Nicole Brown
UCL Institute of Education, UCL Institute of Education, Faculty Member
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Qualitative Research, Qualitative methodology, Interpretative Research, Higher Education, Arts-Based Research, Research Methodology, and 10 moreEducational Research, Plagiarism Detection, Plagiarism, Work-Based Learning, Post-compulsory education, Teacher Education, Academic Identities, Academic Identity and Practice, Multimodality, and Arts-based methodologies edit
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I am Head of Research Ethics and Integrity and Associate Professor at IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society, Lo... moreI am Head of Research Ethics and Integrity and Associate Professor at IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society, London and Director of Social Research & Practice and Education Ltd. I was awarded my PhD in Sociology from the University of Kent. I hold the Master of Teaching from the Institute of Education, the MA Higher Education and Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education from the University of Kent, the Magister der Philosophie in Anglistics & Americanistics and French from the University of Vienna, Austria. I also hold the postgraduate IoLET Diploma in Translation, and I have gained the Fellow as well as the Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
After my first degree I worked as a secondary teacher of modern foreign languages and taught English and French in Austria and German and French in the UK. Having gained several years of practical experience in the classroom I made the move from secondary to higher education.
Research Summary
My research interests lie with advancing learning and teaching and ways of improving knowledge generation, effective teaching, research and professional practice, research methodologies and supporting students with their learning (eg. special needs, dyslexia and bilingualism). My doctoral research uses creative methods to investigate how the invisible illness fibromyalgia shapes academic identity. edit
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Based on recent socioeconomic shifts, we argue that current theories and practices in teacher education are not sufficiently geared to help teachers prepare their students for the kinds of futures they are likely to grow into and help... more
Based on recent socioeconomic shifts, we argue that current theories and practices in teacher education are not sufficiently geared to help teachers prepare their students for the kinds of futures they are likely to grow into and help shape. In particular, there is a need to give importance to the nurturing of imagination to help develop, what we call, the three Cs of education: care, critique, and creativity. As we, globally, enter a new phase of digital and technological advancement, there is a need for bringing in new considerations to bear upon teacher education programs. One such consideration is to give centrality to nurturing imagination in education. We propose that drawing on social theories
related to imagination will help design more effective teacher education research and practices, better preparing teachers and, in turn, students for the demands of our current and future world.
related to imagination will help design more effective teacher education research and practices, better preparing teachers and, in turn, students for the demands of our current and future world.
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Within the UK Higher Education setting there is an emphasis on student satisfaction and experience surveys in combination with an increased interest in connecting teaching with research. As a result there is an unprecedented focus on... more
Within the UK Higher Education setting there is an emphasis on student satisfaction and experience surveys in combination with an increased interest in connecting teaching with research. As a result there is an unprecedented focus on engaging students on all levels within their university experience, from concerns related to governance, policy and administration to considerations of teaching and learning activities. In this paper I explain and analyse two distinct staff-student collaborations. Case study 1 demonstrates how students’ personal interest led to the development of innovative, creative methods for reflections. Case study 2 describes how students took on the role of co-researchers in order to investigate and explore student experiences. In the discussion I explore some factors influencing staff-student collaborations: the relevance of purposefulness, the importance of time, the necessity of developing a trusting relationship and finally, the differences in knowledge and outlooks amongst staff and students.
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Over the last two decades qualitative research has seen significant shifts towards the narrative, reflexive and creative. And yet, analytical frameworks do not seem to have stayed abreast of these developments. Using research into the... more
Over the last two decades qualitative research has seen significant shifts towards the narrative, reflexive and creative. And yet, analytical frameworks do not seem to have stayed abreast of these developments. Using research into the construction of identity under the influence of fibromyalgia as an example, this paper seeks to exemplify a reflexive approach to data analysis that accounts for the researcher’s positionality as well as the increasingly untraditional, unconventional data stemming from creative data collection methods. The paper provides insight into data analysis and reflexivity and offers two practical examples of reflexive data analysis—an illustrated poem and an installation. After an outline of the processes and practical steps involved in the creation of these analytical outcomes, the paper concludes with thoughts relating to challenges, potential areas of application and a look to the future of this innovative approach to data analysis. In this approach, data analysis is in itself a form of knowledge generation through the process of assemblage and “listening to gut feelings.” This approach may be seen as unscientific, but given its advantages in relation to new insights, dissemination and communication of ideas, this approach is more fruitful than detrimental to developing qualitative research further.
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This paper considers the use of identity boxes as a data collection method to elicit experiences. Participants were asked to respond to questions using objects to represent their answers. The rationale for using identity boxes was to... more
This paper considers the use of identity boxes as a data collection method to elicit experiences. Participants were asked to respond to questions using objects to represent their answers. The rationale for using identity boxes was to allow for a more embodied, less textual approach. The identity boxes were then also used to create an artistic installation as one form of data analysis. The reflection section in this paper shows that the approach posed potential risks around the emotional vulnerability of participants, with participants experiencing the project as cathartic and therapeutic. Some participants struggled with the process of thinking through objects as difficult. Although using a less conventional approach to research led to deeper, richer reflections and thus relevant, interesting data, concerns were raised around relevance, generalisability, and more generally the evaluation of the research. The paper concludes with a reconsideration of the identity boxes as a method.
