I am an accidental educator. When I embarked on my first master’s degree in Applied Linguistics, I had grand visions of myself draped in long, flowy Boho skirts, either penning the next great novel or crafting catchy jingles for advertising agencies. Then I happened to microteach a lesson on pedagogical grammar that changed my destiny. My course mates, acting as my ‘students’, were enthralled. For months, they insisted I had a gift; that teaching was my true calling. After all, they reasoned, if I could make pedagogical grammar engaging surely, I could teach less challenging topics! Six months later I graduated with distinction, listened to my friends’ advice and began teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP).

As an English teacher I was given many opportunities to teach in different countries and have been fortunate to work and learn from many people and cultures in the Middle East, South Asia and the UK.

Once the Internet established itself firmly as a regular part of any classroom, I happily moved from using the overhead projector (also called the OHP in ‘those days’) and VHS tapes in my teaching to using the Internet. To keep myself abreast with the latest innovations in educational technologies, I completed another master’s in educational technology and ELT from Manchester.

A few years later, the rise of blogs transformed the way people shared their thoughts, making blogging a popular platform for educators to reflect on their teaching and for students to hone their writing skills. As I explored the ever-growing blogosphere for teaching inspiration, I stumbled upon a fascinating community—women who identified as religious feminists. Through blogs and Facebook pages, they engaged in an informal yet profound journey of learning, using these digital spaces to explore the intersection of their faith and feminism.

I was instantly attracted to this group of bloggers and applied to the University of Birmingham for an interdisciplinary PhD to study how social media are used by feminists with religious affiliations to advance their religious education and challenge various forms of power within and outside their communities. My research employs Alberto Melucci’s collective action theory to explore how these women collaboratively reshape informal educational spaces online, challenging power dynamics by adapting to and engaging with digital culture. A key finding is the pivotal role of collective identity construction in this process. I discovered that feminists use online platforms not only to educate and advocate for reinterpretations of religious teachings but also to cultivate a shared sense of purpose and belonging. This collective identity becomes a crucial mechanism for sustaining resistance and fostering a supportive community for dialogue and action. My research highlights the significance of digital platforms as transformative spaces where informal education can be decolonised, serving as both a form of resistance and a means of empowerment.

I have been an educator for over 25 years teaching education studies, TESOL, and educational research among other courses and I continue to be thrilled when engaging with a new cohort of students and helping them with their research.  I’m deeply committed to the scholarship of learning and teaching, which I luckily understood early on was always my destiny. Sometimes, the most rewarding journeys begin where we least expect them. I did find my true calling through pedagogical grammar – now I teach in long, flowy Boho skirts, even in the cold and wet Glasgow.   

• Technology enhanced learning and education 
• Decolonisation of higher education
• Identity and culture in education
• Postcolonial feminism and women in academia

I specialise in qualitative research, with expertise in application of Foucault’s theories about power to education, the Constructivist Grounded Theory (CGT) methodology, and action research.

I welcome PhD proposals that align with my research interests (please see the Research Interests section for a list of my research interests and expertise).

If you are interested in studying with me, please email me the following: 

1. Research proposal of approximately 1,500 words, excluding references (see here for guidance).
2. Recent CV.
3. Any books, articles, chapters, or reports you have published already.
4. A 300-word description of how your research experiences/interests align with my research and why you are interested in pursuing a PhD with me.
5. Please also indicate how you plan to fund your PhD. 

Postgraduate (Selected recent)

1. An Extended Literature Review on Integrating Social Media into High School Teaching

2. The Perception of Pre-service Teachers on Students’ Utilization of Tiktok outside Classrooms to Improve Language Learning Abilities

3. Exploring the impact of using Instagram to improve students' receptive and productive skills

4. An investigation into how Douyin can be used in Higher Education in China

5. Using video games to teach ESL/EFL: An Extended Literature Review

6. Use of social media platform “Ying yu qu pai yin” to teach English speaking skills to Chinese primary school students.

7. The perception of third-year English major students in a Southern Chinese University about the use of smartphones in improving academic writing skills.

8. Addressing gender inequality in education in the Indian region: an extended literature review.

9. Investigating the impact of academic procrastination on Chinese students at the University of Glasgow.

10. Improving English competency through TikTok: An extended literature review.

11. Use of Twitter by college students in Beijing to improve informal Writing skills. 

12. Evaluating the Impact of Digital Learning Tools on Student Engagement and Motivation in a Scottish university 

13. A literature review of conflict and effects of conflict resolution training on primary school children.

14. Exploring perceptions of Chinese students of Education at University of Glasgow about the effects of flipped classrooms on their motivation.

