Galloway and Porter


Galloway and Porter, Booksellers, Reduced and Secondhand books, 30 Sidney Street, Cambridge.

This is a great bookstore in the heart of Cambridge.  I’ve once again spent a lot of money here on cut price academic books (the second time this year, ouch!).  Unfortunately for those in the learning sciences, books relevant to education and sociology are scattered across the top floor, with no one dedicated shelf.  As a result prolonged rummaging is recommended.  And a prediliction for eating on a tight budget for the rest of the week.

My steals this week were Telecommunications and the City: Electronic spaces, urban places, reduced from £90 ($180) to £8 ($16) and The ICT Revolution, Productivity Differences and the Digital Divide, down from £63 ($125) to £21 ($42) – this was bought with particular reference to the forthcoming ALT-C submission deadline. The full list is Library-Thinged below.

Live Sociology: Practising Social Research with New Media


After two years of trying, I’ve managed to enlist on the final year of Goldsmiths‘ LiveSociology course. This is an ESRC sponsored series of 5 day workshops focusing on the applied practise of social research with New Media.  Since my data collection is imminent, this is of particular relevance to me at this very moment!

The first session begins next weekend (7th/8th March 2008).  Prof Les Back (Sociology, Goldsmiths) and Paul Halliday (a filmmaker, digital artist and Convenor of Goldsmiths’ MA Photography and Urban Cultures programme) will lead the first workshop – covering the outline the structure and aims of the course and then leading into areas such as locating the context of online methods in qualitative social research and introduce the project-based nature of the course.

Although I’ve completed an MA in Research Methods, coverage of data collection focused heavily on traditional foundation methods. Since then I’ve used screen and voice capture, video and photography as modes of data collection, but I’m looking to learn more to achieve a more flexible approach to interview situations in particular. The course cites several aims, including gaining a better understanding of the philosophical underpinnings of sociological representation, exploring how representation informs epistemology and understanding the opportunities that new media offer for participatory research amongst others.  I’ll report back on my transformation accordingly!

Web 2.0 vs Web 3.0


Small but interesting vignette on where this is all going (sponsored by Google!).

Designing for Accessibility


On Tuesday March 4th I’ll be delivering a Guest Lecture on ‘Designing for Accessibility’ for the MM4HCI Human-Computer Systems module for 3rd/4th year Undergraduate and MSc students from Computer Science and Engineering here at Nottingham University.  I’ll be discussing accessibility and usability, legal requirements and guidelines, examples of good and bad practice as well as some case studies.  I’ll also be talking about issues of power in virtual spaces, with particular reference to the social dimensions of disability online. If you’re attending this lecture and want more information about the area and my sources drop me a line.

‘Inclusive Practice: Rhetoric or Reality?’


On the 7th February 2008 I attended a free half day seminar backed by the HEA at Sheffield Hallam University.  On the subject of ‘Inclusive Practice: Rhetoric or Reality?’ this was the first time I’ve had the chance to hear Professor Dan Goodley, the keynote speaker.  Goodley focused specifically on emancipatory pedagogies and the limits of mainstream notions of ‘inclusion’.  This was a healthy reminder to look again at the writing of Frantz Fanton and Paulo Freire and consider the meaning of Inclusion, a word that has contrary implications.  Future events in this series take place around the UK and are cited on the HEA website. The series appears to offer a useful way in to strands of disability research in Higher Education that are otherwise difficult to bring together.

Going Solo: Starting Out as a Freelance Researcher


I’ve been invited to give the following talk at the Graduate School on the 15th of May 2008 at 2pm.  The Graduate Schools own blurb follows.  If you’re interested in attending and want to reserve a place please send an email to graduate-school@nottingham.ac.uk.

"Going Solo – Starting Out as a Freelance Researcher".

This talk given by Sarah Lewthwaite, a PhD Researcher in the School of Education will give you the opportunity to hear about her experience of establishing herself in a freelance research role during her PhD. The session will provide insights into practical issues such as how much to charge, realistic project planning and working with different clients. The presentation will be of interest to all research students especially those who might be thinking of undertaking some independent research work and those interested in self employment now or in the future.

A Whole New Quertyuiop


I’ve been invited to deliver a guest lecture on disability and accessibility as part of a course on Human Factors in Interface Design for undergraduates in Computer Science and Engineering.  I’m considering starting with the Quertyuiop keyboard.  Due to the mechanical nature of early typewriters, the Qwerty keyboard was designed in the 1870s to spread the vowels and other high-use keys over a wider area.  This anti-ergonomic design slowed typists (particularly right-handers), meaning the mechanics of the typewriter jammed less frequently.  Now the mechanics have been replaced, but the Qwerty interface remains, frequently causing discomfort and repetative strain injury.  It’s a high-profile incidence of an interface actively disabling a user, particularly relevant to Computer Scientists – and I’m hoping will act as a springboard into discussing the relevance of the social model of disability. 

Whilst looking up archival footage of early typewriters I stumbled upon this. This 30 second film comes from a Bollywood film and shows people dancing across a giant typewriter keyboard to catchy music! Make of it what you will!

Doing Disability Research


I’ve been seeking out Doing Disability Research, edited by Colin Barnes and Geoff Mercer along with some other books strangely absent from the UoN libraries.  This book appears to be currently out of print – however, in my search I’ve discovered the excellent Leeds Disability Studies Archive UK, an online resource containing Doing Disability Research by chapter and many other relavent titles. Explore for yourself at http://www.disability-archive.leeds.ac.uk/

Nottingham Research Network (SEN) Report


Earlier this month I presented at the 2nd annual Nottingham Research Network (SEN) "Special Educational Needs, Social and Educational Inclusion, Health and Disabilities".  I’ve had some queries about the conference and it’s focus.  I think one of the key aims of the conference is literally in sustaining the network itself.  This yearly gathering is a great opportunity for those working in the field to meet with researchers and share practice, knowledge and forge collaboration.  Without these connections, academic research is all to often at best undiscovered, at worst, fatuous and irrelevant.  Certainly in the Social Sciences, where the PhD is traditionally a lonely and introverted road, opportunities to benefit from collegiate and professional connections are vital.

The conference also provides a place for disparate researchers and city practitioners to meet those in their own fields.  Nottingham University has disability researchers scattered throughout various disciplines, and for those working in inclusion, health and supporting access to education in the City, opportunities to meet other professionals outside their immediate contacts can be difficult. 

If you are located in the Nottinghamshire area and are interested in joining the network, go to http://www.nottmlg.org.uk/ to sign up and access the group’s online portal.

U21 Prize Scholarship


I’m fortunate to announce that, with support from academics in the UK and Australia, I’ve won the Universitas 21 Prize Scholarship to continue my studies at the University of Melbourne, for a month later this year. Universitas 21 is an international network of 21 research-intensive universities in 13 countries. If you are a 2nd or 3rd year PhD student studying at a partner instutition you can apply for the prize scholarship to strengthen your research, these total up to £1000 ($2000) for visits outside a home country.

I’m hoping to benefit from the insights of Melbourne academics working in the areas of ‘Access and Equity’ and new technologies.  I have a desk at the Faculty of Education in ICT in Education and Research and my supervisor for the duration will be Dr Richard James, director of the Centre for the Study of Higher Education. 

Access and Equity is the Australian equivalent to the UK’s Widening Participation agenda. In particular, I’m interested in how national inclusion strategies and global (economic) information interests – embodied by new technologies – are experienced in and around the HE classroom. Hopefully this visit will allow me to couch my research in a wider, more internationally applicable context. The only downside has to be that I’m travelling during UK academic down-time (August) so I can’t benefit from the joys of an Australian summer!