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In this paper, we present a project of the University of Kent Graduate School that utilises this paradox of playfulness and creativity. LEGO ® is used in workshops to explore doctoral students' emotions around the complex and solitary... more
In this paper, we present a project of the University of Kent Graduate School that utilises this paradox of playfulness and creativity. LEGO ® is used in workshops to explore doctoral students' emotions around the complex and solitary experience of a PhD research. We argue LEGO ® is uniquely generative for exploring emotion work. After a brief overview of the background and context to the doctoral training workshop, we provide a brief review of emotion work. We then describe the LEGO ® workshop we developed for our students, before explaining our approach to data collection and analysis. We then present our results, using verbatim statements from conversations with students around their LEGO ® models. We present the interconnected building elements of height, walls and positioning, which are particularly impactful in highlighting the emotion work with LEGO ® models. We connect the findings to a brief discussion in relation to the literature around emotion work. We have found that LEGO ® ' bricks structure, solidity, and variety ensure its openness to metaphorical investment and promote the creation of narratives. Thus, building LEGO ® models enabled participants to engage creatively with routinization of practices and emotion work, as well their positive support networks. We conclude with final thoughts on the value of LEGO ® and steps for further developing the existing workshop.
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Due to the diversity of academics engaging with research into higher education, there is no single methodological approach or method that would embody higher education research. In this chapter, we put forward the case that this is a good... more
Due to the diversity of academics engaging with research into higher education, there is no single methodological approach or method that would embody higher education research. In this chapter, we put forward the case that this is a good thing and argue that higher education research can benefit from fusing existing methodological and theoretical paradigms with more creative, playful and artistic approaches, more commonly associated with sociological or anthropological research and performance-based disciplines. In order to frame this attitude of creativity, playfulness and openness, we start by providing a brief delineation of the research field and methods of higher education research. In this context we introduce the Deleuzoguattarian concept of rhizomes and assemblages to provide the grounding for what we mean by creativity and playfulness, which leads to our proposal of a renewed approach to research into higher education. We draw upon our own work on embodied academic identity and trainee teachers’ perceptions of their placement experiences in order to critically explore the benefits and potential pitfalls of incorporating this creativity and playfulness into higher education research.
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Academia can be a challenging place to work and academics who have a disability, neurodiversity or chronic illness are further disadvantaged, as non-stereotypical ways of working are not necessarily supported or catered for. The remit of... more
Academia can be a challenging place to work and academics who have a disability, neurodiversity or chronic illness are further disadvantaged, as non-stereotypical ways of working are not necessarily supported or catered for. The remit of this paper is to provide practical ideas and recommendations to address accessibility issues in events and conferences as a first step to improving existing working conditions. We start with providing a brief overview of and background to the issues of ableism, disabilities, chronic illnesses and neurodiversities in academia. We then offer a detailed description of the organisational and developmental strategies relating to the Ableism in Academia conference to practically demonstrate how accessibility can be achieved. Despite vast literature available on theorisations of reasonable adjustments and some individual handbooks on conference accessibility, noted the absence of a systematic write-up of a case study that would demonstrate the thought processes required for the organisation of a fully accessible and inclusive event. This paper provides almost a step-by-step rationale and rundown of the decisions that had to be taken in order to facilitate an accessible event. After a brief consideration of challenges we encountered along the way, we share personal reflections regarding the event and future developments.
