Clay Johnson, Senior Learning Technologist at UWE: How to ensure that modern education meets the needs of modern society

In this week’s podcast, Leila McKenzie-Delis, CEO and Founder of DIAL Global speaks to Clay Johnson, Senior Learning Technologist, University of the West of England.

"I think we need to change our educational framework...Modern education needs to address modern societal need. That process is happening within schools at the grassroots. It is happening organically because teachers fundamentally want to establish positive relationships with the people that they teach."

You'll hear about:

- Clay’s personal and professional story including his childhood in a mixed race neighbourhood in South Africa in the 70s, his experience of apartheid, moving to the UK and his life since

- How challenges experienced by minority groups are sometimes viewed through a distant lens, without full appreciation of what they go through and an understanding of the deep-seated legacy issues that arise

- How Clay has modified his own behaviour like many others from minority communities have in response to the ramification of global events or lived experience, for example, making sure that people can see his hands or putting his hood down if he is out walking on his own

-  Clays thoughts on governmental responsibility as well as diversity and inclusion when it comes to education

- Systemic failure within education due to cookie cutter models of success, leading to a need for the individual to be put back at the heart of education.

- How policy, strategy and legislation can be used effectively but policy at high levels is created by politicians and not people who work at grassroots level with lived experience, thus leading to disconnect

- The positive role models that contributed to Clay’s lived experience despite some traumatic times

- The importance of story-telling and actually talking about some of our lived experiences, especially the difficult, challenging ones

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