Anna S . CohenMiller | Nord University (original) (raw)

Papers by Anna S . CohenMiller

Innovative Higher Education, 2022

Combining motherhood and academic work in higher education has been discussed for decades with th... more Combining motherhood and academic work in higher education has been discussed for decades with the pandemic further exposing the inequalities. This crisis has significantly impacted the daily life of mothers in academia as they devote more time to keep their careers on track, produce papers, and take on other parenting and schooling responsibilities. This paper employs photovoice as an online methodology to document the real-life experiences of 68 women from nine countries who work and parent children in the sudden transition to remote working and learning environments. By explaining the photographs from their perspective, the participants in this study were able to capture their lived experiences, discuss working from home while guiding children in online learning, and create suggestions for ways academic institutions can alleviate gender inequality. The article explores the critical issues of academic work and childrearing drawing international attention to address issues of equity and inclusion in higher education among researchers, policymakers, and institutions.

Motherscholars, 2024

The origins and growth of the concept "motherscholars" is a purposeful connection linking being a... more The origins and growth of the concept "motherscholars" is a purposeful connection linking being a mother and a scholar. In many parts of the world, for those working in educational institutions, being a mother is often hidden and not discussed. In particular, being recognized as a mother in the workplace in the US and UK has often designated women as less capable in their day-to-day work. Thus, keeping motherhood hidden has offered many mothers a chance to maintain status that diminishes once becoming associated with mothering. While there are many studies that examine the experiences of being both a mother and a scholar, this article focuses on the purposeful integration of the two aspects as a form of advocacy to showcase the presence of the multiple identities of the individual. This means that the references included here will not include texts that discuss for instance the broad topic of participants who were mothers and working in educational institutions in general. Instead, the entry emphasizes the texts that link these ideas together in a commitment to spark awareness and acceptance, primarily focused on higher education/academia.

Malaria Journal

Background The increasing incidence of Plasmodium knowlesi malaria poses a significant challenge ... more Background The increasing incidence of Plasmodium knowlesi malaria poses a significant challenge to efforts to eliminate malaria from Malaysia. Macaque reservoirs, outdoors-biting mosquitoes, human activities, and agricultural work are key factors associated with the transmission of this zoonotic pathogen. However, gaps in knowledge regarding reasons that drive malaria persistence in rural Kudat, Sabah, Northern Borneo remain. This study was conducted to address this knowledge gap, to better understand the complexities of these entangled problems, and to initiate discussion regarding new countermeasures to address them. This study aims to highlight rural community members’ perspectives regarding inequities to health relating to P. knowlesi malaria exposure. Methods From January to October 2022, a study using qualitative methods was conducted in four rural villages in Kudat district of Sabah, Malaysia. A total of nine in-depth interviews were conducted with community and faith leader...

Teaching and learning about Otherness: Pedagogies in Popular Media

Frontiers in Psychiatry, Jul 25, 2022

The COVID-19-related lockdown interrupted children's learning progress and discontinued social le... more The COVID-19-related lockdown interrupted children's learning progress and discontinued social learning and regular activities that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) rely on socially and physically. Negative consequences for children with ASD were reported far and wide. To investigate this problem in Kazakhstan, we conducted a mixed-methods study that drew on data from an online survey with 97 parents and semistructured interviews with 14 parents. While parent-report quantitative results suggest that children were likely to experience negative impacts of the pandemic due to disrupted educational and therapeutic services, qualitative findings confirm that they have experienced an elevated mental health and behavioral challenges during the lockdown. Remote educational and therapeutic services were not helpful as families coped with pandemic-caused problems on their own. We highlight that continued support and care during and after a crisis is vital not only for children with ASD but also for the families under-resourced mentally and socially.

Тиімді оқыту стратегиялары: қысқаша шолу

Эффективные стратегии преподавания: краткий обзор

Gender Equity in Higher Education During COVID-19 in Central Asia

European Education

Can popular culture speak to issues of equity in educational spaces

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy, Aug 1, 2020

Can popular culture speak to issues of equity in educational spaces? Over the years, Dialogue has... more Can popular culture speak to issues of equity in educational spaces? Over the years, Dialogue has highlighted work that critically examines popular culture and education with a focus on social justice (see Antuna et al., 2018; Church, 2019; Cragin, 2018; Harmon & Henkin, 2016; Propper, 2017; Rank, 2019; Spencer, 2018; Tinajero, 2020). In this special issue, Engaged Popular Culture and Pedagogy: Awareness, Understanding and Social Justice, 12 authors have taken the call and shared their insights, providing practical steps through the use of popular culture to improve teaching and learning in informal and formal spaces.

