Reflections from Helen Lyndon:
As we approach the end of the academic year we spend the final Learning Circle of the year at Tony’s family home in Hartlebury for an extended and less formal session during which we share topics of interest as well as a meal. The weather was again on our side and we were able to enjoy the garden as well as a short walk in Hartlebury.
This year saw the tenth anniversary of some LC members attending sessions and for others it was their very first encounter and as ever the conversation flowed. As well as catching up on personal developments we discussed PhD progress, members recent publications, research projects, recent reading and career developments.
Amongst our topics of discussion were the following:
There was lots of discussion around positionality and insider/ outsider research. e.g. Berger https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260984361_Now_I_see_it_now_I_don%27t_researcher%27s_position_and_reflexivity_in_qualitative_Research and the paper by Corbin-Dwyer and Buckle (2009) called ‘The Space between.’
Sweller’s cognitive load theory was discussed and the influence it is having on current teacher education. Further details are http://www.springer.com/gb/book/9781441981257
Foetal Alcohol Syndrome was discussed as well as a new publication by Carolyn Blackburn https://www.amazon.co.uk/Developing-Inclusive-Practice-Children-Disorders/dp/1138839329/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Jackie Musgrave’s latest publication was shared as well as the latest EECERA book ‘Children growing up in a digital age.’ This is being launched at EECERA this year and will be available widely from Nov http://www.eecera.org/books/
We also had a very interesting discussion around reflective writing and the use of the first and third person in academic work. Some members prefer the third person, others the first but it took us back to our positionality discussions.
Aline shared 2 papers with Jackie on understanding 'silence' in research with children, one bing by Spyros Spyrou https://lookaside.fbsbx.com/file/Researching%20children_s%20silences%20by%20Spyros%20Spyrou.pdf?token=AWz5U5zbU4nk60K3tsntp0Y1tQJPU-1Q0t-m4TtO6QofzkwD5O6--qxgdzObSu-TIzcNAJaTWDOxmfm8vu2bz4SHWSts1j-jyw6vpe6x8RQB7kvcqvkWV2qyrxe4AtrsRqg_ScOQtKEcES3L895_4TsgQv-qBiRUn4J8r9VIcphTyw
We discussed EECERA as many of us are fortunate to be attending the conference this year; it is our plan to meet up at the opening ceremony.
