How an author communicates with a reader is a central consideration in the critical examination of any text. When considering the communication of ideas from young people whose voices are seldom heard, the journey from author to audience has particular significance. The construction of children and young people as 'authors' is important,…

Redmoor Academy is a Key Stage 3 (age 11-14) school in Leicestershire, UK, with a student cohort just over 500 pupils. The Academy has a long history of encouraging pupils to consider how STEM subjects relate to each other and to their future careers, and has made great inroads into ensuring that all teachers of STEM subjects are delivering the…

Equine-assisted activities and therapies are increasing in popularity for treatment of ASD symptoms. This research evaluated effects of a 5-week programme of therapeutic riding on social functioning of children/adolescents (N = 15) with ASD. The effectiveness of the programme was evaluated using the autism spectrum quotient, the Vineland Adaptive…

This paper is about a design-based research project which evaluated the novel use of Lesson Study for assessment (LSfA) purposes. It starts by explaining the principles and design of LSfA procedures based on a Lesson Study model and dynamic assessment principles. It outlines the training and support provided to six Lesson Study teams in three…

Over a 13-month period, the Schome Park Programme operated the first "closed" (i.e. protected) Teen Second Life project in Europe. The project organised diverse educational events that centred on use of a virtual world and an associated asynchronous forum and wiki. Students and staff together exploited the affordances of the environment…

This paper explores the development, in both practical and theoretical terms, of the Centre for Excellence in Teacher Training (CETT) based at Northumbria University. This is the only one of 11 new centres in England focusing on inclusive learning. CETTs are a critical component of a range of government reforms to teacher training within the…

This paper proposes a cross-faculty simulation model for authentic learning that bridges the gap between short group-based simulations within the classroom and longer individual placements in professional working contexts. Dissemination of the model is expected to widen the use of authentic learning approaches in higher education (HE). The model…

The present study was concerned with the effects of a residential woodland education program, incorporating both educational and adventure elements, on proenvironmental attitudes and aspects of well-being. Specifically, adolescent participants (N = 25) from a broad range of backgrounds, including some with challenging behavioral characteristics,…

This publication focuses on national and international policy initiatives to develop a better understanding of part-time learners and the types of flexibility that may enhance their study especially pedagogically. As part of our five-strand research project "Flexible Pedagogies: preparing for the future" it: (1) highlights the challenges…

For better or for worse, the assessment of research quality is one of the primary drivers of the behaviour of the academic community with all sorts of potential for distorting that behaviour. So, if you are going to assess research quality, how do you do it? This article explores some of the problems and possibilities, with particular reference to…

School exclusions remain at a high level in the UK. Exclusions are the result of the interaction of complex factors, and schools are not equipped to tackle disaffection and disruptive behaviour on their own. The article describes the evaluation of a multidisciplinary home and school support project in a city borough. The project provides early…

This paper examines "Fresh Start," a New Labour flagship initiative to raise education "standards" in a radical and innovative way. Drawing on a qualitative study of a comprehensive school in England, I argue that the initiative added to the problems faced by the "failing school" and promoted rather traditional ways…

This paper describes the therapeutic journey of Leigh (not his real name), a nine-year-old boy who was referred for play therapy due to the death of his 15-year-old brother. The play therapy was offered through a joint project called "Playing through Loss" and run jointly between a UK university and the local branch of a national…

ELBEP (Eliminating Language Barriers in European Prisons Through Open and Distance Education Technology) is a multilateral project funded by the European Union (EU) Lifelong Learning, Grundtvig (Adult Education) Programme. It aims to overcome language/communication problems between prison staff and foreign inmates at European prisons via online…

This account identifies some of the tensions that became apparent in a large interdisciplinary technology-enhanced learning project as its members attempted to maintain their commitment to responsive, participatory research and development in naturalistic research settings while also "enacting" these commitments in formal research review…