Summary of Staff Research Interests

Ashwin, Paul
Research interests include: ways of conceptualising teaching-learning process in higher education; accounting for structure and agency in teaching and learning in higher education; approaches to teaching and learning in higher education; phenomenographic research methodology; academic development in higher education; critical pedagogy in higher education, and peer learning in further and higher education.

Cuban, Sondra
My research focus is on gender, women, migration, care, and workplace education and learning. I draw on theories surrounding the feminisation of migration, the exploration of spatial and materialist theories, social practice and critical theories of literacies, and postcolonial discourse theories.

Davies, Paul
Careers Education and Guidance, Practitioner Research, Literacy and Employment

Dempster, Steven
Gender in education, masculinities, laddishness, student experience of Higher Education, educational transitions, widening participation and post-16 destinations.

Fritz, Catherine
Psychological study of learning and remembering, especially with respect to the role of practice and repetition, including laboratory and real world experiments; Maths and science learning; Constructive nature of perception, memory and reasoning; Memory improvement strategies; Remembering names.

Hamilton, Mary
My work explores communication and interaction in the everyday textually-mediated social world and how people negotiate changes in the resources and technologies available to them. My research approach involves close analysis of how texts, both print and digital, are used within social encounters and how texts circulate within institutional settings. I am interested in informal learning across the lifespan; how older people negotiate changing literacies and technologies making choices among communicative resources (face to face print and digital); the effects of digital literacies on social isolation and connectivity; how communicative and learning resources are built across the life span and can aid adaptability and strong social networks. In recent years I have become increasingly involved with historical and interpretative policy analysis exploring how international influences reach into local practice and the implications of this for tutor and student agency in adult literacy education.

Houghton, Ann-Marie
Research interests are closely linked to the work of REAP (Researching Equity, Access and Participation) and university role as Development Officer for Widening Participation in the Vice Chancellor's Office. Major themes at present include: Educational Equality and Social Exclusion; Widening participation policy and practice; Family Learning; Disability and transition to HE and Employment; Teaching and learning policy and practice; Educational Guidance

Jackson, Carolyn
Carolyn's research is guided by an overarching interest in gender issues in education, with particular interests in single-sex and mixed-sex learning environments, fears of failure, and constructions and performances of 'laddish' masculinities and femininities. Between 2003-2005 she undertook a project exploring boys' and girls' motives for 'laddish' behaviours. A book from this project - 'Lads' and 'Ladettes' in School: Gender and a Fear of Failure - was published in 2006 by Open University Press. Also conducts research on the PhD examination process in Britain.

Parchoma, Gale
My research interests are in technology-enhanced learning policy and processes, simulation-based education, integrating human-computer interaction into curriculum, online learning communities, and digital identity.

Passey, Don
For the past 20 years has worked in the field of evaluation and research, looking at the uses of ICT in education (principally primary and secondary education, but also further education).

Rogers, Colin
Research interests are focussed on motivational processes involved in both learning and teaching. There are two main areas of concentration at present. One of these is to do with the impact of ICT in school contexts upon the motivation of students. The other concerns the role of motivational factors in enabling effective transitions from one part of the educational system to the next (e.g. secondary school to HE). In addition other interests involve the application of relevant social psychological theory to aspects of student disaffection, school effectiveness and school improvement.

Saunders, Murray
Curriculum implementation and change; work and the curriculum; national and international policy on vocational education and training.

Sime, Julie-Ann
The development of competence and expertise in professional learning; pedagogy and metacognitive issues in the design of learning technology; games and simulations in teaching and learning; the use of multiple representations in supporting thinking, teaching and learning with technology; use of qualitative simulations in learning environments; team training; organisational online communities.

Thompson, Leanne
General interest in theories of mental representation, in particular spatial representation and imagery; more specifically interested in the applied implications of this research, with work to date focussing on the application of this psychological knowledge to the design of tactual pictorial displays for blind people. Also interested in perception and information processing in other special educational needs groups, and perceptual processes in reading.

Tight, Malcolm
A broad range of research interests in the fields of higher and post-compulsory education. Over the years, these have included research into: changing patterns of academic work; the nature of the academic experience; the development of higher education research; the history and meaning of higher education; alternative modes of study; the postgraduate and research experience; mature and 'non-traditional' students; comparative studies; patterns of participation; the role of learning in adult life.

Trowler, Paul
Specialisms include: Planning and managing change in universities, the implementation of planned change particularly related to the enhancement of the curriculum, teaching, learning and assessment. Higher education policy-making and environmental change. Cultures in universities. Academic 'tribes' and their disciplinary territories. Approaches to evaluation.

Warin, Jo
Socio-emotional aspects of children's learning and development especially the formation of identity. Gender issues in education. Home-school relationships. Early years education and care.