Dr Alison Davies SFHEA

Dr Alison Davies

Principal Educational Developer (Education Enhancement)

Contact details

Email
a.davies.1@bham.ac.uk
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 Principal Educational Developer. I am also the lead for both  the Education Enhancement Fund (EEF) and the Education Research and Scholarship Network (ERSN). A key part of my work in these roles is to support staff to enhance their research and practice, with the overall aim of enhancing teaching and student learning at the University. My role as lead for EEF involves providing advice and guidance through all stages of the project application, delivery and dissemination processes. As lead for the ERSN, I encourage staff across the institution to collaborate over their research and teaching practice, to discuss future ideas, current work, share preliminary findings and find support from peers.

Availability

Feedback and office hours: Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays (full days). Wednesdays half days.

Qualifications

  • Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, SFHEA (2025)
  • Prince IIFoundation course (2009)
  • PGDip (2004) (Research Methodology), BCU
  • PhD (2002); Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, BCU
  • GBSM (Hons) Performance (1994); Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, BCU

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 qualified running coach with England Athletics; coaching for the Bournville Harriers. I am alsofounder and head coach of Bourn-Running – a local community group based at Rowheath Pavilion. 

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.