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The career trajectory for PhD – making the most of opportunities and changes Gráinne Conole, University of Leicester 23rd May 2014 PGR Student conference, Southampton University National Teaching Fellow 2012 Ascilite fellow 2012 EDEN fellow 2013

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Page 1: Conole soton final

The career trajectory for PhD – making the most of opportunities and changes

Gráinne Conole, University of Leicester23rd May 2014

PGR Student conference, Southampton University

National Teaching

Fellow 2012 Ascilite fellow 2012EDEN fellow 2013

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Outline

• Career history• Turning points and

reflections• Current role and research

interests• Harnessing the power of

social media

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Early years…

• Born in Cork, Ireland• Moved to London when

five years old • One sister, Moya• Dog named James Joyce!• Schools

– Holy Mary, Kingston– St Philomenas, Carshalton

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Academic performance

• Secondary School 74-82– A late developer!– 10 O’ levels– 4 A levels (Chem, Biol,

Maths, Art)

• University 82-85– Chemistry, 2.1. Sheffield

University

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The Thatcher influence…

• …..or life in the ‘real’ world• 85-86– Graduate training programme– Allied bakeries– Area retail manager– 150 staff in 10 outfits across

London!

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Life as a Chemist• 86-90

– PhD X-Ray Crystallography

– P/T demonstrating and lecturing

• 90-91– Lecturer on newly

established Foundation Science course – HITECC

• 91-96– Lecturer (Inorganic

Chemistry)

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Changing roles

• UNL June 96 - Sept 99– Project Director Learning

and Teaching Innovation– Director of Teaching and

Learning Technology Centre

– Head of Technology-based Learning

• Bristol Sept 99 –April 02– Director of Institute for

Learning and Research Technology

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Changing roles….

• Southampton 2002 – 2006– Chair in educational

innovation in post-compulsory education

• OU 2006 - 2011– Professor of e-learning

• Leicester 2011 - now– Professor of Learning

Innovation

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Early turning points

• Moving to England– Identity crisis – Irish or English?

Integrating into a new society• O’ and A’ level choices– Switch from Sociology to

Chemistry O’ level– Switch from Geography to

Maths A’ level– Lack of career advice or choice

of university

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Turning points• Retail manager! and switch to PhD

(phew)• Securing lectureship• Promotion to Principle Lecturer (96)• Birth of Eleanor (94) & Tabby (98)• Taking the Bristol post, Tabby 6 months• Nannies and au pairs!• Chair at Southampton, then OU & now

Leicester• JISC & EU funded projects• Increasing involvement in national and

international activities

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Focus of research

• Enhancing the learner experience

• Effective & innovative use of technologies

• New approaches to design

• Open practices in learning, teaching and research

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Institute of Learning Innovation

• Research• Teaching• Supervision• Consultancy• Visiting scholars• Institutional advice

http://www.le.ac.uk/ili

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Four phases

• Multimedia• The Internet• Learning Design• Social and Participatory

Media

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My network

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Blogs• Of the moment

reflections• Digital archive• The power of peer

review• Record of events, reviews

and resources• Wider audience reach

and hence profile• Link into facebook and

Twitter• Complements traditional

publication routes

e4innovation.com

gconole.wordpress,com

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Using facebook

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Ideas for harnessing Web 2.0?

Twitter

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Twitter and facebook #fb

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Conferences• Purpose: presentation & feedback• Network, network, network!• Potential collaborators & bid partners• Put in a symposium of experts• Expert validation workshops• Put papers/presentations online• Follow up contacts afterwards: email,

fb, Twitter, blogs, etc.• Work up into a research paper• Work the hashtag• Live blog or follow conference-related

blogs

A personal example

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Publishing•Write books and chapters•Become an editor ofa special issue of a journal•Keep publication list up to date in your research

repository•Set up a writing group or workshop (real/virtual)•Co-write with lots of different people•Disseminate publications via Tweet, fb etc •Set up a blog•See Twitter, blogs, journals, books as

complementary

GO OPEN!!!!

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Networking

• Build international links

• Join professional bodies

• Become a reviewer• Do a special issue• Sit on committees• Do a study visit

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Reflections

• Difficulty of balancing home and work

• Significance of turning points• Importance of support –

partners, friends and childcare support

• Clash of having children and career breaks

• Politics!

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Importance of relaxation!

Porthcurno, Cornwall

Seascamp

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http://www.le.ac.uk/ilihttp://www.slideshare.net/GrainneConole

[email protected]://e4innovation.com

@gconole