Meet The Education Researcher

By Meet The Education Researcher

What's Meet The Education Researcher about?

Emerging issues and the latest ideas from across the world of education research. Hear from a range of academics about their current research work in schools, universities and beyond. Hosted by Neil Selwyn from Monash University, Australia.

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Meet The Education Researcher episodes:

06.11.2024
Precision Education Governance (Kristiina Brunila)
Prof. Kristiina Brunila (University of Helsinki) talks about the rise of ‘Precision Education Governance’ – the current push to reform education systems through markets, digital technologies, standardised measurements, behavioural sciences and the precise shaping of human conduct.
05.08.2024
Mental health education and social-emotional learning (Neil Humphrey)
Mental health is now recognised as an important part of schooling. Neil Humphrey (University of Manchester) talks about recent efforts to establish compulsory mental health education across English schools, and the benefits of supporting students’ social and emotional learning.
04.11.2024
The coming crisis in education research … and what we might do about it (Sally Power)
Academic research is becoming increasingly peripheral to education policy-makers and practitioners. Prof. Sally Power (Cardiff University) talks about the current shortcomings of our work, and how education research might be reinvigorated through a new ‘politics of method’.
03.13.2024
Academics’ use of social media and generative AI (Mark Carrigan)
Why did Twitter so quickly fall apart as a place for scholarship? Where are academics now going for their social media buzz? How can you use Chat GPT as a genuinely useful interlocutor? Mark Carrigan (University of Manchester) joins us...
02.24.2024
Educational leadership, gender and race (Pontso Moorosi)
A/Prof Pontso Moorosi (University of Warwick) joins us to talk about her research on leadership preparation in South African schools, and the varying experiences of Black women school principals around the world.
01.27.2024
Sustainability and climate change education (Lizzie Rushton)
How can schools tackle issues of sustainability and climate change? Prof. Lizzie Rushton (University of Stirling) talks about her research around environmental education in England and Scotland. We discuss the current state of UK sustainability education, teachers' and young people’s...
11.29.2023
Schools and online ‘toxic masculinity’ (Stephanie Wescott)
Schools are beginning to report a notable change in boys’ behaviour as a result of their increased exposure to the so-called ‘manosphere’ and online extremist influencers like Andrew Tate. Dr. Stephanie Wescott (Monash University) talks about ongoing research into how...
10.31.2023
Teachers and existentialist philosophy (Alison Brady)
What relevance does existentialism have for teachers? Dr. Alison Brady (UCL) uses the existentialist philosophy of Jean Paul Sartre to rethink what it means for teachers to reflect and account for their own practice. We talk about Sartre’s ideas about...
10.04.2023
Actor-Network Theory (Helene Ratner)
Actor-Network Theory is growing in popularity in education research. Helene Friis Ratner (Aarhus University) discusses the strengths and limitations of ANT, how this approach can be best applied to understand education, and the fascinating insights that can be gained from...
09.05.2023
Student experiences of higher education (Kirsty Finn)
Dr. Kirsty Finn (University of Manchester) researches a wide range of sociological issues related to students and higher education. We discuss Kirsty’s interest in student mobilities, the gendered ways in which universities are encouraging students to develop ‘side hustles’,...
08.01.2023
Classroom management (Marcus Samuelsson)
Marcus Samuelsson researches issues of classroom management with Swedish teachers. We talk about how Marcus has shifted from talking about ‘classroom management’ to ideas of ‘classroom leadership’ and ‘teaching through interactions’. We also discuss the various student behaviours that teachers...
07.03.2023
School shootings and student safety (Nadine M. Connell)
Nadine M. Connell (Griffith University) is a criminologist working in the area of school safety. We discuss Nadine’s research around school shootings in the US, how she navigates the politically-charged nature of public debate around this topic, and why school...
06.03.2023
Everyday objects of education (Jakob Billmayer)
Dr. Jakob Billmayer is fascinated by the ordinary aspects of education – from classroom doors and furniture, through to students' school-bags and Jamie Oliver’s cook-books. We talk about socio-materialism, Foucault’s historical accounts of school, and what can be learnt from...
05.06.2023
Critical race theory in science teacher education (Felicia Moore Mensah)
Prof. Felicia Moore Mensah (Teachers College) works in the area of science education and teacher preparation. We talk about Felicia’s application of critical race theory to science and STEM education, the power of teacher counter-storytelling, the difficulties of being a...
04.09.2023
Bullying in schools (Paul Horton)
Dr. Paul Horton's work addresses school bullying in terms of the social, institutional, and societal contexts within which it occurs. We talk about the benefits of researching bullying as a relational issue, the ways in which bullying differs between national...
03.12.2023
The importance of teachers’ talk (Adam Lefstein)
