The world changed for everyone back in March 2020. The transition to working from home happened overnight, with little time to consider how effectively that would work in terms of the jobs we do. As a mixed methods educational researcher with a role as an Information Governance Guardian[1], I was faced with immediate concerns around research data - practically, ethically, and also legislatively. Fieldwork was put on hold whilst we tried to work out the best way forward.

You can read Sheffield Hallam’s full response to the ITT review - SHU Response to ITT Market Review The story of Sheffield Institute of Education and our response With over 100 years of experience, we are one of the largest providers of teacher professional development, we work with over 600 partners, and we are home to many of the leading academic thinkers and influential school leaders in this space. As educators and trainers of over 2,200 trainees and student teachers (ITT and SCITT total, July 2021) we pride ourselves on our innovative and comprehensive approach to teacher development and as a partnership, our mission to transform lives shapes everything that we do.  Our partnerships have considerable strengths and we are not working from a deficit model.

It feels strange to talk about a global pandemic having upsides, but as we approach the end of many restrictions in the UK, it seems apt to reflect on what lessons we might learn from the life-changing experience we’ve all been through.  As a Sheffield Business School academic with a passion for exploring professional lives, I spent last year researching teachers’ experiences of working remotely.