Motherhood at the Beginning of a Scientific Career: A Case Study in the Czech Republic

Czech Republic, just like other European countries, is dealing with a question of equal opportuni... more Czech Republic, just like other European countries, is dealing with a question of equal opportunities of men and women. The topic has permeated many fields, not even the Czech scientific environment has been immune to the debate over the topic of harmonization of scientific work and family life. A discussion is currently under way in the Czech Republic on conditions of professional preparation of doctoral students and early stage researchers. The area of harmonization of parenthood and doctoral studies is also one of the contemporary topics. According to the Monitoring Report on Situation of Women in the Czech Scientific Environment, the largest dropout rates in female scientific participation occur either even before entering the doctoral studies or right after obtaining the doctoral degree and before entering the scientific community as such (Postaveni žen v ceske vědě. Monitorovaci zprava za rok 2015). As a 2012 study by LERU organization points out, 45% of women leaves the academia after finishing the doctoral studies. One of the reasons for women leaving science is also caring for children. Workplace setup in the area of harmonization of parenthood and scientific career can play a significant role for female scientists at the beginning of their scientific careers, and therefore even during the doctoral studies. One of the problems the Czech sciences are now coming to terms with is the low representation of women, weak opportunities for their career engagement in science, research, and innovation, and insufficient emphasis on gender perspective into the development of scientific knowledge and innovation. Even though the number of women in doctoral studies are on the rise, this increase does not markedly show in the area of research, in particular as noted in the scientific career.

‘The fearful khan and the delightful beauties’: The construction of gender in secondary school textbooks in Kazakhstan

International Journal of Educational Development, 2022

This paper analyses how secondary school textbooks enact gender in post-Soviet Kazakhstan. As a &... more This paper analyses how secondary school textbooks enact gender in post-Soviet Kazakhstan. As a 'gender paradox', with universal literacy and yet a higher representation of women at the tertiary level co-existing with multi-sectoral gaps at the expense of women, Kazakhstan offers an interesting context to empirically investigate the taken for granted relationship between education, gender equality and sustainable development. Poststructuralist discursive analysis is complemented with non-discursive methods to illuminate how textbooks entrench gender power relations, construct dominant masculinities and enact emphasised femininities, producing gender hierarchies and naturalising gendered national belonging. Possibilities for transforming gender relations in and through education are discussed.

Routledge eBooks, Dec 2, 2022

Contemplative inquiry Research (and pedagogical) practices • Becoming more aware and open (Janesi... more Contemplative inquiry Research (and pedagogical) practices • Becoming more aware and open (Janesick, 2015) • Deepening our attention and learning (Bhattacharya, 2013) • Recognizing the potential of critical selfreflection to build more equitable and inclusive practices and approaches (CohenMiller, 2024; CohenMiller & Boivin, 2021

Rigor in Qualitative Research

SAGE Publications Ltd eBooks, 2022

Routledge eBooks, Dec 2, 2022

All processes, including the process of teaching, learning and research, are located in a specifi... more All processes, including the process of teaching, learning and research, are located in a specific culture, and in this section, we focus on what cultures influence the processes of teaching and research in Higher Education (HE) spaces. We gather insights from cultures as diverse as Cambodia, United States of America, Europe and India. In this editorial, I first share a brief outline of each chapter, highlighting some key issues that emerged from a focus group discussion, which was organised over Zoom call to bring together the chapter authors to share the insights, experiences and recommendations to HE stakeholders such as leaders, researchers, students and practitioners. In the first chapter of this section, Chapter 11, Debdatta Chowdhury raises the issue of gender sensitisation in HE institutions (HEIs) in India, specifically Kolkata, by locating the discussion in the everyday form of classroom practices, pedagogy, curriculum design and diversity of student experiences. Perusal of policy documents on the one hand and dialogue with HEIs stakeholders on the other leads Debdatta to observe that policy frameworks are ill-suited to address the varied concerns related to gendersensitisation issues. In Chapter 12, the editors of this book-Tamsin Hinton-Smith, Fawzia Haeri Mazanderani, Nupur Samuel and Anna CohenMiller-come together to reflect and explore the processes, experiences and challenges that guide collaborative feminist research into gender equality in higher education. Through reflexive praxis, this group of interdisciplinary and international research team of feminist researchers engage with the processes of decoding issues of communication, connectedness and humanisation, embodiment and ethics while engaged on gender mainstreaming research in HEIs across multiple-country contexts.