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In recent years, higher education (HE) has become more aware of the nature of learning. Accordingly, various initiatives, such as the promotion of Higher Education Academy fellowships or the Teaching Excellence Framework, aim at improving... more
In recent years, higher education (HE) has become more aware of the nature of learning. Accordingly, various initiatives, such as the promotion of Higher Education Academy fellowships or the Teaching Excellence Framework, aim at improving teaching. The rhetoric of teaching in HE is now placing more emphasis than ever on the role of students as change agents in taking charge of and being responsible for learning (Dunne and Zandstra, 2011). It is within this context that student-staff partnerships are encouraged where students become active co-creators of their learning (Cook-Sather et al., 2014; Healey et al., 2014). Because of the relative novelty of these particular student-centred approaches to learning and teaching and since what student-staff partnerships should ideally look like has not yet, perhaps, been fully explored, practices vary widely (Bovill and Felten, 2016). Overall, the literature emphasises the relationship and distribution of authority and power between students and HE staff (Bovill, 2014). The nature of student-staff partnerships is described as unsettling but transformative (Bergmark and Westman, 2016), although the personal learning gain among staff is less well reported than that of students (Marquis et al., 2016). Drawing on a bespoke teacher education programme at UCL Institute of Education, this article presents an example of a partnership between academic staff and students who are trainee teachers. Owing to the focus on delivering and modelling best teaching practices, teacher education has always been at the forefront of engaging students with their own learning. The partnership model employed in this context is therefore one of a community of practice (Lave and Wenger, 1991), where the student voice is as important as that of the staff. Our understanding of a community of practice echoes the description by Healey et al. (2014) of a partnership as " a process of engagement, not a product " and " a way of doing things, rather than an outcome in itself " (p. 12). Though a less common interpretation of partnership, this must surely be a valid one, as " student and faculty gain more space and greater access, creating an authentic freedom betwixt and between roles " (Barrineau et al., 2016, p.82). This paper opens with a section on the background and context of the course, followed by a brief introduction to reflections; it goes on to outline how feedback from students and work with them led to the development of creative and playful activities to foster their theoretical understanding and practical application of reflections; then it presents the main outcomes, as experienced by staff (Nicole Brown) and students (Aly Jafferani and Vanessa Pattharwala). Finally, the authors explore the lessons learnt and consider the implications of the experiences for future practice, before concluding with thoughts about the nature of student-staff collaborations in the specific educational context presented here.
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This paper reports the findings of a qualitative study into the lived experience of fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is a complex condition that is characterised by variability of symptoms and severity. Instead of applying a purely narrative... more
This paper reports the findings of a qualitative study into the lived experience of fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is a complex condition that is characterised by variability of symptoms and severity. Instead of applying a purely narrative interview approach, this research used a creative and expressive means drawing on interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to make sense of the data, whilst applying an attitude of openness and responsiveness. In line with IPA, the findings reported here refer to a homogenous group of 5 participants drawn from a larger pool of participants. Participants were asked to create an identity box. They were required to respond to questions using physical and metaphorical representations and objects. The analysis and discussion highlight the link between existing theoretical conceptualisations of illness experiences and the participants’ fibromyalgia experience. The women talk about losses and gains in relation to fibromyalgia, but their overall sentiment is one of acceptance of the illness whilst continuing to fight the symptoms and trying to mitigate their impact. While liminality, biographical disruption, identity continuity and new normalcy are experienced and while elements of restitution, quest and chaos narratives can be identified, the fibromyalgia experience is more complex. It is argued that the chosen methodology through the identity boxes and the metaphorical representation allowed for this more holistic view of the fibromyalgia experience.
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Qualitative research heavily relies on interviews, which are commonly recorded in video and/or audio streams. This case study explores the use of Skype as a tool for interviewing. I draw on my research into the lived experience of... more
Qualitative research heavily relies on interviews, which are commonly recorded in video and/or audio streams. This case study explores the use of Skype as a tool for interviewing. I draw on my research into the lived experience of patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is a complex and contested condition, is difficult to diagnose, typically varies in its symptoms, and is extremely unpredictable in nature. As research participants come from all over the world and obviously suffer with their health, I had always planned on carrying out Skype interviews. In this case study, I not only outline the benefits of using Skype but also discuss practical, ethical, and methodological pitfalls and concerns. In conclusion, Skype can be a very helpful tool, but requires careful planning and a strong reflexive position on the part of the researcher.
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About the book Is it possible to bring university research and student education into a more connected, more symbiotic relationship? If so, can we develop programmes of study that enable faculty, students and ‘real world’ communities to... more
About the book
Is it possible to bring university research and student education into a more connected, more symbiotic relationship? If so, can we develop programmes of study that enable faculty, students and ‘real world’ communities to connect in new ways? In this accessible book, Dilly Fung argues that it is not only possible but also potentially transformational to develop new forms of research-based education. Presenting the Connected Curriculum framework already adopted by UCL, she opens windows onto new initiatives related to, for example, research-based education, internationalisation, the global classroom, interdisciplinarity and public engagement.
A Connected Curriculum for Higher Education is, however, not just about developing engaging programmes of study. Drawing on the field of philosophical hermeneutics, Fung argues how the Connected Curriculum framework can help to create spaces for critical dialogue abouteducational values, both within and across existing research groups, teaching departments and learning communities. Developing synergies between research and education can empower faculty and students from all backgrounds to engage with diversity and contribute to the global common good by developing people as critical citizens.
Is it possible to bring university research and student education into a more connected, more symbiotic relationship? If so, can we develop programmes of study that enable faculty, students and ‘real world’ communities to connect in new ways? In this accessible book, Dilly Fung argues that it is not only possible but also potentially transformational to develop new forms of research-based education. Presenting the Connected Curriculum framework already adopted by UCL, she opens windows onto new initiatives related to, for example, research-based education, internationalisation, the global classroom, interdisciplinarity and public engagement.
