Senior Lecturer and Academic Director UG
I trained in the old school of experimental social psychology (late 70s), but also came across critical social psychology towards the end of my professional degree in Colombia.
During my PhD, I was strongly influenced by ethogenics (e.g. Harré & Secord, 1972; Clarke, 1983), social constructionism (Gergen, 1985) and discourse analysis (Potter & Wetherell, 1987).
In 1990 I returned to Colombia and worked for six years as a lecturer and supervised research in the MSc in Community Psychology. During that time, I took part in a nation-wide project on adolescence named ‘ATLANTIDA’ over a period of two years using an ethnographic approach. I joined the University of Bedfordshire in 1996. I taught on and was course manager of the MSc in Psychology & Culture until 2004.
For the last 16 years I have taught mainstream Social Psychology as well as Critical Social Psychology and (Qualitative) Research Methods. My research has shifted towards Teaching and Learning and I am involved in promoting Personal Development Planning and supporting ePortfolios. I strongly believe in the potential of educational experiences to transform learners.
Qualifications
- Professional Psychologist. Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Bogotá, Colombia), 1978-1982. Merit for my research dissertation on the impact of socioeconomic conditions on crime rates.
- PhD in Psychology. University of Southampton (UK). 1985-1989. Dissertation on ‘Aggressive interaction understood through discourse: episodes, accounts and narratives’.
Teaching Role
- Module Co-ordinator/Lecturer on topics related to social psychology in units of the undergraduate degrees: Counselling and Interpersonal Psychology (Psy003-1), Social Processes & Lifespan Development (Psy001-2), and Critical Social Psychology (PSY004-3).
- Teaching qualitative research methods and cultural aspects of psychology in units that are part of the MSc Health Psychology: Lifestyle & Individual Differences (Psy003-6), Public Health (Psy004-6) and Advanced Research Methods for Health Psychologists.
- Postgraduate dissertation supervision: I am currently supervising one PhD student who is working on cultural dimensions of Personal Development Planning.
- Undergraduate dissertation supervision on the topics listed above under ‘research interests’.
Recent Research Projects
- Assessing Cultural Handling of ICT: Enabling Value-Enhancing Responses (ACHIEVER) Project with Nik Bessis and Mitul Shukla. Funded by the Arts Council England (finished in 2009).
- Digitally Enhanced Patchwork Text Assessment (DePTA). Project with Joseph Adonu. Funded by JISC. Led by University of Cumbria and the Centre for Recording Achievement, in partnership with the universities of Derby, Exeter and Kent (finished in 2011).
Research Interests
- Transitions and processes of personal change (e.g. going into higher education, living in-between cultures); (auto)biographical and narrative approaches.
- Personal Development Planning, realistic learning and learner development in Higher Education.
- Construction of social identities (ethnic, cultural, religious), intergroup perceptions, prejudice and discrimination.
- Explanations of violent events (in personal accounts as well as in the media).
Service to the Academic/Professional Community
From 2005 to 2008 I was a Fellow at Centre of Excellence in Teaching & Learning (Bridges-CETL). This allowed me take part in debates and research in Teaching and Learning which helped shape the new curriculum at Bedfordshire (also known as ‘Cre8’). More specifically, I developed the notions of of 'realistic learning’ and ‘learner development’. My current research explores these empirically through students' e-portfolios. This September of 2009 I became the Academic Director for the undergraduate degrees in Psychology and I see it as an opportunity to work with colleagues and students to support engagement with learning, encourage constructive learning relations and make a more creative use of resources. I have continued to teach and research into ways on supporting small scale transformations and epistemological shifts in the students’ thinking.
