Projects/Teaching

I have brought-in and/or been principal investigator on projects worth £1.8 million. These are/were designed to build capacity and capability in e-learning across the University and the higher education sector.

Principal Investigator

  • DMU-funded, Academic Innovation Project, The impact on Muslim students of the current Student Loans regime on student engagement and retention in Higher Education, 2023-24 [£4,500].
  • I was the principal investigator on the Centre for Urban Research on Austerity (CURA/ESRC)-funded project, Mapping Learning City Infrastructures Under Austerity Governance, 2017-18 [£800].
  • I was the principal investigator on the DMU-funded Teaching Innovation Project, Towards Equitable Engagement: the Impact of UDL on Student Perceptions of Learning, 2016-17 [£7,264].
  • I was the principal investigator on the HEIF5-funded Knowledge Exchange Digital Literacy Framework Project, 2012-14 [£126,886]. This is a unique partnership with Leicester City Council. This project has received international acclaim, as one of five winners of the Reclaim Open Learning Challenge, an international contest sponsored by the MacArthur Foundation, the Digital Media and Learning Hub, and MIT Media Lab. This project was runner-up in the ALT Learning Technologist Team of the Year award, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/2086/10804
  • I was the principal investigator on the HE Leadership Foundation-funded, Changing the Learning Landscape project, 2013.
  • I was project manager [principal investigator], for DMU’s HEA e-Learning Research Observatory-funded, Connecting Transitions and Independent Learning Project, 2008–09 [£60,000, match-funded]. This was a partnership with the National Institute for Adult and Continuing Education. https://www.dora.dmu.ac.uk/handle/2086/10819
  • I was project manager [principal investigator], for DMU’s HEA-funded e-Learning Pathfinder Project on Web 2.0 cultures, 2007–08 [£248,000, match-funded]. http://hdl.handle.net/2086/10808
  • I was the project manager [principal investigator], for DMU’s HEA-sponsored e-Learning Benchmarking Project, 2006–07.
  • I was the project manager [principal investigator], for DMU’s HEFCE-funded e-Learning Capital Investment funding, 2005–06 [£457,000].
  • I was the project manager [principal investigator], on the HEFCE TLTP3, Courseware for History Implementation Consortium (Chic)project, 1999–2002 [£666,000, match-funded].

DMU Principal Investigator on collaborative projects

  • I was the DMU lead on the JISC-funded Mobilising Remote Student Engagement Project, which is a partnership with Kingston University, 2008 – 10 [Curriculum Delivery Programme, £197,000]. http://hdl.handle.net/2086/10799
  • I was the DMU lead on the collaborative, HEA-funded ADDER (Assessment & Disciplines: Developing E-tivities Research) project, which was a partnership with Universities of Leicester and Northampton.

Co-investigator

  • GCRF-funded Networking Grants scheme, Realising Education’s Promise for Children Refugees from Syria: Assessment of Education Provision and Learning Environments in Iraq, with Erbil University, 2022-23 [£24,995].
  • Academy of Finland, University Democracy, Universities as Laboratories of Meaningful Democracy, and the Crisis of Representative Democracy, with Tampere University, 2023-24.
  • DMU-funded Decolonising DMU project, since 2019 (I am Research and Evaluation lead).
  • HEFCE Catalyst Fund Call B: addressing barriers to student success, Using a value-added metric and an inclusive curriculum framework to address the black and minority ethnic attainment gap, 2017-19 [£499,956].
  • DMU-funded Teaching Innovation Project, Leading Change for Sustainability: developing a Social Learning approach within a DMU course, 2016-17 [£3,355].
  • HEIF Transformative learning for the public good – an integrative approach to sustainable community development, 2016-17 [£21,539]. I co-lead Sub-project 2: Into work and learning by doing, with Professor Jo Richardson.
  • HEIF5 Electro Acoustic Resource 2 (EARS 2): Implementing sound-based music, technology and education, 2013-14. This is a partnership with Prof Leigh Landy, Music, Technology and Innovation [£53,000]. https://www.dora.dmu.ac.uk/handle/2086/10029
  • HEIF5 Electro Acoustic Resource 2 (EARS 2) Pedagogical Project, 2011-12. This is a partnership with Prof Leigh Landy, Music, Technology and Innovation [£30,000]. https://www.dora.dmu.ac.uk/handle/2086/10029
  • JISC Greening ICT programme: technical development, Open to Change Project, 2010-11. This was a partnership with the universities of Lincoln and Oxford [£30,000]. https://www.dora.dmu.ac.uk/handle/2086/10821
  • DMU Revolving Investment Fund for Research Round 2, Building Capacity to Impact on Policy and Practice Project, 2010-11. This was a partnership with Dr Catherine Durose, Department of Public Policy [£10,000].
  • JISC Greening ICT programme: Transforming the Institution, Deliberative User Approach in a Living Lab Project, 2010-11. This was a partnership with Dr Richard Bull, Institute for Energy and Sustainable Development [£75,000]. https://www.dora.dmu.ac.uk/handle/2086/5925
  • JISC/HEA Open Educational Resources programme, Sickle Cell Open: Online Topics and Educational Resources Project, 2010–11. This was a partnership with Dr Viv Rolfe, School of Allied Social Sciences [£125,000].
  • HEA Evidence-Informed Quality Improvement Programme, Sharing Views and Making Links: Student Perception Of Outstanding Teaching And Exceptional Learning Project, 2010–11. This was a partnership with Dr Nick Allsopp, Department of Academic Quality.
  • Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Commission, Project evaluator on the New Dimensions of Security in Europe Project, 2009–10. This was a partnership with Charles University Prague, Technical University Dresden and the University of Wrocław. [E335,887].