A Connected Curriculum for Higher Education is, however, not just about developing engaging programmes of study. Drawing on the field of philosophical hermeneutics, Fung argues how the Connected Curriculum framework can help to create spaces for critical dialogue abouteducational values, both within and across existing research groups, teaching departments and learning communities. Developing synergies between research and education can empower faculty and students from all backgrounds to engage with diversity and contribute to the global common good by developing people as critical citizens.
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Although plagiarism, cheating and academic integrity receive increased attention, literature provides little practical advice or strategies on how to approach these topics with students. In this paper we describe a case study in relation... more
Although plagiarism, cheating and academic integrity receive increased attention, literature provides little practical advice or strategies on how to approach these topics with students. In this paper we describe a case study in relation to an intervention we have developed to help our students prevent plagiarism and to foster academic integrity amongst our studentship. In the two hour workshop students are supported in gaining a deeper understanding of what plagiarism is and provides them with practical examples of how plagiarism can be avoided. In the context of the workshop plagiarism is discussed in its many forms of the intentional and unintentional stealing or appropriating of ideas that are not credited accordingly (Helgesson & Eriksson, 2015). The intervention also encompasses discussions around academic integrity and what academic integrity means in theory and in practice. The six steps in our intervention are a sorting activity (what is plagiarism?), the presentation of real cases (what is the impact of plagiarism?), practising to synthesise ideas (how can I prevent plagiarism), the role of plagiarism-detection software such as Turnitin (how can I check for plagiarism?), the formulation of an integrity code and a summary of the content covered in the session (what do I know now?). The intervention draws upon research and practical experiences and is designed in such a way that with adaptations it can be delivered to all levels of students and courses. Following the presentation of the individual elements of the workshop the article concludes with a brief outline of a research project in relation to our workshop, which will be used to inform our further development of the intervention but also to provide a more formal evaluation of its effectiveness.
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Fibromyalgia is a complex condition that is characterised by chronic, widespread pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, cognitive dysfunctions, increased sensitivity and psychological disorders (White and Harth, 2001). Existing fibromyalgia... more
Fibromyalgia is a complex condition that is characterised by chronic, widespread pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, cognitive dysfunctions, increased sensitivity and psychological disorders (White and Harth, 2001). Existing fibromyalgia research focuses on individual aspects rather than seeking a holistic view of experiences with fibromyalgia. My approach to researching the lived experience of academics with fibromyalgia is guided by four principles: (1) openness, (2) responsiveness, (3) the imprecision of words and power of metaphors and (4) participatory meaning-making process. My data collection therefore relies on physical representations and metaphors, and I use Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (Smith et al., 2012) to analyse data. The indicative findings demonstrate the participants' engagement with the research process and outline the generalizable relevance of individual items. I conclude this paper with a look to the future, where representations will be linked to the wider stories within academic identity research and illness narratives.
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The aim of my talk is to provide an overview of and insight into the development and implementation of ICT within primary schools in the UK. I provide a brief overview of the foundations and principles, upon which the current curriculum... more
The aim of my talk is to provide an overview of and insight into the development and implementation of ICT within primary schools in the UK. I provide a brief overview of the foundations and principles, upon which the current curriculum is based. In order to provide an insight into the practical implementation of the new curriculum I present specific examples from current classroom practices within the primary setting. Using the examples of software and apps such as Scratch and Lightbot as well as hardware like Beebot I demonstrate and critique some practical strategies brought forward by classroom practitioners. This leads into challenges experienced by classroom practitioners, communities of practice, schools and the educational authorities. Typically, practitioners report that staff training needs, lack of finances and the demands of other areas of the curriculum mean that ICT and the ICT curriculum are not as well developed and effective as they could be. The proposed speech then concludes with a brief look to the future and where ICT within the primary curriculum will need to lead to.
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With Higher Education undergoing increasing changes academic life is more pressurised, less autonomous and less secure. Against this backdrop mental health issues and illness within Higher Education are on the increase. In this paper, I... more
With Higher Education undergoing increasing changes academic life is more pressurised, less autonomous and less secure. Against this backdrop mental health issues and illness within Higher Education are on the increase. In this paper, I present an exploration of academic identity under the influence of fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is a complex, gendered, contested syndrome characterised by widespread pain, chronic fatigue, sleep problems, psychological disorders and cognitive dysfunctions. Through an embodied, phenomenological approach with metaphors and representations I seek to understand the life of academics with fibromyalgia. Data drawn from timelines, interviews and identity boxes describes the life for academics with an illness on the cusp of the physiological, psychological and somatic. The analysis provides an insight into the conscious identity work and body work required to reconcile the experience of illness with the academic's public face and life. I conclude with a discussion of participatory and inclusive research within Higher Education.
