The Work of the Course: validity and reliability in assessing English Literature

© 2017 National Association for the Teaching of English This article reflects on the values and practices of a revolutionary UK A level (senior secondary) course that achieved a high degree of validity and reliability in assessing the study of English literature. John Hodgson and Bill Greenwell were involved in its teaching and assessment from an early stage, and Greenwell's comments on an early draft of the article have been incorporated. The practice of literary response enshrined in the course was based on a striking application of “personal response” to literature, gave students opportunities to show capability in studying and writing a range of literary styles and genres, and engaged teachers regionally and nationally in a developed professional community of practice. It remains a touchstone of quality as well as of innovation in English curriculum and assessment

In defence of theoretical and methodological pluralism in the sociology of art: a critique of Georgina Born's programmatic essay

This article welcomes Born's proposal that the sociology of art learn from 'adjacent fields' that can 'augment the sociological repertoire'. It agrees especially that sociologists can learn much from the anthropology of art and material culture studies. However, it challenges Born's claim that the sociology of art has 'seen little progress in recent years' and thus questions certain aspects of her proposal for a 'post-Bourdieuian theory of cultural production'. The central argument is: rather than an 'analytics of mediation' — which Born recommends — the sociology of art can benefit from studying material 'mediators' at work in concrete artistic networks, and the role of aesthetic agency and art in the constitution of social life more generally. The article concludes that the path forward for a sociology of art may lie precisely in not trying to force a reconciliation between macro and micro approaches, or between humanities and social science perspectives

Cognitive Learning Styles and Digital Equity: Searching for the Middle Way

This research is driven by a desire to understand the lifelong learner in the context of styles of learning and the emerging implications of technology enhanced learning for digital equity. Recognizing cognitive learning styles is the first step educators need to take in order to be most effective in working with students of diversity and bridging across formal and informal settings. Learning environments as a characterising feature of learning styles have undergone unprecedented change over the past decade with learning environments now blending physical and virtual space. To support the increasing diversity of learners pedagogy has to be fair, culturally responsive, equitable and relevant to the ‘virtual generation’. This in turn will inform our understanding of the ‘middle way’ in recognising cognitive learning styles , associated cultural context, and the implications to digital pedagogy equity