Alison's Profile
Job title
Lecturer
Academic qualifications
BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies, MA Professional Studies in Childhood, PG Cert LTVS, PhD Intercultural Communication
Professional recognition / membership
HEA
Telephone
Profile
I began my career working with children in the role of teaching assistant. During my time in this role, I supported children with learning across nursery, infant and junior school age phases. I then went on to specialise in special educational needs and, in particular, working with children with communication difficulties.
Having completed my undergraduate degree in Childhood Studies, I joined University College Birmingham in 2008 as a graduate teaching assistant. I subsequently completed my MA and teaching qualification and went on to gain employment as a lecturer in the School of Health, Sport and Food at the University.
Teaching
Academic Skills for Distance Learners (online)
Equity and Inclusive Practice in Education (online)
SEND Within the Early Years Sector
Growth, Learning and Development
Leading and Managing Systems
Dissertation SEHC
Dissertation (online)
Research interests and scholarly activity
Research Interests:
Cultural Competence, Transformative Learning, Social Justice, Widening Participation in Higher Education
I recently completed my PhD at the University of Warwick, for which I used critical auto-ethnography to explore my practice as a teacher. My study focused on how teachers negotiate the challenges of neoliberalism when attempting to foster transformative relationships. Opportunities for positive growth were identified that may be implemented in a widening participation university.
Research presentations:
May 2019: Teachers’ critical reflections on and cultivation of transformative learning opportunities at the 7th International Institute of Social and Economic Research hosted by the University of London.
June 2019: Supporting Transformative Relationships in the NL University. The University of Warwick Postgraduate Conference.
July 2019: Supporting Transformative Relationships in the NL University. The British Auto-ethnography Conference, Bristol.
Other activities
Voluntary work with The Open Theatre Company using drama to support non-verbal communication with children and young people with learning disabilities
Emotional intelligence workshops with student midwives.