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Click here to see the "3 minute thesis" version of my fibromyalgia research: http://www.nicole-brown.co.uk/3min-thesis-2016/
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In this chapter we discuss how disability, chronic illness and neurodiversity are not only a personal matter, but intersect with the public and political. We explore both the personal journey an individual takes as they come to terms with... more
In this chapter we discuss how disability, chronic illness and neurodiversity are not only a personal matter, but intersect with the public and political. We explore both the personal journey an individual takes as they come to terms with their condition and the moral imperative that they feel to take action and raise awareness. Using the lens of embodiment and taking a reflexive, autoethnographic perspective, we provide insight into academia as a working environment, before moving onto consider the body in academia, the politics of being ill in academia and disability as a personal and political issue and how these might play out within a body.
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Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that is characterised by wide-spread pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, cognitive dysfunctions, increased sensitivity and psychological disorders (White and Harth, 2001). Also, fibromyalgia is typically... more
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that is characterised by wide-spread pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, cognitive dysfunctions, increased sensitivity and psychological disorders (White and Harth, 2001). Also, fibromyalgia is typically variable regarding its symptoms and their severity from one day to the next, even from one hour to the next (Wolfe and Walitt, 2013). Globally, between 0.66% and 10.5% of the general population suffer from fibromyalgia (Queiroz, 2013). Wessely (1994) highlights a high representation of students, teachers, medical staff and doctors amongst sufferers of chronic fatigue syndrome, myalgic encephalomyelitis and neurasthenia, illnesses that are all related and co-morbid to fibromyalgia. My research explores how academics make sense of their experiences and how fibromyalgia with all its symptoms impacts academic identity. Although fibromyalgia is often considered as a pain syndrome, my research relates to the impact of fibromyalgia in all its facets, thus...
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When I emerged from a period of illness, colleagues no longer saw me as a serious researcher. Now I feel too scared to disclose my chronic condition Anonymous academic A piece written to stimulate debate around ableism
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The National Association of Disabled Staff Networks (NADSN) is a super-network that connects and represents disabled staff networks at organisations across the United Kingdom NADSN has been very concerned about the development of national... more
The National Association of Disabled Staff Networks (NADSN) is a super-network that connects and represents disabled staff networks at organisations across the United Kingdom NADSN has been very concerned about the development of national policy up to this time and for moving out of the COVID-19 lockdown stage as national policy has been silent in relation to disabled staff apart from in presenting a narrow, medicalised view We have structured this paper within a social model of disability and the sentiments expressed in the UN Convention of the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD) in considering the current issues and setting out our 12 recommendations This paper discusses NADSN's observations about the lived experiences of Disabled people during COVID-19 Secondly, it moves to outline COVID-19 and the changing workplace The paper then moves to a broad discussion concerning safe working practices and policies as we move out of lockdown and beyond © 2020 Association ALTER
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To understand the experiences of the disabled in academia, a fully accessible and inclusive workshop conference was held in March 2018. Grounded in critical disability studies within a constructivist inquiry analytical approach, this... more
To understand the experiences of the disabled in academia, a fully accessible and inclusive workshop conference was held in March 2018. Grounded in critical disability studies within a constructivist inquiry analytical approach, this article provides a contextualisation of ableism in academia garnered through creative data generation. The nuanced experiences of disabled academics in higher education as well as their collective understandings of these experiences as constructed through normalisation and able-bodiedness are presented. We show that disabled academics are marginalised and othered in academic institutions; that the neoliberalisation of higher education has created productivity expectations, which contribute to the silencing of the disabled academics’ perspectives and experiences due to constructions of normality and stigmatisation; and that it is important to enact policies, procedures, and practices that value disabled academics and bring about cultural and institutiona...
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Zhang, Y.H. (2016). Against Plagiarism – A Guide for Editors and Authors (Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Scientific and Scholarly Communication). Springer International Publishing. ISBN: 978-3-319-24158-6
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In this post Jennifer Leigh and Nicole Brown introduce Embodied Inquiry, including a discussion of how to analyze data collected through this approach. Also see this interview with Nicole Brown, for more about choosing to conduct research... more
In this post Jennifer Leigh and Nicole Brown introduce Embodied Inquiry, including a discussion of how to analyze data collected through this approach. Also see this interview with Nicole Brown, for more about choosing to conduct research with creative methods. Embodied Inquiry is an approach to research that privileges the lived, embodied experiences of the researcher and the researched. A fairly simple sentence to write for us, who have lived, breathed, worked on and in Embodied Inquiry, and utilised it as a research approach for years. However, for the uninitiated we are very aware that even in that one sentence there are many words that seem like jargon, or have ambiguous meanings, with the result that it is hard for a researcher to know if what they are doing is actually Embodied Inquiry or not. This is true even more if you are new to the whole idea of doing research and what research actually looks like or feels like
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Extraordinary demand for a conference on how universities support staff with invisible disabilities highlights how ableism remains widespread in academia, argue Jennifer Leigh and Nicole Brown
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Sociology, Mathematics Education, Embodied Cognition, Pedagogy, Dance Education, and 4 moreRoutledge, H, L, and B
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This article reports on a study that followed up on an initial interdisciplinary project and focused specifically on the experiences of researchers involved in practice-based interdisciplinary research. We share an approach to research... more
This article reports on a study that followed up on an initial interdisciplinary project and focused specifically on the experiences of researchers involved in practice-based interdisciplinary research. We share an approach to research evaluation that focuses on the experiences of those conducting the research rather than the outputs. The study allowed those involved in the initial successful project to reflect post hoc on their experiences. We show that neglecting fundamental conceptions about how the research is conceptualized can lead to challenges with the research itself. In addition to alternative understandings of research and concepts, practical and logistical issues, whilst seeming trivial, feed into communication issues such as misunderstanding of terms and language. We argue that tensions and confusions around the very nature of the research—what was being researched, and what was valued as research, epistemological differences between the disciplinary perspectives—need t...
