Doctoral supervision:

I have supervised three EdD students successfully:

Dr. Elaine McCarthy, Premature Labour: A New Mother's Return to Teaching (2016)

Dr.Sharon Smith ‘Discourses of incapacity and emancipation: an autoethnographic study of CPD courses delivered by Western educators in a Ugandan context’.

Dr. Debbie Scott - The impact of work based learning:  a creative exploration of learners’ experience

I am currently supervising 5 EdD  students 

Julie Mashall - 'An exploration of the role of amateur craft making in shaping identity'

Dominic Gallaghar - 'Youth Clubs , being , identity' 

Gayle Brewer - 'Invisible but Exposed: The Lived Experience of Disabled Academics in Neoliberal Universities'

Heather Marshall - Vegan Children in UK Schools: How do they challenge the hidden curriculum omnivore norm?'

Rachel Black - 'How practitioners/teachers who are on the Autistic Spectrum experience their role in practice and/or adults with ADHD'

I am supervising PhD students 

Chiedza Ikpeh - 'BAME  children and attainment' 

Cesar rozmus  'Integration of foreign language acquisition using  artistic education in primary schools'. 

I welcome enquiries for research at doctoral level in any of my research areas listed above or from students wishing to explore other areas within:

• Issues related to diversity and inclusion
• early childhood perspectives
• Children’s rights
• International perspectives of childhood
• Marginalised children
• I have also received grants from British Academy, UKIERI and University of Chester research grants

Projects:

Current 

Phase 2 of the GCRF funding (2021) ‘Pilot Implementation of a Child Psychosocial Framework in Southern India - Phase 2
Qualitative investigation to Build Children’s Resilience in South India during the COVID-19 Crisis and Beyond’

Co- investigator in collaboration with Prof Steve Jones from Chester Medical School and Dr Murali Krishna (FRAME - Mysore India

Research projects:

Pilot Implementation of a Child Psychosocial Framework in Southern India (2020) 

Principal investigator in collaboration with Prof Steve Jones from Chester Medical School and Dr Murali Krishna (FRAME - Mysore India

THis project is funded by Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF). This study is a scoping exercise that aims to capture the views and experiences of children from marginalised communities and stakeholders in Mysore located in South India. These children live in areas of extreme disadvantage and restricted access to education and health services available in the community due to stigma and deep-rooted negative attitudes.

• Exploring Inclusion and Diversity within Undergraduate Teacher training programmes 

This project has been funded by University of Chester research grants (2018-19). This research will obtain data from Associate teachers (ATs) on their final year on the BA Early Years - Primary Education (3-7) with QTS - Teacher Education BA (Hons) and some teacher educators at University of Chester directly engaged with this cohort of students as well as programme leaders, year leaders, and other staff who provide enriching experiences related to diversity from other teacher training programmes. Proposed research aims to explore the confidence of Associate Teachers in their final year to teach pupils from diverse contexts

• Perceptions of Associate teachers and NQT’s about inclusion in England (2014)

The research examined how perceptions of associate teachers might differ in relation to their knowledge and understanding around the concept of inclusion at different stages of the Initial training courses. This research will also explore how associate teachers will translate their perceptions of inclusion when they are with children from diverse backgrounds in their placements and the influence of policy at different levels.

• Cross cultural construction of childhood among students and staff from India and England (2012).

A wide variety of childhood exists across the world but the interpretation of this concept may differ from one country to another from the perspective of how children are different and expectations placed on them would change depending on their culture and society in which they live. The knowledge and understanding of childhood in another country is mainly influenced by the exposure they had from media (newspapers, television) or books or films or through first hand experiences of travelling etc. These influences will determine the perceptions of individuals about childhood in different countries. In order to investigate the perceptions of childhood in different countries, a survey exploring the construction of childhood and children has been distributed electronically. A questionnaire with open questions has been used to obtain the perceptions on children in England and India from students and staff engaged in studying and teaching in the Faculty of Education. Some of the conclusions from this research indicated that children are children irrespective of political, social and economic boundaries, culture influences perception of childhood and that children need to be nurtured and stimulated for their holistic development. Some of the issues impacting children are globalization, stereotypes, impact of media, Expectations of adults, stress of education and restricted opportunities to play.

International collaboration:

Student exchange collaboration with University of North Florida. First batch of five students visited Chester for two weeks in June 2017. They had opportunities to visit settings to experience provision for children at foundation stage, Key stages 1 and 2. They also had opportunities to listen to some experts within the faculty about key issues around the educational provision for children in England. They have experienced discussing and presenting their ideas comparing and contrasting provision in USA (especially Florida) and England. It is hoped that level 5 students will be reciprocating Florida students’ visit https://goo.gl/photos/Z4drgFiG7tTqdygH6

There are also ongoing collaborations with academics from Millersville University, Pennsylvania, USA, Kagawa University Japan and Federation University Australia.