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Professor Mary Hamilton

Professor of Adult Learning and Literacy

Degree: Ph.D. Social Psychology, London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London, 1979. B.A.(Hons) Social Psychology, University of Sussex, 1970.

Associated research centres and groups: Centre for Gender and Women's Studies, Centre for Science Studies, Centre for Social Justice and Wellbeing in Education, Centre for Technology Enhanced Learning, Centre for Transcultural Writing and Research, Lancaster Literacy Research Centre

Current Teaching

I am Programme Director for our on-line Doctoral Programme in Technology Enhanced learning, and for the Masters programme in Adult Literacy, Numeracy and ESOL. I teach on both programmes and contribute to research methods teaching at undergraduate and post-graduate level. I also convene a module on Professional Practice for the Doctoral Porgrame in Educational Research. I supervise research students and undergraduate dissertations.

I place a high priority on collaborative research and development activities with teachers and practitioners in the learning skills sector, which include advice and support in carrying out action research projects, running in-service training workshops, giving talks, organising meetings and conferences.

Research Interests

I am based in the Department of Educational Research where I co-direct the Centre for Technology Enhanced Learning. I am also an Associate Director of the Lancaster Literacy Research Centre; member of the Centre for Science and Technology Studies, The Centre for Gender and Womens' Studies and the Centre for Ageing Research at Lancaster.

I take a social practice approach to literacy studies and work with concepts from actor network theory, institutional ethnography and linguistic ethnography. I have taken part in UNESCO and European Community initiatives on literacy. I am a founder member of the national network, Research and Practice in Adult Literacy (RaPAL).

I am interested in innovative research methodologies particularly qualitative and participatory models of research, on-line research, practitioner research, media analysis. I have a special interest in Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis and the use of visual images and multi-modal data sources in research.

Funded research projects have included literacy in the workplace (Leverhulme Trust); literacy practices in the local community (funded by the ESRC); Open Learning in Adult Basic Education (Universities Funding Council); Public Images of Literacy in the Press (Nuffield, Leverhulme) as well as a range of policy oriented and evaluation projects funded by UK government sources, local and national. I co-ordinated a DfES/ESF funded network of Practitioner-led Research Projects for the National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy.

I have recently completed a book Literacy and the Politics of Representation which will be published by Routledge in June 2012. Local Literacies, co-written with David Barton has just been re-issued as a Routledge Linguistics Classic. An edited book called More Powerful Literacies (co-edited with Lyn Tett and Jim Crowther, University of Edinburgh) will also be published later this year.

Member of the International Board of the International Journal of Literacy and Numeracy Sydney, Australia and Reading Research Quarterly, USA. Board member of Studies in the Education of Adults, NIACE, UK.

Last year I was appointed as a commissioner for the National Literacy Inquiry co-ordinated by the National Institute for Adult Continuing Education and chaired by Lord Tim Boswell. The inquiry reviewed what has been achieved by recent government policy on literacy andexamined the literacy demands for individuals, organisations, communities and families in a period of economic challenge. The final reportfrom the inquiry was publishedon International Literacy Day, 8 September 2011.

Recent and Forthcoming Publications

Hamilton, M. (forthcoming) Literacy and the Politics of Representation London: Routledge.

Hamilton (forthcoming) The effects of the literacy policy environment on local sites of learning. Special Issue of Language and Education.

Rowsell. J., l McLean, C, and Hamilton, M. (2012) Visual Literacy as a Classroom Approach. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy 55(5), 444-447.>

Hamilton, M. (2011) Unruly Practices: What a Sociology of Translations can offer to Educational Policy Analysis. in Fenwick, T. and Edwards, R. (eds) Special Issue of Journal of Educational Philosophy and Theory on Actor Network Theory 43(S1),55-75.

Hamilton, M. (2011) Everyday Enchantments: Literacy and the Politics of Representation. in Language and Literacy 13(2), 6-8. [Journal of the Language and Literacy Researchers of Canada (LLRC) of the Canadian Society for Studies in Education http://www.csse-scee.ca/cacs/LLRC/index.htm.]

Hamilton, M. (2011). Spiralling Through Change: Older Adults Engaging with New technologies. Adults Learning 22 (6), 28-31.

Hamilton, M. and Pitt, K. (2011) Challenging Representations: Constructing the Adult Literacy Learner Over 30 Years of Policy and Practice in the United Kingdom Reading Research Quarterly 46(4), 350-373.

