Nod Miller
Emeritus Professor of Innovation
Full name: Norma Elizabeth (Nod) Miller
Nationality: British
E-mail: nod@nodmiller.com
Qualifications
Certificate in Education, University of Birmingham
B.A. (Hons) Social Studies, University of East Anglia
M.A. (Education), University of Leicester
Ph.D., University of Manchester
Membership of professional bodies
Honorary Life Member, Standing Conference on University Teaching and Research in the Education of Adults (SCUTREA)
British Sociological Association (BSA)
National Institute for Adult and Continuing Education (NIACE)
Organisation for Promoting Understanding of Society (OPUS)
Present appointment
since 2005: Emeritus Professor of Innovation, University of East London
Career history
Jan-Feb 1971: Part-time Lecturer in Sociology, Kidderminster College of Further Education.
Feb-Mar 1971: Teacher of English to Immigrants, Devonshire Road Infants' School, Smethwick, Worcs.
Apr-Aug 1971: Teacher of English, History, Drama and Classical Studies, Holly Lodge Grammar School, Smethwick, Worcs.
Sept 1972-Aug 1976: Lecturer in Sociology and General Studies, Northampton College of Further Education.
Sept 1975-Aug 1976: on leave to attend M.A. course in the University of Leicester.
Sept 1976-Dec 1978: Research student in the University of Leicester School of Education,
conducting research on the coverage of educational issues in the British mass media.
Sept-Dec 1978: Part-time Lecturer in the Psychology of Interpersonal Behaviour, Nene College of Higher Education, Northampton.
1979-92: Lecturer in Adult Education, School of Education, University of Manchester.
Summer 1980: (Secondment) Visiting Lecturer, Faculty of Education, University of Jos, Nigeria.
1992-95: Senior Lecturer in Adult Education and Head of Centre for Adult and Higher Education,
School of Education, University of Manchester.
1995-97: Principal Lecturer in Media and Communication Studies, Department of Innovation Studies, University of East London.
1997-05: Professor of Innovation Studies, University of East London
1999-01: Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Lifelong Learning), UEL (fixed-term, 0.5 appointment)
2001-02: Special adviser to Vice-Chancellor on Lifelong Learning, University of East London
2003-05: Head of Graduate School, University of East London
Recent achievements and responsibilities
Co-director, Mcubed Research Lab, School of Cultural and Innovation Studies, UEL.
Director, UEL Festival of Lifelong Learning, 2000-01
This year-long festival, which I initiated, involved the organisation of approximately 150 events, including conferences, seminars, lectures, exhibitions and artistic and cultural projects, and collaboration with a wide range of local, national and international partner organisations.
As Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Lifelong Learning), I held university-wide responsibility for lifelong learning policies, strategies and activities.
Member of UEL's Senior Management Team and Academic Planning Group, 1999-2001
Acting Head of Department of Innovation Studies, 1997-98
Departmental research adviser, 1996 to date
Development of new degree programmes in new technology and multimedia
Development and delivery of university-wide postgraduate research training (including M Res)
Director, Project @THENE: Accessing Technology for Higher Education and New Enterprise (two-year project funded with £100,000 BT development award, 1996-98)
Co-director (with Professor B. Harrison, Department of Sociology), Auto/biography and personal experience in sociology teaching (part of HEFCE-funded FDTL project) 1998-2000
Department representative on Faculty Board, Faculty Research Subcommittee, Faculty Research Degrees Subcommittee, Faculty Quality Subcommittee, 1996-2001; Faculty representative on University's Continuing Education Advisory Group and on Academic Board Research Committee, 1996-2001
Member of Academic Board 1998-2001 (representative of professors with personal chairs)
Participant, East London Common Purpose programme, 1998-99
Elected staff governor, UEL Board of Governors, 2000-2004
Publications
(Live hyperlinks are given where available)Book (authored)
Personal Experience, Adult Learning and Social Research, Adelaide: University of South Australia, 1993, pp. 369. Nominated for the Cyril O. Houle Award (sponsored by the American Association of Adult and Continuing Education) for Literature in Adult Education, 1994 .
Books (edited)
Life After the Broadcasting Bill (editor; with C. Norris). Manchester: Manchester Monographs, 1989, pp. 157.
