A close up of an art piece

Education and social research projects

Delivering real-world impact on a global scale.

Components

Researchers at ESRI are delivering innovative projects which contribute to positive change in communities across the world; from teaching refugee populations in Lebanon about fire safety, to developing new maths education techniques across Europe and combatting loneliness in young people in the UK.

Take a look at some of our projects, below.

Children and childhood

  • Three children climbing a tree and smiling at the camera

    Voices of the Future

    Collaborating with children and young people to re-imagine treescapes.

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  • Blurred image of child playing

    The Emergence of Literacy in Very Young Children

    Building a picture of young children’s everyday language and literacy practices.

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  • A child submerging a plastic helicopter in a tank of other toys

    The Sensory Nursery

    A three-year research residency in a Manchester nursery school and children's centre investigating the world of two-year-olds in a nursery class.

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  • child participating in moving with light and line workshop

    Moving with light and line

    Material play with children aged between two and six and their parents.

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  • Three early years researchers build dens in a workshop exploring young children and their learning and development

    2-Curious continuing professional development

    A training programme helping researchers and practitioners better understand disadvantaged two-year-olds.

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  • An interactive learning exhibition for a Manchester Met research project

    2-Curious: More than words

    An innovative collaboration between Manchester Met and Curious Minds exploring children's ways of knowing through performing arts.

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  • A group of children lying on the grass overlooking a sandy bay in Norway

    Exploring place-related methodology

    Examining how place can affect research in early childhood education, as part of the international KINDKnow centre based in Norway.

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  • child playing with camera

    How do families experience our museums?

    Investigating the way children under five years old interact with the physical spaces of museums.

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  • A research exhibition into babies' interaction with space and movement

    Affecting Space

    An interdisciplinary ethnography at Manchester Art Gallery.

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  • A yellow polo shirt

    The odd project

    Odd: feeling different in the world of education.

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  • A child painting

    Becoming a Problem

    How and why children acquire a reputation as ‘naughty’ in the earliest years at school.

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  • A box of toys lined with orange felt

    Manchester Art Gallery

    Interdisciplinary conversations around families with young children, wellbeing, place and art.

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  • Three generations of a family playing together, laughing and looking at a smartphone

    Toddlers, Tech and Talk

    Understanding how very young children learn language and literacy at home in a digital age.

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Digital and innovative pedagogies

  • Three primary aged schoolchildren sit at their desks engrossed with the class digital tablets

    Using digital technology to improve learning

    A review of the use of digital technology to raise attainment and enhance learning in schools.

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  • A close up of a pair of hands using realistic mathematics materials

    Realistic Mathematics Education

    Working with Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) for more than 15 years, our latest project is a nationwide trial at Key Stage 3.

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  • Secondary school pupil plays game on an ipad in a classroom

    Gamifying CLIL

    Exploring the use of game-based learning to support the development of digital, numeracy and linguistic skills through an additional language.

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  • Astronaut Tim Peake in full space suit

    Tim Peake primary schools

    An evaluation of how British astronaut Tim Peake’s mission to the International Space Station improved learning in UK primary schools.

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  • A young student draws geometric shapes on a whiteboard

    Inclusive Mathematics Teaching

    Understanding and developing school and classroom strategies to raise mathematics attainment in Norwegian schools.

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  • A person hand-weaving a basket

    Forces in Translation

    Working at the interface between basketry, mathematics and anthropology to explore how the bodily skills of basket-weaving may enliven the learning of topology and geometry.

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Education and global futures

  • A research participant holding coloured pencil while drawing

    Belonging and learning

    Using co-produced arts methodologies to explore youth participation in contexts of conflict in Kenya, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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  • A poster designed by research participants about global citizenship

    Teaching ethical global issues

    New ways of exploring environmental, economic and social issues in secondary schools - with a toolkit for teachers.

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  • Young school pupils engaging with teacher on democratic issues, as part of the project.