Leading Change in Gender and Diversity in Higher Education from Margins to Mainstream

Routledge eBooks, Dec 2, 2022

Developing teaching and learning support systems for visually impaired students in Kazakhstan

Accessibility in Central Asia

IFLA Journal, Jan 25, 2018

Having recently adopted the United Nations Convention of Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Kaz... more Having recently adopted the United Nations Convention of Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Kazakhstan, a former Soviet Republic located in Central Asia, is currently in a position to find ways to increase accessibility and encourage inclusiveness in education. This paper describes the combined efforts of Nazarbayev University’s Library and Graduate School (located in Astana, Kazakhstan) to ensure accessibility for the university’s first ever student with a documented disability. Using co-generative qualitative data and analysis, faculty and staff worked together with the student to determine the best way to help him. As a project based in more experiential research, the authors’ focus is to document the experience and provide recommendations to others who are beginning accessibility/inclusivity efforts as well. Chief among these recommendations is close collaboration with communities to ensure what is needed and provide education regarding accessibility, as well as setting up a reasonable timeframe for adaptations needed.

The Qualitative Report

mothers in academia, literature review, PRISMA, coding, gender equity and inclusion, social justice

Innovative Higher Education, 2022

Motherscholars, 2024

Malaria Journal

Teaching and learning about Otherness: Pedagogies in Popular Media

Frontiers in Psychiatry, Jul 25, 2022

Тиімді оқыту стратегиялары: қысқаша шолу

Эффективные стратегии преподавания: краткий обзор

Gender Equity in Higher Education During COVID-19 in Central Asia

European Education

Can popular culture speak to issues of equity in educational spaces

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy, Aug 1, 2020

Motherhood at the Beginning of a Scientific Career: A Case Study in the Czech Republic

‘The fearful khan and the delightful beauties’: The construction of gender in secondary school textbooks in Kazakhstan

International Journal of Educational Development, 2022

Routledge eBooks, Dec 2, 2022

Rigor in Qualitative Research

SAGE Publications Ltd eBooks, 2022

Routledge eBooks, Dec 2, 2022

Leading Change in Gender and Diversity in Higher Education from Margins to Mainstream

Routledge eBooks, Dec 2, 2022

Developing teaching and learning support systems for visually impaired students in Kazakhstan

Accessibility in Central Asia

IFLA Journal, Jan 25, 2018

The Qualitative Report

mothers in academia, literature review, PRISMA, coding, gender equity and inclusion, social justice

International Conference on Contemporary Women’s Studies, 2024

The 4C’s in research suggest steps towards how critical self-reflection and contemplative inquiry... more The 4C’s in research suggest steps towards how critical self-reflection and contemplative inquiry can help us better understand ourselves and our positionality. They give us insight into how practicing compassion and care can situate us as researchers as more accepting of ourselves and others. And lastly, how recognizing the illusion of perfection can encourage community and collaboration, facilitating directions toward equity, inclusion and justice-centered research

Arts based decolonial research, 2023

• Gloria Anzaldúa (2017) emphasizes the power of rewriting our stories, reclaiming ourselves, spi... more • Gloria Anzaldúa (2017) emphasizes the power of rewriting our stories, reclaiming ourselves, spirituality and reality.

International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry (ICQI), 2022

Critical self-reflection is an essential process for qualitative social justice research (CohenMi... more Critical self-reflection is an essential process for qualitative social justice research (CohenMiller & Boivin, 2022), but what about mixed method social justice research? Have you ever questioned your work, wondering if you can be more effective, more equitable, more inclusive in your practice? Have you ever wondered if participants’ voices were really heard? In this presentation, we explore the use of critical self-reflection from the realm of qualitative research to mixed-method research. Through a feminist and decolonial lens, we unpack pedagogical practice in which critical self-reflection could be integrated and embedded within traditional courses to guide quantitative and mixed-method teaching and learning to encourage equity, inclusion and social justice.

Popular Culture Association, 2022

At the 2022 national conference, I was pleased to present as Editor in Chief of Dialogue: The Int... more At the 2022 national conference, I was pleased to present as Editor in Chief of Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy on Professional Development I - Publishing Opportunities in Popular Culture and American Culture Studies.

