Dr A.J Fensham-Smith
@ajfenshamsmith.bsky.social
Senior Lecturer Childhood & Youth Studies, Open University | Co-director of The Children's Research Centre |Editorial board member of the Educational Review | Alternative Education
Sociologist.
Sociologist.
Reposted by Dr A.J Fensham-Smith
Last night one of our academics, Dr Amber Fensham-Smith, appeared on BBC's The One Show to give to explain why more families are choosing to homeschool their children, and the potential benefits of doing so.
💡Learn more: wels.open.ac.uk/research/childrens-research-centre @ajfenshamsmith.bsky.social
💡Learn more: wels.open.ac.uk/research/childrens-research-centre @ajfenshamsmith.bsky.social
August 29, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Last night one of our academics, Dr Amber Fensham-Smith, appeared on BBC's The One Show to give to explain why more families are choosing to homeschool their children, and the potential benefits of doing so.
💡Learn more: wels.open.ac.uk/research/childrens-research-centre @ajfenshamsmith.bsky.social
💡Learn more: wels.open.ac.uk/research/childrens-research-centre @ajfenshamsmith.bsky.social
Reposted by Dr A.J Fensham-Smith
One of our academics, Dr Amber Fensham-Smith will be appearing on tonight's episode of The One Show, discussing home schooling with presenter Angelica Bell 📚
You can watch Amber from 7pm and find out more about her research here: wels.open.ac.uk/research/chi...
@ajfenshamsmith.bsky.social
You can watch Amber from 7pm and find out more about her research here: wels.open.ac.uk/research/chi...
@ajfenshamsmith.bsky.social
August 28, 2025 at 2:38 PM
One of our academics, Dr Amber Fensham-Smith will be appearing on tonight's episode of The One Show, discussing home schooling with presenter Angelica Bell 📚
You can watch Amber from 7pm and find out more about her research here: wels.open.ac.uk/research/chi...
@ajfenshamsmith.bsky.social
You can watch Amber from 7pm and find out more about her research here: wels.open.ac.uk/research/chi...
@ajfenshamsmith.bsky.social
Reposted by Dr A.J Fensham-Smith
Call for articles on children and youth engaged in paid employment while studying.
For a special issue of the journal Work, Employment and Society.
Papers are due by 27 February, 2026.
For a special issue of the journal Work, Employment and Society.
Papers are due by 27 February, 2026.
June 12, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Call for articles on children and youth engaged in paid employment while studying.
For a special issue of the journal Work, Employment and Society.
Papers are due by 27 February, 2026.
For a special issue of the journal Work, Employment and Society.
Papers are due by 27 February, 2026.
Join us for CRC Research Conversations; Giving up the 'Good Research Child'? Researcher's roundtable online event.
Thursday 1st May 2025 15:00-16:30 BST
Register for free via Eventbrite: bit.ly/4kWd4UK
@childlawcentre.bsky.social @clpn.bsky.social @crecuk.bsky.social #childledresearch
Thursday 1st May 2025 15:00-16:30 BST
Register for free via Eventbrite: bit.ly/4kWd4UK
@childlawcentre.bsky.social @clpn.bsky.social @crecuk.bsky.social #childledresearch
April 29, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Join us for CRC Research Conversations; Giving up the 'Good Research Child'? Researcher's roundtable online event.
Thursday 1st May 2025 15:00-16:30 BST
Register for free via Eventbrite: bit.ly/4kWd4UK
@childlawcentre.bsky.social @clpn.bsky.social @crecuk.bsky.social #childledresearch
Thursday 1st May 2025 15:00-16:30 BST
Register for free via Eventbrite: bit.ly/4kWd4UK
@childlawcentre.bsky.social @clpn.bsky.social @crecuk.bsky.social #childledresearch
Variety of researchers, educators & yp discussed: "It's plugging a gap"Fensham-Smith, co-director of the Open University's Children's Research Centre,"If your child is struggling with their mental health, you can't get an NHS referral and you want to keep them safe, what do you do?" #homeeducation
The parents who insist home-education is the answer for their children
The parents who insist home-education is the answer for their children
The BBC speaks with parents who insist the school system is "broken" as latest government estimates point to a rise in home education.
www.bbc.com
December 16, 2024 at 8:48 AM
Variety of researchers, educators & yp discussed: "It's plugging a gap"Fensham-Smith, co-director of the Open University's Children's Research Centre,"If your child is struggling with their mental health, you can't get an NHS referral and you want to keep them safe, what do you do?" #homeeducation
Reposted by Dr A.J Fensham-Smith
🔊 Call for papers!
