Ian Fellows | Canterbury Christ Church University (original) (raw)

Papers by Ian Fellows

GILE Journal of Skills Development , 2024

With the growth and evolution of the higher education sector in recent decades, universities have... more With the growth and evolution of the higher education sector in recent decades, universities have drawn on more diverse sources from which to recruit academic staff. One such route is for universities to recruit professionals from non-academic backgrounds to teach and research. The transition of career professionals becoming second-career academics is a growing phenomenon, but one that is under-researched in the literature. This paper summarises the findings in the literature on this topic from the last twenty-five years, drawing on forty-four academic articles. Common themes are discussed and presented in a chronological format from the decision-making process prior to transitioning, through the challenges and opportunities commonly experienced by second-career academics making the transition, concluding with a summary of the recommendations presented in the research. In the discussion section that follows, the author draws on their own experience as a second-career academic to summarise pertinent points and offer an additional perspective on the recommendations offered in the literature. The purpose of this article is to offer a summary of what is currently understood in the literature with a view to supporting further research into the transition of second-career academics as an important skills development issue for the higher education sector. The review finds that several recommendations are common in the literature (mentoring schemes, development of academic skills and agency, introduction of reference materials and cultural change) and the viability of these is discussed before recommendations are made for individuals considering transitioning to a career in academia.

GILE Journal of Skills Development , 2024

In a rapidly changing employment context, research holds that the desirable attributes of grit, r... more In a rapidly changing employment context, research holds that the desirable attributes of grit, resilience and context adaptation will become fundamental to the ongoing employability of current students. The employment landscape has become atomised and volatile under neoliberalism, exemplified by the broken psychological contract between employer and employee. Graduates from widening participation backgrounds entering the labour market will see their existing barriers to career success exacerbated by these changes in the world of work. For students from widening participation backgrounds, the neoliberal policies that underpin these changes are congruent with other policies that exacerbate their socioeconomic and educational disadvantages. Consequently, universities must play an increasingly important role in supporting students within and outside of the taught curriculum. This paper explores ways universities can continue to provide students with the necessary support without building dependencies or expectations of support that would inhibit the development of grit, resilience, and context adaptation. As a starting point for further discussion, this paper proposes guiding principles for universities to inform institutional Teaching and Learning strategies.

EducationalFutures, 2024

This research study aimed to explore the attitudes of first-year widening participation undergrad... more This research study aimed to explore the attitudes of first-year widening participation undergraduates to the concept of negotiated assessment. Negotiated assessment is a pedagogical tool by which the student and tutor collaborate in the design or implementation of assessment. As such, the process seeks to subvert traditional power hierarchies in the assessment process and empower students. Previous research shows that issues such as student confidence may inhibit the success of negotiated assessment, and the literature also indicates that widening participation students are generally lower in confidence than their counterparts. In exploring the attitudes of its participants, an interpretive analysis was made of the qualitative data generated from focus groups to understand better how negotiated assessment might be successfully implemented. The findings of this research include an outline of the conscious steps tutors can take to address power hierarchies, confidence issues, student diversity andmost importantlycreate positive and supportive tutor/student relationships.

GiLE Journal of Skills Development , 2023

Graduate employability, as a desirable outcome of higher education, is a concept that is widely o... more Graduate employability, as a desirable outcome of higher education, is a concept that is widely opposed by educators who practice critical pedagogy. Employability, it is argued, reinforces capitalist expectations, exemplifying the anti-democratic hollowing out of education over the last four decades. The central argument of this essay is that employability is not a concept that educators can ignore. Indeed, inherent in the development of desirable graduate attributes and employability skills, there are opportunities for critical educators to support students in the development of their social awareness and sense of civic autonomy. This essay will further argue that educators who seek to opt out of the employability agenda are failing to live up to their own values of seeking a truly equal partnership of learning with their students.

