Dr Jane O'Connor
Jane’s research interests span Education, Sociology and Cultural Studies. Her PhD was on child stardom, and she has written extensively about child celebrities and representations of children in the media. She also researches children’s use of digital technology, teacher educators use of digital technology and the digital transformation of Higher Education.
Jane has extensive experience working with children and families to conduct child centred research on a range of issues including pre-schoolers use of interactive digital technology and children’s use of time and space during the pandemic.
Jane is a module leader on the Education Doctorate (EdD) and supervises a range of doctoral students in Education and Childhood Studies. She is currently leading two international British Council funded projects exploring the digital transformation of teacher education and the use of digital pedagogies in doctoral education.
Jane started her career as a primary school teacher. She was a senior lecturer in Childhood Studies at the University of Wolverhampton for six years before joining Birmingham City University.
Current Activity
- Deputy Director of CSPACE
- Co-lead BCU Early Years Research Group
- Module lead on Education Doctorate (EdD)
- Supervisor for EdD and PhD students in Education and Childhood Studies
- Externally and internally funded project work
Areas of Expertise
- Childhood studies
- Project leadership
- Digital technology in education
- Qualitative research
- Creative methodologies
- Academic writing
- Research supervision
- Teaching and lecturing
- Bid writing
- Report writing and evaluations
Qualifications
- 2010 - Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning, University of Wolverhampton
- 2006 - PhD 'The Cultural Significance of the Child Star', Brunel University
- 1999 - PGCE Primary (3-11 years), Kingston University
- 1996 - MA in Sociology of Contemporary Culture, University of York
- 1994 - BSc (Hons) Applied Psychology and Sociology (2:1), University of Surrey
Memberships
- Member of Digital Childhoods SIG, EECERA (European Early Childhood Education Research Association)
- HEA Fellow
- Member of the CMF (Children Media Foundation) Academic Advisory Board, UK
Teaching
- Module leader for Critical Perspectives 1 on Education Doctorate
- Supervision and examination of PhD and EdD students
- Pop-up sessions on academic skills/creative writing
Research
- Supporting the digital transformation of teacher education in Vietnam (2022-2025). PI, British Council funded.
- Digi-doc, developing international professional doctorates (2021-2024). PI, British Council funded
- Enhancing Teacher Education in Vietnam (2021-2022). Co-I, World Bank funded.
- Exploring young children’s use and understanding of YouTubeKids (2020) PI, BCU pilot fund.
- Exploring children’s everyday lives using rhythm analysis (2019) PI, BCU pilot fund.
Postgraduate Supervision
Jane is currently supervising doctoral projects on a range of topics in Education and Childhood Studies including:
- Life story books
- Post and pre care experiences of looked after children
- Early years’ student placements
- Play heterotopias
- Children's constructions of gender stereotypes
Publications
Books
- O’Connor, J. & Mercer, J. (Eds) (2017) Childhood & Celebrity. Abingdon: Routledge.
- O’Connor J (2008) The Cultural Significance of the Child Star, London: Routledge.
Journal Articles
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O’Connor, J., Le Quang, V. et al (2023) Lessons from the pandemic: teacher educators’ use of digital technologies and pedagogies in Vietnam before, during and after the Covid-19 lockdown. International Journal of Educational Development. 103 (article 102942) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2023.102942
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Madsen, S, O’Connor, J. et al (2023) International Perspectives on the Dynamics of Pre-service Early Childhood Teachers’ Digital Competences. Education Sciences 13(7), 633; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13070633
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O’Connor, J., Fotakopoulou, O., Johnston, K., Kewalramani, S., & Ludgate, S. (2023). Resisting hyperreality? Talking to young children about YouTube and YouTube Kids. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/14639491231166487
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O’Connor, J. and Fotakopoulou, O. (2022) Using rhythmanalysis to explore the synchronicities and disruptions in children’s everyday lives in England and Greece during the 2020 lockdown. Methodological Innovations https://doi.org/10.1177/20597991221144571
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O’Connor, J. et al (2022) 'This object really touched me’: Using Le Guin’s Carrier Bag Theory to explore stories of the self on an international professional doctorate development programme. Practice: Contemporary Issues in Practitioner Education DOI: 10.1080/25783858.2022.2071129
- Fotakopoulou, O., Hatzigianni, M., Dardanou, M., Unstad, T., and O’Connor, J. (2020). A cross-cultural exploration of early childhood educators’ beliefs and experiences around the use of touchscreen technologies with children under three years of age. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal 28(2)
- Dardanou M, Unstad T, Brito R, Dias P, Fotakapoulou O, Sakata Y and O’Connor J (2020) Use of touchscreen technology by 0-3-year-old children: Parents’ practices and perspectives in Norway, Portugal and Japan. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy. 20(3) 551-573. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1468798420938445
- O’Connor, J., Every, S, Lowe, R. and Wolhuter, C. (2018) Evaluating Holiday Kitchen: Capturing children's perspectives on a summer holiday food and activities programme. Social Research Practice Journal, Vol 5 Winter 2018
- O’Connor, J. and Fotakopoulou, O. (2016) A threat to early childhood innocence or the future of learning? Parents’ perspectives on the use of touchscreen technology by 0–3 year olds in the UK. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood 17(2).
