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What Ensures Good Quality Research Data?

Not many people get an opportunity to be a part of an organization even after leaving it. I’ve been one of those lucky ones, remaining connected to the ASER Centre, the research and assessment arm of Pratham Education Foundation in India, for whom I have worked for more than 3 years. When I got the opportunity to pursue a PhD at the University of Cambridge, I was delighted to learn that the REAL Centre at the Faculty of Education would be working closely with the ASER Centre on a grassroots intervention to increase accountability in education in rural India.

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Is Anonymity Always Desirable? Reflections on Ethics in Cross-Cultural Research

Before embarking on my fieldwork, I felt that I understood the importance of researchers needing to carefully consider the place in which they will carry out their research, and their own positionality, so that the needs of their participants can be taken into account; however, in spite of having conducted research in Bihar, India previously, there were a number of ethical issues that arose, which I did not anticipate.

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‘The Novice Expert: A Living Oxymoron’ Why Teaching Is About Being a Learner.

“Miss, can I come and see you at lunchtime?” A phrase often heard in school, especially around exam season when stress levels are high for GCSE and A Level students and equally as high for their teachers. The student wants to clarify a piece of knowledge I’ve imparted to them earlier on in the year, to make sure they understand how to use it in the correct context. They look to me as the fountain of all knowledge; the key that can unlock the door to success; the person with all the answers. And to some extent, we teachers do hold that. We understand our subject and the demands of the exam but in reality, it is my belief, that we should forever be like the students in front of us. Willing to learn from the wisdom of others and be the one who feels that sense of ‘not quite there yet.’

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Applying for University Faculty Jobs after the PhD — The Process

(This is Part 2 of a two part series)

I have the best job in the world (for me). I get to read, write, mentor young people, and contribute to science each day. I get to do this for the most part with the freedom to read and write when I want and where I want, and to travel to conferences and research sites throughout the year. I visited Austria, China, Mexico, Mongolia, New Zealand, Slovakia, Taiwan, Turkey, and the US this year. I presented my research to international audiences who asked thought-provoking questions. I published papers in high-impact journals. I won research funding; and I learned a great deal from my colleagues, students, and those who participated in my research. I am tremendously lucky.

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