Broadcasting Standards: Quality or Control? (editor; with C. Norris and J. Hughes). Manchester: Manchester Monographs, 1990, pp. 157.
And Now for the BBC ... (editor, with R. Allen). London: John Libbey & Co Ltd, 1991, pp. 122.
Measurement and Control: the politics of adult education (editor, with P. Armstrong). London: Standing Conference on University Teaching and Research in the Education of Adults, 1992, pp. 128.
Changing Culture and Adult Learning (editor, with L. West). Boston: Standing Conference on University Teaching and Research in the Education of Adults, 1992, pp. 84.
It's Live - But Is It Real? (editor, with R. Allen). London: John Libbey & Co Ltd, 1993, pp. 121.
Research: Reflecting Practice (editor, with D. Jones). Boston: Standing Conference on University Teaching and Research in the Education of Adults, 1993, pp. 173.
Broadcasting Enters the Marketplace (editor, with R. Allen). London: John Libbey & Co Ltd, 1993, pp. 154.
Handbook on Teaching Sociology (co-editor, with C. Middleton et al) London: British Sociological Association/Causeway Press Ltd, 1993, pp. 410.
The Post-broadcasting Age: New Technologies, New Communities (editor, with R. Allen). London: John Libbey Media, 1996, pp. 210.
Working with Experience: Animating Learning (editor, with D. Boud) (format: restricted e-book, .pdf). London: Routledge, 1996, pp 217.
Crossing Borders, Breaking Boundaries: research in the education of adults (editor, with P. Armstrong and M. Zukas). Leeds: Standing Conference on University Teaching and Research in the Education of Adults, 1997, pp.530.
Technology and In/equality: questioning the information society (editor, with S. Wyatt, F. Henwood and P. Senker). London: Routledge, 2000, pp 242. Format: restricted e-book
Cyborg Lives: women's technobiographies (editor, with F. Henwood and H. Kennedy). York: Raw Nerve, 2001, pp186.
Travellers' tales: from adult education to lifelong learning and beyond (editor, with R. Allen, D. O'Reilly and L. West). London: SCUTREA, 2001, pp . 457.
Supporting lifelong learning: Volume 3: Making policy work (editor, with R. Edwards, N. Small and A. Tait). London: Routledge/Falmer: Open University, 2002, pp. 220. Format: restricted e-book.
Short works
Developing Interpersonal Communication, Open University course unit (EH207), Communication and Education. Milton Keynes: Open University Press, 1987, pp. 38.
How we see each other: television news constructions of France and Britain (co-author, with R. Allen and J.-C. Sergeant). London: Franco-British Council, 1999, pp. 28. Format: HTML.
Conference papers (refereed)
'Whatever happened to the T-group?' in K. Landers (ed.), Exchanging at the Crossroads: Adult Education Research and Practice, University of Syracuse, NY, 1986, pp. 194-200. (Subsequently reprinted in the U.S. and Australia).
'Our Mothers' Voices: investigating women's life histories in families' in Proceedings of the Fourth International Congress on Women, University of Dublin, 1987, pp. 150-155. (with L. Stanley, F. Poland and S. Wise).
'The privatisation of a public service: implications for educational television of deregulation in British broadcasting' in Proceedings of the 11th Annual Conference of the Canadian Association for the Study of Adult Education, edited by M. Taylor and R. Bedard, 1992, pp. 357-362.
'Discourse and difference in an academic community: an examination of how adult educators talk to one another' in Proceedings of the 34th Annual Adult Education Research Conference (AERC), edited by D. Flannery, 1993 (with R. Usher).
'Invisible colleges revealed: professional networks and personal interconnections amongst adult educators' in Proceedings of the 35th Annual Adult Education Research Conference (AERC), edited by M. Hyams, J. Armstrong and E. Anderson, 1994, pp. 271-275.
'Organisations and Autobiographies: the case of the CV', paper presented at the XIII World Congress of Sociology, Bielefeld, Germany, July 1994 (with D. Morgan).
'The formation of academic identities: relationships, reference groups and networks in the adult education community', in Reflecting on Changing Practices, Contexts and Identities: Proceedings of the 24th Annual SCUTREA Conference, edited by P. Armstrong, B. Bright and M. Zukas, 1994, Leeds: SCUTREA, pp.83-86.