- O’Connor, J. (2014) An analysis of British Newspaper Coverage of the Teenage Swimming Gold Medallists at the London 2012 Olympics. Journal of Children and Media. Volume 8, Issue 2, April 2014, pages 95-109
- O’Connor, J. and McDougall, J. (2013) 'Orphans and Rich People': A Critical Analysis of the 'Children's Lives' Exhibition in Birmingham, UK. Children & Society (published first online DOI: 10.1111/chso.12025).
- O’Connor, J. (2012) ‘Is it good to be gifted? The construction of gifted children in the British press.’ Children and Society Vol. 26, Issue 4, pp293-303.
- O’Connor, J. (2011) ‘From Jackie Coogan to Michael Jackson: What child stars can tell us about ideologies of childhood’ Journal of Children and Media Vol.5, Issue 3, pp.284-297.
- O'Connor, J. (2009) 'Beyond Social Constructionism? A Structural Analysis of the Cultural Significance of the Child Star', Children and Society Vol.2, Issue 3, pp.214-225
- O'Connor, J. (2009) 'The Demonisation of Charlotte Church: Media Constructions of a Child Prodigy', Journal of Children and Media Vol.3, Issue 2, pp.136-151
Book Chapters
- O’Connor, J. (2019) ‘Document Analysis’. In Lambert, M. (Ed) Practical Research Methods in Education. London: Routledge.
- O’Connor, J., Fotakopolou, O., Hatzigianni, M and Fridberg, M. (2018) ‘Parents’ perspectives on the use of touchscreen technology by 0-3 year olds in the UK, Sweden, Australia and Greece’. In Palaiologou, I. (Ed) (2018 forthcoming) Digital Practices in Early Childhood Education: An International Perspective. London: SAGE.
- O’Connor, J. (2017) ‘Appropriate play? Parents’ reflections on 0-3s using touchscreen technology in the home’. In Arnott, L. (2017 forthcoming) Digital Technologies and Learning in the Early Years. London: SAGE.
- O’Connor, J. ‘Children and Media’ in T. Waller and G. Davies (Eds) (2014) An Introduction to Early Childhood 3 Edition. London: SAGE.
- O’Connor, J. ‘The myth of ‘toxic childhood’ in J. McDougall and P. Bennett (Eds) (2013) Myth Today (and Together): Theory under Reconstruction. London: Routledge.
- O’Connor, J. ‘Applying Bourdieu’s concepts of social and cultural capital and habitus to early years research’ in J. Whitmarsh, T. Waller & K. Clarke C (Eds) (2010) Making sense of theory and practice: the Power of Ideas. Abingdon: Open University Press.
Reports
O’Connor, J. (2021) ‘Child-produced content and the simulation of childhood: what talking to children about YouTubeKids can teach us about the possibilities of Public Service Media’ in Our Children's Future: Does Public Service Media Matter? The Children’s Media Foundation Report 2021.
O'Connor, J., Wolhuter, C. & Every, S. (2015) An evaluation of Holiday Kitchen: Learning, food and play for families who need it most in the West Midlands. BCU, Ashrammoseley and Planning for Real.
Media Work
O’Connor, J (27/10/23) Britney Spears’ memoir is a reminder of the stigma and potential damage of child stardom. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/britney-spears-memoir-is-a-reminder-of-the-stigma-and-potential-damage-of-child-stardom-216545
BBC News NI. (24/10/23) Radio panel discussion and interview about Britney Spears memoir. BBC Radio Ulster - Talkback, 24/10/2023
Halls, E. (7/7/2019) Interviewed for article: Forever Eleven: Millie Bobby Brown and the problem with child stars who dare to grow up. The Telegraph Forever Eleven: Millie Bobby Brown and the problem with child stars who dare to grow up (telegraph.co.uk)
Scott, J. (17/11/2016) Interviewed for article: Child stars: Early start or too much too young? BBC News Online Child stars: Early start or too much too young? - BBC News
O’Connor, J. (23/1/2014) 'Apps for babies too much too young’ Mumsnet blog
Osman, N. (7/5/2014) Interviewed for article: Generation iBabies. Woman Magazine
Woolcock, N. (17/3/2014) Interviewed for article: Experts raise alarm over babies addicted to ipads. The Times. Experts raise alarm over babies addicted to iPads (thetimes.co.uk)