Dr Janine Barnes PhD, PGCE (QTS), MA Management, BSc Hons Equivalent (FIMLS - Biomedical Sciences)

• The development of close to practice research and enquiry
• Lead tutor in PGCE Computing with ICT
• Lead in TEL
• Cross curricular coordination of ICT support for Secondary PGCE students
• SWWCTE Unfair practices officer
• Yr Athrofa Research committee
• Yr Athrofa Ethics committee (co-Chair)
• Masters Dissertation supervisor
• PhD Supervisor
• Research

I have been involved as a PGCE tutor for Computing and ICT since 2006, and have been involved at different levels of education including at Secondary and Post Compulsory Education level, and Masters level where I am supervising dissertations.

I started my teaching career in secondary school teaching Secondary ICT, I then moved into further education where I taught Business Studies and Finance at Neath Port Talbot College for a number of years before joining Swansea Institute in 2006. Since then I have been involved as a PGCE tutor for Computing and ICT, and have also been involved at different levels of education as indicated above.

I have recently attained my Doctorate and my research involved the investigation of pedagogy and practice within ICT, particularly relating to the perceptions of the teachers and their corresponding practice in the classroom. I employed the use of activity theory as a unit of analysis. Whilst this method is common place in industry, the use of Cultural Historical Activity Theory is only currently coming into effective use in education. 

Further Research interests include

• Assessment and Progression
• Curricular Design and Development
• Cultural Historical Activity Theory
• the use of Digital Technology to support pedagogy
• Digital Competency
• Teacher Education and the impact of Change
• Pedagogy and practice
• The development of knowledge and the curriculum 

Over the years I have also been involved in a number of CPD events, in particular in association with Technocamps and the upskilling of teachers to enable them to teach Computer Science and Computing at Key Stage three.

• The Association of Information Technology in Teacher Education(ITTE)
• International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) – Associate member and Working Group 3.3
• Association of Learning Technology (ALT)
• BERA
• Computing At Schools

Currently I am an active member of Yr Athrofa’s CAMAU project, jointly funded by Welsh Government and University of Wales Trinity saint David. The project is in collaboration with University of Glasgow and the aim is to facilitate Pioneer schools in the development of assessment and progression within the Successful futures Curriculum for Wales

In addition I have also taken on the project management of a European Erasmus funded project “EntreComp for Teachers”. This project focuses on Pedagogy and the development of innovative practice for teachers internationally

Interests also include use of technology to enhance learning, both from a blended learning perspective and from the perspective of enhancement of the learning experience. I have been involved in teaching ICT to enhance learning over a number of courses and modules over the years. These include

• Secondary PGCE Computing with ICT
• Secondary PGCE Business Studies – ICT enhancement
• MA Education
• MA dissertation supervisor

• PGCE - Post Compulsory Education modules for

As part of my academic interests I have recently designed new blended learning modules for the PGCE PCET programmes and would be interested in piloting similar digital enhancement programmes across other courses.

The masters dissertations I have supervised include topics such as the use of lesson study and teaching triads in improving the quality of teaching, and how the use of technology may impact on learners expectations and motivation

The focus of my PhD thesis was, “Changing Perceptions of ICT at KS3: a Critical Investigation using Activity Theory”. This research investigated the teachers’ growing perceptions of ICT capability and whether their practice in the classroom supported or contradicted their perceptions.

The research has adapted the use of Activity Theory for education, specifically Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) and Activity settings as adapted by Engestrom as an analytical tool. It uses case study research to identify contradictions within the teaching of ICT competencies as an activity system, highlighting issues concerning the object of the curriculum, the roles of the participants and the school cultures.

Further research interests are

• Assessment and Progression (CAMAU Project)
• Curricular Design and Development
• Cultural Historical Activity Theory
• Pedagogy and practice (EntreComp for Teachers)
• Teacher Education and the impact of Change
• Use of Cultural Historical Activity Theory as an analytical Tool in educational research
• Digital Technology to support pedagogy including
• Digital Competency
• The development of knowledge and the curriculum
• The “wiki” curriculum and e-learning

My key areas of expertise link very closely with my role and research interests.

I have developed expertise in classroom practices and the theory that underpins them. This is particularly true for the way in which activity relates to the construction of knowledge. This also links to a study of pedagogical practice and in my subject area where change is always present this is of particular interest

This has led to the use of dialogic methods used within my classroom in developing the metacognitive skills of my students, ensuring that there is an atmosphere of debate and criticality.

I also have a love of research which allows me to investigate a variety of innovations, and enabling me to pass this knowledge on through my courses.

Conference

2009 ITTE Research Conference -  Work in Progress – research methodology,

2013 BESA Conference  - Use of Wikis with E-portfolios

Barnes, J. & Kennewell, S., (2014) Teacher perceptions of key competencies in ICT. International Federation of Information Processing - Key Competencies in Informatics and ICT: Implications and Issues for Educational Management. Potsdam, Germany.

Barnes J., Tanner H., & Waters J., (2016) Initial Teacher Education in Wales; innovation inspired across borders. Teacher Education from  a Global Perspective Malta: 19-21 May 2016 

Barnes J, Tanner H, & Waters J (2016) Exploring Clinical Practice in Initial Teacher Education in Wales (2016) BERA Conference Leeds 

Barnes J, Waters J, (2017) Assessing fitness for the future: the case of Initial Teacher Education, Wales Nexus Conference, Swansea

Waters et al (2017) Innovation inspired across borders in ITE: IIAB project, University of Glasgow Partnership Conference

Barnes J & Waters J (2017)  Blurring, bridging and co-construction: evaluating innovation in ITE programme design  BERA conference, University of Sussex

Chapters

Barnes, J., 2015. Classroom Management in General. In: N. Denby, ed. Training to Teach: A Guide to Success. London: Sage.

Barnes, J., 2015. Using Digital Technologies in Teaching Strategies. In: N. Denby, ed. Training to Teach: A Guide to Success. London: Sage. 

Barnes, J. & Kennewell, S.,(2018) The impact of teachers' perspectives on the development of Computing as a Subject in Younie, S., & Bradshaw P, eds. Debates in Computing and ICT Education. London: Routledge

Barnes J & Waters J (under review) Reform of Initial Teacher Education in Wales: taking an analytical approach to the issues using activity theory,  in Teacher Education from a Global Perspective, Cambridge Scholars Publishing 

PhD Thesis

Barnes, J.M.I., 2015. Changing perceptions of ICT at KS3: a critical investigation using activity theory (Doctoral dissertation, University of Wales Trinity Saint David).

Journal Articles

Barnes, J. and Kennewell, S., (2015) Teacher perceptions of key competencies in ICT. KEYCIT 2014: key competencies in informatics and ICT, 7, p.61.

Barnes, J. and Kennewell, S., (2016). Investigating teacher perceptions of teaching ICT in Wales. Education and Information Technologies, pp.1-13.

Barnes J Tanner H & Waters J (under review)  Exploring Clinical Practice in Initial Teacher Education in Wales

Barnes J (under review)  Time for a CHAT: Using Cultural Historical Activity Theory in an Educational Setting