The Qualitative Report Conference, 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic crisis exacerbated inequalities in education. Socio-economic status and geo... more The COVID-19 pandemic crisis exacerbated inequalities in education. Socio-economic status and geographical location of a student has been an underlying factor behind the educational inequalities in Kazakhstan. Transitioning to remote learning revealed the digital inequalities in education, such as lack of devices, quality of internet connection, and low digital literacy skills among students, teachers, as well as for parents across the country. International studies have already warned that the impacts of this unprecedented crisis and shift to remote learning will affect students' learning and life outcomes for years. The purpose of this study is to see the impact of COVID-19 for rural school children in Kazakhstan through an arts-based, community-based research method (CBPR) --photovoice. Photovoice is one of the qualitative methods utilized in CBPR that allows participants to use photography and their stories to describe and represent issues and challenges they experience. Conducting photovoice consists of 8 steps: identification, invitation, education, documentation, narration, ideation, presentation, and confirmation (Latz, 2017). This session will discuss the steps in working closely with students from rural areas to understand their challenges and needs in accessing quality education and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thinking Qualitatively, 2021

What is equity and inclusion in qualitative research? How can we maintain these ideas as embedded... more What is equity and inclusion in qualitative research? How can we maintain these ideas as embedded approaches for our work? And how can critical self-reflections support these practices? In this talk, I draw from our forthcoming book, Questions in Qualitative Social Justice Research in Multicultural Contexts (CohenMiller & Boivin, Routledge) to explore how to hear and highlight others’ voices, especially those who have been historically marginalized or oppressed. As such, this talk will raise awareness and promote action for the purposeful commitment and advocacy to address systemic inequities when researching within and across multicultural contexts.

AERA Virtual Conference, 2021

With COVID-19, motherscholars face expanded caregiving and lack of institutional policies, making... more With COVID-19, motherscholars face expanded caregiving and lack of institutional policies, making attention to pressing gender-equity issues an imperative for "normal" and unprecedented times. Using Hofstede's (2011) cultural theory and Rich's (1995) feminist theory, this research addresses a historically-underserved population in higher education-graduate student mothers or 'motherscholars.' Through a qualitative systematic review, the purpose was two-fold: (1) to understand how the topic has been examined in theses/dissertations from 1997-2020 and (2) to identify steps to address persistent issues of equity for women in higher education. From an analysis of 44 theses and dissertations, findings showed three common themes (navigating challenges internally and externally, negotiating identity, and developing strategies to survive in academic contexts) and recommendations for systematic policy development/implementation.

Qual-World Interactive Virtual Conference, University of Alberta, International Institute for Qualitative Methodology., 2018

postersessio n.co m • The study sought to uncover how to support mothers in academia • Using a gr... more postersessio n.co m • The study sought to uncover how to support mothers in academia • Using a grounded theory approach, we sought to understand best practices and policies for mothers in academia in order to encourage recruitment, retention, and equity for mothers in academia • We recruited mothers from large social media groups, planning to interview everyone via Skype or Zoom rooms • A key aspect that emerged related to data collection and the need to be flexible in conducting research • Research continues to show a lack of gender parity beyond attainment of graduate degree(s) (Baker, 2016; Ward & Wolf-Wendel, 2017) • Women consistently are not promoted along the academic ranks from assistant, associate to full professor, both in the United States and internationally. • Little research addressing best practices to support mothers in academia, and much of what has been published are one-size fits all solutions.

European Congress for Qualitative Inquiry (ECQI) conference, 2020

Imagine that you have eight days to teach introduction to qualitative research. What would you in... more Imagine that you have eight days to teach introduction to qualitative research. What would you include? How would you present the basics? Which readings would you require? How would you keep your students attention throughout each 6-hour day? The challenges of such a condensed course can be stifling but the potential is immense. In this presentation, I discuss the ways in which I engaged a class of first semester graduate students in an intensive hands-on, student-centered course in qualitative research. Outcomes of the class included four student researched small case studies, one student-faculty international conference presentation, and the development of a student-faculty journal publication. While these outcomes help to demonstrate an overall level of comprehension, I continue to think about the class as a whole. This presentation seeks to open discussion on the topic of teaching pedagogy within qualitative research in general and on student knowledge retention in particular.

Media and Information Literacy , 2019

This presentation provides an overview of initiatives addressing gender equity and social justice... more This presentation provides an overview of initiatives addressing gender equity and social justice based on empowering individuals through media and information. Details of The Motherscholar Project (www.motherscholar.org) and The Consortium of Gender Scholars (www.gen-con.org) were highlighted.

