Post Compulsory Education and Training
The broad focus of the research activity undertaken in PCET relates to the investigation and analysis of the relationship between education, the economy and society, and the institutional, organisational and policy contexts in which it is embedded and reproduced in the UK and internationally. More specifically members of PCET are interested in the following core research themes and in exploring the ways in which they inter-relate, as well as the implications for creating more flexible and better supported approaches to learning and managing transitions:
- Educational and career decision-making: transitions through the life-course
- Teaching and learning through the life-course
- Design and utilisation of digital technologies to facilitate teaching and learning across settings and inclusion
- Policy analysis in vocational, further and higher education, skills and workplace learning
A range of major funded projects and other research projects have been undertaken in recent years including for the Economic and Social Research Council, Department for Education and Skills, Higher Education Careers Services Unit, Equal Opportunities Commission, South East of England Development Agency, Social Work and Social Policy Subject Centre at the Higher Education Academy. These have given rise to a range of publications and outputs
PCET plays a strategic role in the development of the School’s research culture, publications, activity and profile as well contributing to the development of staff and research student projects through its regular mentoring arrangements, meetings and events. Members of PCET also convene dynamic research groups, which draw their membership from across the School of Education as well as the wider university and beyond. These include:
In addition, the Centre for Higher Education Management and Policy at Southampton (CHEMPaS) is linked to PCET as well as the School of Management.
Staff within PCET are particularly keen to use their research to inform and develop under-graduate and post-graduate programmes and to improve policy and practice.
For further information please contact:
The PCET Research Centre administrator, Kirsten Wakefield: kwqy07@soton.ac.uk,
tel: 02380 598608 (internal 28608) or Professor Alison Fuller, a.fuller@soton.ac.uk
(Head of PCET Research Centre)
