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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. -
BGU Journalism Courses Could Lead to a New Career
Are you thinking about a new career as a journalist? If so you could take the first steps by signing up for a short course at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln. The university is offering two two-day courses: Introduction to Writing in May and Introduction to Editing in June. Introduction to Writing on 2 and 3 May 2017 will cover both news and feature writing, and participants will explore everything from how to effectively research your writing through to format, style and how to write to a deadline. The course will also include writing headlines, captions and boxes as well as balance, accuracy, how to appropriately structure your writing and working on the web. The Introduction to Editing course on 27 and 28 June 2017 is an interactive course which will cover style and structure, rewriting, accuracy and clarity, proof reading, copy fitting and how to present information effectively. Participants will learn about the other elements that make up a story, including headlines and introductions, and the way words work with images and other parts of the completed page. Each course costs £120, open to everyone from year 12 of sixth form onwards and no previous experience is necessary. If you book on both courses the price is £220, which represents a saving of £20. Exercises and course notes will be included and both courses run from 9.30am until 4.00pm on both days at BGU. Even though these courses are aimed at people wanting to pursue a career in journalism, the skills learned on both are transferable and will help everyone who does any kind of writing and editing, from articles to work reports. “Journalism is changing, but it’s never been more important to society as the way people receive information and consume news adapts to new technologies,” said course leader Alysoun Coles, an experienced freelance journalist and sub-editor. “Working as a journalist is challenging, exciting, demanding and rewarding, and our short courses are an ideal introduction to the career.” For more information and to book please contact Gemma Fogg by emailing gemma.fogg@bishopg.ac.uk or calling 01522 583621. -
Revealed: The Private Lives of the Tudors
Historian Tracy Borman will follow up her book and TV series The Private Lives of the Tudors with a colourful talk on the same subject at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln next month. Tracy is a best-selling author and historian who specialises in the Tudor period. Her books include Elizabeth’s Women, which was Book of the Week on BBC Radio 4, and Thomas Cromwell: The Untold Story of Henry VIII’s Most Faithful Servant, which was a Sunday Times best seller. Her most recent book, The Private Lives of the Tudors, includes such gems as Henry VIII’s visit to Lincoln in 1541 with his fifth wife Catherine Howard, who proceeded to cheat on him while they were staying in the city. “Tracy is a well known TV personality but she is also a familiar face on campus at BGU,” said Hannah Clipsham, Events Manager at BGU. “We are really looking forward to hearing her informative and entertaining talk about this fascinating period of English history and this most influential of royal dynasties.” An Audience with Tracy Borman presenting The Private Lives of the Tudors takes place at The Venue, Bishop Grosseteste University at 7.30pm on Thursday 1st June 2017. Tickets cost £6.50 and are available online from The Venue. For further details please contact the University Events Office on 01522 585635 or email events@bishopg.ac.uk. -
Michael Jackson Tribute Promises a Thriller at The Venue
The act billed as the world’s number one Michael Jackson tribute is aiming to provide a ‘Thriller’ for fans at Bishop Grosseteste University on Friday (19th May). Navi is the only Michael Jackson tribute to have worked for Michael Jackson for 17 years (from 1992 until 2009), promoting albums and concerts as well as acting as a decoy for the singer in public appearances. In a 25-year career as a Michael Jackson tribute act Navi has appeared in over 300 cities in 58 different countries. He has performed at Michael Jackson’s birthday parties in Los Angeles and New York, visited the singer’s Neverland Ranch and been invited twice to appear on the Oprah Winfrey Show. He closed the show at the Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix to well over 20,000 people and has been featured on numerous TV programmes and in newspapers including CNN, CBS, ITV, BBC, Dubai One, MTV, The Sun, The Daily Telegraph, The LA Times and The Times of India amongst others. Navi stars in a new film entitled Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland which is due to be released in cinemas this month. “With a winning combination of authentic vocals, energetic dance moves and a striking resemblance to the original, Navi is bringing the ultimate Michael Jackson tribute show to Lincoln that will have you believing that the magic of Michael Jackson lives on!” said Hannah Clipsham, Events Manager at BGU. Tickets for Navi – Chosen by Michael cost £15 and are available online at The Venue website. The show begins at 7.30pm on Friday 19th May. For more information contact Daisy Wedge by emailing daisy.wedge@bishopg.ac.uk or by calling 01522 585635. -
Annual Lecture Will Shed Light on Battle of Lincoln