Adam Lefstein (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) discusses his recent research on teachers’ talk as a form of professional learning. We discuss the nature of ‘pedagogically productive talk’, how this can be supported within schools, and why online spaces are not...
02.13.2023
Datafication and education policy (Sam Sellar)
Sam Sellar (UniSA) is a leading commentator on the rise of numbers and data in education and education policy. We discuss the phenomenon of ‘PISA-shock’, the emergence of algorithms, AI and ‘synthetic governance’ in education, as well as the benefits...
01.18.2023
Inequalities in STEM participation (Louise Archer)
Professor Louise Archer (UCL) is involved in large-scale research looking at inequalities in young people’s participation in STEM – science, technology, engineering and maths. We talk about the importance of young people’s ‘science capital’, the role that luck plays in...
11.24.2022
The hard work of being a teacher (Nicole Mockler)
Prof Nicole Mockler (University of Sydney) is well-known for her work on the teaching profession and education policy. We talk about Nicole's recent study of news media representations of teachers, her ongoing project on how teachers manage their time, and...
11.01.2022
Inequalities in early years and primary education (Alice Bradbury)
Professor Alice Bradbury (UCL) is a leading sociologist of early years and primary education, focusing on matters of inequality and social justice. We talk about Alice’s research on phonics teaching in English primary schools, the datafication of the early years...
10.08.2022
The International Baccalaureate (Julia Resnik)
Prof. Julia Resnik (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) talks about her ongoing research into the International Baccalaureate – comparing the program’s take-up in US and Canada through to Argentina, Ecuador and Chile. We discuss how the idealistic origins of the IB...
09.18.2022
Techno-scepticism in the classroom (Marie Heath)
“I’m not anti-technology … I’m pro-justice”. Dr. Marie Heath (Loyola University) works to encourage an informed scepticism about digital technology in education. We talk about getting critical tech issues into Social Studies lessons, conducting ‘techno-ethical audits’ of school platforms, and...
08.31.2022
Education in an era of pervasive automation (Mark Andrejevic)
Mark Andrejevic (Monash University) is a leading commentator on surveillance, information and digital media. In this interview Mark looks back on his highly acclaimed 2020 book ‘Automated Media’, and considers how these issues are beginning to play out in the...
08.03.2022
Students’ engagement with work and employment (Alison Taylor)
Professor Alison Taylor (UBC) has spent her career looking at the interplay between students, education, work and the economy. We talk about the changing nature of student life in time of precarious employment, the limitations of talking about educational ‘careers’...
07.08.2022
What makes for ‘good’ education research? (Bob Lingard)
Professor Bob Lingard (ACU) reflects on the art and craft of being an education researcher. He talks about the distinction between ‘education’ research and ‘educational’ research, standing up for the added value of university-based research, and the need for academics...
06.23.2022
Bringing ‘knowledge’ back in (Kate O’Connor)
Knowledge is a fundamental aspect of education, but something that education research rarely addresses head-on. Dr. Kate O’Connor (La Trobe University) specialises in the sociology of knowledge, and in this episode talks about her work around curriculum development, online teaching,...
05.28.2022
Schools and sexuality (Jen Gilbert)
Prof Jen Gilbert (York University) is a leading international researcher in the area of sexuality, gender and education. We talk about school as a site of sexuality, Jen’s use of storytelling methods, tips for dealing with the media, and how...
04.26.2022
What can we learn from the history of education? (Johannes Westberg)
“Historians remind us of what we might prefer to forget” Johannes Westberg (University of Groningen) is one of Europe’s rising historians of education. We talk about his recent paper: “What we can learn from studying the past: The...
04.05.2022
Education and the new laws of robotics (Frank Pasquale)
Frank Pasquale (Brooklyn Law School) is a leading commentator on the social and legal consequences of AI, robotics and algorithms. Drawing on his 2020 book ‘The New Laws of Robotics’, Frank talks about various emerging issues around education and AI...
03.16.2022
Bourdieu and higher education (Troy Heffernan)
In this episode, Troy Heffernan (La Trobe University) talks about the continuing relevance of Pierre Bourdieu’s ideas to contemporary higher education. We talk about the importance of Bourdieu’s notion of ‘cultural trajectories’, his 1990 book ‘Homo Academicus’, and Troy’s...
02.21.2022
The big business of schools in Sweden (Malin Ideland)
Despite their social democratic origins, Swedish schools now depend heavily on the support of commercial companies. Professor Malin Ideland (Malmo University) talks about her research into Sweden’s diverse ‘edu-business’ and ‘edu-prenuer’ sectors. Malin describes the breadth of work that these...
02.07.2022
Automated surveillance in education (Chris Gilliard)
Chris Gilliard (@hypervisible) is a leading critic of surveillance technology, digital privacy, and the problematic ways that tech intersects with race and social class. We talk about the automated forms of surveillance that are coming into schools and colleges –...
01.10.2022
Approaching education from the inside out (Gert Biesta)