Qualitative Report Conference, 2018

This presentation explores the ways in which friendship (Tillmann-Healy, 2003, 2006) can be conce... more This presentation explores the ways in which friendship (Tillmann-Healy, 2003, 2006) can be conceptualized as a facilitator for research methodology. Over the course of seven months, two researchers living halfway across the world developed a research collaboration based upon a common experience and identification, as mothers in academia, to study motherscholars. Through a multimodal set of communicative practices ranging from texting on the phone, sharing and chatting through google docs, emailing, Skyping, Facetiming, we bridged the 13-hour time zone difference and developed a friendship. The study we created aimed to improve wellbeing by addressing the internal conflict, stress, and guilt of being neither fully at work nor fully at home as a motherscholar. While the study led to an increased sense of wellbeing, there was another factor that appears to have played an important role--the burgeoning friendship between the two of us, as motherscholars who have yet to meet face-to-face, but who became willing to collaborate and share professionally and personally. This presentation is relevant for those interested in emergent methods of qualitative research, including considerations for the ways friendship has implications for data analysis and data transformation.

This project explores gender-based leadership barriers experienced by Kazakhstani female executiv... more This project explores gender-based leadership barriers experienced by Kazakhstani female executives. The project outcomes contribute to a better understanding of what barriers women face in the workplace and are useful as organizations around the world seek to be more inclusive and supportive of women.

Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan is an emerging research higher education institution seeking ... more Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan is an emerging research higher education institution seeking to meet the world standards not only through the high quality academic programmes and teaching, but also through providing its community with an environment that enables them to balance their work and family. This paper reports on a qualitative research project conducted by graduate students within a research methods course to answer the research question, How is “family-friendly campus” contextualized at the university? The study involved semi-structured interviews with six parents living on campus, including four faculty members from across the University—faculty from the business school, medical school, and graduate school—as well as two stay at home parents. Participants had been one to three children. After receiving IRB approval, interviews were recorded and transcribed. Using open, axial, thematic coding and constant comparison, findings revealed four primary themes as key components of a campus that respects residents’ families and their values: (1) socialization/sense of community, (2) infrastructure/facilities, (3) financial support, and (4) safety. In this regard, a family-friendly campus is seen as a place where financial support, safe environment, and appropriate infrastructure are provided, allowing families to socialize and build relationships between local and international faculty and staff. The importance of the study is situated in the dual nature of creating both a friendly atmosphere for faculty members, and also for their family. The conditions created for family-friendly campuses directly affect the work readiness and satisfaction of all employees. The study demonstrates the needs of families, staying on campus, and provides insight for development in creating, or enhancing family-friendly campuses. Findings have potential implications for recruitment and retention of faculty and staff at international universities.

In this presentation, we presented an introduction to effective teaching strategies at higher edu... more In this presentation, we presented an introduction to effective teaching strategies at higher education institutions. Key aspects included using backward design to develop learning outcomes and cooperative learning techniques.

This paper examines how school psychologists from mainstream secondary schools in Kazakhstan perc... more This paper examines how school psychologists from mainstream secondary schools in Kazakhstan perceive their role in relation to the maintenance of students’ psychological and emotional wellbeing. It also discusses some of the major challenges school psychologists face in their daily practice in this role. The research is part of a larger 2-year project on students’ wellbeing and school engagement in Kazakhstan led by Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Education and the Graduate School of Education of the University of Cambridge.

Objectives This paper examines the Kazakhstan Leadership Professional Development Program that wa... more Objectives
This paper examines the Kazakhstan Leadership Professional Development Program that was developed and instituted since 2014. The objectives are threefold: (1) to examine the effectiveness of the PDP, (2) to analyze how have PDPs trainees have been practicing their learning in their home institutions, and (3) to offer recommendations for improvements for future PDPs in Kazakhstan and the region.

Perspective(s) or theoretical framework
Kazakhstan has been actively reforming its higher education system since the break-up of the former USSR. In 2010, Kazakhstan joined the Bologna Principles (Declaration) to align its education system with the highly developed European countries. One of the urgent needs was to build leadership capacity among rectors and senior university leaders. This development could then enable universities to function effectively as more autonomous entities within a sound governance framework designed to ensure proper accountability and appropriate relationships with the government and with various stakeholders. With this background, Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Education (NUGSE) signed agreement with the UK-based Leadership Foundation for Higher Education (LF). In 2014, with the help of LF educators and Higher Education Leaders Programme, the Professional Development Programs (PDPs) were developed and implemented. These PDPs focused on governance, leadership and management to help trainees to understand systemic, environmental, institutional and personal effectiveness of various leadership aspects to enable trainees to formulate and implement strategic plans and bring about transformational change.

