I have recently
submitted a PhD thesis that
investigated how postgraduate
professional learners engage in courses that use online collaboration tools.
My interest in online learning pedagogy developed during my participation in a PG Diploma course in Online Tutoring, and my trials as a lecturer in health, to develop online learning experiences for trainee nurses.
My background is as nurse with experiences in HIV/AIDS care, Women's Health, Learning Disabilities and Community Health. My Bachelors degree was in Health Promotion, with a focus on Women's Health and Public Health.
My career as an educator has involved facilitating learning experiences for undergraduate nurses (in community and public health and social policy). Until recently I also facilitated an online course for the Open University, UK, for health and social care professionals.
In the future, I aim to be involved in facilitating and researching online learning. I would like to make some sense of the complexities and diversities in learning. I aim to develop expertise and a critical perspective in the use of multi-media and additional resources, which may
facilitate more individualised learning experience. I feel inspired by the ideas of Personal Media as described by Professor Shigeru Miyagawa
Academic
Seminars & Presentations
City
University, Open University,
Institute of Education,
University College London,
University of Surrey, Thames
Valley University, University
of Maryland (Baltimore, USA),
Royal College of Nursing.
Research
Interests
Impact
of information and
communication technology (ICT)
on higher education (in
different countries); Social
and economic changes due to
ICT use in higher and
professional learning;
Developments in personal media
and personal learning
environments; Open course ware
and informal learning;
Emotional and social changes
due ICT use for learning and
communication; Impact of
language and cultural
differences on collaboration
using ICT; Social and group
identity in online
collaborations; Effectiveness
of ICT tools and e-learning
strategies to link theory and
professional practice;
Empowerment versus power
differences due to varied
e-literacy skills (in learning
and other areas of work).
Teaching
Experience
Research
Methodology; Using technology
for teaching and learning;
Using ICT for Evidence Based
Healthcare; Impact of
E-government policies on
healthcare; Social Policy;
Public Health and
Epidemiology; Health Promotion
theories and practice in
Primary Care; Women’s
Health; Sexual Health; and
Access and Health Promotion
Issues for people with
learning disabilities.
Completed
Projects
Learning
in Online and Blended courses
(2005/6):
Doctorate study investigating
postgraduate learner
engagement and meaning
construction in professional
online and blended courses.
The research was completed
using qualitative and
quantitative method and
analyses. The results
contribute to the developing
understanding of knowledge
construction using new
information and communication
technologies. (Thesis
submitted 11th
October 2005; Viva due on 16th
Feb 2006)
Online
learning developments in
healthcare education in the
USA (2003):
Planned and executed visit to
nine US higher education
institutions to investigate
the institutional and
pedagogical issues related to
online learning developments
for healthcare professional
education. (Report available
online: http://www.yourlearning.com/churchillreport.html)
Barnet
Access to Health (BATH)
Project (2000):
Proposed, planned, developed
and evaluated user-led health
promotion and training
materials, for people with
learning disabilities and for
carers and healthcare
professionals. (Reports
available from the Community
Learning Disabilities Team at
Barnet Healthcare Trust,
Finchley)
Memberships