Eight hundred years ago this week one of the most important battles of mediaeval times was fought in Lincoln. To mark the anniversary, author and historian Dr Sean McGlynn will give the Annual History Lecture at Bishop Grosseteste University tomorrow (Wednesday 17th May) and shed light on the dramatic events of the Battle of Lincoln in 1217. The battle fought on 20th May 1217 is deemed by historians to be one of the most important military engagements fought in medieval England. This lecture will explain the remarkable circumstances that led to the battle and offer a detailed description of the dramatic events that occurred on the day. Dr Sean McGlynn is the author of three critically acclaimed books on mediaeval warfare and of a forthcoming biography of King John. His book Blood Cries Afar: the Magna Carta War and the Invasion of England, 1215-17 was the first to investigate the major French invasion of England that resulted in the Battle of Lincoln. The Annual History Lecture was originally established to mark the work of Dr Jim Johnston, a historian and teacher at BGU who pioneered the use of probate inventories and who died in 2007. It also celebrates the contribution of another former history lecturer, Dulcie Duke, and recognises the work of current BGU students with the award of prizes. Attendance at the lecture is free of charge and refreshments are available at the Refectory and Curiositea nearby. Please note parking on campus is limited. The lecture begins at 2pm. To book a ticket contact Daisy Wedge by emailing daisy.wedge@bishopg.ac.uk or by calling 01522 585635. -
Women’s Victorian college life at BGU on show at Being Human Festival
This year Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) in Lincoln takes part in the national festival for the Humanities, Being Human 2017, to reveal the lost and found voice of the first students who trained to become teachers in the Victorian era. BGU’s event, titled ‘Becoming teachers: women’s college life from 1862 to 1918’, will explore the lives of women who trained as teachers from the 1860s onwards. Staff and students worked together in unfolding their stories through the remarkable original material diligently preserved in the BGU archive located on campus in the Cornerstone Building. This is the first time this rich material will be displayed and presented to the community. The event takes place on Saturday 18 November 2017 and invites attendees to engage with the lives of women, who trained as teachers at BGU from the 1860s to the vote, through imaginative activities. The programme includes an interactive display, talks, workshops, and presentations. You will be involved in rediscovering the lost voices of pioneering women and in unfolding BGU’s Victorian origins. At the centre of the event there is an exhibition entitled, BGU’s Victorian Origins: a women’s teacher training college for the Diocese of Lincoln, which displays original material from the archives including photographs, needlework, bulletins, records, and books. The event will being at 11:00 am. Additionally, on Thursday 23 November, Lincoln’s young writers in the making will help give the women who trained as teachers from the 1860s onwards a voice. Young writers from local schools who take part in Slam Jam and First Story will work with staff, students, and creative writers to recreate voices from the archives imaginatively through creative writing workshops. (If your school would like to take part in this event, please contact Dr Claudia Capancioni, claudia.capancioni@bishopg.ac.uk, by the 3 November.) -
American nursing students visit BGU
American students from the University of Evansville in Indiana visited Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) in Lincoln this week. Around 20 fourth year nursing students, who are spending the semester at the UK campus of the University of Evansville, visited to join in discussions with third year BGU Health & Social Care students on Tuesday. The visit was part of a drive to internationalise the curriculum at BGU and the session enabled students to compare and contrast health care and social care in the UK and USA. The visit came about thanks to Nicki Walsh, Programme Leader for Health & Social Care, who joined BGU earlier in 2017. Nicki said, “I have worked with the University of Evansville for the last 10 years or so before coming to BGU, supporting their teaching and learning around UK healthcare practice. “When coming to BGU I felt this relationship should continue especially as both their provision and ethos reflects that of BGU.” There were discussions on reviewing provision and ethos followed by a seminar session looking at identifying positives and weaknesses in both the UK and USA health and social care systems. There was also the opportunity for general discussion around student life in both the UK and USA. Damian Taylor, third year Health & Social Care student at BGU, said, “The session was great. It gave us the chance to discuss what we were all looking to achieve from our degree. We had interesting discussions about both UK and USA health care, policy and touched on some ideas that would improve the health care systems. “I feel that the session allowed us the opportunity to build contacts for future networking opportunities. We have been offered the opportunity to visit the University of Evansville's UK campus in Grantham, which is exciting, and I believe that will allow us to build good relationships with each other and the possibility of learning exchange. “We were shocked to learn that our UK perspective about health care in the USA is not entirely correct and that even if you are not covered with insurance you still have access to health care. Another interesting thing we discussed was the tax system and the difference/similarities between them.” Find out more about Health & Social Care at BGU. -
BGU Staff Wrap Up the Winter Semester Preparing Charity Presents
