Latest news with #LeverhulmeTrust
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Children need more say in their education – here's why it matters
Education shouldn't be a passive experience, with children simply absorbing the knowledge teachers pass on to them. Research shows that when children have an input into their learning – helping to decide topics to cover, or specific activities, or how they are assessed – they feel more motivated, engaged in learning and happier in school. But when we asked children about their opportunities to make choices in their education, they were often downbeat. 'I'm a child and I can't do anything,' one seven-year-old said. This powerful statement captures a sentiment we found repeatedly in research for our new book. We set out to understand how much agency children have in their education, and what difference it makes when they do. Our 40-month study, funded by the Leverhulme Trust, involved in-depth research across three contrasting primary schools in England: an independent (fee-paying) school, a community state school and an academy state school. Academy schools operate independently from local council control with greater curriculum flexibility, while community schools are run directly by local authorities. We spoke with children, observed lessons and interviewed teachers and headteachers. The findings were clear: when children have meaningful input into their learning, their motivation soars. But too often, particularly in core subjects such as English and mathematics, children feel like passive recipients rather than active participants in their education. 'We don't decide, we just do what we're told to do,' one child said. Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK's latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences. Children across all three schools consistently expressed a desire for more choice in their education. When asked whether they had opportunities to make choices in their learning, one child at the independent school stated: 'We don't really get to choose what we do in the lessons.' This sentiment was echoed in the community state school, where children had no expectation that they could have input into the curriculum. They also distinguished between 'work' (subjects such as English and mathematics) and 'fun' (creative subjects such as art). They described how they enjoyed the latter while the former were subjects they simply 'had to do'. Most revealing was the contrasting experience in the academy school, which had developed a distinctive approach to curriculum design involving direct pupil input. Here, children reported significantly higher levels of engagement. 'I really enjoy school, and I really enjoy being able to pick what we do,' one child told us. These voices highlight a crucial point: children don't expect complete freedom, but they do want meaningful opportunities to influence their experience of school. Our research led to the development of what we call 'structured freedom' – a balanced approach that maintains necessary educational structures while creating space for children's agency. This isn't about abandoning standards or letting children do whatever they want. Instead, it's about giving children opportunities for meaningful choice within clear frameworks. The academy school in our study demonstrated this approach most clearly. The starting point for each year's curriculum was children helping to shape curriculum topics. They brought in items of interest, ranging from Coca-Cola bottles to pieces of rock. The teachers then connected these objects to required curriculum content through conversations with the children. The school maintained clear classroom structures but provided choices about learning activities and assessment methods. Children could select which skills to work on during lessons – whether knowledge-building, research or collaboration – and at what difficulty level. They also documented their learning journey creatively in topic books using photos, pictures, drawings, diagrams or stories. This balanced approach paid dividends. Teachers reported higher engagement among children, and genuine enthusiasm for learning across subjects. England's national curriculum has a heavy focus on content – the topics to be taught – and limited attention to children's agency. However, the national curriculum is under review. This provides a rare opportunity to place children's agency at the heart of educational reform – not at the expense of standards, but as an essential component of achieving them. Our findings also suggest several important considerations for parents. Children who experience agency in their learning show greater motivation, engagement and more positive attitudes toward education. With rising concerns about children's mental health and increasing school absenteeism, supporting agency offers a practical way to reconnect children with learning. Parents might consider asking schools about opportunities for children's input into curriculum topics, teaching approaches and assessment methods. The schools in our study often struggled to enable children's agency, but they also showed possibilities for the next national curriculum. Listening to children's voices isn't only about rights. It's about creating more effective learning experiences that prepare children for an uncertain future. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Yana Manyukhina received funding from The Leverhulme Trust for the research reported in this article. She has received funding from a range of organisations for research including from the Helen Hamlyn Trust. Dominic Wyse received funding from The Leverhulme Trust for the research reported in this article. He has received funding from a range of organisations for his research including from the Helen Hamlyn Trust. Dominic is currently an advisor for the development of the primary curriculum in Ireland and a member of the Literacy Expert Panel for the Welsh Government.