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This article draws from a collaboration between Rambert School of Dance, University of Kent, University College London Institute of Education and an anthropological filmmaker. Together we took a creative and embodied approach to teaching... more
This article draws from a collaboration between Rambert School of Dance, University of Kent, University College London Institute of Education and an anthropological filmmaker. Together we took a creative and embodied approach to teaching reflective practice within a conservatoire to second-year dance students. In this article, we explore where this somatically inspired pedagogy sits within dance training. We discuss the nature of reflection for dance training, and in particular consider embodied reflective practice. Finally we offer effective methodologies for drawing out and capturing embodied practice.
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Sociology, Reflective Practice, Embodied Cognition, Dance Education, Dance, and 6 moreDance & somatic practices, Intellect, H, N, L, and B
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As qualitative research has evolved, researchers now often combine interviews with the production of photographs, artefacts, collages, maps or drawings and the like. However, in practice, the artefacts produced are used to eliciting... more
As qualitative research has evolved, researchers now often combine interviews with the production of photographs, artefacts, collages, maps or drawings and the like. However, in practice, the artefacts produced are used to eliciting experiences and stimulating conversations rather than as data, per se, which is often due to the lack of guidelines for how to deal with the artefacts as data in a systematic analytical process. In this article, we present the Systematic Visuo-Textual Analysis, a framework developed to provide much-needed support for qualitative researchers in analysing artefacts in combination with interviews. Drawing on existing frameworks for visual and textual analysis the focus of this framework is to analyse visual and textual datasets separately and in conjunction with one another through several levels of interpretation from noticing descriptive elements and focussing on specific linguistic and artistic elements through to developing conceptual themes. Drawing on...
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This sociological article reports an empirical study into the lived experience of fibromyalgia. It includes 28 participants (26 women, 2 men) with a formal diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Data collection consisted of the completion of an... more
This sociological article reports an empirical study into the lived experience of fibromyalgia. It includes 28 participants (26 women, 2 men) with a formal diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Data collection consisted of the completion of an identity box project and subsequent interviews. Data analysis followed the principles of iterative, inductive, semantic thematic analysis, and led to the identification of four major themes: the role of the social in making sense of the experience, the process of redefining lifegoals, the refusal to accept fibromyalgia as a diagnosis, and the consideration of identifying as a patient. These themes in turn demonstrate four forms of resistance against processes of marginalisation amongst those who have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia: (1) the incorporation of societal expectations and norms into their life-stories; (2) the re-making the lifeworld at a cerebral level through redefining reality and creating a new, socially acceptable reality; (3) the active...
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This article reports on a study with over 100 Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs), 69 of whom were international GTAs. We explore their experiences of ‘cultural bumps’ in their transition into one UK University. Following the principles... more
This article reports on a study with over 100 Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs), 69 of whom were international GTAs. We explore their experiences of ‘cultural bumps’ in their transition into one UK University. Following the principles of practice-based enquiry, data collection combined interviews with data generated in workshops, including transcripts, fieldnotes, student feedback and LEGO® models. We focus on three themes of starting teaching, essay marking and classroom boundaries to explore ‘cultural bumps’ where GTAs experience adjustment stresses transitioning into UK higher education teaching. We connect ‘cultural bumps’ to challenges reconciling teaching and researcher roles for GTAs. We conclude with an agenda for research work to further develop our understanding of international GTAs’ experiences.
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Over the last two decades qualitative research has seen significant shifts towards the narrative, reflexive and creative. And yet, analytical frameworks do not seem to have stayed abreast of these developments. Using research into the... more
Over the last two decades qualitative research has seen significant shifts towards the narrative, reflexive and creative. And yet, analytical frameworks do not seem to have stayed abreast of these developments. Using research into the construction of identity under the influence of fibromyalgia as an example, this paper seeks to exemplify a reflexive approach to data analysis that accounts for the researcher’s positionality as well as the increasingly untraditional, unconventional data stemming from creative data collection methods. The paper provides insight into data analysis and reflexivity and offers two practical examples of reflexive data analysis—an illustrated poem and an installation. After an outline of the processes and practical steps involved in the creation of these analytical outcomes, the paper concludes with thoughts relating to challenges, potential areas of application and a look to the future of this innovative approach to data analysis. In this approach, data an...