Recent Conference Presentations
- Teoh, K & Gaitán, A. (2009). ‘International students' identities and their relationship with perceived discrimination and acculturation stress’. Poster presented at the BPS Annual Conference, Brighton, April 1-3. Online from abstracts.bps.org.uk/index.cfm?&ResultsType=Abstracts&ConferenceID=4363&localAction=details
- Lehtonen, M. K. and Gaitán, A. (2009). ‘Religious tolerance and children's board games: An interpretative study of the development of tolerance’. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Society of Political Psychology 32nd Annual Scientific Meeting, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, July 14-17. Online from www.warwick.ac.uk/go/reinventionjournal/issues/volume2issue2/lehtonen
- Khan, M. & & Gaitán, A. (2010). ‘Personality traits, thinking styles, social relationships and motivational themes as predictors of happiness’. Poster presented at the BPS Annual Conference, Stratford-upon-Avon, April 14-16.
- Gaitán, A., McMurray, I., Robertson, A., Roberts, P. & Coughlin, A. (2010). ‘Reflecting on reflection: challenges and possible solutions’. University of Bedfordshire Conference, July 6-7.
- Gaitán, A., I., McMurray, I., Robertson, A., Roberts, P. & Coughlin, A. (2011). ‘Reflection on reflection: challenges and possible solutions. Student Lifewide Development Symposium’. CRA, Birmingham, March 1st.
- Gaitán, A. & Adonu. J. (2011). 'An Experience of using Digitally Enhanced Patchwork Text Assessments to support the delivery of critical social psychology’. University of Bedfordshire Conference July 5-6.
- Gaitán. A., McMurray, I., Robertson, A., Roberts, P. & Coughlin, A. (2011). ‘Understanding the students’ experiences of e-PDP and the factors that shape their attitudes’. 9th International ePortofio and Identity Conference. Proceedings pp. 151-160. London, July 9-11. www.epforum.eu/proceedings/epic-2011-1
- Gaitán, A. & Buyarski, C. (2011). ‘The problem with reflection: Lessons from an action research project on electronically supported reflective learning in a psychology curriculum’. ePortfolio World Summit, AAEEBL, Boston (USA), July 26-28.
Recent Publications
- Gaitán, A. (2000). Exploring alternative forms of writing ethnography. Review essay of: Carolyn Ellis and Arthur Bochner (Eds.) (1996). Composing Ethnography: Alternative Forms of Qualitative Writing. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research [On-line Journal] 1 (3). Retrieved from: qualitative-research.net
- Gaitan, A. (2003). Cultural-psychological crossings: Dialogues between self and other. PsyPag Quarterly.
- Moore, C., Gaitán, A., & Asimakopoulou, K. (2007) A qualitative study of the effects of infant massage on women with low postnatal mood. Health Psychology Update, 16, 56-64.
- Hackett A. & Gaitan, A. (2007). A qualitative study assessing mental health issues in two hospices. International Journal of Palliative Nursing, 13, pp 273 – 281.
- Gaitán, A., Manton, R. & Jankowska, M. (2008). Moving forward from piloting e-portfolios: applying the lessons learnt to wider adoption. CRA PDP & ePortfolio Newsletter, Issue 15. Retrieved from http://www.recordingachievement.org/pdpuk/newsletter/Issue15.pdf
- Atlay, M., Gaitán, A., & Kumar, A. (2008). Stimulating learning – Creating CRe8. In C. Nygaard & C. Holtham (Eds.). Understanding learning-centred higher education. Federiksberg: Copenhagen Business School
- Cook, E., Gaitán, A., & Chater, A. (2010). From unhelpful to helpful: The role of Implementation-Intentions in a weight-loss intervention. Health Psychology Update, 19 (1), pp. 11-17.
- Bessis, N., Gaitán, A., Shukla, M., & Zhihua, L. (2011). Sharing experiences with using next generation knowledge portals for advancing web Communities. International Journal of Web Based Communities, 7(3), 256-275.
- Gaitán, A. (in press). Understanding students’ experiences of e-PDP and the factors that shape their attitudes. International Journal of ePortfolios.
Contact Details
Luton campus
Park Square
Luton, LU1 3JU
T: +44 (0)1582 743007
E: alfredo.gaitan@beds.ac.uk
