Reflections from Participants

The Road Ahead: Public Dialogue on Science and Technology brings together some of the UK’s leading thinkers and practitioners in science and society to ask where we have got to, how we have got here, why we are doing what we are doing and what we should do next. The collection of essays aims to provide policy makers and dialogue deliverers with insights into how dialogue could be used in the future to strengthen the links between science and society. It is introduced by Professor Kathy Sykes, one of the UK’s best known science communicators, who is also the head of the Sciencewise-ERC Steering Group, and Jack Stilgoe, a DEMOS associate, who compiled the collection

Climate Change, Migration, and Conflict: Addressing Complex Crisis Scenarios in the 21st Century

Outlines how climate change, migration, and conflict intersect in Africa, Asia, and the Americas and implications for national, human, and environmental security. Recommends policy for boosting capacity in economic, social, and environmental development

Ukraine, Russia and the EU : Breaking the deadlock in the Minsk process

Although the Minsk process brought about a de-escalation of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine, not all of its 13 points have been implemented, including a ceasefire and withdrawal of heavy weaponry. In the absence of a military option, economic sanctions have become the core instrument of the EU and the US, to respond to Russia’s aggression. At the end of June 2016, when EU Heads of State and Government meet to discuss the extension of sanctions against Russia, they should bear in mind that Russia did not implement the commitments it took upon itself in the framework of the Minsk agreements. Given the persistent deadlock in the Ukraine crisis, the leaders of the EU ought to agree to prolong the sanctions against Russia, push for the renegotiation of the Minsk II agreement and widen the ‘Normandy format’ to include the US and bolster reforms in Ukraine

Leadership and Learning: A Hechinger Institute Primer for Journalists

Outlines the role of leaders in improving schools and the issues they face, as a guide for education reporters. Includes examples of questions to ask, excerpts from articles, findings from Wallace Foundation studies, statistics, and a list of resources

Enhancing the work of the Islington Integrated Gangs Team: A pilot study on the response to serious youth violence in Islington

This report is the result of research conducted by the Centre for City Criminology at City, University of London, in partnership with Islington’s Integrated Gangs Team (IGT) and the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). The research was co-funded by MPS and the School of Arts and Social Sciences, City, University of London. Following a collaborative research event in October 2017, City Criminologists were commissioned to carry out a small-scale research project to capture the work of the IGT and to make recommendations regarding its operations, coherence, effectiveness and sustainability. The research team conducted semi-structured interviews over several months with 23 practitioners across the services that constitute the IGT. This report presents the findings and recommendations

Unpacking the Syrian Crisis: A Literature Review

Abstract: The Syrian war has raged on for more than 4 years now and the global citizenry had decided to keep quiet until recently(Grover, 2015). This paper sets out to explain the Syrian crisis and analyse it in relation to how it affects the global citizenry. It will also lay down the events that have fuelled the crisis, explain some underlying issues and discuss the best possible solutions to address it. When Syrian Arab Spring-type protest erupted experts wrongly predicted that they will frizzle out. What initially started off as protests later became a civil war. The crisis had all the features of a Cold War before the direct involvement of the super powers. The causes of the Syrian crisis are as complex as the different players in it. These key issues go beyond the events of March 2011, which triggered the first shots in Daraa. If this crisis continues uncontrolled it could escalate into World War III. Its end is pinned on the political will and commitment to implement the Vienna Statement of October 30, which incorporates by reference the 2012 Geneva Communique. The lack thereof was witnessed during the short-lived ceasefire of September 2016.Keywords: Syria crisis, humanitarian disaster, migrants, cold wa

How Do Teachers Experience Lesson Study?

For the past 20 years, an increasing number of American educators have employed the Japanese model of lesson study as a process to structure their professional development experience. This study endeavored to understand how teachers experienced this relatively new and foreign process in their local contexts, using the overall research question, “How do teachers experience lesson study?” Leveraging hermeneutic phenomenology, the research was based on semi-structured phone interviews of 15 educators. These educators were from various regions in America, two from the Far East, and one from Europe. In describing their professional development experiences prior to lesson study, participants overlapped their terms, which signaled confusion. This was emblematic of their overall experiences with professional development. In general, participants found their professional development to be inapplicable, ineffective, and random. Additionally, they experienced issues sustaining their new learning even when they felt their professional development events were effective. Overall, participants believed their professional development time prior to lesson study was squandered. Participants experienced lesson study as an effective approach to professional development. Out of the 15 participants, 14 stated lesson study was the best form of professional development they experienced in their careers. They felt confident in the formal, yet flexible process. Lesson study offered the participants practice based, shared experiences learning about standards, curriculum, materials, and content fueled by structured collaboration. It changed their dispositions towards professional development. They contended lesson study assisted them in learning more about their students. Participants reported increased feelings of efficacy and professionalism after completing lesson study cycles. However, participants also described how their lesson study work was impeded by systemic obstacles including time, competing initiatives, misconceptions about lesson study, principal turnover, and interpersonal complications. This study adds information about lesson study obstacles in relation to school climate. They were frustrated by the local facilitation of their lesson study professional development. The participants found that the American system was ill-suited to support their lesson study experiences in the way that it is supported in Japan. This research informs those interested in using lesson study as a professional learning community. Further, it adds information to the discussion about professional development in general and the role of collaboration in this regard