Conference Presentations by Ian Fellows

Christ Church Business School Partner Conference 2025, 2025

Rapid advancements in advanced technologies such as Large Language Modelling have been theorised ... more Rapid advancements in advanced technologies such as Large Language Modelling have been theorised as a fourth industrial revolution (Schwab, 2016). Accounts of the impact that these technologies range from “one-third of today’s jobs will disappear by 2025” (Pauceanu et al., 2020) to “automation promises a future of higher income that stems from the higher productivity that artificial intelligence will provide” (Stevenson, 2019). While the impact that these new technologies will have is far from certain, we can be assured that the race to be at the forefront of these technologies is accelerating. The Financial Times wrote in August that the $100bn invested by big tech firms in 2024 was “just the beginning” (Morris et al., 2024). For organisations removed from the race to develop new technologies, but nevertheless having to prepare for their impact the definition of the economic climate as volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) could not be more apt (Bennett and Lemoine, 2014). This presentation will offer a strategic approach which will enable organisations to be better prepared to meet the new challenges of this VUCA world by enhancing their existing practices. The new challenges of the fourth industrial revolution require new responses and new ways of seeing the world. LeFevre-Levy et al. (2023; p.5) present the argument that “with increased technological advancement and automation, skills … associated with some of the strengths of neuroatypical individuals (e.g., novel thinking, creativity, computer coding, and scientific thinking) are becoming more important” but Austin and Pisano (2017; p.100) make the point that “the behaviors of many neurodiverse people run counter to common notions of what makes a good employee… These criteria systematically screen out neurodiverse people”. Taken together these two positions point to a clear strategic direction for organizations seeking to be well equipped for the VUCA world. Workplaces, in common with all social spaces, are designed and operated in such a way that are most advantageous to most of the population. The understanding that neurodiverse individuals benefit from different and specifically designed accommodations is derived from the Social Model of Disability (SMD) which was defined initially by Oliver (1982, p.31) as “a switch away from focusing on the physical limitations of particular individuals to the way the physical and social environments impose limitations upon certain groups or categories of people”. According to Bruyere and Colella (2024) “One of the perceptions of employers that has historically been a barrier for applicants and employees with disabilities as well as those who are neurodivergent is the potential cost of accommodations ... Research over the years has consistently shown this fear to be unwarranted”. Bringing all this information together, we can clearly see that the recruitment and effective facilitation of neurodiverse employees is an effective strategic direction and, crucially, one which most organisations neglect. In this presentation, I will outline the ways in which organizations can effectively implement this strategy.

Beyond Economics: The Societal Value of Higher Education, 2024

Graduate employability, as a desirable outcome of higher education, is a concept widely opposed b... more Graduate employability, as a desirable outcome of higher education, is a concept widely opposed by educators who practice critical pedagogy. Employability, it is argued, reinforces capitalist expectations, exemplifying the anti-democratic hollowing out of education over the last four decades. Indeed, the call for papers for this Conference states: "The value of University extends far beyond the economic impact on the individual graduate and the national and global economy. Yet we, as a sector, are repeatedly defined in myopic economic terms". Inspired by Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals, my argument is that we should "make the enemy live up to their own book of rules". If employers and the government demand that our graduates exhibit graduate attributes such as problem-solving, leadership and critical thinking, then we should exploit this opportunity for a problem-based, student-centred, consciousness-raising pedagogy.

My central argument is that employability is not a concept that educators can ignore. Indeed, inherent in the development of desirable graduate attributes and employability skills, there are opportunities for critical educators to support students in developing their social awareness and sense of civic autonomy. This presentation will further argue that educators who seek to opt out of the employability agenda are failing to live up to their values of seeking a truly equal learning partnership with their students.

Birmingham Newman University Learning & Teaching Conference, 2023, 2023

A presentation of preliminary findings of a research project that seeks to understand the percept... more A presentation of preliminary findings of a research project that seeks to understand the perception of first year widening participation undergraduates to the concept of negotiated assessment

