Meliora: a podcast from the Sustainability & Resilience Institute
Welcome to the Meliora Podcast from the Sustainability and Resilience Institute at the University of Southampton!
This podcast explores the greatest and most wicked problem that is sustainability, whilst looking at how we are collectively addressing this critical global challenge.
Sustainability needs to be addressed by understanding how the economy, society, culture, politics and environment intersect, and this is the focus that informs each episode of the Meliora podcast.
In each episode, host Professor Simon Kemp and guest hosts are joined by a variety of guests, including academics, students, staff, researchers, alumni, community groups and business leaders.
The aim of the podcast is to shine a light on the vast range of topics surrounding sustainability and to allow listeners to learn about the critical challenges we face, as well as how they can be part of the solution. We also ensure our fantastic students have the opportunity to share their brilliant work with the world.
Podcast host: Professor Simon Kemp, Deputy Director of the Sustainability & Resilience Institute, University of Southampton
Podcast editors: Lily Killner, Sophie Green, Libby Kale, Jack Dinham, School of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton
Please do get in touch to discuss this podcast and any of the issues we raise by emailing sri@soton.ac.uk
Follow us on instagram and X: @meliorapodcast
Meliora: a podcast from the Sustainability & Resilience Institute
Molly McEwen - How has COVID-19 impacted the engagement of children with the school system in the UK
In this episode of the Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium we are joined by Philosophy undergraduate Molly McEwen to discuss her dissertation "How has COVID-19 impacted the engagement of children with the school system in the UK".
This research sought to understand the lived experiences of teaching staff in the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic, as existing research focuses mainly on parents' experiences or has analysed the impact of the pandemic on education through quantitative means. The main aim was to recognize the value in the perceptions and perspectives of the interviewees, as they faced the reality of trying to re-engage young people in the wake of the pandemic. The most interesting aspect of the collected data was that the children most affected in terms of attainment, behaviour and social skills were those who missed transitional stages of their education. A common view amongst participants was that pupils with additional needs or from disadvantaged economic backgrounds were disproportionately impacted when compared to their peers.
Rudling et al. (2023) . Education and Equity in Times of Crisis: Learning, Engagement and Support | SpringerLink
Tracey et al. (2022) The Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on Children’s socio-emotional well-being and Attainment during the Reception Year. Education Endowment Foundation. EEF-School-Starters.pdf (d2tic4wvo1iusb.cloudfront.net)
Education Endowment Foundation. 2022. The Impact of COVID-19 on Learning: A Review of the Evidence. Impact_of_Covid_on_Learning.pdf (d2tic4wvo1iusb.cloudfront.net)
Education Policy Institute. 2020. Preventing the disadvantage gap from increasing during and after the Covid-19 pandemic - Education Policy Institute (epi.org.uk)
Episode guest: Molly McEwen
Episode host: Prof Simon Kemp
Episode editor: Libby Kale
Engage