The PDP aims were to improve leadership skills of trainees in the areas of strategic planning and corporate governance, specifically aimed at both supporting universities in the transition to a new model of governance and also developing skills in managing the complex change process. The PDP programme comprised three modules: Module 1: NU based workshops for trainees with an input facilitated by the educators from LF; Module 2: 4-5 day study visits by trainees at foreign universities in Europe, North America or Singapore; and Module 3: Presentation of trainees’ findings at NUGSE based upon previous modules and cross-cutting themes.

Research methods
A mixed methods research design involving both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis was conducted (1) to evaluate the PDPs effectiveness, (2) to assess how trainees have implemented their learning within their home institutions, and (3) to provide recommendations for improvement for future PDPs.

Participants (n>300) included higher education managers and leaders from across Kazakhstan. Research instruments included: survey questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and site visits. Document analysis was also conducted to provide a greater depth of understanding for the implementation of PDPs trainee learning within their home institutions. Through collaboration by team members, instruments were developed in English, then translated into Russian for implementation by the research team.

The quantitative and qualitative data collected was complementary to one another, providing both general trends and in-depth understanding for the evaluation and assessment of the PDPs.

Findings
Preliminary findings suggest PDP trainees have benefited from the program through an increased awareness of tools available to implement within their higher educational institutions. These benefits vary based upon the individual and their resources previously available to them personally and institutionally. Evaluation and assessment of the implementation of trainee learning has provided suggestions for the future modification of the PDPs, in particular the need for further communication and support.

Scholarly significance
While PDPs focused on higher education have been studied in the US and other Western nations, there is little empirical evidence available on the ways in which these programs have been developed and implemented within the Central Asian context. Through examining PDPs in Kazakhstan, this study contributes to the scholarly literature in higher education and professional development. The study provides a cultural context that can inform future research in the region and for those seeking educational reform within higher education.

In 2014, I conducted a dissertation research study on doctoral students who became mothers for th... more In 2014, I conducted a dissertation research study on doctoral students who became mothers for the first time during their program of study. I was such a student, although I did not include myself in that initial study. I studied these new “DocMama’s” to try to help them and to help others as I had found myself struggling through personal and structural challenges within the university. While I tried to keep our interviews “professional” where I was the one asking questions and they were answering, I found that the participants wanted to know about my experiences and wanted to hear suggestions, ideas, and challenges that I was experiences. I also found that what they were sharing was useful for my own life, such as considering new ways to consider the challenge of mothering in academia to specific steps they took to get support.

From these interviews, it became clear that having a support system is particularly helpful when becoming (and being) a new mother in academia. The study led to a creation of an online support group that currently has a membership of over 100 women from around the globe, all who are confronting, or who have, been a “dissertating mama.”

In 2015, I followed up with the initial study and sought to bring more mothers in academia together, to highlight our presence. I found that I was drawn towards the creation of something for them, for us, together and while not a study, having another space to demonstrate our existence in academia has been embraced. Then in 2016, I checked back in with the original set of DocMama’s I interviewed to see how they were doing as they transitioned from their doctoral programs to their next careers. This time, I included myself, and as such found that I was now openly caring about them, and myself.

These research studies and outcomes appear to be an outcome of when qualitative researchers care. I see it is the individual personal aspect that relates to this research which has allowed for useful outcomes. In so many ways I had been taught to not include myself in the research, or at the extreme to explain my positionality, but then try to bracket it so I could see the participants’ experience in more detail. Instead, I see the potential of caring as technique for qualitative research. Perhaps as an emergent method, just as arts-based research was once new in our discipline and even today has to be argued for its rigor, caring may be the next step of incorporation in qualitative research methodologies.

