Papers of Professor David Hicks

Papers relating to the work of Professor David Hicks for the period of 1957-2014, including teaching and learning materials, publications, notes, memorabilia, some correspondence and interviews relating to the World Studies, Peace Studies and Futures Studies; also, Thesis 'The Role of Contemporary Global Issues in Teacher Training Courses' submitted to the programme of Peace and Conflict Research at Lancaster University for the Degree of MSc; Bath Spa University Modules Handbooks 2004-2006; Centre for Peace Studies Materials, St.Martin's College, Lancaster 1980-1991; and Peace Studies Working Party Reports of Wakefield Metropolitan District Council Education Department (c.1985) and Lancashire Education Committee (1988).

David Hicks began his teaching career as a geography teacher at Severn Vale School, a secondary modern in Quedgeley, Gloucestershire (1964-1970) where he set up the first Geography department and syllabus. Next he became Head of the Geography Department at Staniforth School, Thetford (1970-1974) . In 1974 he moved to Charlotte Mason College of Education in Ambleside where he worked in the Environmental Studies team supporting trainee teachers. During this period he helped set up the Network for Nuclear Concern to propose against the development of Windscale (later Sellafield).

From 1977-1980, David Hicks studied for his Masters at the University of Lancaster. The former looked at the role of contemporary global issues in teacher training courses. Whilst doing the MSc he taught a 3rd year course on Latin America for the Geography Department at St Martin's College of Education in Lancaster.

Following this he became Education Officer for the Minority Rights Group in London and published his first book, 'Minorities: a handbook for the multi-ethnic curriculum' (1981) This led to a PhD on the nature of racist bias in Geography textbooks.

In 1980 Hicks gained funding from the Joseph Rowntree Trust and the Lentz Foundation to set up a Centre for Peace Studies at St Martin's College, Lancaster, in order to support teachers in exploring issues of peace and conflict in the classroom. The Centre ran from 1980-1989 and provided an advice and enquiry service, papers and publications, in-service training for schools and LEAs, lectures and workshops, international links and contacts. A series of Occasional papers were produced during the life of the Centre, as well as the first UK book on teaching about these issues 'Education for peace' (1988). The setting up of the centre also provided a home for a national curriculum project on teaching about global issues - the World Studies 8-13 Project.

World Studies 8-13 Project was one of the most innovative curriculum projects of the 1980s. It began as a joint proposal from the One World Trust and the Centre for Peace Studies to the Rowntree Trust. The project began in September 1980 and aimed to work with teachers at 20 pilot schools in Avon and Cumbria to develop the curriculum for World Studies. It also held regional workshops and undertook a dissemination programme and courses for in-service organisers. Publications included 'Planning and teaching World Studies: an interim guide' (1982) and the 'World Studies Handbook' (1984). The project ran until 1989.

Next, Hicks set up the Global Futures Project. Funded by the World Wide Fund for Nature UK during the period 1989-1993, it was based firstly at the Institute of Education (as part of the Centre for Multicultural Education) and latterly at Bath College of Higher Education. The purpose of futures studies is to 'discover or invent, examine, evaluate and propose possible, probable and preferable futures'. Futures education is used more specifically to denote the translation of futures concepts into learning experiences appropriate for primary and secondary school students'.

He moved to Bath Spa University in 1992 to continue running the GFP, but this gradually morphed into designing teaching modules and later contributing to research in the School of Education. He taught on the Global Futures course, which taught about global issues and alternative futures. When the new Education Studies degree came in, Hicks taught modules on Education for Change, Education for the Future, Education for Sustainability and Radical Education. In 1996 he became a professor. He wrote numerous books and articles on futures education and the global curriculum. Hicks retired in 2007.

In 2009 he set up the Teaching for a Better World website (T4BW).

The World Studies Project (Robin Richardson/Simon Fisher) began full-time in 1973 and was sponsored by the One World Trust, an educational charity founded in the 1950s by some members of the all-party parliamentary group for World Government. It was financed 1973-1975 by the Leverhulme Trust and from 1976 onwards partly by the Department of Education and Science. Work included workshops and seminars (including residential meetings), publications, and making and maintaining contacts. The project ran until 1979 with the purpose to support and promote world studies in secondary schools. It produced three main publications: Learning for change in world society (1976); Debate and decision (1979) and Ideas into action (1980).

The World Studies Teacher Education Network arose from a conference at Edge Hill College in 1978. It aimed to do a termly newsletter, conferences, a report on global perspectives in teacher education, to set up regional centres and make contact with educational bodies and organisations overseas.

Open

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Given by David Hicks in February 2014.

Loose papers, notes, softbound booklets and hardbound thesis.

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World Studies Trust Papers, RefNo. WST