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Dr Victoria Cooper
Profile summary
- Central Academic Staff
- Snr Lecturer (Childhood & Youth Studies)
- Faculty of Wellbeing, Education & Language Studies
- School of Education, Childhood, Youth & Sport
- Childhood, Youth & Sport
- victoria.cooper
Professional biography
Victoria Cooper is senior lecturer in childhood and youth studies at The Open University Faculty of Education and Language Studies. From 2017 - 2019 Victoria was Co-Director of The Children’s Research Centre.
Victoria has extensive experience in education and research and has taught students in further and higher education at vocational, professional development, undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral level. Victoria’s practice experience includes work as an early year’s teacher, lecturer in further and higher education and staff tutor supporting tutor professional development.
Victoria has extensive experience as an internal and external examiner.
Victoria is a member of the Open University Children's Research Centre, involved in research projects with Amnesty International focusing on children's understandings of their rights; Chickenshed Theatre, exploring creative learning in the early years (funded by Mercers Philanthropy); Hope Support Services, exploring children and young people's experiences living with a loved one who is seriously ill; YSS (Youth Support Services) exploring children, young people and family experiences when a parent or carer is incarcerated.
Research interests
· Children and young people’s identity development
· Childhood and adolescent mental health
· Qualitative research methodologies – developing participatory, responsive approaches
· Children and young people's experiences living with a loved one who is seriously ill
Recent funded research and knowledge exchange include:
· Researching extent of need for support amongst children and young people living through a family health crisis (Hope Support 2017), launched at the Houses of Parliament, 27th March 2018. Access the research report here.
· Researching children and young people’s views on children’s rights/Amnesty International. Access the report here >http://oro.open.ac.uk/68276/9/The%20Open%20University’s%20Children’s%20Research%20Centre%20Report_%20FINAL_%20revised%20print%20version.pdf>
· Researching the integration of human geography into A level Geography with the Field Studies Council
· Exploring creative learning in the early years (Mercer funding)
· Children, young people and family experiences when a parent/carer is incarcerated
Teaching interests
Module chair in production:
E104 Introduction to childhood studies and psychology (Co-chair) 2020/21
E232 Exploring childhood and youth (Co chair) 2019/20
KE206 Working with children and young people: Making a difference (Co Chair) 2018/19
Module chair in presentation
EK313 Understanding research with children and young people (2015 - 2017)
E807 Children and young people's worlds (2009 - 2011)
ED841 Understanding children’s development and learning (2010-2011)
E124 Supporting Children’s Learning in the Early Years (2008)
Module teams in production
E809 Frameworks for Critical Practice (2019)
E808 Children's and young people's worlds (2018)
E102 Introduction to childhood studies and psychology (2015)
E891 Educational Enquiry (2013)
E212 Psychology of childhood and youth (2012)
E210 Extending professional practice in the early years (2010)
EK312 Working with children, young people and families (2009)
Moduel team in presentation
E212 Childhood (2018-2020)
E212 Psychology of childhood and youth (2012)
E124 Supporting Children’s Learning in the Early Years (2008)
E230 Ways of Knowing: Language, Mathematics and Science in the Early Years (2007)
E111Supporting Learning in Primary Schools (2005-2006)
Impact and engagement
Victoria disseminates her knowledge and expertise to engage diverse communities and foster knowledge exchange. Examples of media used to disseminate such knowledge include:
- OpenLearn (https://www.open.edu/openlearn/health-sports-psychology/childhood-youth/do-we-really-listen-children-and-young-people; https://www.open.edu/openlearn/languages/games-geeks-and-the-parents-dilemma; https://www.open.edu/openlearn/health-sports-psychology/young-peoples-health/invisible-group-young-peoples-experiences-living-loved-one-who-seriously-ill?in_menu=859000
- Broadcast media: academic consultant on Radio 4 Bringing up Britain.
External collaborations
External collaborations
Amnesty International UK
The Diana Awards
Hope Support Services
The Field Studies Council
UNICEF
YSS
Externally funded projects
Research into extent of need for HOPE Support amongst children and young people (CYP)
| Role | Start date | End date | Funding source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Co-investigator | 01 Apr 2017 | 30 Nov 2017 | HOPE Hope Support Services |
This small scale research and dissemination project aims to raise public, media and stakeholder awareness of the scale of need nationally for Hope Support Services (or similar) and awareness of the work Hope is currently doing with a view to securing funding to carry out further research and extend services. The initial aim would be met through a rapid, indicative research report and launch event within a one-year time-frame. | |||
Publications
Journal articles
Children and young people living through a serious family illness: structural, interpersonal and personal perspectives (2020-01)
Payler, Jane; Cooper, Victoria and Bennett, Stephanie
Children & Society, 34(1) (pp. 62-77)
Representing children’s rights from discussion through to illustration and interpretation (2019-05-09)
Chamberlain, Liz and Cooper, Victoria
Research Intelligence(139) (pp. 13-14)
Lost in translation: exploring childhood identity using photo-elicitation (2017)
Cooper, Victoria L.
