Bücher der Reihe Great Debates in Higher Educat

The global COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally changed education as we know it. Globally, billions of learners at all levels were affected by months of rolling school closures and other severe pandemic restrictions to daily life. Magnifying issues of educational equity, access, and opportunity, this unprecedented global crisis forced Deans, and academic and professional staff in schools of education to make decisions for learning, teaching, research, and engagement in a fast-changing landscape. These decisions reshaped schools of education and the lives and experiences of staff and students in powerful ways.Building a Better Normal captures education scholars' reflections on the decision-making and impacts of their experiences from 2020 to 2023. Uniquely, the volume brings together Education Deans and scholars from Universitas 21 institutions. Drawing on case studies and narrative reflections, the contributors offer crucial insights that can guide higher education and schools of education on structural and conceptual shifts in approaches to leadership, research, teaching, learning, and student and staff well-being.The COVID-19 pandemic is a generation-defining event that will echo in the actions of teachers and researchers for years, allowing us to redefine the landscape of education for a better normal.

This collection reveals a recurring theme in the author's work over almost three decades: that the preoccupation in policy, commentary, research and practice with who gets into higher education has led to a corresponding failure to cast a critical eye over what, where and when they get the higher education offer. It seems that potential students are expected to fit-in with HE culture, rather than think about how HE might change to fit-in with them. On offer is a collection of the author's works, spanning much of his professional working life, covering issues relevant to widening access to success in higher education and for a wide-ranging audience. Some chapters offer conference speeches and keynotes; others are blogs or chapters in books. One is even a speech to an audience from the UK House of Lords delivered originally within the Parliament precincts. Together they paint a picture of the prevailing issues and concerns of the widening access agenda over twenty-five years.A recurring call throughout is the need for greater international collaboration, a need that has indeed grown in importance as the conversation on widening access and success has progressed. Some would say that this is due, in no small measure, to the work of this critical thinker and practitioner.

This timely book confronts this challenge of defining a new relationship between researchers and their research. It sets out, simply and accessibly, how you can become a more rounded, authentic researcher.