Hamilton, M., and Pitt, K. (2011), Changing policy discourses: Constructing literacy inequalities. International Journal of Educational Development (31) 596-605. Elsevier.

Hamilton, M. (2010) Literacy in Social Context. In N. Hughes and I Schwab (eds) Teaching Adult Literacy: principles and practice (Developing Adult Skills) Milton Keynes, Open University Press. Chapter 1: pp 7-28.

Barton, D. & M. Hamilton (2010) La littératie: une pratique sociale. Langage et société, 133, 45-62.

Hamilton, M. (2010) Managing Transitions in Skills for Life. in Ecclestone, K., Biesta, G and Hughes, M. Transitions and Learning Through the Lifecourse. Routledge, pp 69-86.

Hamilton, M. and Appleby, Y. (2009) (eds) "Critical Perspectives on Practitioner Research" Special Issue of Journal Studies in the Education of Adults Vol 42:2.

Hamilton, M. and Pitt, K. (2009) Creativity in Academic Writing: Escaping from the Straitjacket of Genre? In Why Writing Matters: Issues of access and identity in writing research and pedagogy Edited by A. Carter T Lillis and S. Parkin. John Benjamin's Publishing Company Ch 4: pp 61-80. ISBN 978 90 272 1870 0

Hamilton, M (2009) "Putting words in their mouths: the alignment of identities with system goals through the use of individual learning plans" in British Educational Research Journal Vol 35:2,221-242. Also available as Lancaster Literacy Research Centre working paper No. 13. and online at http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a907836930~db=all~order=pubdate

Hamilton, M. and Hillier, Y. (2009) ESOL Policy and Change in Language Issues the Journal of the NATECLA Vol 20:1 pp 4-18. ISBN 0263 5833

Hamilton, M. and Hillier, Y. (2007) Deliberative policy Analysis: Adult literacy Assessment and the Politics of Change. Journal of Educational Policy 22(5), 573-594. ISSN: 0268-0939

Hamilton, M. (2007) Reflections on Agency and Change in the Policy Process. Journal of Vocational Education & Training Vol 59:2 June, pp 249-260.

Hamilton, M. Davies, P. and James, K. (eds) (2007) Practitioners Leading Research. London: NRDC. Download from the NRDC website at http://www.nrdc.org.uk/publications.asp

Potential Doctoral Proposals

• Adult language, literacy and numeracy education (ALLN) and the new literacy studies;
• Informal adult learning and everyday practices across the lifespan;
• Use of Literacies and Technologies among older people
• Policy issues in ALLN, global and comparative perspectives;
• Media representations of educational issues;
• Participatory research methodologies;
• Institutional ethnography
• Use of visual data in research and computer assisted qualitative analysis.

Career details

2006-2009 Head of Department, Educational Research

Summer 2003 Visiting Professor Department of Adult Education and Counselling Psychology, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.

2000- Professor of Adult learning and Literacy Department of Educational Research, Lancaster University

1996-2002 Director of Faculty of Social Sciences Graduate School

1986- 1999 Senior Research Fellow Centre for the Study of Education and Training, Lancaster University

Summer 1986 Visiting Professor Department of Adult Education, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.

1981-85 Research Fellow, IRDPCE, University of Lancaster: Mature Student Participation in Education Project and Outcomes of Post-experience courses in Further and Adult Education

1980-81 Research Associate, Stanford University: Cognitive Effects of Literacy (National Institute of Education)

1979-80 Senior Research Assistant, California State University at Hayward A Sociolinguistic Study of Classroom behaviour

Additional Publications

Hamilton, M. (2006) Practitioner Research: Just a Fling or a Long-term Relationship? REFLECT Issue 6, pp 14-18. NRDC: London. Download from the NRDC website at http://www.nrdc.org.uk/publications.asp

Hamilton, M. and Hillier, Y. (2006) The Changing Face of Adult Literacy, Language and Numeracy 1970-2000 A Critical History. Trentham Books

Tett, L., Hamilton, M. and Hillier, Y. (eds) (2006) Adult Literacy, Language and Numeracy: Practice, Policy, Research. Open University Press/McGraw Hill. [see also ESRC Seminar Series on Adult Basic Education.

Hamilton, M. and Wilson, A. (eds) (2005) New Ways of Engaging New learners: Insights from the First round of the Practitioner-Led Research Initiative. London: NRDC. Download from the NRDC website at http://www.nrdc.org.uk/publications.asp

Hamilton, M. and Hillier, Y. (2005) Imagined Spaces Adults Learning Volume September. Vol 7:1 pp 18-20.

