Modelling Lifelong Learning: What My MA Has Added to My Teaching Practice

Choosing to pursue an MA in Education and International Development at UCL was more than a professional decision; it was a deeply personal one. It was also an act of exemplifying the very values I encourage in my students. As educators, we often speak about curiosity, resilience, and intellectual growth, and this degree has enabled me to live those principles in real time, demonstrating to my students that learning does not end with a qualification; it continues to develop with purpose, identity, and global awareness.

Why I Chose to Study an MA

Presenting on 'Rebuilding Sudan' at the WASD Conference

My higher education journey began with a BSc in Economics, Politics and International Relations, during which I focused on development economics and international relations. These interests were never theoretical. My background – as someone ethnically Sudanese, born in Qatar, and having attended British international schools – has always influenced my understanding of education, inequality, and the role of global systems.

Both of my grandfathers were born during the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan period and attended colonial schools, followed by what was, at the time, the only British college in Sudan - the Gordon Memorial College. Both received scholarships to complete their PhDs in the United Kingdom before returning to establish their families in newly independent Sudan. They held British education in such high regard, and it undoubtedly influenced my parents’ decision to enrol my siblings and me in British international schools after establishing their professional careers in Qatar.

Growing up with this family history meant that education was always framed as a pathway to opportunity. But it was my visits to Sudan before the current war that made this idea real. Each trip exposed me to stark contrasts between my own educational experiences and those of my cousins and peers in Sudan. I became increasingly aware of the inequalities that shaped everyday life – differences in school resources, access to qualified teachers, and the broader social and economic conditions that influenced children’s futures. These weren’t abstract development concepts; they were visible, lived realities.

By the time I reached high school, these observations had become questions. Why did these disparities exist? How did history, policy, and global structures shape them? And what role could education play in reducing them? My undergraduate degree only deepened this curiosity. I found myself drawn to modules that explored the causes of inequality, the legacies of colonialism, and the complexities of development. The theories I encountered helped me make sense of what I had seen growing up, and they fuelled a desire to understand and eventually contribute to addressing these systemic issues.

Pursuing this MA felt like a way to deepen that expertise, with the long-term hope of contributing to the rebuilding of Sudan’s education system when the war ends and, perhaps, even preventing cycles of instability through education.

What It’s Like to Study Education and International Development at UCL

Studying this MA while working in education has been a powerful reminder that teachers are, and must remain, learners. The course demands intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and a willingness to challenge assumptions. These are exactly the qualities we ask of our students.

Engaging with development theory, global policy debates, and comparative education systems has strengthened my understanding of the economic concepts I teach. I now bring richer examples, deeper context, and more nuanced explanations into the classroom. Students see that I am learning alongside them, not above them.

This visible commitment to learning has helped me model resilience. When deadlines pile up or readings feel overwhelming, I talk openly (and appropriately) with students about how I manage it. They see that struggle is part of learning, even for their teacher. Many of my students will occasionally ask me how the course is going.

Projects That Have Stretched My Thinking

Some of the most impactful learning has come from collaborative projects with peers, including:

• Designing a “Sustainopoly” game for a group project as part of a module entitled: ‘Education and International Development: Concepts, Theories and Issues’. It explored sustainability, development trade-offs, and policy decision-making (Fig 1).

• Creating a funding proposal for a development project, which mirrored real NGO and international development processes, such as producing a log frame (Fig 2).

• Engaging with foundational and contemporary theory, from human capital theory to decolonial critiques and capability approaches.

These projects have pushed me to think creatively, work collaboratively, and apply theory to practice – exactly the skills I want my students to develop. When I share these experiences with them, they see that I am actively practising the same competencies I expect from them.

Fig 1: 'Sustainopoly' explored sustainability, development trade-offs and policy

Fig 2: Part of a project proposal to increase the rate of student progression in Malawi

The Reality of Time Management

Balancing a part-time MA with full-time work in education has been one of the most challenging aspects of this journey. It has forced me to prioritise, plan, and protect my time in ways I hadn’t needed to before. If you’re considering this route, I would strongly advise against taking more than one module per term. The readings are dense, the assignments require deep engagement, and the learning deserves space.

Yet even this challenge has become part of my modelling. Students often assume adults, especially teachers, have everything figured out. My patience has been tested many a time by A-Level students asking whether I have marked their papers by the next lesson. Little do they know it takes me up to 5 hours to mark a full set of topic tests!

By openly discussing the realities of time management, I show that organisation is a skill that can be developed rather than an innate personality trait, requiring continual refinement. I find time-blocking particularly useful and often share examples with my economics students and tutees of how I schedule my time using tools like Google Calendar, especially when they seek advice on planning their revision schedules.

Opportunities Beyond the Classroom

One of the highlights of the programme has been the chance to visit organisations such as UNESCO and the OECD with professors who are active researchers and practitioners. These experiences have offered insight into how educational policy is shaped globally and how theory translates into real-world decision-making.

Bringing these experiences back to the classroom has helped students see the relevance of what they’re learning. It also reinforces the idea that learning opens doors to places and conversations they may one day be part of.

Final Reflections

This MA has enriched my teaching practice in ways I didn’t fully anticipate. It has deepened my subject knowledge, broadened my global perspective, and strengthened my commitment to education as a tool for development and justice. By sharing my motivation with my students, I’ve been able to model how personal history, identity, and purpose can shape one’s learning journey. It has opened conversations about global citizenship, aspiration, and the power of education to create change.

But perhaps most importantly, it has allowed me to model lifelong learning in a genuine, visible, and meaningful way. My students see me reading, researching, questioning, and sometimes struggling - yet, they see me persisting. They see that learning is not a phase of life but a way of living. For educators considering postgraduate study, an MA offers more than academic growth. It offers the chance to embody the values we teach and to show students that curiosity, resilience, and purpose don’t end at graduation.