The 1st Widening Participation Research Centre Conference
Exploring Learning Trajectories Tuesday, 20th May 2008, 11:00am - 21st May 2008, 1:30pm
John noted the potential for the Research Centre to be an inter-disciplinary and independent voice on widening participation and equality in education and that a hallmark of its success will be centre members’ ability to work collaboratively on developing and sharing research to improve equity in access and outcomes in education.
The Vice-Chancellor of Edge Hill University, Dr John Cater opened the conference and located the work of the University in the long history of Edge Hill’s work for equality in education, from training women teachers in the 19th Century, though links with the Suffragette Movement and the early Labour Party, until the present day and the University’s commitment to supporting research through its Widening Participation Research Centre.
The conference was addressed by Professors Gus John and Diane Reay. Gus John posed challenges for us to consider on questions of increasing or widening participation, and promoting equity through higher education. Diane Reay presented her recent research on class and equity in higher education including students’ perspectives. Participants told us that both speakers brought a much wider perspective on the issues of widening participation to higher education with enabled interesting discussions on class, race and education to continue over the two days.
Professor Liz Thomas presented the collaborative approach of the research centre and introduced the research strands as an opportunity for sharing research and evidence-based practice on educational equality and widening participation. The second day of the conference was based around facilitated workshops on widening participation research, academic writing and building and sharing practice.
- Conference programme [PDF]
- Keynote address: Professor Gus John's[PDF]
- Keynote address: Professor Diane Reay's[PDF]
- Keynote address: Professor Liz Thomas'[PDF]
- Research paper strands[PDF]
- Collection of abstracts[PDF]
- Workshop facilitated by Dr Liz Marr: Making it Count: How to build evidence and share learning and practice[PDF]
For further information on conferences please contact Angie at Angela.Daly@edgehill.ac.uk
