Mr Andrew Sanders

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Job title: Senior Lecturer, Early Childhood Studies

Email: a.sanders@derby.ac.uk
Personal website: www.littlespaces.org.uk
Phone No: 01332 594212
Room: E218 Kedleston Road

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Latest news

I continue to be involved with the University's emerging social networking pilot - this carries on an interest in virtual communities of practice, student engagement, 'knowledge creation' and 'connectivism' strategies; the latter was something that shaped an HEA Fellowship submission (see Qualifications Section). This work continues in one way, shape or form. Another continuing aspect is the development, with a colleague, of 100 Voices, this was the subject of a Conference presentation in Glasgow in April 2012 - this is looking to be the subject of a book in 2014. At the moment, special attention is given over to research into childhood and family life in Europe in the 1700/1800s, especially Jean-Jacques Rousseau; his thinking and influence... and, currently, exploring a series of cultural events to celebrate the 250th anniversary of his stay locally; more to follow here...

Recent publications

Oates R & Sanders A with others (2009) Making a Little Difference for early childhood studies students in Papatheodorou T & Moyles J (eds) Learning Together in the Early Years: Exploring Relational Pedagogy London Routledge.
Sanders A, Oates R and Kahn T (2009) Hard to Reach? Engaging fathers in Early Years Settings.
Sanders A (2009) The Sameness of Difference Strasbourg.
Sanders A (2010) Spaces: Exploring Difference Birmingham.
Appleby M, Oates R, Sanders A & Sedgwick R (2011) Consultancy for Evaulation of Parenting Courses UoD Derby
Sanders A (2011) StoneYard: history, facts and thoughts SYMC Nottingham
Partnership Council (2012) On the Flats: An oral history of Hyson Green Flats 1965-1987 Nottingham Partnership Council (Contributor and Researcher)

A selection of letters, articles and features in the trade press:

Nursery World 4 February 2010 - Letter re equal opportunities.
Nursery World and Children and Young People Now May 2008 and March/August 2009 - Dissemination of Fathers Research.
Nursery World 13 May 2010 - "Letter of the Week".
Nursery World 26 August 2010 - Letter in response to social cohesion and Islamophobia article.
Nursery World 7 October 2010 - Co-written by Andrew and Jane Lane, a response to Odi de Botton.
Nursery World 4 November 2010 - Letter in response to Sarah Teather.
Nursery World 18 November 2010 - Letter responding to Defries, Poverty article.
Nursery World December 2010 - link established in NW Blogroll, to go direct though, click Little Thoughts...
Nursery World 20 January 2011 - Letter in response to Christopher Price
Nursery World 24 February 2011 - Letter in response to Sarah Teather (Children's Centres..)
Nursery World 21 April 2011 - "In My View" article (written) in partnership with Fay Clark
Nursery World 26 May 2011 - Letter about new Inspection proposals
Nursery World 9 August 2011 - Star Letter about 'Approaches to Intervention'
Nursery World 29th November 2011 - Letter about 'Distractions in the Background', to see the Little Thoughts version, go here
Letters and features in Children and Young People Now.

Experience in Industry

If you cut me in half, I haven't got 'teacher' written there! In the past, I have had a range of industry encounters, these include media, small business consultancy and in a major UK service, business-to-business provider. This has helped in my practitioner and managers roles in the (childcare) sector which is more related to my current work.

Department: Early Childhood Studies

Faculty: Education, Health and Sciences

School: School of Education and Social Studies

Subject Area: Early Years

My main roles at the University of Derby are to do with parts of our BA Early Childhood Studies (ECS); working mainly with students in their final year. I also work with and look after potential and existing participants who join the degree part-way through, the role there is one of Direct Entry Tutor. More recently, I lead our emerging collaborative partnership which offers some ECS modules to students at Mediterranean College, Athens and Thessaloniki.

Teaching responsibilities

Module Leader and Lecturer in a range of Early Childhood Studies courses, mainly at Stage Three,
Course related: Supervisor for students' Independent Studies and tutor for participants following The Critically Reflective Practitioner; both core stage three modules. Module Leader and tutor for Contesting Childhood and Direct Entry Tutor.

