March 2015

  • The neo-liberal, and neo-liberal neo-liberalization

    EER has finally published its much awaited special issue [SI] on environmental education in the age of neo-liberalism". Arjen Wals, a contributor, says this about it in his blog: Environmental Education Research has just published a special issue on environmental education...

  • Last word on the REF

    I'm sitting at my desk in the University of Bath.  When I actually was employed here, I spent far too much time since about 2001 worrying away about external research assessment / excellence frameworks and exercises; it passed for work....

  • Liberal Vocationalism – an idea still waiting its time

    I live in near-constant despair at the paucity of thinking around training and skills, and vocational education in the UK where no-one seems to have a vision that fits with the world as we are coming to know it, as...

  • Beyond EcoSchools

    I heard the other day of a school Headteacher who was still claiming to have green flag status even though the award was beyond the time limit, and had not been renewed.  His reasoning was that as his school had had...

  • Surprising news from the Ofsted Bunker

    Ofsted has announced that under its new common inspection framework, inspectors will, from September, make judgements about the personal development, behaviour and welfare of leaners. They will look at the extent to which institutions are successful at supporting pupils to gain...

  • 25 Years at Wiltshire Wildlife Trust

    The other week saw the 25th anniversary of the appointment of Dr Gary Mantle as director of the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust.  As a trustee, I was particularly pleased to note this, as I know how much Gary has contributed to the...

  • Climate Change by Numbers

    I watched BBC FOUR's Climate Change by Numbers programme the other day with my usual foreboding about what the BBC's science programmes often default to: talking heads in exotic locations, with triple air miles and fine hotels for all concerned.  I...

  • When did you last indulge in moral licensing?

    When you've done something rather green and virtuous, like wearing that extra jumper, using those life-time bags, or riding to work on the bike, do you then reward yourself in some way?  Perhaps in quite an ungreen way?  If so,...

  • The long lease of poverty's grip

    I wrote last week about the draft sustainable development goals.  Goal 1 is to end poverty in all its forms everywhere.  The associated targets are these: 1.1 by 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living...

  • Ambitious, Transparent, Universal, Equitable – adjectives to watch

    In a recent article for the Guardian, the leader of the UK's parliamentary opposition, Ed Milliband, wrote this: "As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has said, if the world is to hold warming below 2C, global emissions need to peak...