'Exchanging Places, Trading Learning: the impact of cross-cultural visiting on personal and professional development' in Vision, Invention, Intervention: Papers from the 25th Annual SCUTREA Conference, edited by I. Bryant, 1995, Southampton: SCUTREA, pp. 135-139 (with M. Zukas).
'Demystifiers, Champions and Pirates: how adult educators construct their identities' in Proceedings of the 37th Annual Adult Education Research Conference (AERC), edited by H. Reno and M. Witte, 1996. Tampa, FL: University of South Florida, pp 103-108 (with R. Edwards).
'Like an elephant on a wire: songs of adult educators', in Diversity and development: futures in the education of adults: Papers from the 26th Annual SCUTREA Conference, edited by M. Zukas and P. Armstrong, 1996, Leeds: SCUTREA, pp. 133-137 (with R. Edwards). Format: MS Word document.
'From teaching to facilitation to animation: crossing boundaries between traditions and perspectives in the promotion of learning from experience' in Crossing borders, breaking boundaries: research in the education of adults, edited by P. Armstrong, N. Miller and M. Zukas, 1997, London: SCUTREA, pp. 487-495 (with D.Boud).Format: MS Word document.
'Challenging boundaries in adult and higher education through technological innovation' (format: MS Word document) in Crossing borders, breaking boundaries: research in the education of adults, edited by P. Armstrong, N. Miller and M. Zukas, 1997, London: SCUTREA, pp 333-337 (with L. Leung and H.Kennedy). Format: MS Word document.
'Articulating the structural and personal boundaries of adult literacy education: a comparative analysis of four nations' in Crossing borders, breaking boundaries: research in the education of adults, edited by P. Armstrong, N. Miller and M. Zukas, 1997, London: SCUTREA, pp 517-521 (with T. Ireland, J. Mace, G. Ntseane and T. Valentine).
'Reflective practice in journalism education' (with R. Allen). Paper presented at the 73rd Annual Convention of Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, Chicago, IL, USA, August 1997. Format: HTML. 'Animating learning: new conceptions of the role of the person who works with learners' in Proceedings of the 39th Annual Adult Education Research Conference (AERC), edited by J.C. Kimmel. 1998, San Antonio, TX: University of the Incarnate Word, pp. 49-54 (with D. Boud).
'Promises of urban democracy: public spheres from cable to cyberspace'. Paper presented at the Cities conference at the Royal Institution of British Architects, 1998. (with R.Allen). Format: HTML.
'The inter-disciplinary imperative: using auto/biography in researching and learning about experience' in Research, teaching, learning: making connections in the education of adults, edited by R. Benn. 1998, Exeter: SCUTREA, pp. 163-168. (with L. West).
'Applying insights from cultural studies to adult education: what Seinfeld says about the AERC' in Proceedings of the 40th Annual Adult Education Research Conference (AERC), edited by A. Rose. 1999, De Kalb: University of Northern Illinois, pp. 229-234.
'Continental drift: spaces and flows in research in the education of adults' in B. Merrill (ed.) The Final Frontier: exploring spaces in the education of adults, Warwick: SCUTREA , 1999, pp.89-94. (with R. Edwards).
'Lifelong learning goes to the movies: autobiographical narratives as media production' in Proceedings of the 41st Annual Adult Education Research Conference (AERC), edited by T. Sork, V.-L. Chapman and R. St Clair. 2000, Vancouver: University of British Columbia, pp. 267-272. (Format: HTML)
'Inclusion and the denial of difference in the education of adults' in A. Jackson and D.J.Jones (eds.) Researching Inclusion. Nottingham: Continuing Education Press/SCUTREA, 2000, pp. 86-91 (with R.Edwards).
'Shapeshifters, mentors and allies in a lifelong learning journey: lessons from television' in N. Miller, D. O'Reilly, L. West and R. Allen (eds.) Travellers' tales: from adult education to lifelong learning and beyond. London: SCUTREA, 2001, pp. 269-273.