Professional interests

My work centres around studies surrounding children and childhood - but this is a big area. So, best say that my particular interests are:

services for children and their families in the UK mainly but across the world - a sociological/social policy stance, historical (context) considerations and contemporary developments, innovative perspectives, policy and practice developments and some of the trends in thinking perhaps behind them.
pedagogy; in particular, how students can join together to enhance their learning experience, engagement, connectivism, communities of practice, new knowledge, confidence, insight and 'voice'; this now may include 'partnership' responsibilities with collaborative organisations.
looking beyond the confines of 'academia'; community, media and sector links, projects, research and consultancy.
an emerging special study of the life and thought (related to children in particular) of Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Research interests

See the Publications Section. Current projects include developing the website with particular respect to childhhood and family life in Europe in the 1700s.

International Experience

Comenius (EU funded) work in France and Sweden plus Conference Strasbourg last year (2009). Lead (see above) on Early Childhood Studies at Mediterranean College (Greece)

Lead

Membership of professional bodies and advisory committees

I'm a Member of the European Early Childhood Education and Research Association (EECERA) and the Institute of Public Policy and Research (IPPR). Interests in the International Centre for the study of the Mixed Economy of Childcare (ICMEC). External Examiner for University of Worcester (until mid 2012) and Queens University, Belfast. Oral History Society member

Recent Conferences

The list here shows all events, both as participant and presenter:

January 2008: UEL Seminar International Centre of the Mixed Economy of Childcare.
6 May 2008: Research Ethics Seminar Keele/UoD.
10 July 2008: LTA Buxton, poster presentation.
23 October 2008: ChildCare History Network Inaugural Meeting, Cheltenham.
14 May 2009: HEA Academy Health Nottingham.
2 July 2009: British Association of Education Studies, paper research, Staffordshire University.
9 July 2009: LTA Buxton, paper presentation with Val Wood.
26 August 2009: European Early Childhood Education Research Association, paper, Strasbourg.
March 2010: Work Based Learning Conference (Middlesex University), presentation with Peter Revill.
6/8 July 2010 [both with Peter Revill]: Verbal Protocols at 'Understanding Professionalism' (UoD Derby) and Learning, Teaching and Assessment Conference (Buxton).
15 July ICMEC - What will happen to childcare post election?
September 2010 - EECERA Birmingham (Symposium presentation) and later on, UDC (Derby) 'Work-Based Learning' Conference (Presentation).
February 2011 - Building Stronger Communities (exploring links, UDC [Derby])
February 2011 - attendance at Art and Domestic Violence (PG, internal UoD) and Pen Green Children's Centres networking event
April 2011 - IPR Seminar (UoD)
May 2011 - Keynote Speech at EYPS Showcase, University of Portsmouth
July 2011 - "Creation, Destruction, Memory..." Oral History Society Annual Conference, Sunderland
July 2011 - Issues in Professionalism (UoD) and Annual LTA Conference (Buxton)
April 2012 - European Social Science History Conference, Glasgow - attended and joint-paper presented (with Val Wood)
June 2012 - Rousseau and Democracy, British Academy
June 2012 - Religion & Belief in Higher Education (UoD Corporate)
June 2012 - Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Britain, International Conference at Leeds University
July 2012 - Collaborative Conference and annual LTA Conference (Buxton)
Sept 2012 - Religion and belief, discrimination and equality: a decade for change? - Practitioner Workshop
Sept 2012 - UoD 'Hub': Mark Making (with Jane Blant)
November 2012 - One Hundred Voices: People who work with children (with Val Wood) for Research Group for Society, Religion & Belief (UoD)
March 2013 - UoD Research Conference and Nationalism, Identity and Belief Symposium
April 2013 - 'No Longer White, Catholic and Celtic - Multiculturalism and policy responses in the Republic of Ireland' (Marie Parker-Jenkins, MFC at UoD)
April 2013 - 'Imaging the Past - art based research into domestic violence (Jamie Bird, MFC at UoD)
June 2013 - 'Nature Connectedness' Research Cluster

Additional Interests and Activities

My personal interests include cooking, sport, blogging, some (what might be described as) 'Art', Sonic Youth, Jazz, Star Trek: Voyager and France.

Media experience

Television, articles for publication in 'trade' press, editors letters, public launch of research (March 2009). Also see Publications Section.

Undergraduate qualifications

BSc Econ (Hons) Sociology and Industrial Relations , University College, Cardiff
Part 1 Diploma in Careers Guidance and Counselling, Nottingham Trent University
Diploma in Health and Social Welfare, Open University

Postgraduate qualifications

Post Graduate Certificate in Education (Primary), Nottingham Trent University
Fellow, Higher Education Academy, University of Derby

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