Children's Geographies, 15(6) (pp. 625-637)
Authored books
Parenting the First Twelve Years: What the Evidence Tells Us (2018-08-30)
Cooper, Victoria L.; Montgomery, Heather and Sheehy, Kieron
ISBN : 978-0241270509 | Publisher : Pelican
Book chapters
Childhood identities and materiality (2020)
Cooper, Victoria
In: Cooper, Victoria and Holford, Naomi eds. Exploring childhood and youth (pp. 7-20)
Publisher : Routledge | Published : Abingdon
Beyond talk: Learning from children and young people experiencing a family health crisis (2019-06-21)
Cooper, Victoria; Payler, Jane and Bennett, Stephanie
In: Robb, Martin; Montgomery, Heather and Thompson, Rachel eds. Critical Practice with Children and Young People (2nd edition) (pp. 143-160)
ISBN : 9781447352846 | Publisher : Policy press | Published : Bristol
Listening to children (2017-06-16)
Cooper, Victoria and Kellett, Mary
In: Moyles, Janet; Georgeson, Jan and Payler, Jane eds. Beginning Teaching, Beginning Learning in Early Years and Primary Education
ISBN : 9780335226962 | Publisher : McGraw Hill Education / Open University Press | Published : Milton Keynes
Children's developing identity (2014-11-30)
Cooper, Victoria
In: Reed, Michael and Rosie, Walker eds. A Critical Companion to Early Childhood (pp. 281-296)
ISBN : 9781446259269 | Publisher : Sage | Published : London
Education and the impact of schooling (2014)
Cooper, Victoria
In: Farrington-Flint, Lee ed. An introduction to childhood studies and child psychology (pp. 143-164)
Publisher : The Open University | Published : Milton Keynes
Designing research for different purposes. (2013-12-10)
Cooper, Victoria
In: Clark, Alison; Hammersley, Martyn; Flewitt, Rosie and Robb, Martin eds. Understanding research with children and young people
ISBN : 9781446274927 | Publisher : Sage | Published : London
Ethnographic practitioner research (2011)
Cooper, Victoria and Ellis, Carole
In: Callan, Sue and Reed, Michael eds. Work-based Research in the Early Years: Positioning Yourself as a Researcher (pp. 47-61)
ISBN : 9780857021755 | Publisher : Sage | Published : London
Extending practice: promoting participation and evaluating professional roles (2011)
Whalley, Mary; Cooper, Victoria; Callan, Sue and Drury, Rose
In: Drury, Rose and Paige-Smith, Alice eds. Extending practice: promoting participation and evaluating professional roles (pp. 0-5)
Publisher : The Open University | Published : Milton Keynes
Supporting children’s personal, social and emotional development. (2011)
Browne, Naima; Paige-Smith, Alice and Cooper, Victoria
In: Drury, Rose and Paige-Smith, Alice eds. Book 1: Extending reflective practice: Leadership, learning and environments. (pp. 135-220)
Publisher : The Open University | Published : Milton Keynes
Distance learning and professional development (2009-10-29)
Cooper, Victoria
In: Reed, Michael and Canning, Natalie eds. Reflective Practice in the Early Years (pp. 143-155)
ISBN : 9781848601628 | Publisher : Sage Publications | Published : London
Children's Identity (2008)
Cooper, V.
In: Collins, J. and Foley, P. eds. Promoting Children's Well-being: Policy and Practice
ISBN : 9781847420596 | Publisher : Policy Press in association with the Open University Press | Published : Bristol, UK
Edited books
Exploring Childhood and Youth (2021)
Cooper, Victoria and Holford, Naomi eds.
ISBN : 9780367485443 | Publisher : Routledge | Published : Abingdon
Conference items
Theory And Empirical Research Of Children And Young People And Digital Food/Health Literacy (2018-05-01)
Cooper, Victoria; Narzisi, Katia; Simons, Joan; Tatlow-Golden, Mimi and Twiner, Alison
In : 2nd Digital Health and Wellbeing Conference (1-3 May 2018, Open University, Milton Keynes)
Other
Representing children's rights from discussion through to illustration and interpretation (2019-11)
Chamberlain, Liz; Afroze, Jiniya; Cooper, Victoria and Collins, Trevor
The Open University Children’s Research Centre and Amnesty UK International, Milton Keynes.
The need for support: Young people living through a family health crisis (2017)
Bennett, Stephanie; Cooper, Victoria and Payler, Jane
Hope support services, UK.
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