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ABSTRACT Within the UK Higher Education setting there is an emphasis on student satisfaction and experience surveys in combination with an increased interest in connecting teaching with research. As a result there is an unprecedented... more
ABSTRACT Within the UK Higher Education setting there is an emphasis on student satisfaction and experience surveys in combination with an increased interest in connecting teaching with research. As a result there is an unprecedented focus on engaging students on all levels within their university experience, from concerns related to governance, policy and administration to considerations of teaching and learning activities. In this paper I explain and analyse two distinct staff-student collaborations. Case study 1 demonstrates how students’ personal interest led to the development of innovative, creative methods for reflections. Case study 2 describes how students took on the role of co-researchers in order to investigate and explore student experiences. In the discussion I explore some factors influencing staff-student collaborations: the relevance of purposefulness, the importance of time, the necessity of developing a trusting relationship and finally, the differences in knowledge and outlooks amongst staff and students.
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ABSTRACT This paper considers the use of identity boxes as a data collection method to elicit experiences. Participants were asked to respond to questions using objects to represent their answers. The rationale for using identity boxes... more
ABSTRACT This paper considers the use of identity boxes as a data collection method to elicit experiences. Participants were asked to respond to questions using objects to represent their answers. The rationale for using identity boxes was to allow for a more embodied, less textual approach. The identity boxes were then also used to create an artistic installation as one form of data analysis. The reflection section in this paper shows that the approach posed potential risks around the emotional vulnerability of participants, with participants experiencing the project as cathartic and therapeutic. Some participants struggled with the process of thinking through objects as difficult. Although using a less conventional approach to research led to deeper, richer reflections and thus relevant, interesting data, concerns were raised around relevance, generalisability, and more generally the evaluation of the research. The paper concludes with a reconsideration of the identity boxes as a method.
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The rhetoric of teaching in higher education is now placing more emphasis than ever on the student voice and on providing students with opportunities to collaborate with staff and take responsibility for their learning. This article is an... more
The rhetoric of teaching in higher education is now placing more emphasis than ever on the student voice and on providing students with opportunities to collaborate with staff and take responsibility for their learning. This article is an example of a collaborative project between academic staff and students within the community of practice of trainee teachers; it describes their collaborative development of creative methods to deepen students' reflections. A brief section on the background and context of the course is followed by a short introduction to reflections. The paper then outlines how student feedback and work with students led to the development of creative and playful activities to foster students’ theoretical understanding and practical application of reflections. Subsequently, the participants in this project - two students and a member of staff - outline the main outcomes as they experienced them; they highlight the lessons learnt and the implications of their exp...
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Although plagiarism, cheating and academic integrity receive increased attention, literature provides little practical advice or strategies on how to approach these topics with students. In this paper we describe a case study in relation... more
Although plagiarism, cheating and academic integrity receive increased attention, literature provides little practical advice or strategies on how to approach these topics with students. In this paper we describe a case study in relation to an intervention we have developed to help our students prevent plagiarism and to foster academic integrity amongst our studentship. In the two hour workshop students are supported in gaining a deeper understanding of what plagiarism is and provides them with practical examples of how plagiarism can be avoided. In the context of the workshop plagiarism is discussed in its many forms of the intentional and unintentional stealing or appropriating of ideas that are not credited accordingly (Helgesson & Eriksson, 2015). The intervention also encompasses discussions around academic integrity and what academic integrity means in theory and in practice. The six steps in our intervention are a sorting activity (what is plagiarism?), the presentation of re...
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Academia can be a challenging place to work and academics who have a disability, neurodiversity or chronic illness are further disadvantaged, as non-stereotypical ways of working are not necessarily supported or catered for. The remit of... more
Academia can be a challenging place to work and academics who have a disability, neurodiversity or chronic illness are further disadvantaged, as non-stereotypical ways of working are not necessarily supported or catered for. The remit of this paper is to provide practical ideas and recommendations to address accessibility issues in events and conferences as a first step to improving existing working conditions. We start with providing a brief overview of and background to the issues of ableism, disabilities, chronic illnesses and neurodiversities in academia. We then offer a detailed description of the organisational and developmental strategies relating to the Ableism in Academia conference to practically demonstrate how accessibility can be achieved. Despite vast literature available on theorisations of reasonable adjustments and some individual handbooks on conference accessibility, noted the absence of a systematic write-up of a case study that would demonstrate the thought proc...
