Dr Chris Jones

Profile

Chris teaches on the Masters programme in Online and Distance Education and coordinates the Online and Distance Education strand of the Doctorate in Education programme (EdD). His research focuses on the application of the metaphor of networks to the understanding of learning in tertiary education. Chris has a longstanding interest in the application of collaborative and cooperative methods to teaching and learning and in the use of the ideas of Communities and Networks of Practice.

Chris was the principal investigator for a UK Funding Council funded project “The Net Generation encountering e-learning at university (end date March 2010). He was previously a co-leader of the European Union funded Kaleidoscope Research Team “Conditions for productive networked learning environments”. Until 2006 Chris was co-director of Networked Management Learning a research project being undertaken for the UK leadership college for further education (CEL). He was also the co-director of a joint team, with Manchester Metropolitan University, evaluating the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) Information Environment. He was part of the Lancaster University team evaluating the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council’s (SHEFC) Quality Enhancement Framework and the programme wide evaluation of the Learning and Teaching Support Network (LTSN).

Chris has published over 60 refereed journal articles, book chapters and refereed conference papers connected to his research. He is the joint editor of a book in the area of advanced learning technology - Networked Learning: Perspectives and Issues published by Springer in 2002 and of a second edited collection related to his work in Kaleidoscope with Lone Dirckinck-Holmfeld and Berner Lindström (forthcoming 2009) Analysing Networked Learning Practices in Higher Education and Continuing Professional Development. Sense Publishers, BV.I was appointed to the post of reader in the Institute in October 2005. Prior to his appointment he was a Research Lecturer at Lancaster University in the Centre for Studies in Advanced Learning Technologies. You can follow this link for a list of current and recent projects he has been involved in.

Chris' main research interests lie in the study of networked and e-learning in Higher and Further Education. He is especially interested in the way policy affects practice and in the experiences of students and tutors in networked and e-learning environments. He has a long standing interest in the application of collaborative and cooperative methods to teaching and learning in relation to the use of networked technologies and in the use of the ideas of Communities and Networks of Practice.

Chris has a research focuses on the application of the metaphor of networks to the understanding of networked learning and to digital networks in relation to wider social structures. He also has a particular research focus on the use of reifications and resources in teaching and learning.

Chris is interested in research and evaluation methods as they are applied to networked and e-learning and especially in the application of ethnography in traditional and in virtual or networked forms. He is also concerned with the potential for phenomenographic research in this area, both in terms of capturing the variations in experiences of students and tutors and as a principled way of combining qualitative and quantitative research.

You can see a list of his publications and research and project reports by following this link
 

Qualifications

PhD Manchester Metropolitan University (Thesis title: Context, Content and Cooperation: An ethnographic study of collaborative learning online.)
M.A. Liverpool University, Sociology and Social Policy.
B.A. Open University, General Science.
PGCE (FE) Manchester Victoria University.
B.A. (Hons) Class 2(i), Lancaster University, Politics.

Teaching Interests

Chris is the academic co-ordinator for Strand J (Technology Enhanced Learning) of the Ed.D programme.

He also contributes to teaching materials for the Masters in Online and Distance Education. Chris has contributed to:

1. H808 The elearning professional
2. H809 Research Methods
3. H800 Technology-enhanced learning: practices and debates

Chris is currrently presentation chair for H807 Innovations in e-Learning. 

Research Interests

My main research interests lie in the study of networked learning in Higher and Further Education. The foundation of my interests lies in social theory and socio-cultural approaches in particular. I am especially interested in the relationship between technological artefacts and social order and the ways in which policy affects practice in the field of networked and e-learning. I have a long standing interest in the application of collaborative and cooperative methods to teaching and learning and the use of networked technologies in Higher Education and a particular interest in the use of the ideas of Communities and Networks of Practice.

My current research focuses on the ‘Net Generation’ and the application of the metaphor of networks to the understanding of networked learning and to digital networks in relation to wider social structures in what has been called a networked society by Castells. I have a particular research focus on the use of reifications and resources in teaching and learning using networked technologies. I currently hold an ESRC grant to investigate the Net Generation as they encounter e-learning on entering university.

I am also interested in research and evaluation methods as they are applied to networked and e-learning and especially in the application of ethnography in traditional and in ‘virtual’ or networked forms. I am also interested in research concerning the experiences of students and tutors in relation to networked and e-learning environments and the potential for phenomenographic research in this area, both in terms of capturing the variations in experiences of students and tutors and as a principled way of combining qualitative and quantitative research.
 

Current Research Projects

2008 – 2010. I am Principal Investigator for the ESRC funded project ‘The Net Generation encounter e-learning at university. (FEC -£359,079.23 ESRC contribution - £297,886.82.)

The overall aim of the research is to provide an empirically based understanding of the Net Generation as they first engage with e-learning in tertiary education. The research team will aim to achieve the following objectives:

1. To gain an empirically based picture of first year undergraduate students as they encounter elearning by:

a. Investigating the self reported attitudes and activities of students entering their first year in university.
b. Exploring their prior exposure to digital and networked technologies, including games and social networking.

2. To explore their attitudes towards, expectations and experience of e-learning at university.

3. To explore any linkages between their prior exposure to and experience of gaming and digital networked technology and their expressed attitudes towards and experience of e-learning.

4. To investigate the use of social software in the navigation of the new university environment and the construction of new networks and communities (e.g. the use of Facebook MySpace etc).

5. To develop the theoretical basis for understanding any generational changes that result from exposure to new digital and networked technologies.

6. To provide timely evidence based advice for policy makers, teaching staff and administrators about the nature of new generation students in relation to the deployment of elearning.
 

Publications