Philosophical thinking for professional development
About us
Think Learning was founded on a simple premise: that the most important but perhaps underused resource in any profession is the thinking and learning person.
Through over 30 years of teaching in universities we have seen the difference that philosophical thinking can make, not just personally and professionally, but also politically, environmentally and spiritually.
In 2024 we founded Think Learning to bring philosophical thinking to people working in social care and the public sectors.
As participants tell us time and again, this kind of thinking provides much needed time and space in busy and pressured working environments, and in ways that contribute to well-being, improved practice and motivation.
We believe that thinking changes practice because it changes people, and that the leaders and practitioners who step back to think and reflect are those who create lasting and impactful change.
Over 35 years of expertise
Think Learning
We have been designing and delivering philosophical learning for over 35 years, including as a pioneering team of educators who reintroduced the first Liberal Arts programme to the UK in 2010.
The programme integrated the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and the arts into an innovative curriculum that challenged students to think differently about themselves and the world. This distinctive programme drew the interest of Rowan Williams, who served as external examiner and long-time supporter of the project.
Our current work focuses on professional development in the charity and public sector, in partnership with national and local organisations. Our biggest client is Barnardo’s who are leading the way in offering these kinds of thinking spaces to their practitioners and leaders.
You can read more about our work with Barnardo’s in the following report on the 2024 pilot study. It is available to read in full via CareKnowledge.
By philosophical thinking, we don’t mean the dry academic subject of philosophy. Rather, in the spirit of Socrates, we mean simply valuing the examined life; being open to new ideas, to asking questions, to accepting uncertainty, and to change as we learn.
over 35 years of expertise
Our Team
A passion for teaching and a commitment to creating meaningful learning experiences
Dr Rebekah Howes
Rebekah spent 15 years teaching Liberal Arts and philosophy at the University of Winchester, first in Education Studies, then leading the BA in Liberal Arts and the MA in Death, Religion and Culture. Her PhD explored the meaning of philosophical education as socially, politically and spiritually significant.
Her interest in the way that learning changes us has shaped everything she has built since. She co-founded Think Learning because she believes that philosophical education is a form of sustainable care. She has written numerous articles and has spoken at conferences on philosophy, education and liberal arts.
She leads Think Learning's programmes and partnerships and teaches across all of its courses.
Professor Nigel Tubbs
Nigel was Professor at the University of Winchester for 15 years after having been a school teacher in West Sussex and Brighton the 1980s and early 1990s.
He designed and lead two undergraduate programmes in Education Studies, and more recently in Liberal Arts, which was the first such programme to be reintroduced into English universities for many decades (having begun life in Ancient Greece with Plato and Aristotle).
As a university researcher he wrote nine books, including Socrates On Trial, which was a New Statesman book of the year 2021. He currently teaches across all of Think Learning's courses and programmes.
Dr Lawrence Harvey