15. Exploring the Effectiveness of Life Education for Chinese postgraduate students of Education at the University of Glasgow.

16. An investigation into the functions and impact of teacher and peer feedback on students' writing: a comparative study between the United Kingdom and China.

17. An investigation into the different elements of professional development that motivate English major students in a Shanghai university to complete MOOCs courses and the challenges of using MOOCs. 

18. Exploring TESOL students’ motivations for choosing English teaching as a career: A perspective from Chinese students of TESOL at the University of Glasgow.

19. The role of commercial Digital Video Games on Chinese students’ comprehension of metaphors.

20. The role of summative assessment on motivation of English language learners at the Henan University of Technology in China.

21. The relationship between English speaking anxiety, gender and self-efficacy of Chinese students majoring in TESOL at at the University of Glasgow.

22. An investigation into the English speaking anxiety and how it can be reduced in the case of Chinese TESOL postgraduate students at the University of Glasgow.

23. The impact of distributed leadership model in Higher Education: An Extended Literature Review

24. Music education in primary schools in China: An Extended Literature Review 

25. Chinese students bringing their culture to study in universities in the English-speaking West

Education Studies programme (current)

• Introduction to Educational and Social Research (EDUC5410)
• Modern Educational Thought (EDUC5156)
• Dissertation for MSc/MEd in Education Studies (EDUC5142P)

TESOL programme (past)

• Dissertation for MSc/MEd in TESOL (EDUC5900P)
• Descriptions of Language and Applications to the Classroom (EDUC5847)

Prizes, awards & distinctions

• 2006: Zayed Award and Certificate of Recognition for Excellence in Teaching (Zayed University)

Professional & learned societies

• 2000 - 2020: Member, TESOL Arabia
• 1998 - 2006: Member, TESOL International Association
• 2006 - 2009: Webmaster, TESOL Arabia ESP SIG

Selected international presentations

• 2020: Gender & Women's Studies GWS2020 (Singapore)
• 2012: Transformations in TESOL, 16th International TESOL Arabia Conference (Dubai, UAE)
• 2006: TESOL Arabia ESP SIG (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
• 2006: TESOL Arabia Ajman chapter (Ajman, UAE)
• 2005: TESOL Arabia Abu Dhabi Chapter (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
• 2005: TESOL Arabia ESP SIG (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
• 2005: TESOL Arabia Research SIG and Ajman chapter (Ajman, UAE)
• 2004: TESOL Arabia Abu Dhabi chapter event (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
• 2004: Current Trends in English Language Testing Conference, The Future of Language Assessment (Dubai, UAE)
• 2004: TESOL Arabia 2004 Conference, Standards in English Language Teaching and Assessment (Dubai, UAE)
• 2003: Current Trends in English Language Testing Conference 2003 (Dubai, UAE)
• 2003: EgypTesol Fourth annual convention, Best Practice in TEFL (Cairo, Egypt)
• 2003: 1st Asia TEFL conference, TEFL in Asia: Emerging Issues (Busan, South Korea)
• 2003: The 2nd Annual TESOL Arabia ESP SIG Conference, Catering to Current Needs – ESP for Today! (Sharjah, UAE)
• 2003: The 3rd Annual Teacher-to-Teacher Conference, Culture, Context, & Communication (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
• 2003: TESOL Arabia 2003 Conference, English Language Teaching in the IT Age (Dubai, UAE)
• 2002: TESOL Arabia 2002 Conference, Critical Reflection and Practice (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
• 2001: The 2nd Annual Teacher-to-Teacher Conference (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
• 2001: TESOL-Arabia Conference 2001, Challenges in the New Millennium (Dubai, UAE)
• 2000: 16th International Conference, Society of Pakistan English Language Teachers (Karachi, Pakistan)
• 2000: The MLI Inaugural Open Conference, Tools of the Trade (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
• 2000: LSP 2000 Seminar, Language for Specific Purposes: Tuning in to the New Millennium (Johor, Malaysia)

- Member of International Study Association on Teachers and Teaching (ISATT).

- Member of Scottish Educational Research Association (SERA). 

- Registered reviewer for Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education (JLDHE). 

- Recipient of the Zayed Award for Excellence in Teaching from Zayed University in Abu Dhabi, UAE (2006).

- Member – Journal Review Board, Learning & Teaching in Higher Education: Gulf Perspectives, 2012 to 2014.

Teaching certificates:

- Higher Education Teaching Certificate  (2020), Derek Bok Center, Harvard University, US.

- New to Digital Teaching Certificate (2020), Advanced Higher Education, UK.

- Certificate of Overseas Teachers of English (COTE) (1998-1999), Royal Society of Arts (RSA), University of Cambridge, UK.