Join us for the @britsoci.bsky.social Presidential Event, in collaboration with the BSA Education Study Group.
⏳ Deadline: 30 January 2025
💬 Theme: The Future of the Sociology of Education
📅 Date: 6 June 2025
📍 Place: BSA Meeting Room, London
🔗 britsoc.co.uk/events/key-b...
Join us for the @britsoci.bsky.social Presidential Event, in collaboration with the BSA Education Study Group.
⏳ Deadline: 30 January 2025
💬 Theme: The Future of the Sociology of Education
📅 Date: 6 June 2025
📍 Place: BSA Meeting Room, London
🔗 britsoc.co.uk/events/key-b...
December 5, 2024 at 9:28 AM
🔊 Call for papers!
Join us for the @britsoci.bsky.social Presidential Event, in collaboration with the BSA Education Study Group.
⏳ Deadline: 30 January 2025
💬 Theme: The Future of the Sociology of Education
📅 Date: 6 June 2025
📍 Place: BSA Meeting Room, London
🔗 britsoc.co.uk/events/key-b...
Join us for the @britsoci.bsky.social Presidential Event, in collaboration with the BSA Education Study Group.
⏳ Deadline: 30 January 2025
💬 Theme: The Future of the Sociology of Education
📅 Date: 6 June 2025
📍 Place: BSA Meeting Room, London
🔗 britsoc.co.uk/events/key-b...
Looking forward to visiting @uparisnanterre.bsky.social shortly to share and exchange- facilitating Photovoice with young people in #alternativeeducation photovox.sciencesconf.org/registration... #youthledresearch #Photovoice #ethicalreflections #participatoryactionresearch
November 26, 2024 at 11:04 PM
Looking forward to visiting @uparisnanterre.bsky.social shortly to share and exchange- facilitating Photovoice with young people in #alternativeeducation photovox.sciencesconf.org/registration... #youthledresearch #Photovoice #ethicalreflections #participatoryactionresearch
Reposted by Dr A.J Fensham-Smith
Call for conference papers: "Through the generations: Youth, ageing, and African Studies collections"
Abstracts due by 17 January, 2025.
The conference will take place in June 2025 at the University of Oxford.
scolma.org?p=3143
Abstracts due by 17 January, 2025.
The conference will take place in June 2025 at the University of Oxford.
scolma.org?p=3143
Scolma.org – News – Call for Papers – “Through the generations: youth, ageing and African Studies collections” – (SCOLMA Conference 2025)
CfP: Through the generations: youth, ageing and African Studies collections 30th June 2025 A one-day conference at the University of Oxford Keynote...
scolma.org
November 20, 2024 at 3:16 PM
Call for conference papers: "Through the generations: Youth, ageing, and African Studies collections"
Abstracts due by 17 January, 2025.
The conference will take place in June 2025 at the University of Oxford.
scolma.org?p=3143
Abstracts due by 17 January, 2025.
The conference will take place in June 2025 at the University of Oxford.
scolma.org?p=3143
Reposted by Dr A.J Fensham-Smith
Join our webinar:
Children's voices & experiences in sports & physical education.
🗓️Tuesday 3 December, 5pm (GMT).
Register here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/webinar-ch...
This is the kick-off for our "Children & Their Bodies" webinar series. Here's the full program:
www.qmul.ac.uk/clpn/media/c...
Children's voices & experiences in sports & physical education.
🗓️Tuesday 3 December, 5pm (GMT).
Register here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/webinar-ch...
This is the kick-off for our "Children & Their Bodies" webinar series. Here's the full program:
www.qmul.ac.uk/clpn/media/c...
Webinar: Children's Sports and Physical Education
Organised by the Childhood, Law & Policy Network
www.eventbrite.co.uk
November 19, 2024 at 10:29 PM
Join our webinar:
Children's voices & experiences in sports & physical education.
🗓️Tuesday 3 December, 5pm (GMT).
Register here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/webinar-ch...
This is the kick-off for our "Children & Their Bodies" webinar series. Here's the full program:
www.qmul.ac.uk/clpn/media/c...
Children's voices & experiences in sports & physical education.
🗓️Tuesday 3 December, 5pm (GMT).
Register here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/webinar-ch...
This is the kick-off for our "Children & Their Bodies" webinar series. Here's the full program:
www.qmul.ac.uk/clpn/media/c...
Reposted by Dr A.J Fensham-Smith
Marking the 100th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of the Child with some reflections on the child’s right to participation.
November 19, 2024 at 11:55 AM
Marking the 100th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of the Child with some reflections on the child’s right to participation.