For the second year running staff at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) volunteered their time to ensure vulnerable individuals in Lincoln would not be forgotten this Christmas. Beginning at 10.30am on Monday, dedicated volunteers set to work, successfully wrapping over 300 presents by the end of the day. Donated by various well-wishers from the local community, the gifts are all in aid of Mental Health Trust Wards and Community Mental Health Groups across Lincoln who will be supporting vulnerable people over Christmas. Recipients include: Peter Hodgkinson Centre The Francis Willis Unit Discovery House Age UK AddAction This is the University’s second event in support of the programme and organiser Val Strawson believes the initiative couldn’t be more important at this time of year: “It means so much to those who receive gifts. Christmas can be an especially lonely time for people and these presents go a long way to showing them they are not alone or forgotten”. Alongside the 12 full day volunteers (many of whom gave up annual leave to take part), members of staff dropped in throughout the day to lend a hand. One volunteer, Amber Edwards, said she was excited to be involved: “It seemed like a nice thing to do, some my colleagues took part last year and had a great time. Also I love Christmas and was happy to volunteer some time to get in the festive spirit”. Plans are already in motion to run the event again next year which is sure to be another roaring success. If you would like to know more about how to get involved in the BGU Staff Volunteering Scheme information - which supports and encourages staff to take time off for charitable activities - you can contact Sophie Saunders (Executive Assistant to the Executive Deans) or Victoria Thorne (HR Assistant). -
Royal Geographical Society Teaching Scholarships Open To New Applicants
Are you an aspiring geography teacher looking to bring your subject to life for the next generation of students? To help them to travel and learn about the world around them, all without leaving the classroom? If so, be sure to get your application in for the prestigious Royal Geographical Society Geography Teacher Training Scholarships. In addition to £28,000 tax-free funding the scholarships offer successful candidates: Free training events on key subjects and residential fieldwork Access to the Royal Geographical Society Library and teaching resources Networking opportunities and other support to complement your teacher training course Fellowship of the Royal Geographical Society. Two current Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) PGCE students, Harriet Lee and Joel Stockton, were successfully awarded scholarships last year and said they would recommend them to anyone considering applying: “The application and interview process is intense, but the training and resources available to you once you pass make it completely worthwhile”. To be eligible you must have secured an ITT training place allocated by the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL), which leads to qualified teacher status (QTS) by September 2019 and they must have a 2:1 (or predicted) degree. Candidates with a 2:2 (or predicted) may be considered if they can demonstrate significant subject knowledge. If you are still considering your PGCE options, look no further than BGU. With over 150 years of teaching training experience and high quality courses, there are few institutions better suited to prepare you for a career in teaching. You can find out more about our PGCE courses here. Once you have your PGCE place confirmed you can submit your scholarship application through the Royal Geographical Society. The deadline for completed applications is 1 July 2018. For any questions on the scholarships or our PGCE courses contact Steve Puttick (Head of Programmes: Secondary, FE, and Research Education at BGU). -
Research in action at BGU Health & Social Care seminar
The second in a new series of Health & Social Care seminars (blog.bishopg.ac.uk/blog/health-social-care-seminar) took place at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) last week. The seminar focused on supporting evidence-based Health & Social Care in Lincolnshire with a vision of seeing research in action. A broad spectrum of professionals and students from across Health & Social Care attended the seminar. These included representatives from charities, acute and community health trusts as well as students from BGU's undergraduate and postgraduate Health & Social Care programmes. Professor Tanweer Ahmed (MBA, FICR), Director of Lincolnshire Clinical Research Facility Unit and Head of Research & Development at United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT), delivered the key note. Professor Tanweer discussed the research objectives for the Trust and cited a number of studies that were currently being undertaken at ULHT. A number of questions were asked by the audience around patient informed research and implementation of research in practice. David Evans, Director of the Contact, Help, Advice and Information Network (CHAIN), gave a presentation about the network. CHAIN “is an online mutual support network for people working in health and social care. It gives people a simple and informal way of contacting each other to exchange ideas and share knowledge”. A number of attendees were already members but the majority had not heard of CHAIN. All agreed that belonging to a non-commercial community of individuals with linked interests was a real benefit and would enhance the community of research practice within Health & Social Care, especially within more rural counties such as Lincolnshire. The seminar closed with a practical demonstration of CHAIN and further networking. The next seminar takes place on 9 May 2018 and will feature BGU’s new LORIC (Lincolnshire Open Research & Innovation Centre) initiative who will be delivering the keynote: “Are you prepared for the 4th industrial revolution?” Contact Nicki Walsh for more details on nichola.walsh@bishopg.ac.uk. Find out more about studying Health & Social Care at BGU.
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