Steering Group memberships

  • I was a member of the Steering Group for the DMU Volunteerism Project, which is a partnership between the DMU Nursing and Midwifery Research Centre and We are Macmillan Cancer Support, from 2013-14 [£106,500].
  • I was a member of the Steering Group of Kingston University’s e-Learning Pathfinder Project, Rapid Reaction and Response (R3), which was funded by the HEA, from 2007–08.
  • I was a member of the Steering Group of the European Commission Leonardo da Vinci Programme, Access to Professional Training for Disabled People Project, 2005–07.

Research supervision

I currently supervise 10 Ph.D. students covering: policy and practice in primary and higher education; the idea of school communities; black school leaders in Leicester schools; genocide education; the political economy of further education in relation to functional skills; nurse education and resilience; nurse education and human factors; the lived experiences of nurse educators during the pandemic; an exploration of the impact of contextualised academic support on international student outcomes in Higher Education: and, the relationship between decolonising and black postgraduate research experiences. 

I have successfully bid for two Full Bursary Ph.D. applications: A critical evaluation of continuing professional development strategies for digital literacy in UK compulsory education (2013); and A critical evaluation of the impact of neoliberal governance on the lived experience of school communities in UK primary education (2017).

I have seven completions as a supervisor for projects on: professional identity and digital literacy in UK secondary schools; intelligent authoring tools in finance-related disciplines (using mixed methods) (https://www.dora.dmu.ac.uk/handle/2086/8238); academic adoption of learning management systems in Saudi Arabia (analysed using a grounded approach) (https://www.dora.dmu.ac.uk/handle/2086/11123); Information Technology Shared Services in United Kingdom Local Authorities (using case studies and activity theory); digital literacy amongst academics in Saudi Arabia (using mixed methods); decision systems in Saudi Arabian higher education (using mixed methods); and, the future of public engagement with digital historic interiors (mixed methods).

I defined the Centre for Pedagogic Research (2016), and led the Institute for Education Futures at DMU (2016-18).

I have supervised Masters students working on: innovation in staff development; designing international curricula to support distance learning; mental health services for students; the HE experience of BAME students; and curriculum innovation in professional practice.

Research, Teaching and Pedagogic Leadership

Leadership at DMU

I advise the Education 2030 Scholarship, Research and Impact workstream (since 2023).

I am Chair of the HLS Faculty Research Ethics Committee (since 2021).

I am the Director of the Institute for Research in Criminology, Community, Education and Social Justice Steering Committee (since 2021).

I am a member of the University Responsible Bibliometrics Group (since 2022).

I was a member of the DMU Teaching and Learning Theme Board, the DMU TEF Project Board, and University Learning and Teaching Committee (2004-18).

I directed the evaluation of DMU’s Closing the Attainment Gap project (2017-19), and direct the evaluation of the Decolonising DMU project (since 2019).