Our BERA case study considers the #ethicalissues when conducting #participatoryresearch with young people, the nuanced nature of participation preferences & #autonomy, #consent & #dissent in community research dissemination (Govaerts & Fensham-Smith, 2024) www.bera.ac.uk/publication/...
Research Ethics Case Studies 2024: Negotiating power, participation and dissent with young-researchers in community dissemination
This case study considers the ethical issues that can arise when conducting participatory research with young people. It highlights the nuanced nature of participation preferences and the ethical...
www.bera.ac.uk
November 21, 2024 at 6:22 PM
Our BERA case study considers the #ethicalissues when conducting #participatoryresearch with young people, the nuanced nature of participation preferences & #autonomy, #consent & #dissent in community research dissemination (Govaerts & Fensham-Smith, 2024) www.bera.ac.uk/publication/...
www.ft.com/content/364a... Rise in home education: a range of stakeholder voices, opportunities and challenges are represented in this piece. #homeeducation #educationotherwise #homeschooling #educationalternatives
November 20, 2024 at 9:22 PM
www.ft.com/content/364a... Rise in home education: a range of stakeholder voices, opportunities and challenges are represented in this piece. #homeeducation #educationotherwise #homeschooling #educationalternatives
Reposted by Dr A.J Fensham-Smith
Ever wonder why the Hungry caterpillar made a cocoon? The answer is here and its brilliant
“Why did the Hungry Caterpillar make a cocoon?”
#EYFS child: “So no one bothers him.”
“Sorry?” I ask.
EYFS child: “He needs time to THINK himself INTO a butterfly.”
“Wow!” I respond.
EYFS child: “Well, he didn’t do it by magic.”
#EYFS child: “So no one bothers him.”
“Sorry?” I ask.
EYFS child: “He needs time to THINK himself INTO a butterfly.”
“Wow!” I respond.
EYFS child: “Well, he didn’t do it by magic.”
November 16, 2024 at 4:54 PM
Ever wonder why the Hungry caterpillar made a cocoon? The answer is here and its brilliant
Reposted by Dr A.J Fensham-Smith
Finally made a #Blackademics starter pack! Let continue to build community here. This is part of #Blacksky so please show your appreciation to the architect, @rudyfraser.com
November 15, 2024 at 11:17 PM
Finally made a #Blackademics starter pack! Let continue to build community here. This is part of #Blacksky so please show your appreciation to the architect, @rudyfraser.com
Reposted by Dr A.J Fensham-Smith
Too early to mention that a copy of Managing Your Mental Health During Your PhD might make a nice Christmas gift for a PhD student in your life?
link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
November 16, 2024 at 1:06 PM
Too early to mention that a copy of Managing Your Mental Health During Your PhD might make a nice Christmas gift for a PhD student in your life?
link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
Are you an educator, parent or young person interested or practicing home education? Head over to Open Learn Elective Home Education HUB: www.open.edu/openlearn/ed... free articles, short courses and resources 1/3 #homeeducation #alternativeeducation
November 18, 2024 at 6:55 PM
Are you an educator, parent or young person interested or practicing home education? Head over to Open Learn Elective Home Education HUB: www.open.edu/openlearn/ed... free articles, short courses and resources 1/3 #homeeducation #alternativeeducation
Reposted by Dr A.J Fensham-Smith
Here’s a booklet I put together about creative methods I and collaborators have used in recent years - may be of interest for those researchers interested in creative methods
simplysociology.wordpress.com/2024/09/25/n...
simplysociology.wordpress.com/2024/09/25/n...
New booklet now out on creative methods for social inquiry and research communication
I’ve had a lot of fun experimenting with creative methods over the past few years, drawing on arts- and design-based approaches. I’ve put together a booklet that showcases 13 of these m…
simplysociology.wordpress.com
November 15, 2024 at 11:33 PM
Here’s a booklet I put together about creative methods I and collaborators have used in recent years - may be of interest for those researchers interested in creative methods
simplysociology.wordpress.com/2024/09/25/n...
simplysociology.wordpress.com/2024/09/25/n...
Reposted by Dr A.J Fensham-Smith
CfP: The Future of the Sociology of Education
A BSA Presidential Event, in collaboration with the @britsoci.bsky.social Education Study Group
6 June 2025 (10:00-17:00)
BSA Meeting Room, Imperial Wharf, London, UK
Deadline for abstracts: 30 January
www.britsoc.co.uk/events/key-b...
