Current and recent IET PhD Students and their Technology Enhanced Learning research project topics:
Recently passed PhD viva
Bethany Alden (completed April 2013)
PhD thesis title: Distance learners' conceptions of reflection in higher education
The thesis comprises three separate phenomenographic studies that investigate tertiary distance learners' conceptions of reflection and whether these notions change over their higher education experience.
Supervised by Linda Price and John Richardson (internal examiner Mary Thorpe, external examiner Ray Land, University of Durham)
Chris Kubiak (based in the Faculty of Health and Social Care) (completed December 2012)
PhD thesis title: Understanding support worker learning: practice, participation and identity
This PhD research investigated the practice-based learning of support workers in health and social care. It was found that participants considered their capability as resting upon three foundations – practical experience, natural ability and knowledge of the service user. Practice-based learning was a multimodal process arising out of a wide range of complementary and interacting workplace participatory opportunities. Participatory opportunities support a process of alignment in which participants establish collective coherence in their understanding, goals or standards. This alignment represents a countervailing force to the subjective and situational reconstruction of care work. Engagement in participatory opportunities is afforded or restricted through controls over access and fullness of participation, density of opportunity, relationship quality and presence or absence of formalisation but is ultimately a negotiated practice. Individual construal of, and engagement in, participatory opportunities reflects the individual’s identification and pursuit of recognition.
Supervised by Mary Thorpe and Doug Clow
Binhui Shao (based in the Faculty of Education and Language Studies) (completed September 2012)
PhD thesis title: University students' use of technologies in China
My PhD focuses on evaluating students' experiences of e-learning. I am particularly interested in technology assisted language learning. Before joining IET, I was doing an MPhil in second language education at Cambridge.
Supervised by John Richardson and Chris Jones
Jo Iacovides (completed June 2012)
PhD thesis title: Digital Games: Motivation, Engagement and Informal Learning
The aim of my PhD is to explore the relationship between motivation, engagement and informal learning through digital games. My first study involved carrying out a series of email interviews with adult games players to find out more about their game playing experiences and how they view learning in this context. The second phase of my research involved adopting an exploratory case study approach consisting of mixed methods. These include observation, interview, questionnaires, diaries and physiological data in order to build an in-depth picture of how motivation, engagement and informal learning come together in practice. I also completed a final questionnaire study looking at players game-related experiences and attitudes on a larger scale. My findings indicate the importance of overcoming breakdowns and achieving breakthroughs during play, the range of activities players engage in around play which support their learning, the variety of learning players experience as a result of their involvement with games and highlight the influence of player identity on these experiences.
Supervised by James Aczel and Eileen Scanlon
Current PhD students
Maria Aristeidou
PhD Thesis title: Evolution of Collaboration Between Professionals and non-Professionals
Supervised by Eileen Scanlon and Mike Sharples
Kurt Andersen (based in the Faculty of Education and Language Studies)
PhD thesis title: Issues in Grounded Theory
Supervised by Martyn Hammersley and Anne Adams
Sally Baker
PhD Thesis title: Students' writing and 'transitions' from school to university
Supervised by Mary Lea and Theresa Lillis
David Buck
PhD Thesis title: The effectiveness of the governance of HEIs in the United Kingdom
Supervised by John Richardson, Chris Cornforth and William Locke
Koula Charitonos
PhD Thesis title: The use of web 2.0 technologies for museum learning
My PhD research is investigating the use of social and mobile technologies by young people as means for enhancing museum learning. My work centers in meaning making in museums and other learning spaces, such as schools and the role of new media and technologies in different aspects of knowledge production. I am particularly interested in the evolution of technology-enhanced learning, characterised by 'seamless learning spaces' and marked by continuity of the learning experience across different scenarios or contexts.
Supervised by Ann Jones, Canan Blake and Eileen Scanlon
Lynn Coleman
PhD Thesis title: Contested Access: Explorations of student academic literacy practices in digital multimodal disciplinary contexts in South African vocational higher education
Supervised by Mary Lea, Robin Goodfellow
Vickie Curtis
PhD Thesis title: How are New developments in Communication Technologies Influencing Public Engagement Activities in Science
Supervised by Eileen Scanlon, Ann Jones and Rick Holliman
Jamie Dorey
PhD Thesis title: Exploring digital scholarship within a climate of openness and transparency: Promoting the Large Hadron Collider and high-energy physics
My PhD research will investigate aspects of science communication and public engagement in the digital age through what will ultimately become a case study of aspects of scientific research conducted at CERN.
Supervised by Eileen Scanlon and Rick Holliman
Katy Jordan
PhD Thesis title: Reshaping the Higher Education network? Analysis of an academic social networking site
Supervisors: Professor Martin Weller and Dr Canan Blake
Kasia Kozinska (based in the Faculty of Education and Language Studies)
PhD thesis title: Motivations for various ways of learning and teaching with Open Educational Resources (OER) – case studies of different OER initiatives and their role in supporting inclusive lifelong learning
Supervised by Patrick McAndrew, Ann Jones, Eileen Scanlon and Tina Wilson
Anne Pike
PhD thesis title: Perceptions of the impact of prison-based higher level distance learning on the resettlement of released adult male prisoners
Supervised by Anne Adams and John Richardson
Thiemo Romey
PhD thesis title: Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Distance Learning
Supervised by Anne Adams and Tom Argles
Completed PhD
Pauline Ngimwa (completed 2011)
PhD thesis title: A Collaborative Design Process for Educational Digital Resources in African Higher Education
Supervised by Anne Adams, Eileen Scanlon and Bob Moon
Eunice Olakanmi (completed 2011)
PhD thesis title: Self and Co-Regulation in a Computer Supported Collaborative Learning environment Among Key Stage Three Students
Supervised by Canan Blake, Eileen Scanlon, Ann Jones
Chris Pegler (completed 2011)
PhD thesis title: Reuse and Repurposing of Online Digital Resources, Including Learning Objects within UK Higher education: 2003-2010
Supervised by Patrick McAndrew and Martin Weller