Dr Alison Taysum
Lecturer in Education
EdD (University of Birmingham)
Tel: 0116 229 7523
Email: ast11@le.ac.uk
Alison began her working life as an industrial production manager followed by a welcome move into primary school teaching and leadership in 1995 - 2000 including a role as School Governor. She moved into Higher Education in 2001 and taught on undergraduate courses at the University of Wolverhampton for four years in Education Studies, Early Childhood Studies, Special Needs and Inclusion Studies and on a Masters Course module aimed at Newly Qualified Teachers.
Alison joined the University of Leicester in January 2005 and is an experienced researcher. Alison's research focus is on the ways in which postgraduate research equips educational leaders and professional educationalists to work as agents of change within policy frameworks to realize education for all and its connections with economic and cultural participation in society. Alison has worked on Inter-University collaborations, led a BELMAS Doctoral Research Interest Group Seminar Series (£10,000.00), and is part of an international network examining ways in which students, teachers and educational leaders participate with processes and practices in their educational institutions. Alison is also a member of the BELMAS-UCEA International School Leadership Development Network Research Project.
Alison was the programme leader of a large International EdD at The School of Education for three years 2009 - 2012. Over her eight years of service at the University of Leicester she has been responsible for leading the MA in Leadership for Learning, The MSc in Educational Leadership for which she has written a module 'External Influences on Educational Leadership', for the new degree, The MBA in Educational Management, writing and providing the MSc in Educational Leadership (School Business Management) and writing a dual Masters degree as leader of the curriculum element of the British Degree in Russia (BRIDGE) project which was the focus of researches. Alison has also been a Primary PGCE visiting tutor and personal tutor and was part of the team who introduced Masters level to the Primary PGCE programme. Alison currently supervises a range of students studying for PhD, EdD, and MSc in Educational Leadership, has been joint supervisor for two students awarded the EdD Degree, has been internal and external examiner for PhD and EdD theses, and contributes to doctoral substantive teaching at school level and methodological teaching at both school and college level.
Alison is Past Chair for the School of Education Educational, Leadership, Learning and Change Special Interest Group and Past Chair for the School of Education Research Ethics Committee and has represented the School at College and University Research Ethics Committee meetings.
Alison is the Honorary Treasurer and Director for the British Educational, Leadership, Management and Administration Society (BELMAS) and the University of Leicester representative on the UCET International Committee 2010 to date. Alison is on the steering committee for the Leadership Foundation in Higher Education research project 'Sustainable and Ethical Practice in Developing International Partnerships in Higher Education'. She is also on the editorial boards for The BELMAS journal Management in Education, The UCEA Journal of Research into Leadership in Education, Italian Journal of Sociology of Education, European Studies in Education Management, Journal of Research and Reflections in Education, and she reviews for numerous international journals including Educational Management Administration and Leadership, Journal of Education Policy, Educational Review, European Journal for Educational Research and reviews for the American Educational Research Association Annual Conference.
Alison is an External Examiner for the EdD programme at Kings College London and for the MEd at the University of Gloucestershire and was on the validation panel for The University of the West of Scotland MEd.
Alison is Secretary to the Arden Parents' Teachers' Association.
Alison sings in a church choir, plays trumpet for Meridian Winds, and is an active member of a gym and former gym instructor.
Research
Teaching Interests
Alison supervises students on the EdD and PhD and teaches substantive and research methods doctoral sessions at Study Schools and Residential Weekends which she has also led.
PhD
- Research Methods
- College of Social Sciences Generic Research Training
- ED7790: Dissertation
- ED 7587 External Influences on Educational Leadership Module Author
Selected Publications
Taysum. A. (2012) Evidence Informed Leadership in Education. London: Continuum.
Taysum, A. 'The impact of doctoral study on educational leaders' work for students' participation in education systems and society'. Educational Review. Forthcoming: version of record first published electronically 21st August 2012.
Taysum, A. and Iqbal, M. (2012) 'What counts as meaningful and worthwhile policy analysis' Italian Journal of Sociology of Education'. 4 (1) pp. 11- 28.
Taysum, A. (2012) 'A critical historiographical analysis of England's educational policies from 1944 to 2011' Italian Journal of Sociology of Education. 4 (1) pp. 54- 87.
Taysum, A. (2012) 'Ten nation states: an analysis of policy, agency and globalization' Italian Journal of Sociology of Education. 4 (1) pp. 321- 250.
Taysum, A. (2012) 'Standards as rules for compliance or as guidelines for critical, reflective and reflexive engagement in educational contexts'. European Studies in Educational Management. 1 (1) pp. 78-96.
Taysum, A. (2011) 'Strengths of postgraduate research in Continuing Professional Development'. Management in Education. 25 (4) pp. 138-141.
Taysum, A. and Gunter, H. (2008) 'A critical approach to researching social justice and school leadership in England'. Education, Citizenship and Social Justice. 3 (2) pp. 183 – 199.
Taysum, A. (2008) 'School Leadership' in G. McCulloch and D. Crook (eds) The Routledge International Encyclopedia of Education. London: Routledge Falmer.
Taysum, A. (2008) 'School Based Management' in G. McCulloch and D. Crook (eds) The Routledge International Encyclopedia of Education. London: Routledge Falmer.