n Kazakhstan, there has been an alarming increase in teenage suicide (“Suicide rate spikes,” 2015... more n Kazakhstan, there has been an alarming increase in teenage suicide (“Suicide rate spikes,” 2015), especially among boys. These incidents have been occurring throughout the country, with secondary school students. Some reasons are speculated about the cause, such as pressures from testing, increasing competitiveness for joining the top universities, as well as limited career choices, especially in remote areas. An area of educational research in Kazakhstan, which deserves special attention is the general wellbeing of students and the structure of support in place to address students’ emotional and psychological wellbeing. Within Kazakhstani schools, the structure to support student wellbeing includes, apart from the principal and the teachers, the vice-principal of pastoral cares, the curators (who are also teachers in most cases), the social care worker, and at least one full time school psychologist. The country’s education system is currently going through major reforms and is becoming increasingly globalised,, generating new sources of stress for students of both highly competitive schools, such as the network of Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools (NIS) and mainstream schools, some of which, especially in rural area, are lagging behind due to various factors. The recognition of the profession of school psychologists in Kazakhstan remains generally relatively low. There is not yet any national association of school psychologists and the conditions in which they operate are the poorest among all school staff members who are in direct contact with the students. On the other hand, there is a growing, however still limited, awareness on the part of principal, teachers, and parents of the need for students to consult the school psychologist in time of emotional or psychological distress. This study focuses specifically on the role of school psychologists in supporting and monitoring the wellbeing of high school students in their later years and the stigma still prevailing around such issues relating to mental illness in Kazakhstan. Using constructivist grounded theory (Charmaz, 2006), presented within the study are preliminary results of fieldwork conducted in the southern, northern and western part of the country, in both rural and urban zones. The locations were chosen according to specific known problems that their inhabitants are facing on a daily basis, such as pollution (Zetterström, 1999), poverty (Jensen, Mazhhitova, & Zetterström, 1997), environmental hazard (Cockerham, Hinote, Abbott, & Haerpfer, 2004), remotedness and high crime rate. This study is guided by the following research questions: (1) how do school psychologists conceptualize wellbeing in their daily work with students? and (2) how do school psychologists understand their role(s)?

Motherscholar, a term coined by Cheryl Matias (2011) incites the coalescence of identities, of be... more Motherscholar, a term coined by Cheryl Matias (2011) incites the coalescence of identities, of being both a mother and a scholar. In particular, she found that in academia there are often forces that push the two parts of us apart, encouraging separate identities, and instead we can push back. In this research, I sought to understand the transition from doctoral student mother to a future career, the transition from what I refer to as “docmama” (CohenMiller, 2013) to “motherscholar.” The study seeks to examine experiences as a part of understanding why women/mother-scholars (Lapayese, 2012) are falling through the cracks in the academic pipeline despite an increase in enrollment and employment. It is a multisited study, utilizing Facebook as an online focus group. The use of technology provides a way in which to broach the countries in which they (and I) live/work: United States, Central Asia, and Oceania. Unique to this work is the longitudinal nature of examining academic motherhood and an integration of arts-based methods (Leavy, 2015), participatory/collaborative approach to address a new perspective on addressing equity in academia.

A presentation as part of Fostering a Research Culture for the 21st Century, Eurasian Higher Educ... more A presentation as part of Fostering a Research Culture for the 21st Century, Eurasian Higher Education Leaders Forum, at Nazarbayev University (NU). It focuses on research visibility and social media, addressing aspects of a three fold strategy of considering peer review, professional, and popular aspects. With special attention to Academia.edu, ResearchGate, NU's internal online research network, and blogs such as The Conversation.

Critical Studies <--> Critical Methodologies, 2023

CFP for Special Issue for Cultural Studies ←→ Critical Methodologies Editors: Anna S. CohenMill... more CFP for Special Issue for Cultural Studies ←→ Critical Methodologies

Editors: Anna S. CohenMiller (Nazarbayev University) & Nettie Boivin (University of Jyväskylä)

Within the Ukrainian situation, there is a great need to understand, amplify voice and agency, identify insights and highlight change and coalitions as they are unfolding. This is especially true considering the postcolonial nature of the country. Living (and having lived) in Kazakhstan, the co-editors are feeling the impact of the Russian invasion and the recognition of once being a Soviet country. In addition, one of the co-editors now lives in Finland which shares a border with Russia. Historical past events (e.g., The Winter War) and the immediacy of the action of forced colonization by Russia is felt throughout academia. Both the editors have continually embarked on co-creation, co-production, participatory action research, arts-based and collaborative arts ethnography to ensure decolonial, inclusive practices and coalition building (e.g., Boivin & CohenMiller, 2018; CohenMiller & Boivin, 2021).

Open access google doc, 2020

The educational world is confronting a massive change in practice affecting millions worldwide. F... more The educational world is confronting a massive change in practice affecting millions worldwide. For those teaching in higher education, we are fortunate to have some flexibility in the ways we engage and practice our work. Yet the vast majority of faculty members do not have experience or training in moving their classes online.