'Unravelling the story of a milestone text: tales from The Handbook of Adult and Continuing Education' in N. Miller, D. O'Reilly, L. West and R. Allen (eds.) Travellers' tales: from adult education to lifelong learning and beyond. London: SCUTREA, 2001, pp. 451-457 (with P. Armstrong, R. Cervero, R. Edwards, D. Gosling, E. Hayes, J. Johnson-Bailey, A. Wilson, L. West and M. Zukas).
'The auto/biographical "we": our search for a voice in academic writing' in I. Davidson, D. Murphy and B. Piette (eds.) Speaking in tongues: languages of lifelong learning. Bangor: SCUTREA, 2003, pp. 169-174 (with L. West).
'Disciplinary divides: finding a common language to chart research journeys' in I. Davidson, D. Murphy and B. Piette (eds.) Speaking in tongues: languages of lifelong learning. Bangor: SCUTREA, 2003, pp. 162-168 (with A. Brimicombe).
'Big Brother and the T-group: what we might learn from reality television'. Paper presented at 79th Annual Convention of Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, Kansas City, MO, USA, August 2003 (with R. Allen). Format: HTML.
'Whatever happened to social purpose? Adult educators' stories of sustenance since 1980.' Paper for the twenty-fifth anniversary of the International Journal of Lifelong Education, 2005. (with P. Armstrong). Format: HTML.
'One year, no weddings and two funerals: working towards meaning and regeneration through auto/biographical stories'. Paper for the 34th annual SCUTREA conference, Sheffield, July 2004. Format: MS Word document.
'Worlds apart? Mapping international differences between autobiographical approaches in adult education' Paper for the 35th annual SCUTREA conference, July 2005, University of Sussex (with Sol Haring)
Other conference contributions
'Learning by experience through the life-span' in M. Zukas (ed.), Proceedings of the 15th Annual SCUTREA Conference, University of Leeds Department of Adult and Continuing Education, 1985, pp. 104-7.
'Using simulations to highlight issues in broadcasting policy' in International Simulation and Gaming Association Proceedings, Utrecht, 1988, pp. 48-60 (with R. Allen).
'Tales from @THENE: using autobiographical storytelling to learn about technology' Paper for the Sixth International Conference on Adult Education and the Arts, 1997 (with H. Kennedy and L. Leung).
'@THENE: enhancing women's access to technology' Paper presented at Women on the Web conference, University of Huddersfield, 1997 (with L.Leung and H. Kennedy).
'Completing the learning circle: the role of reflection in media practice education' Paper presented at conference on Media Practice: the Explosion and the Reality, Royal Holloway University of London, July 1997 (with R. Allen).
'Enhancing learning opportunities through technological innovation'. Paper presented at Virtual campus, real learning:, annual conference of the Association for Learning Technology, University of Wolverhampton, September 1997 (with H. Kennedy and L. Leung).
'Capturing experience and sorting it out: issues in the use of autobiography for teaching and learning in social science'. Paper presented at For Sociology, annual conference of the British Sociological Association Conference, University of Glasgow, April 1999 (with B. Harrison)
'Telling auto/biographical tales of lifelong learning'. Keynote speech at the Annual Conference of the ESREA Life Histories Network, Bremen, Germany. March 2001.
'Cyborg, goddess, geek or technofraud? Exploring women's technobiographical narratives' Keynote speech at Gender, Genes and Biography Conference, Graz, Austria, May 2002
Contributions to edited works
'Perspectives on participatory research' in M. Zukas (ed.), The Politics of Adult Education Research, University of Leeds Department of Adult and Continuing Education, 1986, pp. 157-66.
'Cross-cultural perspectives on adult education theory and practice' in A. Wellings (ed.), Towards 1992: Education Of Adults In The New Europe, University of Sheffield Division of Continuing Education, 1990, pp. 79-83. Format: MS Word document.
'Knowledge and control revisited', in Knowledge and Performance: the politics of adult education, edited by P. Armstrong and N. Miller. Leeds: SCUTREA, 1992, pp. 3-5. Format: MS Word document.
'Adult learning and cultural change in an M.Ed. course: the case of the examiners' in Changing Culture and Adult Learning, edited by N. Miller and L. West. Boston: SCUTREA, 1992, pp. 56-59 (with C. Fletcher). Format: MS Word document.
'Live broadcasting: problems, possibilities and politics' in It's Live—But Is It Real?, edited by N. Miller and R. Allen, London: John Libbey & Co Ltd, 1993, pp. 1-5.