I am an academic advisor for the Stephen Lawrence Research Centre, and a mentor for a Legacy in Action Fellow (since 2020).

I am a member of the Talent 25 Research Group (since 2021).

I am a member of the DMU Centre for Academic Innovation Advisory Group (since 2020).

I am a member of the School of Applied Social Sciences Athena SWAN working group (since 2019).

I led the research-informed teaching strand of the Developing Researchers Effectively Project (2018-19).

I led the evaluation of Universal Design for Learning (2018-19).

I am a member of the DMU School of Applied Social Sciences Research Committee (since 2014).

I was Programme Director for the DMU Enhancing Learning through Technology Programme (2014-16).

I was a member of the Academic and Business Services Programme Board (2013-16).

I chaired the Learning Services Sub-Committee of University Learning and Teaching Committee (2012-14).

I was a member of the following project boards: the Centre for Pedagogic Research; LT2020; Office365; Universal Design for Learning (2013-16).

I convened the Young People and Employability strand of the DMU Policy Commission (2014).

I sat on the DMU Teacher Fellow award panel (2012-13), and the DMU Teaching Innovation Fund projects awards panel (2011-13).

As an NTF mentor, I have supported successful applications from three DMU and three external candidates (since 2010). I am active in the DMU NTF/Teacher Fellow network (since 2009).

Teaching at DMU

I taught and led the first-year Education Studies module, evidenced-based teaching and learning (2018-19). I contribute to: Historical and Contemporary Issues in Education (first-year, 2018-22); Introduction to Education (first-year, since 2022); Contemporary and Evidence-Based Issues in Education (first-year, since 2022); Teaching Diversity: International Perspectives (second-year, 2019-21); Research Methods (second-year, since 2021); Politics of Education (second-year, since 2021); and, Dissertation (third-year, since 2018).

I am a supervisor for MA students both in Education Practice and by Independent Study (since 2010).

I led the ELT strand of the Post-Graduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE) (2005-15).

I led the PGCHE module on Assessment and Feedback (2014-15).

I led the Assessment and Feedback component of the Beginning to Teach in HE course (2014-15).

I taught and led the first-year History module, Presenting and Representing the Past at DMU (2008-11).

I contributed to the development and validation of the MA in Education Practice (2010).

I designed and took to validation the UCPD in Web-Enhanced Practice (2009).

External consultancy

I work with Creative Tuition on STEM education for all, in relation to ethics for students (2022-23).

I produced a case study for UCU on decarbonising and decolonising, following work with NUS-Students Organising for Sustainability (2023).

I was External Assessor on the HEA fellowship scheme at the University of Sunderland (2017).

I am a Trustee of the Open Library of Humanities (2015-22)

I am a Teaching Scholar at the Cooperative Institute for Transnational Studies (since 2015)

I am a member of the Centre for Transformational Learning and Culture (since 2016)

I have examined eight external M.Phil./Ph.D. candidates, ten internal Ph.D. candidates, and a Masters by Research at DMU.

I am a National Teaching Fellowship Reviewer (since 2013).

I was an invited member of the JISC Pedagogy Experts group (2009-16).

I was External Assessor on the Post-Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching at Glasgow Caledonian University (2008-12).

I contributed to the resource-bank that emerged from a joint Universities and Colleges Union/Centre for the Study of Global and Social Justice workshop ‘For a Public University’ that was held at Nottingham University (2012, see: http://andreasbieler.net/for-a-public-university/)

I advised the British Council with Moscow Bauman State Technical University on the development of a Masters in Design Innovation (2006, 2011 and 2012).

I was a consultant on the University of Surrey’s VLE Review (2010).

I reviewed the use of technology in post-graduate teaching and learning curricula at Buckingham New University (2010).

I was consulted as part of the UK JISC Mobile and Wireless Technologies Review (2010, see: http://mobilereview.jiscpress.org/).

I was a critical friend on the HEA-funded national scoping study of sustainable practices in technology-enhanced learning in universities (2010).

I was an expert on the HEA’s “Best Practice Criteria for e-Learning” workshop, held at Bradford University (2010).

I advised Te Wānanga o Aotearoa University in New Zealand in developing technology solutions for distance learners (2008).

I led workshops on ELT for the following UK HEA subject centres: Business, Management, Accountancy and Finance; Escalate [Education Studies]; and History. I was on the register of expertise for the latter.