Welcome
Editorial
Welcome
Welcome to this special issue of JADE , which captures highlights , reflections , and continued explorations from Keele ' s Becoming Well Read academic reading symposium , 2022 .
Editorial
Angela Rhead , SFHEA Senior Curriculum Developer , Keele Institute for Innovation and Teaching Excellence . Contact : a . rhead @ keele . ac . uk
Becoming Well Read 2022 ( BWR22 ) was another successful and inspiring event that continued the dialogue begun in April 2019 , when over fifty delegates from twenty Higher Education Institutions ( HEIs ) across the UK gathered to enjoy the first event of this type to take place in the sector . After a Covid hiatus in 2020 , Becoming Well Read returned in May 2021 ( BWR21 ) with an exciting second round for the symposium and a move to online assembly that saw a virtual but dialogic keynote shift to the close of the event , Learning Walks morph into Learning TWalks , and an increased audience of 85 registrations , UK and international HEIs .
Angela has an extensive career in teacher education and academic development in a range of contexts . After completing a first degree in English Literature she spent six years in Tokyo as a teacher and teacher-trainer . In 1995 , she returned to the UK and established a career in teacher education in the tertiary sector , completing a PGCE and a Master ' s degree in Education , before going on to lead PGCE awards and Educational CPD . In 2015 Angela joined Keele as a Learning Developer , supporting students across the institution with their academic skills and working with colleagues in the Humanities and Social Sciences faculty to embed academic practices in their curricula . Now a Senior Curriculum Developer , she has pursued her interest in academic reading practices , disseminating her innovative Academic Reading Retreat approach to practice development and convening the annual Becoming Well
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Read symposium .
In 2022 we remained online , and while sadly we were unable to offer a planned in-situ reading retreat , 80 people registered from 39 institutions , maintaining the wider reach of BWR21 . We welcomed delegates and presenters from the US , Ireland and South Africa , but mainly the UK , with a strong turn out from universities in Leeds and London . Delegates were predominantly from teaching roles as lecturers , developers and librarians , providing a good range of experiences and expertise , with some work left to do on engaging students , who were regrettably very few in number .
Delegates continue to express an appreciation for the opportunity to connect with others with a shared interest , in an open and welcoming environment , and this sense of community and dialogue is a quality we look forward to maintaining in future symposia