Mrs Melissa Green

Professional biography

I am a Lecturer in Education Studies (Primary) at the Open University, Faculty of Wellbeing, Education, Language and Sport (WELS), and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. My academic background spans psychology (BSc), an MEd in Equality and Diversity, and an MA in Creative Writing, all from the Open University. I am currently completing my EdD (expected submission September 2025), researching the personal and professional identities of Open University Associate Lecturers in online teaching through critical ethnography.

I joined the Open University in 2017 as an Associate Lecturer, teaching across E103 Learning and Teaching in the Primary Years, E104 Introduction to Childhood Studies and Child Psychology, and E209 Developing Subject Knowledge in Primary Years. Over six years, I provided individual and group tuition to over 400 students, designed innovative online and offline learning activities, and offered comprehensive pastoral support. In 2022, I transitioned to a central academic role, currently serving as Chair of E209 and leading its assessment redesign while supporting tutors through professional development initiatives. I also lead the Audio/Visual development of E103 and serve as Block 3 Lead, contributing to module production and writing study topics for multiple modules.

My 25-year career in education began in 1999, spanning roles in early years, youth work, and primary education across mainstream and specialist settings. As a primary teacher, I progressed to middle leadership roles including ICT Coordinator, PSHE Coordinator, and Behaviour Lead. Later, as a Behaviour Specialist and Intervention Teacher, I supported children excluded from mainstream settings, working in Pupil Referral Units and psychiatric units through multi-agency collaboration across education, health, and social care.

From 2015 to 2023, I worked as an educational writer and editor, developing learning materials for Study.com, Shmoop.com, and Lyfta, translating complex concepts for children and young people. I have published articles on race, motherhood, and education for outlets including Black Ballad, Huffington Post, and OpenLearn, with my OpenLearn articles receiving over 68,000 combined views.

Research interests

My research advances critical discussions in anti-racist and inclusive assessment, the sociology of education, and racial and educational inequities, with a particular focus on Black British mothering and educational advocacy. My doctoral research examines how personal and professional identities intersect for distance educators, shaping pedagogical choices, teaching values, and engagement with students. My scholarship contributes to higher education policy and practice, particularly through the co-construction of assessment criteria, the role of self-assessment in fostering student agency, and the application of critical pedagogy in assessment design.

A central strand of my research explores Black British mothering, particularly the experiences of Black mothers navigating educational systems and advocating for their children. I co-led a groundbreaking research study exploring the experiences of Black mothers raising autistic children, contributing new insights into the intersection of race, disability, and education. This work highlights the structural challenges, advocacy efforts, and resilience within this underrepresented group, offering implications for educational, welfare and social policy. My scholarship on Black motherhood examines how Black mothers perform motherhood within and beyond academic spaces, contributing to Black feminist scholarship and challenging dominant narratives about mothering.

I am committed to leading institutional change in HE with a focus on embedding anti-racist assessment practices, enhancing equity in curriculum design, and shaping inclusive teaching strategies.

My work examines

• educational inequities,
• educator identities,
• intersectionality
• identity in education,
• anti-racist pedagogy,
• humanising and relational pedagogies, and
• widening participation through innovative pedagogies and technologies.

Impact and engagement

My expertise in digital and inclusive pedagogies has shaped professional development across the OU and beyond. I currently serve as Anti-Racist and Inclusive Assessment (ARIA) Lead for WELS PRAXIS Hubs (45 members across faculties), leading faculty-wide initiatives to embed anti-racist assessment practices across disciplines. I also lead Anti-Racism initiatives for Professional Services and VCE, designing an OU-wide anti-racist website launching March 2025.

Key contributions include designing and delivering over 15 professional development sessions since 2021, covering topics from anti-racist pedagogy to inclusive assessment practices, reaching hundreds of educators across the institution. I created the innovative "Understanding Me As A Learner" resource, an annual induction session providing students with strategies to personalise their learning and develop reflective skills. This resource, informed by my research and lived experiences as a parent of a child with SEND, addresses areas requiring additional, accessible support. The resource has been embedded in multiple modules (E103 24J and E320 24J, reaching 4,142 students) to enhance student engagement, self-assessment, and academic confidence, with consistently strong attendance (34-46 students live, plus additional VLE views). I have delivered faculty-wide workshops on anti-racist pedagogy and assessment practices, and led the PRAXIS-funded Discord project, demonstrating the role of social media in fostering student belonging. My chapter on humanising online learning contributes to the institutional guide "Working with Tutor Group Forums: A Guide for Open University Tutors."

My research in anti-racist assessment has directly influenced curriculum design, including co-authoring E209's assessment framework that eliminated awarding gaps for Black students. I lead the Anti-Racist and Inclusive Assessment (ARIA) Hub. I established the ARIA Speaker Series, engaging global experts to influence institutional practice, and led a systematic ARIA literature review now being developed into a publishable paper. I have presented my research at Black History Month, WELS EDI Festival, APS Scholarship events, and major conferences including BERA, SRHE, and UKLA, shaping institutional and national discussions on equity.

I serve as Senate Member at the Open University (2023-present), representing WELS academic staff in the university's highest academic governing body. As a peer reviewer for multiple journals, I contribute to shaping academic discourse in education. My scholarship on Black British mothering has reached national and international audiences through keynote presentations, with my work on "Mothering at the Margins" being presented at major conferences including BERA/WERA International Conference and featured in university talks reaching hundreds of viewers online.

External collaborations

I serve as a member of the UCL Stakeholder Advisory Group (2022-) for the Equity Evaluation of SEND Policy for Ethnically and Racially Minoritised Children and Young People's Mental Health in England, contributing to national policy development. 

I am a peer reviewer for Open Learning: The Journal of Open and Distance Learning, Frontiers in Sociology, and Sociological Perspectives.

I have served as Trustee for Whitefield Academy Trust, a specialist school for autistic learners (2021-23), and previously as Vice-chair of Governors at Whitehall Community School, Waltham Forest (2016-20).

Currently, I work as Academic Reviewer for Bishops Auckland College, reviewing their Education Studies degree provision.

My external teaching contributions include authoring the Neurodiversity Interactive Course for Lyfta (2022) and serving as Academic Lead and consultant for Race Reflections (2022), where I developed podcasts and delivered courses on intersectionality, race, and disability for practitioners.

I am an active member of the British Educational Research Association, Society of Research into Higher Education, and Radical Mothering Collective, where my scholarship on Black British mothering contributes to advancing understanding of racialised mothering experiences and educational advocacy.