Skip to content The Open University
Dr Christopher Walsh

Dr Christopher Walsh

Senior Lecturer in Education

The Open University Faculty of Education and Language Studies Department of Education


Christopher's Personal Website

Profile

Dr. Christopher S. Walsh has extensive experience of primary and secondary teacher education with specialisations in new technologies, literacy, multimodality and international development. Currently he works as a team member for English in Action (EIA) and is involved the design of the new primary and secondary teacher professional development modules as well as his lead role in collaboratively assembling, field testing and selecting the new mobile phone-based technology kit for the project’s teacher professional development upscaling. Previously, he worked on a 3-year teacher professional development project in Malaysia aimed at redesigning teacher training institutes’ pre-service curricula to provide a comprehensive credentialing system inline with those used in Australia across all key subject areas. From 2004-2005, working as a consultant for unicef in Afghanistan, he collaborated with Afghan colleagues to co-author and field test 2 primary national English textbooks (now used throughout the country) and worked to develop and deliver pre-service and in-service teacher professional development programmes at  teacher training institutes in Kabul. Simultaneously, through funding provided by the U.S. State Department, Dr. Walsh provided professional development to the education staff at The Teaching University of Kabul to help them redesign their pre-service English teacher training programme emphasising a constructivist student-centred approach.

Dr. Walsh’s on-going work in Thailand, while not specifically aligned with teacher education, has designed, piloted and maintains online and mobile peer education resources to protect public health and promote human rights through a sustainable and reinventing community owned response with stigmatised populations disproportionately at risk of HIV infection. In Viet Nam, for a UNDP funded project, he designed, led on implementing and analysing a large scale research project (quantitative, qualitative and video) assessing the impact of Clinical Legal Education (CLE) programmes initiated at 8 universities across the country. He is also Senior Research Analyst and Policy Advisor for Bridges Across Borders Southeast Asia Community Legal Education Initiative (BABSEA CLE).

Dr. Walsh was also central researcher on number of highly completive grants (The Spencer Foundation, amfAR , AFAO and the Australian Research Council) that produced ranked publications indicating an established and strong trajectory of analytical and problem solving skills.  The Australian project, Literacy in the Digital World of the 21st Century: Learning from Computer Games investigated the ways in which English and literacy education might benefit from examining digital games to improve the teaching of print and multimodal forms of literacy.  

He recently published two edited books entitled Transforming practice: Critical issues in equity, diversity and education (in press) by Trentham and Equality, Participation and Inclusion: Diverse Perspectives (2010) by Routledge. He has published more than 50 journal articles, book chapters and conference papers.

Dr. Walsh also edits the international peer reviewed journal Digital Culture & Education (DCE) and is a trustee of the Topsy Foundation UK , a South African NGO and UK registered charity that provides a range of services to support families and meet the needs and personal development of orphans and children made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS in poor rural communities.

 

Qualifications

Ed.D. in Education (2006)
Teachers College Columbia University, New York, NY
Department of Curriculum and Teaching

Teaching Interests

Research Interests

Current Research Projects

Central Investigator
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research MSM Initiative Community Awards–Asia and the Pacific. “Expanding HIV prevention and outreach coverage @Mplus+.” With Mplus+ (Chiang Mai, Thailand).

Central Investigator
Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Grant “Literacy in the Digital World of the Twenty First Century: Learning from Computer Games.” With A/Prof C.A. Beavis; Prof C.M. Bradford; & Dr J.A. O'Mara.