Appleby, Y and Hamilton , M. (2005) "Literacy as social practice: Travelling between the Everyday and other Forms of Learning." in Peter Sutherland and Jim Crowther (eds) Lifelong Learning: Concepts and Contexts. Routledge 2005

"Just Do It: Literacies, Everyday Learning and the Irrelevance of Pedagogy" Key note paper presented at CRLL International Conference "What Difference a Pedagogy Makes" 24 - 25th June 2005. Published in Studies in the Education of Adults Volume 38, Number 2, pp.125-140 Download this paper from journal website.

Hamilton, M. (2005) "Understanding the everyday: adult lives, literacies and informal learning". In McKeough, A., Phillips, L., Timmons, V., & Lupart, J. (Eds.). Understanding Literacy Development: A Global View. Newark, NJ: Erlbaum.

D. Barton & M. Hamilton, (2005) "Literacy, reification and the dynamics of social interaction". in D. Barton and K. Tusting (eds.) Beyond Communities Of Practice: Language, Power And Social Context. Cambridge University Press.

Hillier, Y. and Hamilton, M. (2004) "Changing Faces of adult literacy, Numeracy and ESOL" in Literacy Today, London: National Literacy Trust.

Shahnaz, I. and Hamilton, M. (2003) "The contribution of the Mass Media to Adult Literacy, Numeracy and ESOL Policy in England, 1970-2000" RaPAL Journal, Issue 50. England. [Reprinted in Herrington, M. and Kendall, A. 2005 (eds) Insights in Research and Practice. Leicester: NIACE]

Shahnaz, I. and Hamilton, M. (2003) "The English Mass Media: its contribution to adult literacy, numeracy and ESOL (ALNE) policy 1970-2000". In Fine Print 26:1, 34-37. Melbourne: Victorian Adult Literacy and Basic Education Council Inc.

Hamilton, M. (2002) "Sustainable Literacies and the Ecology of Lifelong Learning" Position paper for the Open University/University of East London Global Colloquium on Supporting Lifelong Learning, July 5-7 2000. and published in Harrison, R. Reeve, F. Hanson, A. and Clarke, J. (eds) Supporting Lifelong Learning Volume 1: Perspectives on Learning. Routledge/Open University Press Pp 176-187. Download from www.open.ac.uk/lifelong-learning/papers

Hamilton, M. Barton, D. (eds) (2001) Special issue of the Journal of Research in Reading Vol 24:3 Literacies in Homes and Communities. Oxford: Blackwell. UK Literacy Association. Download from journal website: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/117986938/home

Crowther, J. Hamilton, M, and Tett, L. (eds) (2001) Powerful Literacies Leicester: National Institute for Adult Continuing Education.

Hamilton, M. (2001) "Privileged Literacies: Policy, Institutional Process and the Life of the IALS" in Language and Education, Vol 15, Nos 2-3, pps 178-196. Download free full text from http://www.multilingual-matters.net

Barton, D. Hamilton, M. and Ivanic, R. (2000) (eds) Situated Literacies Routledge. (222pp)

Hamilton, M. (2000) Exploring Literacy as Social Practice through Media Photographs in (eds) Barton, D. Hamilton, M. and Ivanic, Situated Literacies Routledge. See project website.

Hamilton, M. and Barton, D. (2000) 'The International Adult literacy Survey (IALS): What does it Really Measure?' in The International Review of Education UNESCO. Springer Netherlands Volume 46, Number 5: pp 377-389. Download this paper from JSTOR

Hamilton. M. (2000) "Ethnography for the Classroom" in Special Issue of the Journal of Curriculum Studies (renamed Pedagogy, Culture and Society) on Literacy in the Curriculum, Vol 7, No.3 pp 429-444. Edited by Elaine Millard. (Pp 16) Download this paper from journal website.

Hamilton, M. and Merrifield, J. (1999) 'Adult Basic Education in the UK. Lessons for the US' Commissioned Review Article in National Review of Adult Learning and Literacy Vol 1(1), National Center for the Study of Adult Language and Literacy, Jossey-Bass. Download this paper from NCSALL website.

Barton, D. and Hamilton, M. (1998) Local Literacies: A Study of Reading and Writing in One Community Routledge.

Hamilton, M. (1998) Histories and Horoscopes: The Ethnographer as Fortuneteller Anthropology and Education Quarterly 29 (3) pp1-10.

