Adult & Further Education SIG
This special interest group (SIG) invites teachers, lecturers, trainers, and leaders across the Adult & Further Education and Skills (FES) sector to come together and examine the evolving landscape of teaching, professional development, and Initial Teacher Education (ITE).
ABout this group
Throughout the series, we will collectively generate ideas, surface practical solutions, and explore opportunities for further research or collaborative inquiry. Whether you are in a teaching role, managing provision, or supporting trainee educators, this is a space to share your voice and shape the future of teaching in FES.
Ideas that we wish to initially explore through the group are:
- What are the challenges adult/FES educators face today?
- Which barriers most hinder learner engagement and staff development?
- How does empowering teacher agency elevate overall quality?
Through this group we are proposing:
- To meet online, once a term (3 times per year via MS Teams), to create space for collaborative discussion, shared experience, and practice-led research.
- To invite members to write reflective pieces in short form blogs (up to 500 words) to highlight their current work in this area.
- To contribute articles/news to IPDA newsletters on a regular basis.
- To record Podcast interviews with group members about their work and reflections on working within the Adult and Further Education sector.
Convenor: Stuart Mitchell – Senior Lecturer in Education, Birmingham City University
FORTHCOMING DATES
Each session will blend reflection on current challenges with forward-thinking exploration.
All sessions will take place from 18:00-19:30.
Session 1: Navigating the Now (Monday 19 November 2026)
Explore how educators are responding to post-pandemic realities, funding pressures, and the changing needs of adult learners, while maintaining high-quality teaching and learner engagement. Register for this event
Session 2: Shaping the Future of CPD and ITE (Monday 15 February 2027)
Delve into innovative models of CPD and teacher education. We will focus on building professional resilience, agency and autonomy, and designing peer networks that support long-term growth.
Session 3: Sustaining Quality and Innovation (Monday 24 May 2027)
In this final session, we will focus on ways to embed impactful development practices at both programme and institutional levels, linking professional agency with quality assurance and learner success.