I have interviewed over the past 12 years. “One of my recent interviewees said he was attracted to RE because it seems such a dynamic and changing subject: always in the news, and forever shifting in response to the landscape of our modern world. It’s fascinating!” Roxanne Fearns, Head of Religious Studies at Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School, qualified as a teacher at BGU – as did her entire RE department of four teachers! “I love my job – what other subject allows you to enable young people to think and reflect about the world around them and develop their appreciation of different beliefs, religions and practices and the part they play in the today’s diverse world?” she said. “At a time when religion is often misunderstood it’s important for young people to be able to study RE to increase awareness of different beliefs. Because the media sometimes portrays negative images of religion we need teachers who can present a different view. “The PGCE at BGU equips you to be able to engage and enthuse young people into the study of religion and philosophy and to develop their critical thinking skills. “The university has really good links with schools, so trainee teachers can spend more time in school. Some training establishments just ask schools if they will take a student, but BGU specifically picks schools based on how highly they rate the department.” To find out more about BGU’s Theology courses or the Secondary PGCE Religious Education qualification visit www.bgu.ac.uk/courses. -
Lincoln City partnership creating opportunities for BGU students
Bishop Grosseteste University’s (BGU) ongoing sponsorship of Lincoln City Football Club is providing students with inspiring opportunities according to a Senior Lecturer in Sport and Education. The Imps are enjoying a memorable season. Not only have they become the first non-league team in 103 years to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, but they are also within touching distance of returning to the Football League for the first time in six years. The season is also proving to be a memorable one for BGU students as the university’s partnership with the club is proving beneficial. Rafe Elliott, Academic Co-ordinator for the new BSc (Hons) Sport, Coaching and Physical Education degree at BGU, said, “We have a fantastic partnership with Lincoln City that gives opportunities for our undergraduate sport students to work alongside elite performers and a professional club across all three years of their studies.” Opportunities for students include exploration of coaching principles, observation of training sessions, an overview of how the club is managed, an introduction to the commercial/business aspects of a professional club, getting an insight into community education projects and opportunities to carry out work placements and research at the club. BGU sports students also had the unique opportunity to be coached by the Lincoln City manager with a session led and delivered by Danny Cowley in December 2016. Rafe said the session “was both insightful and inspiring and was based around key coaching principles. It helped to reinforce some of the learning objectives of the module the students were studying. “The practical demonstrated the intensity and focus of a structured conditioning/coaching session at an elite level. It was fascinating to learn more about the type of data collected and the methods of analysis employed with the aim of creating marginal gains.” Chelsey Grayson, a first year student, thought that “the session gave us really good insight into the daily life of a coach and also all the planning and commitment that goes into it. Danny and Nicky Cowley made sure that all players received feedback whether good or bad and also delivered coaching points while in training. It was good to see a manager/coach in action and will help a lot with my studies and assignments.” Our students were not the only ones who enjoyed the session. Danny Cowley himself welcomed the opportunity. He said, “Coming from a teaching background like we have it’s been great to be able to keep our hand in. Also it’s a great opportunity for us to give something back, which is important for us. It’s a profession that’s very close to our hearts and the opportunity to go back and speak to young, aspiring teachers and tell them what a great profession it is has been something that we’ve obviously enjoyed.” Have you been inspired by Danny and Nicky Cowley and the incredible success of the Imps this season? Find out how you could follow in their footsteps with our new Sport, Coaching and Physical Education degree. -
Danny Cowley thankful for BGU partnership
Lincoln City FC are enjoying one of their most incredible seasons in living memory, and the long-standing sponsorship deal with Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) is proving beneficial according to Imps manager Danny Cowley. Danny and his assistant (brother Nicky) have guided the Imps to the top of the National League and are within touching distance of taking them back into the Football League for the first time in six years. They have also beaten a host of big-name clubs in Ipswich, Brighton and Premier League Burnley on their way to becoming the first non-league team in 103 years to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. As they look forward to a once-in-a-lifetime fixture at Premier League giants Arsenal, we sat down with the Cowley brothers to talk about the relationship they enjoy with BGU. Danny said, “We are really thankful for BGU and their partnership – it was already formed (when we arrived at the club) so we built on that. There are some great people coming out of the university, some young, hardworking people who we can build relationships with that can help this club moving forward.” The relationship between BGU and Lincoln City has provided a whole host of mutually beneficial opportunities on both sides, with Lincoln’s first team squad regular visitors to the BGU campus this season to train and use the facilities. BGU sports students have had the fantastic opportunity to be taught by Danny Cowley - something which clearly meant a lot to the City manager. Until recently, both Danny and Nicky were full-time PE teachers while working part-time in non-league management. “We’ve been in and led a couple of lectures” Danny said. “Coming from a teaching background like we have it’s been great to be able to keep our hand in. Also it’s a great opportunity for us to give something back, which is important for us. "It’s a profession that’s very close to our hearts and the opportunity to go back and speak to young, aspiring teachers and tell them what a great profession it is has been something that we’ve obviously enjoyed.” Not only have Danny’s lectures provided BGU students with the invaluable opportunity to gain insight from a rising star in football coaching, but they have also proven beneficial for the Imps manager himself. “It was nice to speak to them and listen to their ideas. We are respectful that we went to university about twenty years ago now and things move on so you always want young people around you. You want to learn from them and learn new techniques and methods.” said Cowley. “They came to watch us and observe how we do things but we wanted to pick their brains and try and learn from them! The one thing that education has taught me is that it is always a two way thing - even when we are teaching we always learn from your students.” Have you been inspired by Danny and Nicky Cowley and the incredible success of the Imps this season? Find out how you could follow in their footsteps with our new Sport, Coaching and Physical Education degree. -
BGU Looking Eastward to Forge Links in China
Bishop Grosseteste University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor has attended an Educational Exchange in Hunan Province in China as part of Lincolnshire County Council’s endeavours to strengthen relationships and socio-economic prosperity of the two regions. Professor Jayne Mitchell attended the event following the signing of an economic friendship agreement with Hunan Province by the county council. The educational exchange programme focused on developing relationships between universities and strategic bodies such as the education and economic development departments in provincial and county governments. It was co-ordinated by the Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Hunan Provincial People’s Government of China and the Hunan Provincial Education Department. The week-long programme involved visits to three cities in Hunan Province (Changsha, Changde and Zhangjiajie), introductions to senior officials in the Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office and Hunan Provincial Department of Education, and meetings to discuss collaboration and partnership working with 12 of the region’s top universities. During the visit Professor Mitchell signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Hunan First Normal University. The two universities are now planning staff and student exchanges, joint academic programmes, collaborative research projects and cultural exchanges in teacher education. Discussion is also ongoing with several more universities in Hunan about developing similar arrangements in other subject areas and priority sectors for the county. “There are many similarities in the history, expertise and future goals of BGU and universities in Hunan,” said Professor Mitchell. “By working together to share experience, knowledge and resources we can further develop the education and skills of local people and help contribute to the economic prosperity of businesses right across the county. “I would like to thank our hosts for their warm welcome and openness in seeking ways to work together. We have made many new friends and look forward to strengthening these relationships further by extending BGU’s partnership working with both Lincolnshire County Council and universities and businesses in China.” Cllr Colin Davie, Executive Member for Economic Development at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “I’m delighted that Bishop Grosseteste University had a successful visit. This is not just an important step for the university, but it will also help further cement our friendship with the province. “I’m confident that this growing relationship will bring opportunities for other businesses too, with agriculture, engineering, adult social care and culture already earmarked as areas for future collaboration. We have a lot in common and, working together, we can ensure greater prosperity for both regions.” -
Link between Lincoln City and university burgeoning thanks to Cowley brothers