The following is a response to the need for information and support on teaching online. It is the beginning of a compilation of recommendations, tips, tricks, and things to avoid collated from sources internationally. Feel free to reuse and remix as useful for your context.

Accessibility in Central Asia: Collaboration between Graduate School and Library

In 2015, the first visually impaired student was accepted into the Graduate School at Nazarbayev ... more In 2015, the first visually impaired student was accepted into the Graduate School at Nazarbayev University (NU). While a fairly commonplace occurrence in many universities, for the faculty and staff at NU in the Central Asian country of Kazakhstan, it was a new experience. At just five years old and having only recently graduated its first cohort of undergraduate students, the university was no stranger to new experiences. Using co-generative qualitative data collection and analysis, we describe the steps the Library and the Graduate School of Education used in first creating the system to support students with visual impairments as well as suggested next steps. As the article shows, while not wholly without the resources to welcome a student with special needs, we (as individuals), the school, library, and university gained and learned much from the process of purchasing and developing resources to aid him, and others, in learning and teaching. These steps provide insight to an often-unseen process, one that resulted in resources we used for our first graduate student with a visual impairment and are also currently being used for new incoming students. The experiences and recommendations described can be of particular interest to individuals or institutions seeking to create their own student support services.

Teacher Preparation for Cultural Awareness and Efficacy: Analyzing Visual Representations of Minority Communities

This study presents a review of micro photo-ethnographies of teacher education students, designed... more This study presents a review of micro photo-ethnographies of teacher education students, designed to depict the cultural resources found within a low socio-economic Latino community. Using a lens informed by critical pedagogy (Palmer, 2010; M. Smith & McLaren, 2010) and transformative pedagogy (Flores, Sheets, & Clark, 2010), we analyze poster-board presentations representative of a multi-course teacher education assignment. From our analysis, we contextualized and problematized the forms of representation chosen by the students and their interpretation within a broader social context. Included in the visual analysis is a discussion of the selected images and at times, more importantly, the manner of their display. Ultimately this study demonstrates that without opportunities for reflection and critical reflection, students may reify or reinforce unfounded beliefs and pernicious ideologies about new cultures they explore. Results from this study can contribute to understandings of how to effectively address teacher education for cultural awareness and efficacy.

Routledge, 2022

Questions in Qualitative Social Justice Research in Multicultural Contexts take readers on an acc... more Questions in Qualitative Social Justice Research in Multicultural Contexts take readers on an accessible and inspiring journey to critically self-reflect on current or future research practices to encourage and facilitate greater equity, inclusion, and social justice in qualitative research.

In a diverse world, "doing" qualitative research needs unpacking and developing awareness of interconnected perspectives and challenges. However, as researchers, there is not always a chance to fully prepare or self-reflect on the processes and experiences. This book raises awareness of key multidimensional aspects of social justice, such as power, privilege, trust, insider-outsiderness, ethics, arts-based, co-produced, and decolonial research. The authors connect theory and conceptual constructs with practical in-field realities, guiding researchers through the dynamic, evolving steps to give voice to and promote social justice practices in research.

This foundational book can be used as a jumping-off point to engage and critically self-reflect about research moving us towards decolonizing research practice, creating more inclusive, equitable, and socially just research. It will be suitable for upper-level and postgraduate students and all researchers interested in qualitative methods in education and the social and behavioral sciences.

9th International Conference for Qualitative Research (ICQR 9.0), 2025

In this keynote, I invite the audience to become participants and co- producers to explore the dy... more In this keynote, I invite the audience to become participants and co-
producers to explore the dynamic intersections of research and pedagogy as
part of a methodological journey to build community and justice-centered
research practices to nourish sustainable futures. The session unfolds in four
overlapping parts -- insights to ourselves, tools to build meaningful research,
definitions for essential topics in justice-centered research, and sample
approaches. Interwoven throughout the session are opportunities for
creative, embodied methodological practices, such as contemplative inquiry
and introducing Slow Ontology 2.0. Together, we get a chance to see how the
3As of research unfolds, in supporting critical and engaged scholarship,
showing how as we become more aware of ourselves, accepting of who we
are, we are better positioned into meaningful transformative action.

International Week, 2024

Why care about internationalization in higher education? Putting ourselves in the picture of teac... more Why care about internationalization in higher education? Putting ourselves in the picture of teaching, learning and research locally and globally