The Independent
02-04-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Secrets of dinosaur gathering revealed by newly discovered footprints
Newly-identified dinosaur footprints on the Isle of Skye reveal herbivores and carnivores coexisted at freshwater lagoons some 167 million years ago. A University of Edinburgh team analysed 131 footprints at Prince Charles's Point, on the island's Trotternish Peninsula, uncovering evidence of a diverse ecosystem. Among the tracks were rare prints of megalosaurs – a jeep-sized theropod and cousin and ancestor of the – alongside those of plant-eating sauropods - long-necked herbivores possibly two or three times the size of an elephant, identifiable by their large, circular footprints. The footprints were once considered by geologists to have been resting burrows of fish. The researchers said the site provides a 'fascinating insight' into the environmental preferences and behaviours of dinosaurs from the Middle Jurassic period. Analysis of the multi-directional tracks and walking gaits, they explained, suggest the prehistoric beasts milled around the lagoon's margins, similar to how animals congregate around watering holes today. They added that the tracks show that regardless of dominance, the meat-eating therapods and plant-eating sauropods habitually spent time in lagoons, as opposed to exposed, drier mudflats. Research lead Tone Blakesley said: 'The footprints at Prince Charles's Point provide a fascinating insight into the behaviours and environmental distributions of meat-eating theropods and plant-eating, long-necked sauropods during an important time in their evolution. 'On Skye, these dinosaurs clearly preferred shallowly submerged lagoon environments over subaerially exposed mudflats.' The first three footprints at the site were discovered five years ago by a University of Edinburgh student and colleagues during a visit to the shoreline. Subsequent discoveries of other footprints in the area made it one of the most extensive dinosaur track sites in Scotland, with scientists saying they expect to find more. The research team studied the tracks by taking thousands of overlapping photographs of the entire site with a drone, before using specialist software software to construct 3D models of the footprints via a technique called photogrammetry. Steve Brusatte, personal chair of palaeontology and evolution at the University of Edinburgh, reflected on the fact the remote bay on the Trotternish Peninsula was also where Bonnie Prince Charlie hid in 1746 while on the run from British troops. 'Prince Charles's Point is a place where Scottish history and prehistory blend together,' he said. 'It's astounding to think that when Bonnie Prince Charlie was running for his life, he might have been sprinting in the footsteps of dinosaurs.' The research, published in PLOS One, was funded by the Leverhulme Trust and National Geographic Society.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Footprints reveal T. rex ancestors mingled on Scottish island
Despite being prehistoric predator and prey, massive meat-eating and plant-eating dinosaurs drank together from shallow freshwater lagoons on the Isle of Skye, 167 million years ago, according to newly identified tracks. The 131 footprints at Prince Charles's Point on Skye's Trotternish Peninsula makes the site one of Scotland's largest and, thanks to the dominance of footprints from carnivorous megalosaurs – cousins and ancestors of T. rex – one of the rarest in the world. The discovery has given scientists invaluable insights into the environmental preferences and behaviours of dinosaurs from the Middle Jurassic period. The site revealed footprints of plant-eating sauropods. Experts say their large, flat, circular impressions suggest they were made by a long-necked dinosaur two or three times the size of an elephant. The footprints were once considered by geologists to be resting burrows of fish. READ MORE: Elgol dinosaur found in 1973 finally extracted from cliff on Skye Edinburgh scientists crack secret of how pterosaurs took to the air New species of flying 'dino-cousin' discovered on Isle of Skye The area is also rich with footprints from jeep-sized megalosaurs, evidence of which from the Middle Jurassic period is scarce, experts say. Analysis of the multi-directional tracks and walking gaits indicate that these dinosaurs milled around the lagoon's margins, similar to how animals congregate around watering holes today. The footprints suggest that, regardless of dominance, the meat-eating theropods and plant-eating sauropods habitually spent time in lagoons as opposed to exposed drier mudflats, researchers say. The first three footprints at Prince Charles's Point were discovered five years ago by a University of Edinburgh student and colleagues, who were visiting the shoreline. Meat eating megalosaurs and plant eating sauropods mingle at site reconstruction. (Image: Tone Blakesley and Scott Reid) Subsequent footprint discoveries have made the site one of the most extensive dinosaur track sites in Scotland, with scientists expecting to find more. The research team took thousands of overlapping photographs of the entire site with a drone. Using specialist software, the team reconstructed digital 3D models of the footprints via a method called photogrammetry. The remote bay on the Trotternish Peninsula was also the hiding place for Bonnie Prince Charlie, who sought shelter on the shoreline on 21 June 1746 with Flora MacDonald while being pursured by British troops. The research, published in PLOS One, was funded by the Leverhulme Trust and National Geographic Society. Tone Blakesley, research lead and Masters in Palaeontology and Geobiology graduate from the School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, said: "The footprints at Prince Charles's Point provide a fascinating insight into the behaviours and environmental distributions of meat-eating theropods and plant-eating, long-necked sauropods during an important time in their evolution. On Skye, these dinosaurs clearly preferred shallowly submerged lagoonal environments over subaerially exposed mudflats." Steve Brusatte, Personal Chair of Palaeontology and Evolution from the School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, said: "Prince Charles's Point is a place where Scottish history and prehistory blend together. It's astounding to think that when Bonnie Prince Charlie was running for his life, he might have been sprinting in the footsteps of dinosaurs."