Gert Biesta (University of Edinburgh) is one of the best-known – and most interesting - current philosophers of education. We talk about Gert’s recent interest in the work of Klaus Prange, the need to come up with better questions (rather...
11.30.2021
Digital learning (Mark Warschauer)
“Laptops will make a good school better, but they won’t make a bad school good” In this episode, we join Mark Warschauer (UC Irvine) for an overview of his 30 year career researching digital learning. We talk about why digital...
11.02.2021
The idea of ‘public education’ (Carl Anders Safstrom)
Educational philosopher Carl Anders Safstrom (Maynooth University) joins us to talk about the past, present and future of ‘public education’. We trace the origins of the idea from post-war Europe back to the writing of John Dewey, and even further...
10.03.2021
Social and emotional development in schools (Rebecca Collie)
How do students learn to interact with others? How do teachers cope with stress? In this episode, we join psychologist Rebecca Collie (UNSW) for an overview of her work on social and emotional development in schools. We talk about how...
09.06.2021
Reimagining Globalisation & Education (Fazal Rizvi)
Does the idea of ‘globalisation’ still have any relevance for understanding education in the 2020s? Fazal Rizvi (University of Melbourne) talks about what education policy now looks like in light of the rise of Asia, alongside increased worldwide shifts toward...
08.09.2021
AI and education (Val Mendes)
Val Mendes (UNESCO) brings a global perspective to the topic of AI and education – particularly in light of UNESCO’s focus on educational policy and practice around the world. We talk about the importance of seeing AI in ‘narrow’ terms,...
08.02.2021
AI and education (Erica Southgate)
What is the educational potential of artificial intelligence? Erica Southgate (University of Newcastle) talks us through some of the key issues surrounding the emergence of educational AI technology. We talk about the importance of AI explainability, the idea of big...
07.06.2021
The psychology of science denial (Gale Sinatra & Barbara Hofer)
What role does science education have in a ‘post-truth’ era when some people deny climate change, oppose vaccinations, and believe COVID to be a hoax? In this episode, Gale Sinatra and Barbara Hofer talk about their new book – Science...
06.14.2021
Paulo Freire & ‘Pedagogy of the Oppressed’ (Carlos Alberto Torres)
‘Pedagogy of the Oppressed’ is a key educational text - packed with radical ideas about critical pedagogy and the death of the authoritarian teacher. In this episode, we join Carlos Alberto Torres (UCLA) for a deep dive into the background...
05.31.2021
Civics education, games and platforms (Antero Garcia)
Antero Garcia (Stanford University) talks about his work in the area of media education and civics. We start by talking about the future of civics education in US schooling. We also explore the roles that games and gaming can play...
05.10.2021
Justice-oriented approaches to Science Education (Sara Tolbert)
“So you’re a science educator? That’s so radical!’ Sara Tolbert (University of Canterbury) is committed to challenging the politics and power that underpin science education. Sara talks about her work in supporting Indigenous knowledge and place-based learning in school, feminist...
04.19.2021
Comparative education & global policy (Jason Beech)
“We cannot understand education policy and power in education only by looking at the nation state”. Dr. Jason Beech has just joined Monash University’s Faculty of Education. He talks about the importance of space and networks in comparative education, his...
03.15.2021
The philosophy of maths education (Nathalie Sinclair)
Professor Nathalie Sinclair (Simon Fraser University) is a leading philosopher whose work strives to change the way we think about learning and teaching maths. In this interview Nathalie talks about the importance of gestures when explaining mathematical concepts, why students...
02.22.2021
Educational neuroscience (Michael Thomas)
Many people expect neuroscience to change our understanding of education. Michael Thomas (Birkbeck University) is director of the Centre for Educational Neuroscience in London. In this episode, Michael talks about what educators need to know about how the brain works,...
01.26.2021
Universities, futures thinking and climate change (Keri Facer)
Keri Facer (University of Bristol) is a leading thinker in the area of education futures, and has just completed a term as visiting Zennström Professor of Climate Change Leadership at Uppsala University. We talk about the diverse ways that higher...
12.05.2020
Understanding ‘the game’ of education research (Pat Thomson)
Pat Thomson (University of Nottingham) is renowned for her public work in demystifying academic writing, career-building, and other practical aspects of researcher education. We talk about the benefits of ‘angry’ scholarship, the intimacies of co-authoring, and how to navigate the...
11.16.2020
Design and the ethics of higher education (Rikke Toft Nørgård)
Rikke Toft Nørgård (Aarhus University) brings together educational philosophy with design practices and futures thinking. We talk about Rikke’s ‘University of We’ and ‘Playful University’ projects, and discuss the ways that design thinking can play a role in establishing more...
10.27.2020
Working in the 'post-pandemic’ university (Simone Eringfeld)
“In times of crisis we need to be creative” Simone Eringfeld (Cambridge University) is part of a new generation of education researchers beginning to re-imagine what it might mean to work in higher education. We talk about Simone’s recent ‘Quaran-chats’...

