As part of its programme of activities, the Laboratory for Educational Theory is hosting its third international doctoral summer school from Sunday 10th June – Thursday 14th June 2012.  The theme for the summer school is ‘Traditions of Theorising.’   This theme has a meta-dimension concerned with the fact that within the broad field of educational research and scholarship there are distinctively different traditions of theory and theorising and even of understanding what the field is about or what it should focus on.

The summer school will address such questions as:

1. What is the impact and significance of different traditions of theorising within educational research and scholarship in different countries and contexts?
2. Why adopt one theoretical perspective over another?
3. Does the theoretical position from which you view an educational issue/problem affect the nature of that issue/problem?
4. Must one’s research always be located within one or other theoretical tradition?

The summer school is particularly targeted at doctoral students from the UK and abroad whose projects engage with questions about how educational issues are conceived of from the perspectives of particular theoretical traditions. Such projects can either be of a theoretical nature or they can be empirical projects with a strong theoretical component.

The doctoral summer school consists of an intensive programme of lectures, seminars, discussion sessions and student presentations, with ample opportunities for informal interaction and discussion. Through discussion sessions and student presentations participants will be able to engage actively with the programme and make productive connections with their own projects.

Applications must be submitted by 15th March 2012

As part of the application process, applicants should submit 3 questions that relate to the Doctoral School theme.  The questions can either be questions you would like to work on during the summer school or questions emerging from your research. There is a maximum of 20 places available on the programme. Participants will receive a certificate of attendance. The summer school will be led by Dr Ian Munday and Professors Julie Allan and Gert Biesta, with contributions from other colleagues from the School of Education. You will be contacted by 30th March 2012.

For an informal conversation about the summer school please contact its Director,

Dr Ian Munday: ian.munday@stir.ac.uk or email:  letschool@stir.ac.uk.