    Embedding a Democratic Culture in Teacher Education

    Providing primary school teachers with the support to embed democratic values into the classroom.

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  • Three children climbing a tree and smiling at the camera

    Voices of the Future

    Collaborating with children and young people to re-imagine treescapes.

    Go to Research

Literacy and language

  • A Manchester City sports coach with a child playing football

    Evaluation of City Play

    Exploring the impact of playful and imaginative physical activity on early years children and their teachers.

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  • Blurred image of child playing

    The Emergence of Literacy in Very Young Children

    Building a picture of young children’s everyday language and literacy practices.

    Go to project
  • Three children climbing a tree and smiling at the camera

    Voices of the Future

    Collaborating with children and young people to re-imagine treescapes.

    Go to Research
  • Three generations of a family playing together, laughing and looking at a smartphone

    Toddlers, Tech and Talk

    Understanding how very young children learn language and literacy at home in a digital age.

    Find out more

Mathematics education

  • A person hand-weaving a basket

    Forces in Translation

    Working at the interface between basketry, mathematics and anthropology to explore how the bodily skills of basket-weaving may enliven the learning of topology and geometry.

    Go to project
  • A young student draws geometric shapes on a whiteboard

    Inclusive Mathematics Teaching

    Understanding and developing school and classroom strategies to raise mathematics attainment in Norwegian schools.

    Go to research
  • A close up of a pair of hands using realistic mathematics materials

    Realistic Mathematics Education

    Working with Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) for more than 15 years, our latest project is a nationwide trial at Key Stage 3.

    Go to research

Teacher education

  • A man and a woman sat at a desk reviewing dyslexia teaching aids

    Dyslexia support

    A two year project evaluating training and other information provided to teachers about dyslexia and related specific learning difficulties.

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  • A school pupil with a tutor

    Whole-school special educational needs review

    Investigating the effectiveness of the Whole School SEND Review Process on raising attainment in English at GCSE.

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Theory and methodology

  • School children in colourful wellies standing in puddles on a pavement

    Addressing problem behaviour

    A film resource and education materials to help with behaviour management in early years classrooms.

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  • Two children wearing waterproof clothing playing in a puddle outside

    Listening-2

    Investigating sensory-motor learning in two-year-olds.

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  • Beautiful skies in South Africa

    Getting to 0% Gender Based Violence in South Africa

    This work explores how members of a low-income, rural community near Johannesburg have been able to reduce gender-based violence (GBV) through a gender action-learning model that has shifted social norms.

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  • Image of a burnt building

    Urban Fire Risk Education And Gender In Informal Settlements

    This work explores how gender (understood broadly) shapes knowledge and understanding of fire risk and the possibilities of context-specific fire education within informal tented and urban settlements in Lebanon.

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Youth and community

  • group of young people walking past urban pop culture mural

    Partispace and PartiBridges

    Exploring the spaces and styles of young people's participation in European cities.

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  • A colourful mural on the wall of the 42nd Street building, a youth mental health charity in Manchester

    Loneliness Connects Us

    A co-produced research project on youth loneliness with mental health charity 42nd Street.

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  • scrapbook images connected to inclusion and mental health

    Creative Margins

    Tackling marginalisation in the UK’s arts and culture sectors.

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  • Illustration from the comic produced by the project

    Graphic Lives

    A series of projects using arts-based research methods to examine what individuals' stories and community narratives can reveal about social issues and wellbeing.

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  • Project participants sat talking with researchers around a table

    Social haunting and ghost labs

    A group of projects that use arts-based participatory research to investigate how past conflicts haunt the present and futures of ex-coalfield communities.

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  • Young female who was involved in the Loneliness Connects Us project.

    Loneliness and Young People

    Investigating youth loneliness in collaboration with young people.

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Other Projects

  • Images of a sports kit top

    Street Child World Cup

    Exploring the impact of the Street Child World Cup on the young people who participate, their communities, and the organisations supporting them.

