Miles Smith

• Miles is currently undertaking his PhD in the area of historical education (February 2021-present) 
• Fellowship of Advance HE
• MA (Hons) English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, King’s College, University of London
• QTS, Norfolk & Suffolk Initial Teacher Training
• cTESOL, Oxford House College, Barcelona
• BA (Hons) History, University of Warwick

Miles teaches on our Primary Education BA, SEND BA, and Early Childhood BA. As an educator with more than twenty years experience in the education sector, Miles has considerable experience of working with a wide range of learners, ranging from very young learners, through to adults in higher education. 

In his current role, Miles leads and teaches on a wide range of modules. On our Primary Education BA programme, this includes Learning & Teaching and Educational Research. Miles has particular interest in curriculum studies, the value of History within children's learning, qualitative research methodologies and critical, emancipatory perspectives on learning and teaching.

Miles' pedagogy is student-focused. He believes that learning should be active, experiential and personalised, and that learning tasks should be meaningful and purposeful. As much as possible, he seeks to engage students in practical, community-based activities and learning experiences. 

Miles is currently undertaking his PhD through Plymouth Marjon University. He is looking at the value and purpose that children attribute to their learning experience, specifically within the area of historical learning. 

This research involves children as co-researchers, engaging in the design of research methods to explore their experience of learning history. 

Race, R., Smith, M., Hadfield, C., Holdgate, H., Katsogridakis, G., Leather, M., Ovenden-Hope, T., Phillips, L., & Winter, J. (in press). A University Portrait of Practice and Provocations when Decolonising Curriculum. Equity in Education & Society.

Brian Simon BERA Funding (March 2023) & Primary Investigator for Plymouth Marjon University Project, leading to publication of:

Smith, M., Hayes, T., Leather, M., Major-Smith, K., Milner, A., & Fewings, G. (2024). Far away from the ivory tower: The impact of university education on disadvantaged people and their communities. British Educational Research Association. https://www.bera.ac.uk/publication/far-away-from-the-ivory-tower

Smith, M. & Walters, N. (2024). The Place of Games within a Reception and Year 1 Curriculum. Primary Mathematics, Summer 2024, 16-18.

Smith, M. (2023). Working with your supervisor. In J. Gourd (Ed.), Educational Research for Early Childhood Studies Projects: A Step-by-Step Guide for Student Practitioners (pp. 17-29). Routledge. 

Smith, M. & Clark, J. (2023). A collaborative mathematical project between school and university. Primary Mathematics, 27(1), 11-23. 

Bonet, P. & Smith, M. (2022) An enquiry into children's political consciousness through Roleplay Learning. Research in Teacher Education, 12(1). 

• Fellowship of Advance HE 
• Member of Historical Association 
• Member of HEIRNET (History Educators International Research Network) 
• Member of HTEN (History Teachers Education Network) Primary 
• Member of Open University Press Editorial Advisory Board
• BERA History Special Interest Group - Co-Convener