1) Who are you?

Husband to the beautiful Nikki, and Dad to the troublesome duo Josh and Lily! Oh and the day job is Director, Disruptive Media Learning Lab and Professor of Photography and Media at Coventry University in the UK.

Originally I was trained as a graphic designer and then photographer, and for my sins I have now worked within Higher Education for nearly 20 years. Since 2008, I have been fortunate enough to work with some amazing colleagues at Coventry University to support and develop engagement a range of open educational practices.*

In 2014, prompted by the radical, profound and systematic changes affecting Higher Education in a digital era, together with my co-conspirator Dr. Shaun Hides, we co-founded the Disruptive Media Learning Lab at Coventry University. As the Director, in practical terms, I guess I’m trying to create some sense of progress within all the chaos and provide a safe space for students and staff to experiment and drive forward the contemporary university.

I continue to be active within the wider creative and cultural industries both as Trustee of The Photographers’ Gallery, London and Chair of Birmingham Open Media (BOM), a community interest company, where art, technology and science collide to drive purposeful creative innovation with social impact.

* The year MOOCs got real by David Kernohan, 16 May 2013 (https://www.jisc.ac.uk/blog/the-year-moocs-got-real-16-may-2013)

 

 

2) What is your vibe? Share it in a meme or quote…

Although this quote is talking about photography, from an encounter with the curator Charlotte Cotton, a collaborator on the NEWFOTOSCAPES project – it does act as a reminder that this time about power and inclusion…

3) What gives you hope these days?

A good dose of humanity. The fact that I now sit outside (well when the sun allows) in the morning and take time to share a cuppa (tea of course) and have a little breakfast with my wife, and very very occasionally the children if they are up!

4) Who are you learning from lately?

For all the reasons that are good and proper – My family, always my family 😉

In terms of work, at this very moment my total admiration for my fabulous co-chairs Mia and Daniel have been a source of inspiration and motivation through some crazy times!

5) In your opinion, what should we all be caring about? Why?

Each other and the systems we work within and how with creativity we can and must find ways to keep us and them on track.

6) What do you hope to take away from OER20?

Firstly, that we can make it a good one for everyone – its been a busy year!!! But for me personally – new inspiration, new ideas, new friends, new collaborators, new insights and a sense of place.

Shared by: time_motion

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