Paul McKean, a former teacher at Bolton College, explains how further education helped him through a very dark time in his life. My twenties is a period in life that’s difficult to recall because of the physical and mental debilitation I suffered. I lost my independence and dignity and became isolated and depressed. Several discs…
Period Poverty and FE
Anya Cook sits on University and College Union’s National Executive and Further Education Committee and she is Branch Secretary at Newcastle College where she is employed as a Mentor. In the decade I have been a UCU trade union rep at Newcastle College we haven’t had a women’s officer on the branch. In September we…
Restore fairness to Further Education
Now is the time to use the power of government to restore fairness for further education. As all who work in colleges know, since 2009 further education has been subjected to cut after cut –and these cuts have gone far beyond anything endured by other sectors of education. In effect,these cuts have hurt the communities…
Cauldrons of Change
Anya Cook sits on UCU’s National Executive and Further Education committee and is Branch Secretary at Newcastle College where she is employed as Higher Education Mentor. Here she tells Transforming Lives why we should all rise up and support FE Fights Back, UCU’s national campaign on funding and pay. “Never before have I had a…
Its all about the cake!
I have been teaching since before the National Curriculum was introduced and I have supported hundreds of students apply for university both as a subject teacher at A level and head of sixth form, however I had never been invited to attend a university graduation by one of my ex students before until today and…
It’s time for joined up thinking in Adult Education
Research shows that parental education levels correlate with child development – from the earliest days. By the time children arrive at nursery, the disadvantage gap is already well established. And indeed a survey carried out by MORI (2001) revealed that more than two thirds of twelve to sixteen year olds consider that their parents are…
Transforming Lives Survey
This research aims to continue to develop understanding and to provide evidence of how the Further Education (FE) sector is vital in transforming lives and communities in 21st Century Britain. This second phase of the study adds robust evidence collated in stage one of the research and in doing so continues to provide learners and…
Transformative research about transforming lives through learning
I have been following for a long while the valuable project “Transformational Further Education: Empowering People & Communities”, the culmination of research based on the very many inspiring stories from learners and teachers, collated by Dr Vicky Duckworth and Dr Rob Smith. It was brought to life on the very first occasion I had the…
Breaking the Triple Lock: Further education and transformative teaching and learning
Vicky Duckworth and Rob Smith We have drawn on the UCU Further Education in England: Transforming Lives & Communities research project data to develop a distinctive, theorised conceptualisation of transformative teaching and learning (TTL). The interconnection between teaching and learning resonates with the Transforming Lives research – firstly, by including teachers, it emphasises their role…
Senior Lecturer Computer Science Education
FE Transforming Lives I can honestly say FE has transformed my life. As I young person I went to sixth form and studied, but I had a very difficult and traumatic childhood, for a number of reasons. I did not complete my A level studies and therefore missed the opportunity to attend University. As a…