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The Manifold Lab

  • Two children wearing waterproof clothing playing in a puddle outside

    Listening-2

    Investigating sensory-motor learning in two-year-olds.

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  • Looking up at a canopy of trees in a forest

    Listening in and out of more-than-human worlds

    How to revise and invent methods to work with non-humans.

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  • Abstract image of light

    Remixing Thick Time

    Using art to rethink our experience of time.

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  • A exhibition using framed items covered in bubble wrap

    Inheriting the anthropocene

    A collective adventure that takes us into museum gallery spaces.

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  • An exhibition in artificial intelligence

    Algorithmic contingencies

    A cultural experiment in digital AI.

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  • A hand drawn map of a school

    Mapping spatial practices and social distancing in smart schools

    Investigating eco-sensory experiences of school buildings.

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  • A yellow polo shirt

    The odd project

    Odd: feeling different in the world of education.

    Go to research
  • School children in colourful wellies standing in puddles on a pavement

    Addressing problem behaviour

    A film resource and education materials to help with behaviour management in early years classrooms.

    Go to project

Previous projects

  • Completed projects
    • Local Alternatives: Sensing, thinking, and making with young people in the Anthropocene David Rousell, Liz de Freitas, Michael Gallagher, Laura Trafi-Prats, Riikka Hohti & Hannah-Lee Chalk, with Z-arts, Whitworth Gallery, Manchester Museum. Manchester Met Research Accelerator Grant (Research and Knowledge Exchange) 5K (2019)
    • Remixing Thick Time David Rousell, Liz de Freitas, Maggie Maguire, with Whitworth Young Contemporaries (2019)
    • Teaching for sustainable development through ethical global issues pedagogy: Participatory research with teachers Karen Pashby (MMU) & C.I.Louise Sund (Mälardalen University), British Academy £36K (January 2018 - December 2018)
    • Clinical supervision at Grenfell. Deborah James. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea £2.3K (August 2018 – December 2018)
    • How do families experience our museums? Abi Hackett, Christina MacRae & Lisa Procter. Humber Museum Partnership £12K (2016 - 2018)
    • ITE4I Yvette Solomon & Peter Hick. National Council for Special Education, Ireland €173K (September 2015 - June 2018)
    • The Dyslexia support project Dominic Griffiths, Kath Kelly, Sarah McNicol, & Peter Hick. The Department for Education/British Dyslexia Association £67K (April 2016 - March 2018)
    • Productive Margins: Regulating for engagement Gabrielle Ivinson with Morag McDermont, Bristol and Cardiff. ESRC/AHRC £2.4M  c£30K brought to MMU with Ivinson’s appointment. (Sep 2013 - Mar 2018)
    • Graphic Lives: Telling Bangladeshi migrant women’s stories through graphic narratives Sarah McNicol. Heritage Lottery Fund £23K (February 2017 - January 2018)
    • Evaluation of Tim Peake primary project Su Corcoran & Sarah McNicol. ESERO-UK £10K (October 2017 - January 2018)
    • The listening body: Sound art as a pedagogy of sensation. David Rousell, Michael Gallagher & Mark P. Wright with Z-arts, Biosocial Research Lab and Leverhulme Artist in Residence. £5K (2018)
    • Co-Lab: Connecting community art, activism and research to address global environmental challenges. David Rousell with Umbrellium Design (London) & Purpose Climate Lab (London). $1000 (2018)
    • The cluster-based approach to school improvement planning. Moira Hulme, Emilee Rauschenberger & Ben Haines. Education Achievement Service of South East Wales £20K (2018)
    • Creative Margins: Building capacity to widen participation in arts spaces and practices Gabrielle Ivinson. AHRC £30K (2017 - 2018)
    • Oubliette: A mathematical adventure Ricardo Nemirovsky. Manchester Metropolitan University (2017 - 2018)
    • The Loneliness project Janet Batsleer, James Duggan & Sarah McNicol, in partnership with 42nd Street, Manchester and The Co-operative Foundation £59K (2016 - 2018)
    • Learning Games Nicola Whitton & Sarah McNicol. Erasmus + £8.4K (2016 - 2018)
    • InforMath: Mathematics to enrich learning experiences in science and art museums. Ricardo Nemirovsky. National Science Foundation  US$1.5m (2013 - 2018)
    • Evaluation of the CityVerve schools innovation project. Cathy Lewin. CISCO £2K
    • Song lines to impact & legacy: Creating living knowledge through working with social haunting Geoff Bright & Sarah McNicol, with Unite Community & Co-op College, World Association of Community Broadcasters. AHRC £100K (February 2017 - December 2017)
    • Listening in and out of more-than-human worlds Michael Gallagher & Mark Wright, Artist in Residence. Leverhulme Trust £15K (February 2017 - November 2017)
    • Artist in residence. Michael Gallagher.  Leverhulme Trust £15K (2016 - 2017)
    • Partispace: Spaces and styles of participation Janet Batsleer, Alexandre Pais, Harriet Rowley & Geoff Bright. Horizon 2020 European Commission c. £200K PIs: Dr Andreas Walther and Dr Axel Pohl, Goethe University of Frankfurt, involves 8 European countries. (February 2015 - December 2017)
    • Sci-napse Nicola Whitton & Cathy Lewin. EEF/Wellcome Trust £325K (2015 - 2017)
       