The 10th annual Students as Partners Roundtable, 2024

According to the 2024 BlackBullion survey (Censuswide, 2024), 46% of UK students self-define as ‘... more According to the 2024 BlackBullion survey (Censuswide, 2024), 46% of UK students self-define as ‘commuter students’. The term is contested, either describing the distance or time taken for a student to travel from their accommodation to their institution or students who remain at their pre-higher education home address throughout. Whichever definition is used, commuting pressurizes students’ resources, potentially limiting the development of the social and cultural capital(s) that enable success. Furthermore, the 2023 Student Academic Experience Survey (Neves and Stephenson, 2024) states that almost 55% of university student respondents work part-time and a significant number balance studying with caring responsibilities. Additionally, students are experiencing a substantial rise in physical and mental health issues alongside cost-of-living difficulties. It is anticipated that many higher education students are likely to be overwhelmed and stressed about meeting academic deadlines while managing work shifts or family care. In April 2024, AdvanceHE launched a new ’Student Engagement through Partnership’ framework (Hack, 2024) promoting ‘a commitment to open, constructive and continuous dialogue’ when considering effective approaches to learning, teaching and assessment. This can be seen as a way to develop academic citizenship, but also potentially positions student-staff partnerships as something that students ‘do’ (Mathews in Mercer-Mapstone et al., 2017) to meet neo-liberal performativity agendas, rather than as a democratic enactment of values-informed theory (Peters and Mathias, 2018) or recognition of the ‘intra-active’ and transdisciplinary nature of all in ‘entanglement’ (Barad, 2007). Over 90% of Birmingham Newman students commute to campus, with significant numbers working whilst studying and/or have caring responsibilities. Yet close to 150 staff student partnership projects have been completed in ten years, enabling many individual stories of personal transformation. Despite this, the projects remain a ‘minority sport’: How can the transformative potential of partnerships be experienced in times of such significant barriers to engagement?

An overview of ethical leadership with an actionable workbook for leaders to implement

A reflective account of my journey as a mature student returning to study after 23 years to compl... more A reflective account of my journey as a mature student returning to study after 23 years to complete a Masters degree

Talks by Ian Fellows

Youth and Community Studies: Preparation for Graduation Event, 2024

For graduating students, particularly those from widening participation backgrounds or who have s... more For graduating students, particularly those from widening participation backgrounds or who have studied social sciences, a broad understanding of the third sector as a particular source of employment with unique and challenging cultural expectations and complicating structural inequities is vitally important. This presentation covers the evolution of the third sector, offering examples from the social care field to contextualise the employment (and enterprise) experience with particular examples from the author's lived experience.

An overview for practitioners in the Early Years Sector preparing for their first management role... more An overview for practitioners in the Early Years Sector preparing for their first management role. The presentation is broken down into three parts: 1, Getting Ready To Become A Manager 2, Thinking Like A Manager 3, Behaving Like A Manager.

GILE Journal of Skills Development , 2024

With the growth and evolution of the higher education sector in recent decades, universities have... more With the growth and evolution of the higher education sector in recent decades, universities have drawn on more diverse sources from which to recruit academic staff. One such route is for universities to recruit professionals from non-academic backgrounds to teach and research. The transition of career professionals becoming second-career academics is a growing phenomenon, but one that is under-researched in the literature. This paper summarises the findings in the literature on this topic from the last twenty-five years, drawing on forty-four academic articles. Common themes are discussed and presented in a chronological format from the decision-making process prior to transitioning, through the challenges and opportunities commonly experienced by second-career academics making the transition, concluding with a summary of the recommendations presented in the research. In the discussion section that follows, the author draws on their own experience as a second-career academic to summarise pertinent points and offer an additional perspective on the recommendations offered in the literature. The purpose of this article is to offer a summary of what is currently understood in the literature with a view to supporting further research into the transition of second-career academics as an important skills development issue for the higher education sector. The review finds that several recommendations are common in the literature (mentoring schemes, development of academic skills and agency, introduction of reference materials and cultural change) and the viability of these is discussed before recommendations are made for individuals considering transitioning to a career in academia.

GILE Journal of Skills Development , 2024

In a rapidly changing employment context, research holds that the desirable attributes of grit, r... more In a rapidly changing employment context, research holds that the desirable attributes of grit, resilience and context adaptation will become fundamental to the ongoing employability of current students. The employment landscape has become atomised and volatile under neoliberalism, exemplified by the broken psychological contract between employer and employee. Graduates from widening participation backgrounds entering the labour market will see their existing barriers to career success exacerbated by these changes in the world of work. For students from widening participation backgrounds, the neoliberal policies that underpin these changes are congruent with other policies that exacerbate their socioeconomic and educational disadvantages. Consequently, universities must play an increasingly important role in supporting students within and outside of the taught curriculum. This paper explores ways universities can continue to provide students with the necessary support without building dependencies or expectations of support that would inhibit the development of grit, resilience, and context adaptation. As a starting point for further discussion, this paper proposes guiding principles for universities to inform institutional Teaching and Learning strategies.

