Karen Guldberg is currently Director of the Autism Centre for Education and Research (ACER) at the School of Education, University of Birmingham and a senior lecturer in Autism Studies in the Department of Disability, Inclusion and Special Needs (DISN).
Within ACER, Karen runs the world’s first and largest blended e-learning programme for practitioners and carers who work with children and adults on the autism spectrum. It can be studied for a year or two years part time, leading to the awards of University Certificate (Autism Studies) and Certificate of Higher Education (Autism Studies).
Before moving into Higher Education, Karen worked for many years as an Early Years teacher in mainstream, special and outreach provision. She specialised in working with children on the autism spectrum.
Karen’s research explores ‘best practice’ in early interventions for children. She has a strong interest in how children learn and in the training needs of practitioners and carers. She is currently co-investigator in the ECHOES project (www.echoes2.org). This research project is i) developing a technology enhanced learning environment to enable social communication for typically developing children and children on the autism spectrum and ii) researching children’s learning.
Karen was recently co-investigator on an international review of the literature of evidence of best practice provision in the education of persons on the autism spectrum (www.ncse.ie).
She was co-investigator on research mapping educational provision in the field of autism spectrum conditions identifying the challenges in ensuring good educational outcomes for children and young people and giving examples of good practice in the field. (www.autismeducationtrust.org.uk/).
Knowledge exchange and impact
Karen, together with Glenys Jones, Andrea MacLeod, Sarah Parsons, Mitzi Waltz and Kerstin Wittemeyer has produced DVDs and web-based resources on the autism spectrum for the DCSF which have been launched nationally to all early years providers and all mainstream primary and secondary schools in England. The team have also completed a review report on educational provision for children and young people on the autism spectrum for the newly convened national Autism Education Trust set up by the DCSF and convened a visit to ACER from members of the Education Committee of the Irish Parliament. In addition, Karen has helped to develop the Advisory Group for London Schools Network with colleagues from the Institute of Education, other leading autism researchers and the charity Autism Speaks.
Karen and her team recently worked in partnership with National Strategies to develop the national Inclusion Development Programmes (IDPs) in autism, and Karen was responsible for the Early Years IDP (see http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/168117)
They have also produced an online learning resource for General Practitioners and Primary Care Practitioners in partnership with National Education Scotland (www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/asd/)
Selected Publications
Guldberg, K., Porayska-Pomsta, K., Good,J. and Keay-Bright, W. (2010) ECHOES II: the creation of a technology enhanced learning environment for typically developing children and children on the autism spectrum, Journal of Assistive Technologies, for Special Issue on autism, 4 (1), March 2010.
Guldberg, K. and Mackness, J. (2009) Foundations of Communities of Practice: enablers and barriers to participation, Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 25 (6): 528-538.
Pilkington, R. and Guldberg, K. (2009) Conditions for productive networked learning among professionals and carers: The WebAutism Case Study, in Dirckinck-Holmfeld, L., Jones, C. and Lindstrom, B. Analysing Networked Learning Practices in Higher Education and Continuing Professional Development, pp. 63-85, Sense publishers.
Guldberg, K. (2008) Adult learners and professional development: How students show reflection, sensitivity towards the perspectives of others and teamwork through online dialogue, International Journal of Lifelong Education, 27 (1): 35-49.
Guldberg, K. and Pilkington, R. (2007) Tutor roles in facilitating reflection on practice through online discussion, Journal of Educational Technology and Society, 10 (1): 61-72.
Guldberg, K. and Pilkington, R. (2006) A community of practice approach to the development of non-traditional learners through networked learning, Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 22 (3): 159-171.
Full list of publications for Dr Karen Guldberg (PDF 123KB, opens new window)