Dr Inma Alvarez

Professional biography

I have done research on intercultural competence in language education, intercultural communication, and technology enhanced education.I am also interested in performing arts research, specifically in how these arts are documented and disseminated.

I have experience as a Masters, PhD and EdD supervisor and examiner in both Modern Languages and the arts.

I am also a reviewer for Journal of Movement Arts Literacy and Danzaratte.​ I am currently a member of various dance associations: 

• the Language of Dance, Board of Trustees.
• the ICKL (International Council of Kinetography Laban).
• Danza+Investigación.

ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0667-8264

I have taught general language courses at all levels as well as courses for specific purposes (e.g. business Spanish, Latin American literature, Contemporary Spain, translation and interpreting) at the University of Michigan (USA), University of St. Andrews and University of Dundee (Scotland), University of Wolverhampton and University of Northampton (England). At the Open University, I have contributed to the development of all modules in the Spanish programme from beginners to advanced, including contributions to print, audiovisual and online resources and residential schools materials. I have also been involved in the development and piloting of an electronic European Language Portfolio (ELP) for adults and in the development of Beginners' Chinese and Italian modules.

I have also teaching experience in the area of Dance Studies. I have taught dance anthropology at the London Contemporary Dance School and dance analysis and notation at the Conservatorio Superior de Danza “María de Ávila” in Madrid. I have also been an external examiner for the BA (Hons) Theatre Dance, Goldsmith/The Laban Centre as well as an e-tutor in the dance programme at the University of Surrey. 

Since 2014 I have been part of EMPOWER, an action programme to support new modes of teaching and learning in European higher education institutions.

At present I am involved in two Arts and Humanities Research Council research funded projects:

• Language Acts and Worldmaking with colleagues at King’s College London, Queen Mary University of London and the University of Westminster. As prt of the OWRI (Open World Research Initiative). My work is based on the strand ‘Diasporic identities and the politics of language teaching’ which aims to investigate the role of modern language teachers in a changing linguistic, social, and cultural landscape.
• Pas en Avant: Community Integration through Dace-Based Pedagogy in the Lake Chad Region, led by the University of Leeds. This is a network project that aims at evaluating the impact of dance-based pedagogy in social and cultural learning among refugees in areas of conflict.

In the past few years I have participated in the following national and international research and scholarly projects.

• LEAP (Learning English Audio Pilot) project with the British Council in Sub-Sahara Africa (2013-2015). I was responsible for the Monitoring and Evaluation of audio technology and materials in primary schools in Nigeria and South Africa and secondary schools in Ethiopia and Tanzania.
• MAGICC  (Modularising Multilingual and Multicultural Academic Communication Competence for BA and MA level) project.  A life-long learning European project (2011-2014) funded by the Education and Culture DG (Lifelong Learning Programme).
• Contexts, Culture and Creativity: Enriching E-Learning in Dance, a JISC-funded project (2012) with the University of Surrey.
• Performing Languages, a life-long learning European project (2011-2013) on drama, language and intercultural learning. Funded by the Education and Culture DG (Mobility projects).
• CEFcult (Online CEF-based assessment of oral proficiency for intercultural professionals). Funded by the Education and Culture DG (KA2 Multilateral projects) with several European universities (2009-2011).
• Emotion and moral value in art, with several Spanish universities (2009-2011). Funded by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Spain.
• Collaborative Models Project, with several Brisitsh HEIs (2007-2008). Funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).
• The expression of subjectivity in the arts, a collaboration between several Spanish universities (2006-2008). Funded by the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia, Spain.