'Doing adult education research through autobiography' in Research: Reflecting Practice, edited by N. Miller and D. Jones, Boston: SCUTREA, 1993, pp. 88-92.
'A sociological perspective on experiential groupwork' in Using Experience for Learning, edited by D. Boud, R. Cohen and D. Walker, Milton Keynes: Open University Press, 1993, pp. 129-142.
'The formation of academic identities: relationships, reference groups and networks in the adult education community' in Reflecting on Changing Practices, Contexts and Identities, edited by P. Armstrong, B. Bright and M. Zukas, Leeds: SCUTREA, 1994, pp. 83-86.
'Market forces and market culture: how the Broadcasting Act is changing ITV' in Broadcasting Enters the Marketplace, edited by N. Miller and R. Allen, London: John Libbey & Co Ltd, 1993, pp. 1-4.
'Enhancing community and fostering social change through experiential learning' in Perspectives for a Global Conversation on Experiential Learning, edited by M. Keeton, Washington, DC: CAEL, 1994, pp. 60-75.
'The post-broadcasting age: passing painfully into the postmodern' in The Post-broadcasting Age: New Technologies, New Communities, edited by N. Miller and R.Allen, London: John Libbey Media, 1996, pp.1-4.
'Animating learning from experience'; 'Synthesising traditions and identifying themes in learning from experience'; and 'Ending with ourselves: reflections on animation and learning' (with D.Boud) in Working with Experience: Animating Learning (editor, with D. Boud). London: Routledge, 1996, pp 3-24 and 197-211
'Borders crossed, boundaries broken, conferences constructed' in Crossing borders, breaking boundaries: research in the education of adults, edited by P. Armstrong, N. Miller and M. Zukas, 1997. London: SCUTREA, pp ix-xiii (with P. Armstrong and M. Zukas)
'New technologies and organisational behaviour' in Organization and Management: a critical text, edited by J. Barry, J. Chandler, H. Clark, R. Johnson and D. Needle. London: International Thomson Publications, 2000, pp. 85-96 (with R. Allen and S. Wyatt)
'Widening access in Project @THENE: from classrooms to virtual learning communities' in Eastern Promise: education and social renewal in London's Docklands, edited by Tim Butler. London: Lawrence and Wishart, 2000, pp. 180-95 (with H. Kennedy and L. Leung)
'Learning from experience in adult education' (format: restricted e-book, .pdf) in Handbook of Adult and Continuing Education, edited by E. Hayes and A. Wilson. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass , 2000, pp. 71-86
'Critical perspectives on technologies, in/equalities and the information society' in Technology and In/equality: questioning the information society, edited by S. Wyatt, F. Henwood, N. Miller and P. Senker. London: Routledge, 2000, pp. 1-18 (with F.Henwood, S.Wyatt and P. Senker).
'Tending to the tamagotchi: rhetoric and reality in the use of new technologies for distance learning' in Technology and In/equality: questioning the information society (edited by S. Wyatt, F. Henwood, N. Miller and P. Senker). London: Routledge, 2000, 129-146 (with H. Kennedy and L. Leung).
'Panaceas and promises of democratic participation: reactions to new channels, from the wireless to the World Wide Web' in Technology and In/equality: questioning the information society, edited by S. Wyatt, F. Henwood, N. Miller and P. Senker. London: Routledge, 2000 , pp. 46-61 (with R. Allen) Format: PDF.
'The politics of access and communication: using distance learning technologies' in In the Eye of Practice: Adult Education, Power and Society, edited by R.Cervero and A.Wilson. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2001, pp 187-205.
'Cyborg Lives in context: writing women's technobiographies' in Cyborg Lives: women's technobiographies, edited by F. Henwood, H. Kennedy and N. Miller. York: Raw Nerve, 2001, pp. 11-34 (with F. Henwood, G.Hughes, H. Kennedy and S. Wyatt).
'I'd rather be a goddess than a cyborg: technobiographical tales, from drains to divas' in Cyborg Lives: women's technobiographies, edited by F. Henwood, H. Kennedy and N. Miller. York: Raw Nerve, 2001, pp. 147-165.
