Universal Learning with Saj Mohammad Saj Mohammad

This is the final episode of the first season of Universal Learning. It’s also the most personal episode for me, as I am talking to Vikki Ray and Jordan Convertino, a mother and son who I first met when Vikki was looking for a tutor to help Jordan. He faced a number of challenges growing up due to the fact that Jordan is dyslexic and Vikki was getting to the point where she felt he needed extra help with his GCSEs.
Although Jordan was predicted low grades of 4 and 3 in English Language and Literature respectively, with his hard work and some help from me and his family, he achieved high grades of 6 and 8 in English.
We discuss a range of topics including the difficulties of getting a dyslexia diagnosis and support, what motivates families to persevere in the face of these challenges, and how pre-teaching helped Jordan to defy low expectations and succeed.
Music: Sinara by Blear Moon, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC). Sound FX: Soft Blip E Major by New Age Soup via Freesounds, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY).
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This is the second episode in a two-part special on action research, a term used to describe research that is done by practitioners themselves in the environments they work in. If it's done well, it can greatly improve our practice which results in better outcomes for students.

In part two, I’m talking to Jo Fletcher-Saxon about action research in practice. Jo is Assistant Principal at Ashton Sixth Form College and has worked tirelessly over the last few years with Sam Jones of the Bedford College Group to promote action research in further education. Jo discusses a variety of issues including why she wanted to bring more scholarship into further education, how research helps both staff and students to flourish, and what senior leaders cynical about action research need to consider.

You can find Jo on Twitter @JFletcherSaxon

Music: Sinara by Blear Moon, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC). Sound FX: Soft Blip E Major by New Age Soup via Freesounds, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY).

Visit https://universalLearning.education for more information.

Subscribe to Universal Learning at https://anchor.fm/universal-learning

This is the first episode in a two-part special on action research, a term used to describe research that is done by practitioners themselves in the environments they work in. If it's done well, it can greatly improve our practice which results in better outcomes for students.

In part one, I’m talking to David Powell about action research in theory. David is a senior lecturer in teacher education based at the University of Huddersfield and he promotes the use of action research. David covers a huge amount of ground including how action research is about values as well as methodology, why messiness in research can be a good thing, and how brave research can lead us to a world worth living in.

You can find David on Twitter @DavidPowellHud

Music: Sinara by Blear Moon, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC). Sound FX: Soft Blip E Major by New Age Soup via Freesounds, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY).

Visit https://universalLearning.education for more information.

Subscribe to Universal Learning at https://anchor.fm/universal-learning

Listeners to this podcast series will hopefully get ideas about how to make their own practice more inclusive. But how do you deal with the challenges of effecting positive change in the culture of organisations? In this edition of Universal Learning, I’m talking to Lou Mycroft, a nomadic educator, researcher, and writer, particularly but not only in the fields of community education and adult education. We discuss numerous topics including how Lou's career in public health and adult education has shown her the power of changing communities, why professional development in further education is moving away from the 'sage on the stage' and what organisations can do to tap into the values of Generation Z.

You can find Lou on Twitter @LouMycroft

Music: Sinara by Blear Moon, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC).

Sound FX: Soft Blip E Major by New Age Soup via Freesounds, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY).

Visit https://universalLearning.education for more information.

Subscribe to Universal Learning at https://anchor.fm/universal-learning

Many learners in education have additional needs. But what is life like when you're teaching them and you have your own additional needs? In this edition of Universal Learning, I’m talking to Mike Scott, an autistic lecturer working in further education. Mike teaches creative media to ALS (additional learning support) learners. We discuss a range of issues including what it's like to be diagnosed as autistic when you're an adult, how being neurodivergent helps Mike to reach his ALS learners, and how the rise in blended learning during the pandemic points the way to a better future for students with additional needs.

You can find Mike on Twitter @MobileMScott

Music: Sinara by Blear Moon, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC).

Sound FX: Soft Blip E Major by New Age Soup via Freesounds, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY).

Visit https://universalLearning.education for more information.

Subscribe to Universal Learning at https://anchor.fm/universal-learning

How can adult education transform lives as well as respond to the social issues affecting all of our lives today? In this edition of Universal Learning, I’m talking to Mel Lenehan, Principal and CEO of Fircroft College of Adult Education in Birmingham, UK. Fircroft is one of only two residential FE colleges left in the UK and was founded over a century ago thanks to the philanthropy of the Cadbury family. We talk about a plethora of issues including the importance of treating learners as individuals, how social justice is woven into the DNA of Fircroft, and why senior leaders need to remember that the numbers on a spreadsheet also represent real people.

Find out more about the work of Fircroft College of Adult Education by visiting their website: https://www.fircroft.ac.uk/

You can find Mel on Twitter @MelLenehan

Music: Sinara by Blear Moon, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC).

Sound FX: Soft Blip E Major by New Age Soup via Freesounds, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY). 

Visit https://universalLearning.education for more information. 

Subscribe to Universal Learning at https://anchor.fm/universal-learning