    • Stockport family innovation programme: Project evaluation James Duggan, Harriet Rowley & Joanna Dennis. Stockport MBC/TNS BMRB/DfE £90K (2015 - 2017)

    • Investigating the impact of a Realistic Mathematics Education approach on achievement and attitudes in Post-16 GCSE resit classesSue Hough & Yvette Solomon.Nuffield Foundation£82K (December 2014 - November 2017)
    • Erasmus Mundus. E. de Freitas. European Commission. Visiting Academic Grant, University of Torino, Italy. €1.3K (April 2017)
       

    • Community Up: Exploring school-community relationships. (Research consultancy) James Duggan. Achieve Together/Teach First. £5K (2016)

    • Early career researcher development project: working with social haunting Geoff Bright with Unite Community and Co-op College. AHRC £55K (2015 - 2016)
    • The impact of educational comics Sarah McNicol. The Wellcome Trust £5K (November 2014 - May 2015)
    • Investigating the expectations and attitudes towards postgraduate taught (PGT) STEM study, and post study outcomes from the perspective of students’, universities and employers to support and sustain PGT growth in the UK.Harry Torrance, Yvette Solomon and David Lambrick. HEFCE £63K (January 2014 - December 2015)
    • Design Research Get Lost: an asset-based approach to support young people to self-organise. James Duggan. AHRC £15K (2015)
    • Book Trust: Schools Library Pack Evaluation. Sarah McNicol & James Duggan. School Book Trust £25K (2015)
    • Sans Duty – Making tax visible James Duggan. Communities and Culture Network Seed Fund £4K (2014 - 2015) 
    • Mathematics in teaching practice Yvette Solomon. Norwegian Research Council £110K (2012 - 2015)

  • Research networks and collaborative opportunities

    Explore our research networks and collaborative opportunities at Manchester Met:

    External collaborations

I think collaboration between charities and universities is under-utilised and really, really useful because it genuinely brings together the kind of skill sets we wouldn't necessarily have. There will be lots of areas for collaboration with Manchester Met around how we're using arts and creativity, so it's very exciting.
Simone Spray
CEO, 42nd Street
I think collaboration between charities and universities is under-utilised and really, really useful because it genuinely brings together the kind of skill sets we wouldn't necessarily have. There will be lots of areas for collaboration with Manchester Met around how we're using arts and creativity, so it's very exciting.
Simone Spray
CEO, 42nd Street