EducationalFutures, 2024

This research study aimed to explore the attitudes of first-year widening participation undergrad... more This research study aimed to explore the attitudes of first-year widening participation undergraduates to the concept of negotiated assessment. Negotiated assessment is a pedagogical tool by which the student and tutor collaborate in the design or implementation of assessment. As such, the process seeks to subvert traditional power hierarchies in the assessment process and empower students. Previous research shows that issues such as student confidence may inhibit the success of negotiated assessment, and the literature also indicates that widening participation students are generally lower in confidence than their counterparts. In exploring the attitudes of its participants, an interpretive analysis was made of the qualitative data generated from focus groups to understand better how negotiated assessment might be successfully implemented. The findings of this research include an outline of the conscious steps tutors can take to address power hierarchies, confidence issues, student diversity andmost importantlycreate positive and supportive tutor/student relationships.

GiLE Journal of Skills Development , 2023

Graduate employability, as a desirable outcome of higher education, is a concept that is widely o... more Graduate employability, as a desirable outcome of higher education, is a concept that is widely opposed by educators who practice critical pedagogy. Employability, it is argued, reinforces capitalist expectations, exemplifying the anti-democratic hollowing out of education over the last four decades. The central argument of this essay is that employability is not a concept that educators can ignore. Indeed, inherent in the development of desirable graduate attributes and employability skills, there are opportunities for critical educators to support students in the development of their social awareness and sense of civic autonomy. This essay will further argue that educators who seek to opt out of the employability agenda are failing to live up to their own values of seeking a truly equal partnership of learning with their students.

Christ Church Business School Partner Conference 2025, 2025

Rapid advancements in advanced technologies such as Large Language Modelling have been theorised ... more Rapid advancements in advanced technologies such as Large Language Modelling have been theorised as a fourth industrial revolution (Schwab, 2016). Accounts of the impact that these technologies range from “one-third of today’s jobs will disappear by 2025” (Pauceanu et al., 2020) to “automation promises a future of higher income that stems from the higher productivity that artificial intelligence will provide” (Stevenson, 2019). While the impact that these new technologies will have is far from certain, we can be assured that the race to be at the forefront of these technologies is accelerating. The Financial Times wrote in August that the $100bn invested by big tech firms in 2024 was “just the beginning” (Morris et al., 2024). For organisations removed from the race to develop new technologies, but nevertheless having to prepare for their impact the definition of the economic climate as volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) could not be more apt (Bennett and Lemoine, 2014). This presentation will offer a strategic approach which will enable organisations to be better prepared to meet the new challenges of this VUCA world by enhancing their existing practices. The new challenges of the fourth industrial revolution require new responses and new ways of seeing the world. LeFevre-Levy et al. (2023; p.5) present the argument that “with increased technological advancement and automation, skills … associated with some of the strengths of neuroatypical individuals (e.g., novel thinking, creativity, computer coding, and scientific thinking) are becoming more important” but Austin and Pisano (2017; p.100) make the point that “the behaviors of many neurodiverse people run counter to common notions of what makes a good employee… These criteria systematically screen out neurodiverse people”. Taken together these two positions point to a clear strategic direction for organizations seeking to be well equipped for the VUCA world. Workplaces, in common with all social spaces, are designed and operated in such a way that are most advantageous to most of the population. The understanding that neurodiverse individuals benefit from different and specifically designed accommodations is derived from the Social Model of Disability (SMD) which was defined initially by Oliver (1982, p.31) as “a switch away from focusing on the physical limitations of particular individuals to the way the physical and social environments impose limitations upon certain groups or categories of people”. According to Bruyere and Colella (2024) “One of the perceptions of employers that has historically been a barrier for applicants and employees with disabilities as well as those who are neurodivergent is the potential cost of accommodations ... Research over the years has consistently shown this fear to be unwarranted”. Bringing all this information together, we can clearly see that the recruitment and effective facilitation of neurodiverse employees is an effective strategic direction and, crucially, one which most organisations neglect. In this presentation, I will outline the ways in which organizations can effectively implement this strategy.