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Dinosaur predator and prey drank together from lagoons on Isle of Skye
Newly-identified dinosaur footprints on the Isle of Skye show herbivores and carnivores drank from freshwater lagoons together 167 million years ago, scientists have said. A team at the University of Edinburgh analysed 131 dinosaur footprints at Prince Charles's Point on the island's Trotternish Peninsula. The tracks include rarely-seen footprints of megalosaurs – a jeep-sized theropod and cousin and ancestor of the – alongside those of plant-eating sauropods. Researchers said the large, circular impressions made by the latter point to a long-necked dinosaur two or three times the size of an elephant. The footprints were once considered by geologists to have been resting burrows of fish. The researchers said the site provides a 'fascinating insight' into the environmental preferences and behaviours of dinosaurs from the Middle Jurassic period. Analysis of the multi-directional tracks and walking gaits, they explained, suggest the prehistoric beasts milled around the lagoon's margins, similar to how animals congregate around watering holes today. They added that the tracks show that regardless of dominance, the meat-eating therapods and plant-eating sauropods habitually spent time in lagoons, as opposed to exposed, drier mudflats. Research lead Tone Blakesley said: 'The footprints at Prince Charles's Point provide a fascinating insight into the behaviours and environmental distributions of meat-eating theropods and plant-eating, long-necked sauropods during an important time in their evolution. 'On Skye, these dinosaurs clearly preferred shallowly submerged lagoonal environments over subaerially exposed mudflats.' The first three footprints at the site were discovered five years ago by a University of Edinburgh student and colleagues during a visit to the shoreline. Subsequent discoveries of other footprints in the area made it one of the most extensive dinosaur track sites in Scotland, with scientists saying they expect to find more. The research team studied the tracks by taking thousands of overlapping photographs of the entire site with a drone, before using specialist software software to construct 3D models of the footprints via a technique called photogrammetry. Steve Brusatte, personal chair of palaeontology and evolution at the University of Edinburgh, reflected on the fact the remote bay on the Trotternish Peninsula was also where Bonnie Prince Charlie hid in 1746 while on the run from British troops. 'Prince Charles's Point is a place where Scottish history and prehistory blend together,' he said. 'It's astounding to think that when Bonnie Prince Charlie was running for his life, he might have been sprinting in the footsteps of dinosaurs.' The research, published in PLOS One, was funded by the Leverhulme Trust and National Geographic Society.
The Independent
02-04-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Dinosaur predator and prey drank together from lagoons on Isle of Skye
Newly-identified dinosaur footprints on the Isle of Skye show herbivores and carnivores drank from freshwater lagoons together 167 million years ago, scientists have said. A team at the University of Edinburgh analysed 131 dinosaur footprints at Prince Charles's Point on the island's Trotternish Peninsula. The tracks include rarely-seen footprints of megalosaurs – a jeep-sized theropod and cousin and ancestor of the – alongside those of plant-eating sauropods. Researchers said the large, circular impressions made by the latter point to a long-necked dinosaur two or three times the size of an elephant. The footprints were once considered by geologists to have been resting burrows of fish. The researchers said the site provides a 'fascinating insight' into the environmental preferences and behaviours of dinosaurs from the Middle Jurassic period. Analysis of the multi-directional tracks and walking gaits, they explained, suggest the prehistoric beasts milled around the lagoon's margins, similar to how animals congregate around watering holes today. They added that the tracks show that regardless of dominance, the meat-eating therapods and plant-eating sauropods habitually spent time in lagoons, as opposed to exposed, drier mudflats. Research lead Tone Blakesley said: 'The footprints at Prince Charles's Point provide a fascinating insight into the behaviours and environmental distributions of meat-eating theropods and plant-eating, long-necked sauropods during an important time in their evolution. 'On Skye, these dinosaurs clearly preferred shallowly submerged lagoonal environments over subaerially exposed mudflats.' The first three footprints at the site were discovered five years ago by a University of Edinburgh student and colleagues during a visit to the shoreline. Subsequent discoveries of other footprints in the area made it one of the most extensive dinosaur track sites in Scotland, with scientists saying they expect to find more. The research team studied the tracks by taking thousands of overlapping photographs of the entire site with a drone, before using specialist software software to construct 3D models of the footprints via a technique called photogrammetry. Steve Brusatte, personal chair of palaeontology and evolution at the University of Edinburgh, reflected on the fact the remote bay on the Trotternish Peninsula was also where Bonnie Prince Charlie hid in 1746 while on the run from British troops. 'Prince Charles's Point is a place where Scottish history and prehistory blend together,' he said. 'It's astounding to think that when Bonnie Prince Charlie was running for his life, he might have been sprinting in the footsteps of dinosaurs.' The research, published in PLOS One, was funded by the Leverhulme Trust and National Geographic Society.
