Professor Tom Dobson

Teaching

I lead our Doctorate of Education programme as well as the module Researching Issues in Professional Practice. I supervise a number of doctoral students within the field of education, particularly those with a focus on creative writing, creative pedagogies and participatory methods. I am keen to supervise new doctoral students across the range of my research interests.

Research

I have 3 interconnected research specialisms. My first specialism is creative writing and creative pedagogies in education. I see creative writing as an expression of identity and I am passionate about facilitating opportunities for creative writing for all. In line with this, I am currently Co-PI for an ERASMUS+ funded project project - arted - which promotes the use of creative arts with teachers and parents. My second specialism is the use participatory methods for social justice. I have researched the co-creation of published fiction with young people, as well as project based learning and youth participatory action research with Enactus UK. My third specialism is developing innovative methodologies and forms of writing with doctoral students, particularly with those working as professionals in education settings.

Publications

Journal articles 

Dobson, T. (2022) “A structure that other people are directing”: doctoral students’ writing of qualitative theses in education. The Qualitative Report, 27(4), 997-1010. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2022.5151

Dobson, T., and Stephenson, L. (2022) A trans-European perspective on how artists can support teachers, parents and carers to engage with young people in the creative arts, 36(6), pp.1136-1350. Children & Society. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/chso.12580

Dobson, J., Dobson, T. (2021) Empowering Student Voice in a Secondary School: Character Education through Project-Based Learning with Students as Teachers. Teacher Development. 25(2), pp.103-119. https://doi.org/10.1080/13664530.2020.1865442

Dobson, T., Stephenson, L. and De Arede, A. (2021) Writing a Novel with Roma Primary School Children: Tensions in Disrupting Aetonormativity. Children’s Literature in Education. 52, pp.511-527. Available online: DOI: 10.1007/s10583-020-09428-3.

Dobson, T., and Stephenson, L. (2020) Challenging boundaries to cross: primary teachers exploring drama pedagogy for creative writing with theatre educators in the landscape of performativity. Professional Development in Education. 46(2), pp.245-255. Available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19415257.2018.1557240.

Stephenson, L and Dobson, T (2020). Releasing the Socio-Imagination: Children’s voices on Creativity, Capability and Mental Wellbeing. Support for Learning. 35(4). Available online: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-9604.12326. 

Dobson, T., Stephenson, L. and De Arede, A. (2019). Disrupting aetonormativity: involving children in the writing of literature for publication. English in Education. Available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/04250494.2019.1679622.

Dobson, T. and Stephenson, L. (2019) “I think it fits in”: Using Process Drama to Promote Agentic Writing with Primary School Children. Literacy. 53(2), pp.69-76. Available online from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/lit.12145.

Dobson, T., and Rose, A. (2019) The use of technology to enable school governors to participate remotely in meetings: A solution to skilled governor shortages in schools? Management in Education. 33(3), pp.123-139. Available online: https://doi.org/10.1177/0892020619840075.

Dobson, T., Rose, A., Parton, G. and Hart, M. (2018) Boundary Crossing in School Governing Bodies: Perspectives from the Business Community. Educational Management Administration & Leadership. 48(3), pp.532-548. Available online: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1741143218814005.

Dobson, T. and Stephenson, L. (2017) Primary Pupils’ Creative Writing: Enacting Identities in a Community of Writers. Literacy. 51(3), pp.162-168. Available online: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/lit.12118.

Dobson, T. (2016) “Just because I’m not a published author does not mean that I’m not a writer”: Primary Trainee Teachers’ Identities as Creative Writers. Writing in Practice. Available online: http://eprints.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/2248/.

Dobson, T. (2015) Developing a Theoretical Framework for Response: Creative Writing as Response in the Year 6 Primary Classroom. English in Education. 49 (3): pp.252-265. Available online: https://doi.org/10.1111/eie.12075.

Dobson, T. (2015) The mad genie in the attic. Gender and Education 27(1): pp.37-52. Available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/09540253.2014.978744.

Books and book chapters

Dobson, T., and Rose, A. (2022) Diverse landscapes of school governing body practices: the business sector learning cross boundaries. Robert J Tierney, Fazal Rizvi, Kadriye Erkican (eds.) International Encyclopaedia of Education – 4^th Edition, 420-428. Amsterdam: Elsevier. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818630-5.05031-4.

Dobson, T. (2017) Disrupting hegemonic masculinity though creative writing. In: Gender Differences in Different Contexts. Riejka, Croatia: InTech. Accessible from: http://www.intechopen.com/books/gender-differences-in-different-contexts/disrupting-hegemonic-masculinity-through-creative-writing.