Beyond Economics: The Societal Value of Higher Education, 2024

Graduate employability, as a desirable outcome of higher education, is a concept widely opposed b... more Graduate employability, as a desirable outcome of higher education, is a concept widely opposed by educators who practice critical pedagogy. Employability, it is argued, reinforces capitalist expectations, exemplifying the anti-democratic hollowing out of education over the last four decades. Indeed, the call for papers for this Conference states: "The value of University extends far beyond the economic impact on the individual graduate and the national and global economy. Yet we, as a sector, are repeatedly defined in myopic economic terms". Inspired by Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals, my argument is that we should "make the enemy live up to their own book of rules". If employers and the government demand that our graduates exhibit graduate attributes such as problem-solving, leadership and critical thinking, then we should exploit this opportunity for a problem-based, student-centred, consciousness-raising pedagogy.

My central argument is that employability is not a concept that educators can ignore. Indeed, inherent in the development of desirable graduate attributes and employability skills, there are opportunities for critical educators to support students in developing their social awareness and sense of civic autonomy. This presentation will further argue that educators who seek to opt out of the employability agenda are failing to live up to their values of seeking a truly equal learning partnership with their students.

Birmingham Newman University Learning & Teaching Conference, 2023, 2023

A presentation of preliminary findings of a research project that seeks to understand the percept... more A presentation of preliminary findings of a research project that seeks to understand the perception of first year widening participation undergraduates to the concept of negotiated assessment

The 10th annual Students as Partners Roundtable, 2024

According to the 2024 BlackBullion survey (Censuswide, 2024), 46% of UK students self-define as ‘... more According to the 2024 BlackBullion survey (Censuswide, 2024), 46% of UK students self-define as ‘commuter students’. The term is contested, either describing the distance or time taken for a student to travel from their accommodation to their institution or students who remain at their pre-higher education home address throughout. Whichever definition is used, commuting pressurizes students’ resources, potentially limiting the development of the social and cultural capital(s) that enable success. Furthermore, the 2023 Student Academic Experience Survey (Neves and Stephenson, 2024) states that almost 55% of university student respondents work part-time and a significant number balance studying with caring responsibilities. Additionally, students are experiencing a substantial rise in physical and mental health issues alongside cost-of-living difficulties. It is anticipated that many higher education students are likely to be overwhelmed and stressed about meeting academic deadlines while managing work shifts or family care. In April 2024, AdvanceHE launched a new ’Student Engagement through Partnership’ framework (Hack, 2024) promoting ‘a commitment to open, constructive and continuous dialogue’ when considering effective approaches to learning, teaching and assessment. This can be seen as a way to develop academic citizenship, but also potentially positions student-staff partnerships as something that students ‘do’ (Mathews in Mercer-Mapstone et al., 2017) to meet neo-liberal performativity agendas, rather than as a democratic enactment of values-informed theory (Peters and Mathias, 2018) or recognition of the ‘intra-active’ and transdisciplinary nature of all in ‘entanglement’ (Barad, 2007). Over 90% of Birmingham Newman students commute to campus, with significant numbers working whilst studying and/or have caring responsibilities. Yet close to 150 staff student partnership projects have been completed in ten years, enabling many individual stories of personal transformation. Despite this, the projects remain a ‘minority sport’: How can the transformative potential of partnerships be experienced in times of such significant barriers to engagement?

An overview of ethical leadership with an actionable workbook for leaders to implement

A reflective account of my journey as a mature student returning to study after 23 years to compl... more A reflective account of my journey as a mature student returning to study after 23 years to complete a Masters degree

Youth and Community Studies: Preparation for Graduation Event, 2024

For graduating students, particularly those from widening participation backgrounds or who have s... more For graduating students, particularly those from widening participation backgrounds or who have studied social sciences, a broad understanding of the third sector as a particular source of employment with unique and challenging cultural expectations and complicating structural inequities is vitally important. This presentation covers the evolution of the third sector, offering examples from the social care field to contextualise the employment (and enterprise) experience with particular examples from the author's lived experience.

An overview for practitioners in the Early Years Sector preparing for their first management role... more An overview for practitioners in the Early Years Sector preparing for their first management role. The presentation is broken down into three parts: 1, Getting Ready To Become A Manager 2, Thinking Like A Manager 3, Behaving Like A Manager.