Publications

Book Chapter
Walsh, Christopher and Kamler, Barbara (2012). Teacher research on literacy: Turning around to students and technology. In: Hall, Kathy; Cremin, Teresa; Comber, Barbara and Moll, Luis eds. International Handbook of research in Children’s Literacy, Learning and Culture. Wiley-Blackwell, (In Press).
Walsh, Christopher S.; Shrestha, Prithvi and Hedges, Claire (2011). Leveraging low-Cost mobile technologies in Bangladesh: a case study of innovative practices for teacher professional development and communicative English language teaching. In: Kwan, Reggie; McNaught, Carmel; Tsang, Philip; Wang , Fu Lee and Li, Kam Cheong eds. Enhancing Learning Through Technology. Education Unplugged: Mobile Technologies and Web 2.0. Communications in Computer and Information Science, 177. London, U.K. and New York, NY, U.S.: Springer, pp. 152–166.
Rix, Jonathan; Walsh, Christopher; Parry, John and Kumrai, Rajni (2010). Introduction: another point of view. In: Rix, Jonathan; Nind, Melanie; Sheehy, Kieron; Simmons, Katy and Walsh, Christopher eds. Equality, Participation and Inclusion 1: Diverse Perspectives (2nd ed.). Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 1–8.
Parry, John; Rix, Jonathan; Kumrai, Rajni and Walsh, Christopher (2010). Introduction: another place. In: Rix, Jonathan; Nind, Melanie; Sheehy, Kieron; Simmons, Katy; Parry, John and Kumrai, Rajni eds. Equality, Participation and Inclusion 2: Diverse Contexts (2nd ed.). Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 1–8.
Linville, Darla; Walsh, Christopher and Carson, David Lee (2009). Queered standards: Living and working for peace and justice. In: Andrzejewski, Andrzejewski; Baltodano, Marta and Symcox, Linda eds. Social Justice, Peace, and Environmental Education:: Transformative Standards. London, UK: Routledge.
Albright, James J.; Walsh, Christopher S. and Purohit, Kiran D. (2009). Towards a Theory of Practice: Critical Transdisciplinary Multiliteracies. In: McInerney, Dennis M.; Van Etten, Shawn and Dowson, Martin eds. Standards In Education. Information Age Publishers, pp. 93–116.
Walsh, Christopher S. (2009). 21st century digital literacies for teachers. In: Durrant, Cal and Starr, Karen eds. English for a New Millennium: Leading Change. Kent Town, South Australia: Wakefield Press, pp. 175–232.
Albright, James; Walsh, Christopher S. and Purohit, Kiran D. (2007). Towards a theory of practice: critical transdisciplinary multiliteracies. In: McInerney, Dennis M.; Van Etten, Shawn and Dowson, Martin eds. Standards in Education. Research on sociocultural influences on motivation and learning. Charlotte, NC, U.S.A.: IAP - Information Age Publishing, pp. 93–116.
Albright, James; Purohit, Kiran and Walsh, Christopher (2006). Multimodal reading and design in a cross-disciplinary curriculum theorising. In: Bokhorst-Heng, Wendy D.; Osborne, Margery D. and Lee, Kerry eds. Redesigning pedagogy: Reflections on theory and praxis. Bold visions in educational research, 10. Netherlands: Sense Publishers, pp. 3–18.
Conference Item
Power, Tom; Walsh, Christopher and Hedges, Claire (2012). Using mobile phones to support ELT in Bangladeshi schools. In: 46th Annual International IATEFL Conference and Exhibition, 19-23 March 2012, Glasgow.
Walsh, Christopher and Singh, Gurmit (2012). Building the HIVe: disrupting biomedical HIV and AIDS research with gay men, other men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgenders. In: 2012 AERA Annual Meeting, 13-17 April 2012, Vancouver, Canada (forthcoming).
Walsh, Christopher and Power, Tom (2011). Going digital on low-cost mobile phones in Bangladesh. In: Annual International Conference on Education & e-Learning (EeL), 07-08 November 2011, Singapore.
Walsh, Christopher S.; Lasky, Bruce A. and Morrish, Wendy J. (2011). Building local capacity to protect public health and promote social justice through online peer education. In: IADIS International Conference e-Democracy, Equity and Social Justice 2011, part of the IADIS Multi Conference on Computer Science and Information Systems 2011, 20-22 July 2011, Rome, Italy.
Walsh, Christopher (2011). E-learning in Bangladesh: the 'trainer in your pocket'. In: IADIS International Conference e-Learning 2011, a part of the IADIS Multi Conference on Computer Science and Information Systems 2011, 20-23 July 2011, Rome, Italy.