A BSA Presidential Event, in collaboration with the @britsoci.bsky.social Education Study Group
6 June 2025 (10:00-17:00)
BSA Meeting Room, Imperial Wharf, London, UK
Deadline for abstracts: 30 January
www.britsoc.co.uk/events/key-b...
The Future of the Sociology of Education
www.britsoc.co.uk
November 14, 2024 at 8:58 AM
CfP: The Future of the Sociology of Education
A BSA Presidential Event, in collaboration with the @britsoci.bsky.social Education Study Group
6 June 2025 (10:00-17:00)
BSA Meeting Room, Imperial Wharf, London, UK
Deadline for abstracts: 30 January
www.britsoc.co.uk/events/key-b...
A BSA Presidential Event, in collaboration with the @britsoci.bsky.social Education Study Group
6 June 2025 (10:00-17:00)
BSA Meeting Room, Imperial Wharf, London, UK
Deadline for abstracts: 30 January
www.britsoc.co.uk/events/key-b...
Reposted by Dr A.J Fensham-Smith
I’m back on here and giving it another go - great to see all the new people here sharing amazing stuff. Here’s a pic of my current view for a positive start - plenty of blue sky!
November 15, 2024 at 10:56 PM
I’m back on here and giving it another go - great to see all the new people here sharing amazing stuff. Here’s a pic of my current view for a positive start - plenty of blue sky!
Delighted to have joined this rapidly growing platform, to make old and new connections, I'm a sociologist interested in alternative education, inequalities, youth transitions, creative pedagogy
November 15, 2024 at 10:57 PM
Delighted to have joined this rapidly growing platform, to make old and new connections, I'm a sociologist interested in alternative education, inequalities, youth transitions, creative pedagogy
Reposted by Dr A.J Fensham-Smith
Keep reading, keep downloading!!
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Complicity and Conformity: perpetuating race and class hierarchies in UK higher education
Drawing on tenets of Critical Race Theory such as Whiteness, interest convergence, intersectionality and White supremacy this paper examines how some academics of colour are able to accelerate thei...
www.tandfonline.com
November 15, 2024 at 9:23 PM
Keep reading, keep downloading!!
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Dr A.J Fensham-Smith
'If you’re an academic who is still using Twitter, I would gently suggest to you that it is time to let go. The platform will either fold, fade into irrelevance...or complete its evolution into the central engine of reactionary politics'.
markcarrigan.net/2024/11/09/i...
markcarrigan.net/2024/11/09/i...
It’s time for academics to let go of Twitter
Imagine discovering that a colleague was regularly posting on Gab, Parler or Truth Social. These alt-media platforms became notorious over recent years as spaces parallel to the mainstream of socia…
markcarrigan.net
November 10, 2024 at 4:20 PM
'If you’re an academic who is still using Twitter, I would gently suggest to you that it is time to let go. The platform will either fold, fade into irrelevance...or complete its evolution into the central engine of reactionary politics'.
markcarrigan.net/2024/11/09/i...
markcarrigan.net/2024/11/09/i...
Reposted by Dr A.J Fensham-Smith
It's been great to spend the morning sharing the work I've been doing over the past few years with neurodivergent students with colleagues from across the UK and Indonesia and hearing about neurodiversity in Indonesia.
November 12, 2024 at 12:00 PM
It's been great to spend the morning sharing the work I've been doing over the past few years with neurodivergent students with colleagues from across the UK and Indonesia and hearing about neurodiversity in Indonesia.
Reposted by Dr A.J Fensham-Smith
Couple of highlights from the @suttontrust.bsky.social new report 'A Class Act: Social mobility and the creative industries' www.suttontrust.com/our-research...
I'll focus on Higher Education (which @orianbrook.bsky.social @markrt.bsky.social & I worked on)
I'll focus on Higher Education (which @orianbrook.bsky.social @markrt.bsky.social & I worked on)
November 13, 2024 at 8:38 AM
Couple of highlights from the @suttontrust.bsky.social new report 'A Class Act: Social mobility and the creative industries' www.suttontrust.com/our-research...
I'll focus on Higher Education (which @orianbrook.bsky.social @markrt.bsky.social & I worked on)
I'll focus on Higher Education (which @orianbrook.bsky.social @markrt.bsky.social & I worked on)
Reposted by Dr A.J Fensham-Smith
Another fantastic Pedagogies of Hope session in our British Sociological Association Education study group series featuring Roberto Catello and Sharon Davidson
November 13, 2024 at 1:40 PM
Another fantastic Pedagogies of Hope session in our British Sociological Association Education study group series featuring Roberto Catello and Sharon Davidson