'Capturing experience and sorting it out: using autobiographical approaches as learning strategies in social science' in Assessing sociologists in higher education, edited by Eric Harrison and Robert Mears. Aldershot: Ashgate, 2001, pp. 79-96 (with B. Harrison).
Papers in academic journals
'A dialogue on the curious history and dubious future of transformative research' in Convergence, Vol. XXIV, No 3, 1991, pp. 42-49 (with P. Armstrong).
'Changing conference culture: exploring social processes through structured experience', in Studies in Continuing Education, 1991, Vol. 13, No 2, pp. 167-179.
'Called to account: the CV as an autobiographical practice', in Sociology, Vol 27, No 1, February 1993, pp. 133-143 (with D. Morgan).
'Participatory action research: principles, politics and possibilities' in New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education Number 63, Fall 1994 pp. 69-80.
'Aprendendo sobre a autobiografica e a pesquisa-ção na educação atravès da colaboração internaçional' in Informação e Sociedade (João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil), vol.6, no.1, 1996. pp 103-120.
'Learning about autobiography and action research in adult education through international collaboration' in D. Scott and T. Ireland, Vidas secas: lutas fecundas: Community and Development in the Brazilian Northeast. Manchester: Whiting and Birch. Special issue of Applied Community Studies, Volume 4 (1), 1999, pp. 73-88.
'Go your own way: lifelong learning and reflexive auto/biographies in postmodernity', in International Journal of Lifelong Education, vol.19, no. 2, 2000, pp 126–140 (with R. Edwards).
'Celebrating lifelong learning in the urban moorland', in Rising East: The Journal of East London Studies, vol. 4, no. 2, 2000: Special Issue on Lifelong Learning and East London, pp. 11--1 (with L. West).
'Include me out: critical readings of social exclusion, social inclusion and lifelong learning' in International Journal of Lifelong Education, vol. 20, no. 5, September-October 2001 (with R. Edwards and P. Armstrong).
'Unravelling the story of a milestone text' in Studies in the Education of Adults, vol. 33, no. 2, October 2001, pp. 147-162 (with P. Armstrong, R. Cervero, R. Edwards, D. Gosling, E. Hayes, J. Johnson-Bailey, A. Wilson, L. West and M. Zukas).
'Auto/biografia w badaniach nad edukacja i uczeniem sic calozyciowym' [Auto/biographical approaches to educational research and lifelong learning] in Terazniejszosc Czlowiek Edukacja, 1 (21), 2003. (also published in English in L.West (ed.) The Canterbury Papers, via: education.cant.ac.uk/links.htm>).
'Mapping research journeys across complex terrain with heavy baggage' in Studies in Continuing Education 26, 2004: pp. 405-417 (with A. J. Brimicombe)
Papers in professional journals
'Sisters in the test tube: feminist perspectives on a T-group laboratory' in Group Relations, Summer 1983, pp. 4-8 (with A. Hudson).
'Beyond the T-Group' in Group Relations, March 1984, pp. 6-10 (with J. Brown).
'The Bongo Times: an experiential approach to media studies' in Group Relations, November 1984, pp. 4-7 (with J. Brown).
'"Not The Bongo Times": notes towards the Mini-Economy' in Group Relations, March 1985, pp. 4-8 (with J. Brown).
'Living out the consequences of an economic structure' in Politics and Profit, April 1985, pp. 24-36 (with J. Brown).
'Researching the "social economy" of a group relations conference' in Group Relations, November 1985, pp. 8-10.
'Making sense of the Mini-Economy' in Group Relations, November 1985, pp. 17-20 (with J. Brown).
'"Not the GRTA Newsletter": innovations in conference design' in Group Relations, November 1986, pp. 7-9 (with J. Harris).
'"Studies in Applied Megalomania": organising a conference on power and leadership' in Group Relations, April 1987, pp. 8-11 (with J. Harris).
'Playing the media: experiential learning in the business conference' in Adult Education, Vol. 60 no 3, December 1987, pp. 231-5 (with B. Luckham).
'A landmark in the history of group relations?' in Group Relations, August 1988, pp. 4-8.
'Issues in the politics of experiential learning' in The Quarterly Experience, Australian Consortium on Experiential Education, Sydney, December 1988, pp. 29-41.