Dobson, T. (2014) Naming the Unnamable: Researching Identities through Creative Writing. Rotterdam: Sense.

Online publications

Dobson, T. (2022) How community projects can promote students critical thinking skills. Times Higher Education. Available from: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/how-community-projects-can-promote-students-critical-thinking-skills 

Dobson, T. (2022) Developing 21st Century Skills for 11-19 Year Olds through Project-Based Learning and Youth Participatory Action Research: Policy Analysis and Literature Review. Available from: https://www.nextgenleaders.co.uk/.

Dobson, T. (2021) Writing a Novel with Roma Primary School Children: Tensions in Disrupting Aetonormativity. Faculti. https://faculti.net/writing-a-novel-with-roma-primary-school-children/

Dobson, T., and Stephenson, L. (2021) How can we build back better arts education? Schools Week. https://schoolsweek.co.uk/how-can-we-build-back-better-arts-education

Stephenson, L., Dobson, T., De Arede, A. (2019). Story Makers: A New Generation. Pen and Inc magazine, Diversity and Inclusion in Children’s books. CILIP.org.uk https://t.co/UB5g5KAeb9

Dobson, T., Stephenson, L., De Arede, A. (2019) Shifting Power in Children’s Literature: Story Makers Press. BERA Blog. Available online only from: https://www.bera.ac.uk/blog/shifting-power-in-childrens-literature-story-makers-press.

Dobson, T. and Stephenson, S. (2017) “Teachers can use drama to bring writing to life for children.” The Conversation. Available from: https://theconversation.com/teachers-can-use-drama-to-bring-writing-to-life-for-children-71164.

Fiction

The Storymakers (2021) Intergalactic Superhero School. Story Makers Press, Leeds Beckett University. 

The Storymakers (2020) Chasing the Volcano. Story Makers Press, Leeds Beckett University. 

The Storymakers (2019) Zalfa Emir is a Warrior – Powerful, Responsible and Definitely Not Little. Story Makers Press, Leeds Beckett University. 

The Storymakers (2019) The Nightmare Catcher. Story Makers Press, Leeds Beckett University. 

Conferences

Conference presentations

Dobson, T. (6.10.22) Key Note and Chair. The Delivering Excellence in Teaching Arts in Schools Conference 2022. Government Events (Online).

Dobson, T. and Stephenson, L. (6.9.22) Symposium - Artists in Education: promoting the creative arts in schools for young people’s wellbeing. British Education Research Association International Conference. University of Liverpool.

Stephenson, L., Dobson, T., and Arede, A. (1.7.22)Story Makers Company: Co-creating stories with children as a pedagogy of radical care. United Kingdom Literacy Association International Conference (Birmingham). 

Dobson, T. and Stephenson, L. (4.7.21) Story Makers Press: Using Drama and Creative Writing to create culturally relevant literature practices with children. United Kingdom Literacy Association International Conference (online). 

Dobson, T., Stephenson, L. (08.11.19) Story Makers Press: involving children in the writing and publishing of children’s literature. National Association of Writers in Education, York, 2019.

Dobson, T., Stephenson, L., and Sanches De Arede, A. (10.09.19) Pursuing the ‘might’ in aetonormativity: involving children in the writing and publishing of children’s literature. British Education Research Association International Conference 2019.

Dobson, T., Stephenson, L., and Sanches De Arede, A. (13.07.19) Seeing themselves in books: involving children in the writing and publishing of children’s literature. United Kingdom Literacy Association International Conference 2019.

Stephenson, L. & Dobson, T., (13.07.19) Releasing the Socio-Imagination: Children’s voices on Creativity, Capability and Mental Wellbeing. United Kingdom Literacy Association International Conference 2019.

Dobson, T. (17.05.19) BERA ECR NETWORK SYMPOSIUM SERIES 2019: Analytical Approaches in Educational Research (Discussant). School of Education, Sheffield University.

Dobson, T., Rose, A., Hart, M. & Parton, G. (11.09.2018) Professionalising school governing bodies: a view from the business community’s perspective. British Education Research Association International Conference, Northumbria University.

Cremin, T., Eyres, I., Dobson, T., & Stephenson, L. (08.07.2018) Exploring writer identity and communities of writers. United Kingdom Literacy Association International Conference, Cardiff.

Dobson, T., & Stephenson, L. (08.07.2018) Stories from The Wall: Using Process Drama to Promote Agentic Writing with Primary School Children. United Kingdom Literacy Association Conference, Cardiff.

Professional Activities

I am a member of: the British Educational Research Association (BERA); the United Kingdom Literacy Association (UKLA); the UKLA Writing Special Interest Group; the Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE).