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BGU to explore Georgian culture at triennial Burney Society conference
On 30 and 31 July, Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) will host the triennial conference of the Burney Society (UK), which brings together academics and members of the public interested in the life and works of members of the Burney family in the Georgian period. The Burney family included the novelists Frances and Sarah Harriet Burney, musical historian Charles Burney, explorer Captain James Burney, and many more. The conference will consider how the Burneys and their circle engaged with or constructed narratives of marginality and/or centrality; their relationship to marginal and/or mainstream culture and society; and the imaginative use they made of such categories. Keynote speakers at the conference include Dr Gillian Dow (University of Southampton, former director of Chawton House Library) and Professor Lorna Clark (Carleton University, Canada). There will also be an opportunity to hear some of Charles Burney's compositions during a musical interlude. Anyone wishing to know more about the conference can contact the organiser, Dr Cassie Ulph (Lecturer in English), or alternatively visit the society's website for full programme and ticket information (discounted registration rate available for BGU staff and students). Alternatively, tickets and accommodation for the event can be booked on the BGU e-commerce site. BGU regularly welcome guests from all the world to thought-provoking and intriguing events, you can keep up to date with all the exciting ones still to come on our news and events pages. -
Doctoral Students present at Cathedral Group Conference
Emma Rogers and Tracey Kilcoyne, Senior Lecturers in the School of Teacher Development at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU), successfully submitted their abstracts to the Cathedral Group’s annual doctoral conference at Liverpool Hope University, and presented their research progress to fellow Doctoral students. Emma Rogers explored the reading identities of student teachers in her presentation entitled 'Investigating the lived experiences of student teachers' as readers and the shifting identify of student teachers who teach reading' and how a teacher’s ability to inspire young readers is bound to the teacher’s identity as a reader and knowledge of children’s authors. Tracey Kilcoyne's presentation entitled 'Exploring Nurture Groups through staff voice' explored the apparent influences on the presentation of Nurture Groups through the voice of Nurture Group staff. Utilising an exploratory mixed methods framework to identify the extent of this variance, combined with an interpretive phenomenological approach to explore the views of the respective Nurture Group staff, it aimed to create a greater understanding of Nurture Groups and their operation. Following the conference Tracey described her excitement at the impact of the event on her current and future work: “The conference provided an opportunity to share our work and review the progress so far, along with an opportunity to meet others at different stages on their doctoral journey. It was great to be able to experience presentations covering such a diverse range of disciplines and I’m excited by the potential future collaborations that may come from the networking we able to do” Our academics and students are regularly invited to present at conferences around the world, you can follow all their travels on our news page and find out how you can start your own adventures on our course pages. -
BGU PhD student presents at International Conference on Dream Research
Anthony Bloxham, Psychology PhD student at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU), presented his research at the 36th International Association for the Study of Dreams (IASD) Conference held in Kerkrade, The Netherlands. Anthony’s research, part-funded by the IASD's Dream Science Foundation, describes a psychological experiment conducted in collaboration with The University of Lincoln, which aims to understand the nature of dreaming and its links with memory processes. The presentation was delivered as part of a research symposium at the conference, on the subject of memory reactivations in sleep and the developing use of virtual reality (VR) in dreams research. A number of renowned dream researchers from all over the world were in attendance and listened to the presentation. Other speakers at this symposium included Jayne Gackenbach (USA), an expert on how video games influence dreams, and Claudia Picard-Deland (Canada), PhD student at the University of Montreal, who independently conducted a very similar experiment to Anthony's. The talks were well-received and generated insightful discussion among those who were present. Reflecting on his experience after the conference, the opportunity to share and discuss his work with international peers was one of Anthony’s key highlights from the event: "I really enjoyed visiting the conference in The Netherlands and presenting my work, as well as getting to meet many of the researchers whose work has inspired and informed my own. My greatest thanks to them. Kate Adams who used to be at BGU was there, and it was nice to see her again." Our academics and students are regularly invited to present at conferences around the world, you can follow all their travels on our news page and find out how you can start your own adventures on our course pages. -
BGSU Dance Society raise over £1000 for Age UK Lincoln and South Lincolnshire
Over the past year the Bishop Grosseteste Students’ Union Dance Society have raised over £1000 in support of Age UK Lincoln and South Lincolnshire which they presented to the charity earlier this month. The incredible donation has been raised through a wide variety of activities and initiatives as Lauren English, Vice-President of the Dance Society, explains: “This year we’ve put a lot of effort into helping the community. We’ve attended Teenage Markets held by the University, performed at the Lincoln Christmas market, held two 12 hour ‘danceathons’, organised a bake sale and a 1/3 of the show proceedings went to our charity along with many other events during the year. The cheque we will be presenting is for £1000 but the Dance Exec also ran the Lincoln 10k in April and £385 was raised during that event and the money was sent straight to Age UK at the time. Therefore our grand total of fundraising for Age UK this year is £1385! The support we’ve had from other societies, the university and the public has been phenomenal.” Accepting the donation Melanie Meik, Age UK Lincoln Marketing & Fundraising Manager praised the Dance Society for their incredible efforts that will have a significant impact on vulnerable people across Lincolnshire: “The team at BGSU have gone above and beyond our expectations raising funds to help local older people in Lincoln and South Lincolnshire. Their dedication and passion to raise funds for older people is inspirational and we hope that it will be a catalyst for others to follow. It costs just £5 to send a Befriender to a lonely isolated older person once a week. The total amount raised by BGSU would allow us to send a befriender to a lonely and isolated older person every week for an entire year, making a real difference to someone’s life. The donations received by Age UK Lincoln & South Lincolnshire help us to continue to support our local older people through a range of services which are designed to support people to stay safe and independent in their own homes for as long as possible. Thank you so much for supporting us.” You can find more information on the fundraising plans of all our societies and how you can get involved with them on the BGSU website. Looking to start your journey at BGU? Find out more on our apply page or by joining us on one of our Open Days. -
BG Futures Summer Social Brings Entrepreneurial Talents Together
The BG Futures Summer Social organised by Bishop Grosseteste University’s (BGU) BG Futures Team returned this year to once again provide an informal opportunity for BGU based organisations and entrepreneurs to come together to celebrate the year’s successes. Held in the on-campus BG Futures Business and Enterprise Centre the event offered a welcome opportunity for the current physical and virtual tenants to come together. A number of students who have been successfully developing their own business ideas with the support of the BGU Enterprise Club were also in attendance. All the organisations based in BG Futures are between one month, and three years old and are supported by Becky Goodman; Enterprise Development Manager along with the BG Futures Careers, Employability and Enterprise Team. New additions to the BG Futures community since the last Summer Social include Wilesmith, TaylorWalsh and Early Bird Lifestyle Support BG Futures has a broad remit ranging from careers guidance and support to enterprise development and application for further study. The team take great care of BGU alumni looking to start their own ventures and provide a bespoke support offer for up to two years after graduation, enabling them to continue to flourish by delivering employability advice and assistance applying for jobs or further study. With opportunities open to non-alumni as well, the on-campus business and enterprise centre equips new businesses and entrepreneurs with a base for their creativity and includes incubation units, a Hot-Desk room and Virtual Office facilities. If you have got a vision for your own business but aren’t sure where to begin then the BG Futures team are the perfect place to start. With facilities and expert support available in their incubation centre, they’ll be able to get you on the road to success. Visit our website or contact them today to see how you can start your own adventure. -
BGU wellbeing research reaches a wider audience at national conference
Academics from the School of Teacher Development at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU), Dr. Emma Clarke and Aimee Quickfall, presented their on-going wellbeing research at a British Education Research Association (BERA) special interest group, last month. The BERA Mental Health, Wellbeing and Education special interest group support researchers in education who are looking at the mental health and wellbeing of students, teachers and children. Their July event included presentations from The Education Support Network, Professor Andrew Ravenscroft from the University of East London and Dr. Elizabeth Nye from the University of Oxford. Following the event Aimee explained how the diverse nature of the attendees made the BERA group the perfect place to present their research: “The attendees were hugely supportive and interested in our research methods and findings. We have made links with other universities and organisations who have the same passion to improve conditions for teachers and trainee teachers that we have, and we look forward to working with them in the future.” The research project at the centre of Aimee and Emma’s presentation, which has so far included projects in Finland, Denmark and at two universities in the UK, has been carried out by Shaun Thompson, Sue Lambert, Hannah Wells, Dr. Claire Thomson, Dr. Emma Clarke, Aimee Quickfall, a team of student researchers on the BGU PGCE Primary programme and Professor Jonathan Glazzard at Leeds Beckett University, as well as faculty members in The University of Eastern Finland and UCC in Copenhagen. For Dr. Clarke the opportunity to work with student researchers on the project was a particular highlight: “The interviews and other methods were enjoyable for researchers and participants. We particularly enjoyed working as a team with student researchers, who helped to design the research and to keep it strongly focused on the student experience of the PGCE.” Strands of the project have used photo-elicitation to capture the daily experiences of being a teacher trainee, as well as drawing timelines of the whole programme in terms of well-being and semi-structured interviews to talk through the photographs and timelines. The team have also used a simple 'see-saw' model for trainees to consider their resources and challenges and whether they can balance these. The team are now building in sessions for trainees on the PGCE Primary to think and talk about their well-being based on their pilot study findings, as well as rolling out the well-being research for a second year with Leeds Beckett University and international collaborators. If you’re interested in a future in education, our BA (Hons) Primary Education with QTS (3 year undergraduate degree), BA (Hons) Primary Teaching Studies with QTS (15 month top up degree), and PGCE courses are the perfect ways to begin or continue your adventure on the path to becoming a fantastic teacher! If you have any questions, our Enquiries Team are ready to help. Contact them today or visit our website to find out how to take your next steps. -
BGU School Administrator to Represent GB at Obstacle Course Racing World Championship 2019
Catherine Fahey, School Administrator at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU), will represent Great Britain in the upcoming Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) World Championships 2019, held in the UK this October. The OCR World Championships are the only independent global championships for the sport of Obstacle Course Racing designed to unify, promote, and increase participation in the sport of OCR. Catherine qualified for her place with an impressive second place in her age category in the Spartan Sprint race. To prepare for the Championships Catherine is engaged in a rigorous training regime including three sessions a week with Summit Outdoor Fitness, along with strength training in the Gym and additional running sessions. As she prepares, Catherine expressed her excitement at being chosen for the event: “Competing in OCR has been an incredible experience and I truly believe if I can do it anyone can. Working at BGU has given me the flexibility to be able to run before and after work and during my lunch break and I would like to thank the team in the BGU Sports and Fitness Centre who let me use their facilities. I am a big believer in Positive Mental Attitude, Outdoor living and looking after the environment. I would like to thank everyone for their support and well wishes for the up and coming event.” Everyone at BGU wishes Catherine the best of luck for her upcoming championship and you can keep up to date with how she gets on on our News page. If you’re interested in starting a new career in a flexible and supportive environment, visit our jobs website to see which of our vacancies could be the perfect opportunity for you. -
Teenage Market Heads to the Coast to Encourage Enterprising Entrepreneurs
As the Lincoln Teenage Market continues to grow, the Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) based BG Futures team behind it are developing new and exciting partnerships with keen supporters. One such partnership is with the Lincolnshire Coastal Business Improvement District. A Business Improvement District (BID) is a precisely defined geographical area where the local business community has voted to invest in additional services to those provided by the local authority. By working with the Coastal BID BG Futures aims to inspire and support young entrepreneurs from across the wider county, in particular within Skegness and the surrounding area. BG Futures also aims to work with the local population to raise aspirations, and promote social mobility by providing informal careers advice and guidance, and promoting the BGU offer within the coastal community. Part of this initiative included bringing the Teenage Market to the centre of Skegness, providing entrepreneurial young people with the chance to trial new business ideas and sell creative products in Tower Gardens just off the seafront. Alongside the market BGU partnered with the local Premier Inn to raise funds for their chosen charity GOSH, while members of their team provided face painting for youngsters. Free crafts were also provided by BGU most notably by regular volunteer Jill Draycott who is a keen advocate of the market. Following the market Becky Goodman, Enterprise Development Manager, and Nikki Smith; Careers, Employability and Enterprise Adviser at BGU praised the event for what it could do for the wider area: “Taking the Lincoln Teenage Market on tour to Skegness has been a particular highlight of our summer series of markets, and it has been great to partner with The Coastal Bid team on this to take the Market to the coast. Seeing new stallholders showcase their entrepreneurial talents, and our existing stallholders thrive in a new location backed by The Coastal Bid, local mayor, town council, and local businesses gives all of the BG Futures team an immense sense of pride“ The Teenage Market offers budding traders, business owners and performers the chance to trial their entrepreneurial ideas in a realistic and supportive environment. If you’d like to find out more about the Lincoln Teenage Market or perhaps get involved as a trader or performer at the next event, please contact the Teenage Market team at: teenagemarket@bishopg.ac.uk. You can also follow Lincoln Teenage Market on Facebook -