A Senior Lecturer in Sport and Education at Lincoln's Bishop Grosseteste University is not surprised by the success the Cowley brothers have achieved since taking over at Lincoln City. Rafe Elliott, Academic Co-ordinator for the new BSc (Hons) Sport, Coaching and Physical Education degree at BGU, has worked closely with Danny and Nicky Cowley as part of the university's ongoing partnership with the football club. And as the Imps prepare to take on Ipswich Town in their FA Cup replay tomorrow, Rafe says the Cowley brothers have brought a revolutionary change to the way things are done at Sincil Bank. "Danny and Nicky have made a big impact in a relatively short space of time," he said. "They have set up a short-term strategy to deliver instant results as well as a long-term strategy. "They come from a teaching background, which is evident from their approach. The players understand what they're doing and, more importantly, why they are being asked to do it. They are encouraged to take responsibility for their own development. "The Cowleys also pay attention to detail and have collected lots of data on the players which they constantly analyse to improve performance on the pitch. "They look at every aspect of the game and try to control or manage everything possible, in order to achieve marginal gains – building a big gain by looking for lots and lots small gains. "Sometimes the one per cent non-essentials, such as monitoring sleep patterns and mood, can be the difference between and losing." Bishop Grosseteste University has an ongoing partnership with the football club which goes far beyond having the university's name and logo on the home shirts. "I'm delighted to say that we enjoy a very close relationship with Danny and Nicky, who have started delivering sessions with the students studying sport at BGU," said Rafe. "Our last session with them was in early December. Danny explained their coaching principles and how they plan training and they gave the students a really good insight into how focused the sessions are. "We hope Danny will be coming in this semester to talk to the students about the difference between coaching and managing. Several of our students have been on placement at the club and have gained experience in delivering and coaching football to young people. "The club now also uses our grass pitch and our Sports and Fitness Centre for regular training sessions, which is a further example of the depth of our partnership, and the club's Youth Academy Manager Damian Froggatt will be delivering coaching sessions with the first-year students in February." Rafe is keeping his fingers crossed as tomorrow's cup tie approaches. "We will all be watching the game with interest and hope the Imps can overcome the odds and make it through to the fourth round," he said. "It will be a massive boost to the club, the city and BGU if they do." -
BGU Launches New PhD Opportunities
In line with its mission to excel at teaching, learning and research, Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) in Lincoln has launched a second round of PhD studentships as part of its ‘Future Research Leaders’ programme. Following on from the University’s success in the Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014), in which it was judged to be undertaking world-leading research, BGU is offering up to six full-time PhD studentships in History and Education. Successful candidates will receive a bursary of £14,000 per year plus tuition fees for up to four years to study at BGU. The University’s Vice-Chancellor, the Reverend Canon Professor Peter Neil, said the new posts represent a significant investment by BGU in its research strategy. “We are keen to build on our success in the REF 2014 as we are convinced that the best teaching is always informed and improved by high-quality research,” he said. “We are committed to enhancing the quality and quantity of our research, and increasing the proportion of postgraduate research students is key to this objective. “We also want our research to be applied and to be of benefit to society. I am delighted that we are in a position to offer opportunities to students who wish to take the next step in their academic journey.” Among the studentships available is a project looking at the works of the University’s namesake Robert Grosseteste and the contribution he made to the history of educational thought. Dr Jack Cunningham, Academic Co-ordinator for Theology at BGU, explained: “Robert Grosseteste was an English statesman, scholastic philosopher, theologian, scientist and Bishop of Lincoln during the 13th Century which was a crucial period in the religious history of this country. “He was also interested in many aspects of education and had a good deal to say on what we should learn, how we acquire knowledge and how it benefits us. However, this area of Grosseteste’s thought remains largely undiscussed so this is a unique opportunity for someone who is passionate about education to study the life and works of a truly fascinating man.” Vytautas Nastajus was awarded a PhD studentship in Psychology at BGU in June 2016. He recommends the university to anyone thinking of doing a doctorate. “The support you get in here is fantastic, especially from the doctoral group which is made up of PhD and EdD students and meets on a regular basis to talk about projects, achievements and any issues you may be having,” he explained. “My own experience has been great so far: excellent supervisors, teaching opportunities, funding for attending conferences and so on. I am really glad I chose Bishop Grosseteste University.” To find out more about the opportunities or projects available please visit our Doctoral Study page or email Dr Caroline Horton, Academic Co-ordinator for the PhD programme, at caroline.horton@bishopg.ac.uk The studentships will commence in summer 2017 and the closing date for applications is 17th February.
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