Hamilton, M. (1997) 'Keeping Alive alternative Visions: ABE in the UK' in Hautecoeur, J.P. (ed) ALPHA97: Basic Education and Institutional Environments. UNESCO Institute for Education Hamburg and Culture Concepts, Toronto. (pp 131-150) (Also reprinted as Occasional Paper and Issue 35 RaPAL Bulletin, Summer 1998).

Hamilton, M.and Barton, D. (1996) "Putting the New Literacy Studies into Practice". Paper presented to the Lifelong Literacies conference, Manchester Metropolitan University, June 1996. (published in conference proceedings eds. Mace,J. and Fitzpatrick, S. published by Gatehouse Books, Manchester)

Hamilton, M. (1996) 'A History of Adult Basic Education' in Fieldhouse, R. (ed) A History of Modern Adult Education. National Institute of Adult Continuing Education: Leicester. (pp142-165).

Hamilton, M. and Moss, W. (1995) 'The Challenge of Linking Research and Practice: Ways of Learning in Adult Basic Education.' in Hamilton, M. and Withnall, A. (eds) Innovations in Continuing Education Provision, Teaching and Learning: Research Perspectives. Lancaster University, Department of Continuing Education. (pp 113-120).

Hamilton, M. (1994) 'Early Days: The Effects of Incorporation on Adult Basic Education in England and Wales' Research and Practice in Adult Literacy Bulletin Issue No. 26. [Also available as CSET Working Paper No. 42.]

Hamilton, M. Barton, D. and Ivanic, R. (1994) (eds) Worlds of Literacy. Multilingual Matters, Clevedon, (274pp).

Hamilton, M. and Davies, P. (1993) 'Literacy and Long-term unemployment: Options for Adult guidance, support and training' The British Journal of Education and Work Vol 6 No.2 pp 5-19.

Frank. F and Hamilton, M. Not Just a Number: The Role of Adult Basic Education in the Changing Workplace Final Report to Leverhulme Trust June 1993. Available as Centre for the Study of Education and Training Working Paper, No. 37.

Hamilton, M. and Stasinopoulos, M. (1987) Literacy, Numeracy and Adults: Evidence from the National Child Development Survey. Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit, London. (85pp).

Eprints Publications Repository and Bibliographic Database

Mary Hamilton has 16 selected publication records listed on this webpage. Use links to access abstracts and full text where available. View all records to sort by date, type and title. For all ePrints records go to http://eprints.lancs.ac.uk

Hamilton, Mary (2009) Putting words in their mouths : the alignment of identities with system goals through the use of individual learning plans. British Educational Research Journal, 35 (2). pp. 221-242. ISSN 0141-1926

Hamilton, Mary (2009) Relinquishing the practices of a lifetime : observations on ageing, caring and literacies. Literacy and Numeracy Studies, 17 (1). pp. 63-74. ISSN 1441-0559

Hamilton, M. E. and Hillier, Y. (2007) Deliberative Policy Analysis: Adult Literacy Assessment and the Politics of Change. Journal of Education Policy, 22 (5). pp. 573-594. ISSN 0268-0939

Tett, L. and Hamilton, M. E. and Hillier, Y. (2006) Adult Literacy, Language and Numeracy: Practice, Policy, Research. Open University Press. ISBN 0335219373

Hamilton, Mary (2006) Just do it: Literacies, everyday learning and the irrelevance of pedagogy. Studies in the Education of Adults., 38 (2). pp. 125-140. ISSN 0266-0830

Hamilton, Mary E. and Hillier, Yvonne (2006) The changing face of adult literacy, language and numeracy 1970-2000 : a critical history. Trentham Books, Stoke-on-Trent. ISBN 1858563488

Hamilton, M. E. (2001) Privileged Literacies: Policy, Institutional Process and the Life of IALS. Language and Education, 15 (2). pp. 178-196. ISSN 0950-0782

Crowther, J. and Hamilton, Mary and Tett, L. (2001) Powerful literacies. National Institute for Adult Continuing Education, Leicester.

Associated Keywords: Academic cultures, Action research, Adult basic education, Adult learning, Ageing, Education, E-learning, Equality, Ethnography, Ethnography of literacy, Everyday life culture, Everyday literacy practices, Informal learning, Literacy, Literacy learning, Numeracy, Policy and practice improvement, Practitioner research, Public policy, Qualitative research methods, Research methods, Socio-Cultural Anthropology, Visual culture, Workplace literacy

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