BGU research supports trainee teachers in Pakistan
Dr Abigail Parrish, Senior Lecturer in the School of Teacher Development, recently delivered an online seminar for participants at a research workshop organised by the Institute of English Language and Literature at the University of Sindh in Pakistan. Abigail’s session looked at Self-Determination Theory and motivation to learn English, drawing on her research interests, and giving participants chance to think about how they could apply what they learned in their own classrooms. It was attended by 35 participants, the head of the English department and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Sindh. One participant noted that the workshop was: "Rich in content and valuable in creating better understanding of the topics that were discussed, there should be more such events as it was a great learning opportunity" This feedback was also shared by the organiser, Dr Ghazal Kazim Syed, who reported that both the head of department and vice chancellor had been very impressed particularly with Abigail's commitment, professionalism and positive attitude to learning. Abigail has been invited to deliver another seminar for undergraduate and postgraduate students at a later date. James Duke, Digital Learning Developer at BGU, facilitated the online delivery of the session, providing invaluable support and advice to ensure it ran smoothly. You can read more about Abigail’s research into student motivation here: Abigail Parrish & Ursula Lanvers (2019). Student motivation, school policy choices and modern language study in England. The Language Learning Journal, 47:3, 281-298. DOI: 10.1080/09571736.2018.1508305 BGU have a global outlook on education, and our courses offer unprecedented opportunities to travel and teach. Our professionally focused educational courses are perfect for learners both within and looking to join the teaching profession. To find out how they can benefit you visit our website or contact our Enquiries Team for more information. -
First Implicit Religion Research Centre Launched at BGU
The Edward Bailey Centre for the Study of Implicit Religion, the first dedicated centre for the study of implicit religion in the world, has been launched at Bishop Grosseteste University by the Reverend Canon Professor Neil, Vice-Chancellor of BGU, together with Dr Francis Stewart, Implicit Religion Research Fellow. Implicit Religion focuses on commitments, rituals, actions, rites of passage, behaviours and beliefs that appear in things we would not normally think of as ‘religious’, for example the game of football or knitting communities. To this end Edward Bailey suggested three areas for focus: commitment, integrating foci, and intensive concerns with extensive effects. These have been explored in a wide range of topics from art, shopping, Elvis fans, pilgrimage, Occupy protests, video games, Starbucks, punk rock, elective childlessness, animal rights, tattoos and sport. The centre will serve as a hub for a wide range of activity including work in local schools, university modules, research projects, free public events in Lincoln. The centre aims to create new degree modules that are relevant and focused on implicit religion within Lincolnshire, to develop new degree courses that will bring international postgraduate students to BGU and be accessible for adults in Lincolnshire. Speaking on behalf of BGU, Professor Neil said: "Professor Bailey is synonymous with implicit religion and was well ahead of his time when he shaped the concept. The time is now right to expand the reach of the research exploring the concept of implicit religion to interpret the changing landscape of religion and spirituality in the UK. Theology is a core part of our University's heritage and I am delighted to see us continuing to push the boundaries of its exploration with this new centre of excellence.” As the lead of the new centre Dr Stewart expressed her excitement at how it would build on the legacy of Professor Bailey's work: "What do we mean when we say something is religious? What do we mean when we say something is not religious? Do we ever stop to consider if the person we are speaking to or about understands the word religion in the same way that we do? These are all questions that drive the study of Implicit Religion, a fascinating area of theological study that I look forward to being able to bring to a new generation of scholars." BGU's growing involvement in the study of implicit religion saw the institution host the 42nd Implicit Religion Conference earlier this year. The call for paper for the 43rd conference, which will also be held at at the University, is now open and submissions are free for all Lincoln residents. The Conference's theme will be 'Implicit Religion, Race and Representation' and will feature a keynote speech from Dr Ipsita Chatterjea, an expert on race and violence. If you’re interested in a future exploring and discussing religion then our Theology courses and RE teaching pathways could be for you. Visit our website or contact our Enquiries Team today for more information.
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