Review articles
Regular review articles and reviews of single academic books for Adults Learning, International Journal of Lifelong Education, Studies in the Education of Adults, Group Relations, Network.
Editorships of newsletters, research series and journals
Scoop (Newsletter of the Standing Conference on University Teaching and Research in the Education of Adults), Editor, 1990 to 1993 (with D. Jones).
'Research File' (bi-monthly feature on research in adult and continuing education) in Adults Learning, journal of the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education, Editor, 1992 to 1993 (with D. Jones).
EdLines (Newsletter of University of Manchester School of Education). Editor, 1991 to 1995.
Lifelong Learning Lines (Magazine of UEL's Festival of Lifelong Learning), Editor, 1998 to 2001.
Canadian Journal for the Study of Adult Education, Member of Editorial Board, 1994 to date.
International Journal of Lifelong Education, Editorial Correspondent, 1994 to date.
Sociological Research Online, Member of Editorial Board, 1996 to 2000.
Studies in Continuing Education, Member of Editorial Board, 1997 to date.
Adult Education Quarterly, Member of Editorial Board, 2000 to date.
Rising East: the Journal of East London Studies, Co-editor, with L. West, of special issue on Lifelong Learning, Autumn 2000.
Other media
Developing Interpersonal Communication (BBC/Open University television programme): academic consultant, writer, interviewer. See an extract here. Format: QuickTime.
Offices held in learned societies or professional bodies
1985-87; 1988-89: National Chair, Group Relations Training Association (GRTA).
GRTA was established over twenty-five years ago with the aim of promoting research and training in the field of group dynamics. It has pioneered the use of T-groups for personal, organisational and social change in the UK, and its members include academics, consultants and managers in the public, private and voluntary sectors. While it is mainly a UK-based organisation, it has links with group relations organisations in several other countries and an active international section.
1990-1993: National Chair, Standing Conference on University Teaching and Research in the Education of Adults (SCUTREA).
SCUTREA was established over twenty years ago. Its constituency comprises institutions, departments and individuals engaged in research into continuing education, and its primary function is to promote research in this field. The Chair of SCUTREA is elected for a three-year term, and I was only the second non-professorial academic to hold this office. SCUTREA has an international membership and strong links with adult education research organisations in Australia, Canada, Europe and the USA.
In 1995 I was elected an honorary life member of SCUTREA.
1988-1992 Member, Sub-committee on Conferences and International Services, National Institute for Adult Continuing Education (NIACE).
Creative and innovative work
Included under this heading are examples of events where I have introduced innovations in the design of academic conferences or training laboratories. The design of such events has been a central focus of my research activity, and my reputation in this field has led to my being invited to contribute to the organisation of a number of events overseas.
May 1984: GRTA Groupwork Laboratory: 'Beyond the T-group' (40 participants). This event involved experimentation with T-group methodology in order to explore attitudes towards leadership and authority in groups.
May 1985: 'The Mini-Economy': an experiential event to explore the relationship between economic structures and interpersonal behaviour (40 participants) - organised for GRTA and Conference of Socialist Economists. This event involved the creation of an economic system in microcosm; this model, which I devised, has since been adopted by a number of trainers.
Sept 1987: GRTA 20th Anniversary conference: 'Power and Leadership in Groups' (130 participants). This event involved an application of T-group methodology in a large group setting in order to explore power relationships in groups.
July 1988: Transatlantic Dialogue Conference: joint conference of British and North American adult education research associations (300 participants). For this event I organised an opening plenary session in the form of an experiential workshop for all participants, leading to the formation of research groups which met throughout the conference.
January 1990: Fourth World Assembly on Adult Education, Bangkok, Thailand: I organised the opening plenary session and produced an international conference cabaret for 600 participants.
From 1988 to 1995 I was Director of the University of Manchester Broadcasting Symposium, a major international forum for the debate of public service broadcasting policy, recognised as the premier academic event of its kind in Britain. I redesigned and reorganised the event and raised its profile in both the academic world and the broadcasting industry.
Other research achievements
1987: BBC/Open University television programme, Developing Interpersonal Communication; I acted as academic consultant, wrote the script, appeared in the programme and conducted all the interviews. This programme was first broadcast in May/June 1987 and has been repeated frequently since. See an extract here. Format: QuickTime.
