About Me

WELCOME TO MY SITE

I am an international educational researcher and an advocate for international cooperation and development,specializing in equal access to learning and culture. I hold a PhD in Education from the University of Cambridge. My wide perspective of the field of education was developed thanks to direct experience in school contexts, in informal learning environments, and training teachers.

As a researcher I have worked extensively in low, medium and high-income countries for international public and private organizations. I have supported, coordinated and overseen educational research consultancies on projects that tackled interrelated complex social problems related to educational policy and practice. At present I work for IIEP Unesco (Dakar) on the baseline continental report that monitors international education agendas in Africa.

I am also passionate about storytelling and poetry and I have worked for years coordinating reading activities for young people in national and international organizations. (Link to children’s literature)

I believe in the value and power of successful stories about education, both the oral and written transmission of them. My new podcast series Teachers Voices with BOLD is a result of both my fascination by oral traditions and communication, as a means of disseminating culture and education, and my admiration for inspiring and devoted educators.

I believe that teachers’ stories need to be shared. They deserve the power and intimacy of the voice. The podcast format is ideal to elevate teacher’s voices around the world. Podcasts can create a personal connection, erasing the distance between the host and the listener and creating a space for reflective and focused thinking. Listeners become absorbed in what they are hearing. I invite anyone interested in education to listen to our podcast to hear teachers describe their experiences in their own words. Maria Luisa (Nina) Alonso PhD University of Cambridge