Network staff
Dr Christine O'Leary
Principal Lecturer (Languages/ Business) and Teaching Fellow:
Director of the Centre for Pedagogic Research and Innovation (Sheffield Business School)
PhD (Adult Education), MA (French Literature), BA (Hons) (French Language and Literature with Spanish), PGCE, FHEA.
Phone 0114 225 2010
E-mail c.t.oleary@shu.ac.uk
The Development of Learner Autonomy- Christine has been an active member of local, national and international networks in this area since the 1990s. She has presented papers and published in refereed publications relating to the development of autonomous learners both within modern languages education and in the broader context of higher education. Her most recent research focuses on the role of metacognition and meta-affect in the development of autonomous and collaborative learners within formal educational structures.
Assessment- Christine is currently a teaching fellow, in Sheffield Business School, with responsibility for enhancing assessment practices. As part of her work as Associate Director for the Centre for Promoting Autonomy, she has explored the link between students' learning and their development as lifelong learners and assessment, including assessment for learning, assessment for autonomy and e.assessment within a formal higher education context,
Pedagogic research and innovation in HE- As Director of the Centre for Pedagogic Research and Innovation within Sheffield Business School, Christine is keen to promote and develop practitioner research. She led a Symposium which involved practitioner-researchers from across the world at the 2011 AILA's 16th World Congress of Applied Linguistics in Beijing, China.
Research collaborations
As part of her role as Associate Director for the Centre for Promoting Learner Autonomy between 2007 and 2010, Christine has led and/or coordinated a number of research projects, including Faculty projects relating to the development of autonomous learners within HE.
In 2003-2005, she contributed to an LTSN-funded project- Rethinking Pedagogical Models for E.Learning with colleagues from the University of Sheffield.
Research outputs - key publications
Bramhall, M, O'Leary, C and Corker, C. 2010 (eds). Centre for Promoting Learner Autonomy (CPLA)- Case Studies: Volume 2. Sheffield: CPLA publication (ISBN: 978-1- 897851-18-0).
Bramhall, M, O'Leary, C and Corker, C. 2010 (eds). Centre for Promoting Learner Autonomy (CPLA)- Faculty Projects. Sheffield: CPLA publication (ISBN: 978-1-897851-19-7 ).
Lyne, C.; Myers, G.; O’Leary, C. and Pettigrew, M. 2000. Coping with the Diversity of Language Competence Displayed by Intermediate Level Students on an I.W.L.P. In Fay, M. and Ferney, D. (eds) Current Trends in Modern Languages Provision for Non-Specialist Linguists: 166-180. England: CILT.
O'Leary, C. 2000. Development of Specialist Lexis and Register in the Higher Stages of the I.W.LP: a Teacher’s Perspective. In Fay, M. and Ferney, D. (eds) Current Trends in Modern Languages Provision for Non-Specialist Linguists: 123-138. England: CILT.
O'Leary, C. 2006. Supporting the development of autonomy in advanced foreign language learners on an institution-wide language programme. In Smith, K. (Eds) Higher Education Research Network Conference Proceedings 2006, Making Links, Sharing Research , Sheffield: SHU Press.
O'Leary, C. 2009. Should learner autonomy be assessed, Independent Learning Association Third International Conference Proceedings (ISSN 2073-7513).
O'Leary, C. (forthcoming 2012). Developing autonomous language learners within formal HE structures: a social constructivist perspective. In Murray, G and Smith, R (eds). Social Dimensions of Autonomy in Language learning.
Conference papers
O'Leary, C. 2001. On the Road to Autonomy: Advanced Learners' Perception of Foreign Language Learning in an Institution-Wide Language Programme. Unpublished paper presented at the British Educational Research Association conference. England: University of Leeds.
O'Leary, C. 2002. Developing Autonomy in Advanced Non-Specialist Language Learners. Unpublished paper presented at The AILA's 13th World Congress of Applied Linguistics. Singapore.
O'Leary, C. 2002. Developing Autonomy Using Portfolio-based Assessment. Language World Conference. England: University of York.
O'Leary, C. 2004. Panorama Didactisé de la Francophonie. Association for Language Learning French Inset Day. England: Lycée Français de Londres.
O'Leary, C. 2004. The Role of Digital Technology in the Language Classroom. Language World Conference. England: University of Oxford.
O’Leary, C. 2005. Collaborative Learner Development in a University-Wide Language Programme. Paper presented at The AILA’s 14th World Congress of Applied Linguistics. USA: Madison (Wisconsin). 24-29 July.
O'Leary, C. 2006, Pratiques de formation et d'autoformation d' étudiants spécialistes d'autres disciplines à l'université de Sheffield Hallam au Royaume Uni, Congrès International de la Fédération Internationale des Professeurs de Français (FIPF). Austria : Vienna, Oct 22-24.
O'Leary, C. 2007, Should learner autonomy be assessed, Independent Learning Association Third International Conference, Japan, Oct 5-9th.
O'Leary, C. 2008. Can learner autonomy be assessed. Paper presented at the Language Learning Conference Jointly hosted by Hong Kong University of Technology and Payap University Chiang Mai. China & Thailand. Jan 7-11.
O'Leary, C. 2010. Enhancing student learning through assessment: a School-wide approach. Paper presented at the Higher Education Academy Annual Conference. 22-23 June.
O'Leary, C.2011.Developing autonomous language learners: insights from practitioner research.Symposium convened as part of the The AILA’s 16th World Congress of Applied Linguistics. China: Beijing. 22-28 July.
