EdD Conference July 2025: A Couple of Firsts

Saturday 5th July saw me take on two firsts at the University of Portsmouth EdD Conference. My first time chairing a panel and my first time delivering a workshop on research methods and positionality. The theme of the day, Research Identities, resonated deeply with the current direction of my professional inquiry, which sits firmly within the rich (and at times messy!) space of insider research.

From the moment I arrived at the Park Building, there was a shared sense of curiosity and community that the EdD gathering always seems to generate. This made me more nervous than normal. There were presentations ranging from reflexive thematic analysis to questions of citizenship in education systems, the morning panel I chaired felt like a valuable insight of the day’s wider theme. I was struck by the generosity of presenters in articulating not just their findings, but the complex personal journeys behind them. As chair, my role was to hold space for those stories, to listen carefully, ask questions that nudged thinking forward, and gently keep time (which I was not great at).

My own session later that afternoon, Researching from Within, built on many of those themes, exploring the ethical, methodological, and identity-based complexities of practitioner research. Drawing on my current EdD project, I shared the ways in which my dual role as music teacher and researcher has both empowered and challenged me. Together, we unpacked tensions around power, bias, and ethical responsibility, particularly when researching your own students or colleagues. The dialogue was rich and open, with colleagues contributing their own strategies for maintaining reflexivity and rigour within ‘insider’ contexts.

What made the day so valuable wasn’t just the academic content (though that was exceptional), but the environment of trust that allowed people to be honest about the emotional and labour of practitioner inquiry. As someone exploring curriculum through the lens of hegemony, student voice, and inclusive practice, I left feeling more confident than ever in the value of reflexivity, not as an afterthought, but as a core methodological stance.

A special thanks to the organisers Angeline and Jessica for curating a day that felt rigorous, generous, and entirely human. And to those who attended my session or shared ideas in discussion, your voices continue to shape and question my thinking long after the session has ended.

Link to slides.

ettsTrust Music Coordinator | EdD Candidate | Music Educator