...With Protyasha Bhattacharyya

Kicking off 2026 this episode dives into the latest research on cyber aggression and its effects on young people. We explore new findings about how different parenting styles can influence online behaviour, and why fostering psychological safety in schools is more crucial than ever. Listeners will discover practical, up-to-date strategies for teachers to help students navigate digital spaces safely and kindly. The episode concludes with a curated list of fresh resources for continued learning, setting a positive tone for the year ahead and empowering everyone to create kinder, safer online communities.

• Background and qualifications of Protyasha Bhattacharya in psychology and criminology.
• Definition and implications of cyber aggression, including its distinction from traditional bullying.
• Impact of cyber aggression on young people's mental health, motivation, and academic performance.
• Influence of parenting styles on adolescents' experiences with cyber aggression.
• Overview of the four parenting styles and their potential relationship with cyber aggression.
• Challenges in researching cyber aggression, including data collection and sample size limitations.
• Demographic factors that may predict cyber aggression, such as educational attainment.
• Recommendations for educators to address and reduce cyber aggression in schools.
• Importance of ongoing research into cyber aggression, including cultural factors and digital environment influences.

Resources:

Childnet International: https://www.childnet.com/

UK Safer Internet Centre: https://saferinternet.org.uk/

UK Department for Education - Preventing Bullying: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying

DfE Online Safety Guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teaching-online-safety-in-schools/teaching-online-safety-in-schools

Journals:

Computers in Human Behavior: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/computers-in-human-behavior

Journal of Adolescent Health: https://www.jahonline.org/

Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking: https://journals.sagepub.com/home/cyba

With Prof. Rebecca Lazarides

In this motivational end-of-term episode, Professor Rebecca Lazarides (Professor for Empirical Research on Instruction and Schools at the University of Potsdam, Germany) discusses what keeps teachers motivated - even when energy is running low. Rebecca shares insights from her work on teacher motivation, explaining how self-reflection, supportive colleagues, and celebrating small wins can help teachers stay positive. The conversation explores practical strategies for managing emotions, the importance of authentic enthusiasm, and how school environments shape motivation. Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their successes and try new ideas, leaving them with a boost of encouragement as they head into a well-deserved break.

The podcast in bullet points:

• Teacher motivation and its impact on teaching quality.
• The distinction between enthusiasm for the subject and enthusiasm for teaching.
• The role of teacher emotions in classroom dynamics and student motivation.
• External factors affecting teacher motivation, such as school environment and job demands.
• Strategies for teachers to manage emotions and maintain motivation.
• The importance of strong student-teacher relationships in fostering motivation.
• Emotional regulation as a critical skill for teachers.
• The influence of self-efficacy on teacher motivation and performance.
• The significance of reflective practices in enhancing teacher motivation.
• The situational nature of teacher motivation and its variability across different teaching contexts.

The British Journal of Educational Psychology Special Edition is available on this link:

https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/20448279/2025/95/4

...With Prof. Neil Mercer

Neil Mercer is Emeritus Professor of Education at the University of Cambridge and a psychologist and in this episode we discuss the pivotal role of spoken language and oracy in education. We explored how classroom dialogue, reasoned discussion, and public speaking can be systematically taught to enhance students' thinking and communication skills. Neil shared insights on the impact of the pandemic on language development, practical strategies for fostering effective dialogue, and the importance of classroom culture and listening. We also discussed the value of public speaking for all students and highlighted resources for teachers to support spoken language development.

The discussion in bullet points:

• Importance of spoken language in education.
• Development of children's language and thinking skills.
• Role of reasoned discussion and dialogue in classrooms.
• Influence of educational theorists like Vygotsky on language development.
• Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's language skills.
• Practical strategies for teaching reasoned discussion.
• Challenges teachers face in fostering effective dialogue.
• Benefits of group work and whole-class discussions for student engagement.
• The significance of classroom culture in promoting open discussion.
• The necessity of public speaking skills in education and its role in democratic participation.

Links:

Find out more about Neil's work: https://oracycambridge.org/

Blog: https://oracycambridge.org/blog/

Neil's Book - Oracy: The Transformative Power of Finding Your Voice

https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/467731/oracy-by-mercer-neil/9781847928566

BPS Psychologist Article on Oracy 'Is it only words' https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/it-only-words

I'll be sharing some older episodes that link to this about speech and language over the break so please do sign up to my newsletter: https://changingstatesofmind.com/contact-me