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In this final chapter we draw on the theorisations and lived experiences that have been shared in the previous chapters in order to better understand ableism in academia. We translate these into practice, and into practical... more
In this final chapter we draw on the theorisations and lived experiences that have been shared in the previous chapters in order to better understand ableism in academia. We translate these into practice, and into practical recommendations that can be implemented within higher education institutions. In order to formulate next steps for the future of the academy, a future which minimalizes ableism within academia, we have presented these in a practical plan.
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Embodied inquiry is a phrase that is being used more frequently across research. Whereas once it might have been limited to fields and disciplines such as drama, physical education, dance or sport this is no longer the case. But what does... more
Embodied inquiry is a phrase that is being used more frequently across research. Whereas once it might have been limited to fields and disciplines such as drama, physical education, dance or sport this is no longer the case. But what does Embodied Inquiry mean? It is more than a development of qualitative research or an exact method that can be applied to a project, to turn something pedestrian more exciting. Instead, it is an approach to the whole research process, or any part of the research process. Embodied Inquiry encourages us to use different methods and lenses in order to collect data and analyse embodied, lived experiences. It is not tied to any one theoretical approach, and yet, it is not atheoretical.
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I am a lecturer in education, but entered academia because my experience in secondary school teaching was required for teacher education. As such I followed the traditional pathway of teacher educators transitioning from professional... more
I am a lecturer in education, but entered academia because my experience in secondary school teaching was required for teacher education. As such I followed the traditional pathway of teacher educators transitioning from professional practice to become a lecturer in higher education (Boyd and Harris, 2010). Had I been asked two years ago if I considered myself an embodied academic, my answer would have been that I thought of myself as an embodied practitioner. This has more to do with my hesitation to identify as an academic than to describe myself as embodied. Even after several years in academia I would have considered myself a teacher and identified with that embodied teaching identity. Like the research participants in Boyd and Harris’s (2010) study, I clung on to my “identity and credibility as [a] school teacher” (p. 10). My motto at the time – “once a teacher, always a teacher” – is proof of that. I would not have called myself an academic, but I was definitely embodied.
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As qualitative research has evolved, researchers now often combine interviews with the production of photographs, artefacts, collages, maps or drawings and the like. However, in practice, the artefacts produced are used to eliciting... more
As qualitative research has evolved, researchers now often combine interviews with the production of photographs, artefacts, collages, maps or drawings and the like. However, in practice, the artefacts produced are used to eliciting experiences and stimulating conversations rather than as data, per se, which is often due to the lack of guidelines for how to deal with the artefacts as data in a systematic analytical process. In this article, we present the Systematic Visuo-Textual Analysis, a framework developed to provide much-needed support for qualitative researchers in analysing artefacts in combination with interviews. Drawing on existing frameworks for visual and textual analysis the focus of this framework is to analyse visual and textual datasets separately and in conjunction with one another through several levels of interpretation from noticing descriptive elements and focussing on specific linguistic and artistic elements through to developing conceptual themes. Drawing on...
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This sociological article reports an empirical study into the lived experience of fibromyalgia. 28 participants (26 women, 2 men) with a formal diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Data collection consisted of the completion of an identity box... more
This sociological article reports an empirical study into the lived experience of fibromyalgia. 28 participants (26 women, 2 men) with a formal diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Data collection consisted of the completion of an identity box project and subsequent interviews. Data analysis followed the principles of iterative, inductive, semantic thematic analysis and led to the identification of four major themes: the role of the social in making sense of the experience, the process of redeinfing life-goals, the refusal to accept fibromyalgia as a diagnosis and the consideration of identifying as a patient. These themes in turn demonstrate four forms of resistance against processes of mar-ginalisation amongst those who have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia: (1) the incorporation of societal expectations and norms into their life-stories; (2) the re-making the lifeworld at a cerebral level through redefining reality and creating a new, socially acceptable reality; (3) the active re-jection of the fibromyalgia diagnosis; and (4) the employment of active and pro-active counter-measures to assuming the sick role.
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As wider social and societal changes have led to moves towards equality as a response to a better understanding of inequalities, ethical considerations in research are now more consciously focussed on power dynamics. As a consequence,... more
As wider social and societal changes have led to moves towards equality as a response to a better understanding of inequalities, ethical considerations in research are now more consciously focussed on power dynamics. As a consequence, participatory research methods have gained traction. Simultaneously, artistic and creative methods are used within such projects to such an extent that arts-based, creative research has become equated with participatory research. In this article, I draw on three case studies to pursue three arguments: Firstly, I argue that the current understanding of community-based participatory action research is not the only potential for participatory methods, and indeed should not be. Depending on the design participatory research needs to be seen as a continuum from being minimally participatory to being fully egalitarian, whereby realistically most participatory research designs are situated somewhere in between the two with the level of participation changing throughout the process. Secondly, I argue that the employment of arts-based methods for data collection or dissemination does not automatically translate into a participatory research design. Thirdly, I argue that for ethical reasons researchers should not aim for fully egalitarian research to maintain participants’ interests and wellbeing.