A democratic, open and creative space to chat about pressing issues in education.

We're all members of our education community of practice (CoP) in the School of Education. Engagement with others is key to becoming a full member of a CoP, and the aim of the EduCafe is to start this interaction.

We believe everyone who is committed to developing their experience and knowledge in education deserves a voice and a space to be heard, regardless of how much experience they have. The EduCafe provides the perfect opportunity for engagement, and to strengthen and develop our community of practice.

EduCafe events are held several times during the academic year, with topics suggested and selected by the members of the group - both students and staff. As we talk and share our knowledge and experiences - without judgement - we hope to strengthen our community, our confidence and our practice together.

FAQs

What is a community of practice (CoP)?

A community of practice is a group of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do, and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly.* It comprises three characteristics:

  • The domain - this is essentially the area of interest that links all members of the community and implies a commitment to this domain of interest. In our case this is the study of education.
  • The community - involves interaction and engagement with other members of the community as well as activities and discussions over time. Members help and learn from each other through developing these closer relationships. Everyone’s voice is heard.
  • The practice - it’s not just about sharing a common interest, but about being and becoming practitioners in that field as well. Members develop a shared repertoire of resources, experiences, stories and tools.
Who is EduCafe for?

Anyone within the School of Education is welcome to attend an EduCafe session - including staff, undergraduate and postgraduate students.

What do we do?

We meet several times during the academic year to explore pressing topics in Education. We'll discuss two specific topics in each hourlong session, and if time allows, a third, 'wild card' topic may be introduced.

Why should I attend?

EduCafe offers an opportunity to enrich your creative and critical thinking skills, and the chance to discuss important issues in Education with other students and staff in our community.

I want to come along - what do I need to do?

If you'd like to join us for the next event, please fill in our registration form.

You can also suggest topics for future meetings by completing our suggestion form below.

Get involved

Group members can suggest topics or ideas by filling in our form.

Ideas might start with a photograph, a quote, a newspaper headline, a vision or a word - no formal presentations are expected at this stage, and all ideas are welcome.

Topics/ideas are voted on by the group. The most popular choices will be scheduled into the EduCafe programme of events after consultation with the proposer(s).

Suggest a topic
The Educafe logo

Find out more

EduCafe is accessible on Ultra.

If you have any questions or want to find out more about the events, please email educafe@bathspa.ac.uk.

* Wenger-Trayner, E. and Wenger-Trayner, B. (2015) Communities of practice: a brief introduction. (Accessed: 4 December 2020).