Dr Alison Davies

Dr Alison Davies

Project Advisor (Education Enhancement)

Contact details

Address
Educational Development Team
Libraries and Learning Resources
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

I have worked at the University of Birmingham since 2002; working firstly within the former Learning Development Unit as Research Projects Officer and then in my current role as Project Advisor for the Educational Enhancement and Educational Partnership Funds. My role is to support academic staff by providing advice and guidance at the initial stages of refining their proposals and applying for funding, during the project (ensuring projects meet their objectives and  providing evaluation support if needed), and post-project support in the dissemination of project outcomes and collaboration with other project leads and activities across the University.

Feedback and office hours

Tuesdays, Thursdays all day. Fridays half day.

Qualifications

PhD (2002); Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, BCU
PGDip (2004) (Research Methodology),BCU
GBSM (Hons) Performance (1994); Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, BCU
Prince II Foundation course (2009)

Biography

My doctoral research at Birmingham Conservatoire examined the Conservatoire’s official representation of its musical training in its Prospectus and music students’ perceptions and experiences of this training in practice. At the heart of this qualitative study was the ways in which students developed their ideas of musical success or failure through notions of ‘talent’ and ‘hard work’ within an institution promoting an education preparing them for a professional world with fewer job possibilities and shrinking government support for the arts.

Other activities

I am a keen runner and am founder of the Bourn-Running Group (Bourn-Running: https://www.pavilionchurch.org.uk/Groups/299317/Bourn_Running.aspx ), leading classes for beginners and for adults who want to improve their running performance.

Publications

Journal Publications

Davies, A. (2004) ‘Preparing professional performers: music students’ perceptions and experiences of the learning process at Birmingham Conservatoire’.
International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education. Vol. 17, No. 6: 803-821

Davies, A., Ramsay, J., Lindfield, H. and Couperthwaite, J. (2005) ‘A Blended approach to learning: added value and lessons learnt from students’ use of computer-based materials for neurological analysis’
British Journal of Educational Technology.  Vol. 36, No. 5: 839-849

Davies, A., Ramsay, J., Lindfied, H. and Couperthwaite, J. (2005) ‘Building learning communities: foundations for good practice’
British Journal of Educational Technology. Vol. 36, No. 4: 615-627

‘Enhancing the student experience through technology: making language learning more meaningful through a departmental VLE’
Clelia Boscolo, Alison Davies, Kelly Smith.
Tuttitalia. 2008, No 36, 4-11

Book Chapters:

A Davies and K J Smith (2006): ‘Drivers and Barriers to the Uptake of Learning Technologies: Staff experiences in a research-led university’.  J R Donoghue (Ed) Technology Supported Learning and Teaching: A Staff Perspective.  University of Wolverhampton. Information Science Publishing.

C Boscolo, A Davies and KJ Smith: ‘Enhancing the Student Experience Through Technology:
Making Language Learning More Meaningful through a Departmental VLE’. New Approaches to Teaching Italian Language and Culture: Case Studies from an International Perspective, Edited by Emanuele Occhipinti. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Other:

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/students-would-pay-twenty-three-thousand-pound-fees-survey-suggests