1989: PhD thesis entitled Personal Experience, Adult Learning and Social Research: Developing a sociological imagination in and beyond the T-group, Faculty of Economic and Social Studies, University of Manchester.
Conferences and events organised
Adult education
July 1988: Transatlantic Dialogue Conference: joint conference of British and North American adult education research associations (300 participants).
April 1991: NIACE Annual Conference: 'Measuring Success and Value in the Education and Training of Adults' (chair of organising group) (400 participants).
July 1991: SCUTREA Annual Conference: 'Knowledge and Performance: the politics of adult education' (chair of organising group) (50 participants).
July 1992: SCUTREA Annual Conference: 'Changing Culture and Adult Learning' (chair of organising group) (70 participants).
July 1993: SCUTREA Annual Conference: 'Research: Reflecting Practice' (chair of organising group) (100 participants).
September 1993: Communications skills for community development: workshop in Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, Brazil
July 1994: SCUTREA Annual Conference: 'Reflecting on Changing Practices, Contexts and Identities' (member of organising group) (80 participants)
July 1994: IV Seminário Internacional: Universidade e Educação Popular: Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, Brazil (special adviser to organisers) (600 participants)
July 1997: International conference on research in the education of adults: 'Crossing borders, breaking boundaries' (British representative on organising panel) (300 participants)
July 2000 International colloquium on Supporting Lifelong Learning (organiser, with R. Edwards and J. Clarke [Open University]). (40 participants)
July 2001 SCUTREA Annual Conference (in collaboration with five other international adult education research organisations): 'Travellers' tales: from adult education to lifelong learning and beyond' (chair of organising group) (170 participants)
Broadcasting/media
February 1982: 'Reading the Riot Act: Urban Violence and Media Representation', Manchester Polytechnic (150 participants).
March 1989: 20th University of Manchester Broadcasting Symposium: 'Life After the Broadcasting Bill' (150 participants).
March 1990: 21st University of Manchester Broadcasting Symposium: 'Standards: Quality or Control?' (130 participants).
April 1991: 22nd University of Manchester Broadcasting Symposium: 'And Now for the BBC ...' (160 participants).
February 1992: 'Here's One I Prepared Earlier: Political Interviews on Television', organised in association with Channel Four Television (40 participants).
April 1992: 23rd University of Manchester Broadcasting Symposium: 'It's Live -- But Is It Real?' (100 participants).
March 1993: 24th University of Manchester Broadcasting Symposium: 'Broadcasting Enters the Marketplace' (150 participants).
December 1993: 'Doing Television Research', organised in association with Channel Four Television (40 participants).
April 1994: 25th University of Manchester Broadcasting Symposium: 'Nintendo Millennium' (100 participants)
April 1995: 26th University of Manchester Broadcasting Symposium: Diversity , Regions and Communities in Broadcasting (100 participants)
September 1998 @THENE: practical experience of using new technologies in education (80 participants)
Group dynamics
May 1984: GRTA Groupwork Laboratory: 'Beyond the T-group' (40 participants).
May 1985: 'The Mini-Economy': an experiential event to explore the relationship between economic structures and interpersonal behaviour (40 participants), organised for GRTA and Conference of Socialist Economists.
January 1987: GRTA 15th Annual Training Laboratory: 'Managing Conflict and Difference in Groups and Organisations' (50 participants).
September 1987: GRTA 20th Anniversary conference: 'Power and Leadership in Groups' (130 participants).
January 1989: GRTA 17th Training Laboratory: 'Grouplife' (50 participants).
January 1992: GRTA 20th Annual Training Laboratory: 'Managing Change in Groups' (Dean of Laboratory) (35 participants).
March 1999: The Innovation Lab: Developing creativity and innovation in groups (with Baker Brown Associates) (40 participants).
Other
March-June 1988: Approximately thirty workshops in Australia on experiential learning, conflict resolution and action planning.
Lifelong Learning
2000-2001: UEL Festival of Lifelong Learning. This year-long festival, which I initiated, involved the organisation of approximately 150 events, including conferences, seminars, lectures, exhibitions and artistic and cultural projects, and collaboration with a wide range of local, national and international partner organisations.
Document last edited: 19 May 2011