What's Meet The Education Researcher about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Meet The Education Researcher episodes:

Precision Education Governance (Kristiina Brunila)

Mental health education and social-emotional learning (Neil Humphrey)

The coming crisis in education research … and what we might do about it (Sally Power)

Academics’ use of social media and generative AI (Mark Carrigan)

Educational leadership, gender and race (Pontso Moorosi)

Sustainability and climate change education (Lizzie Rushton)

Schools and online ‘toxic masculinity’ (Stephanie Wescott)

Teachers and existentialist philosophy (Alison Brady)

Actor-Network Theory (Helene Ratner)

Student experiences of higher education (Kirsty Finn)

Classroom management (Marcus Samuelsson)

School shootings and student safety (Nadine M. Connell)

Everyday objects of education (Jakob Billmayer)

Critical race theory in science teacher education (Felicia Moore Mensah)

Bullying in schools (Paul Horton)

The importance of teachers’ talk (Adam Lefstein)

Datafication and education policy (Sam Sellar)

Inequalities in STEM participation (Louise Archer)

The hard work of being a teacher (Nicole Mockler)

Inequalities in early years and primary education (Alice Bradbury)

The International Baccalaureate (Julia Resnik)

Techno-scepticism in the classroom (Marie Heath)

Education in an era of pervasive automation (Mark Andrejevic)

Students’ engagement with work and employment (Alison Taylor)

What makes for ‘good’ education research? (Bob Lingard)

Bringing ‘knowledge’ back in (Kate O’Connor)

Schools and sexuality (Jen Gilbert)

What can we learn from the history of education? (Johannes Westberg)

Education and the new laws of robotics (Frank Pasquale)

Bourdieu and higher education (Troy Heffernan)

The big business of schools in Sweden (Malin Ideland)

Automated surveillance in education (Chris Gilliard)

Approaching education from the inside out (Gert Biesta)

Digital learning (Mark Warschauer)

The idea of ‘public education’ (Carl Anders Safstrom)

Social and emotional development in schools (Rebecca Collie)

Reimagining Globalisation & Education (Fazal Rizvi)

AI and education (Val Mendes)

AI and education (Erica Southgate)

The psychology of science denial (Gale Sinatra & Barbara Hofer)

Paulo Freire & ‘Pedagogy of the Oppressed’ (Carlos Alberto Torres)

Civics education, games and platforms (Antero Garcia)

Justice-oriented approaches to Science Education (Sara Tolbert)

Comparative education & global policy (Jason Beech)

The philosophy of maths education (Nathalie Sinclair)

Educational neuroscience (Michael Thomas)

Universities, futures thinking and climate change (Keri Facer)

Understanding ‘the game’ of education research (Pat Thomson)

Design and the ethics of higher education (Rikke Toft Nørgård)

Working in the 'post-pandemic’ university (Simone Eringfeld)

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