Walsh, Christopher S.; Bradshaw, Pete and Twining, Peter (2011). e-learning through collaborative teacher professional development in primary and secondary schools in england. In: IADIS International Conference e-Learning 2011 75, 20-23 July 2011, Rome, Italy.
Bradshaw, Pete; Walsh, Christopher and Twining, Peter (2011). The Vital programme: transforming ICT professional development. In: International conference of ICT Education, 6-9 July 2011, Rhodes, Greece.
Walsh, Christopher and Power, Tom (2011). Rethinking Development and the Use of Mobile Technologies: Lessons from Bangladesh. In: Global Learn Asia Pacific 2011, 28 Apr - 01 May 2011.
Walsh, Christopher (2011). Mobile and online HIV/AIDS outreach and prevention on social networks,mobile phones and MP3 players for marginalised populations. In: Global Learn Asia Pacific 2011, 28 Apr - 01 May 2011.
Jeffrey, Bob; Bradshaw, Pete; Twining, Peter and Walsh, Chris (2010). Ethnography, education and on-line research. In: European Conference of Educational Research, 25-28 August 2010, Univesity of Helsinki, Finland.
Bradshaw, Pete; Twining, Peter and Walsh, Christopher (2010). Vital: changing the paradigm of CPD. In: The 11th ITTE Research Seminar, 11-12 Mar 2010, Churchill College, Cambridge, UK.
Walsh, Christopher S.; Lasky, Bruce A.; Chaiyajit, Nada and Morrish, Wendy (2010). Producing & integrating animations into online outreach to promote social justice, equity and access to HIV/AIDS prevention. In: IADIS International Conference e-Democracy, Equity and Social Justice 2010, 26-28 July 2010, Freiburg, Germany.
Albright, James and Walsh, Christopher (2010). Multiliteracies as transdisciplinarity curriculum practice. In: British Educational Research Association BERA Annual Conference 2010,British Educational Research Association BERA Annual Conference 2010,, 1-4 Sept 2010.
Walsh, Christopher (2009). Mobile phones as high impact, low cost tools, in the fight against HIV/AIDS with men that have sex with men and male sex workers. In: IADIS International Conference ICT, Society and Human Beings, 21 - 23 June 2009, Algarve, Portugal.
Walsh, Christopher and Apperley, Thomas (2009). Gaming capital: Rethinking literacy. In: Changing Climates: Education for sustainable futures. Proceedings of the AARE 2008 International Education Research Conference, 30 Nov - 4 Dec 2008, Queensland University of Technology.
Beavis, Catherine; Bradford, Clare; O'Mara, Joanne and Walsh, Christopher (2008). Research methodologies in creative practice: literacy in the digital age of the twenty first century - learning from computer games. In: Australian Association for Research in Education International Research Conference, 30 Nov - 4 Dec 2008, Brisbane Australia.
Walsh, Christopher (2008). Producing animations to educate MSM and MSW to fashion safe sex practices and address low perceptions of personal risk. In: IADIS Multi Conference on Computer Science and Information Systems, 22-24 July 2008, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Walsh, Christopher and Apperley, Thomas (2008). Researching digital game players: Gameplay and gaming capital. In: IADIS International Conference Gaming 2008: Design for engaging experience and social interaction, 25-27 July 2008, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Walsh, Christopher S. (2007). Unfixing knowledges: Queering the literacy curriculum. In: Australian Association for Research in Education International Education Research Conference, 25-29 November 2007, Fremantle, Western Australia.
Journal Article
Bradshaw, Pete; Twining, Peter and Walsh, Christopher (2012). The vital program: transforming ICT professional development. American Journal of Distance Education, 26(2), pp. 74–85.
Singh, Gurmit and Walsh, Christopher (2012). Prevention is a solution: building the HIVe. Digital Culture & Education, 4(1), pp. 5–16.
Chaiyajit, Nada and Walsh, Christopher S. (2012). Sexperts! Disrupting injustice with digital community-led HIV prevention and legal rights education in Thailand. Digital Culture & Education, 4(1), pp. 145–165.
Walsh, Christopher; Shrestha, Prithvi and Hedges, Claire (2012). Mobile phones for professional development and English teaching in Bangladesh. International Journal of Innovation and Learning (In press).
Apperley, Thomas and Walsh, Christopher (2012). What digital games and literacy have in common: a heuristic for understanding pupils’ gaming literacy. Literacy (In Press).
Apperley, Thomas and Walsh, Christopher S. (2012). Playing public health: building the HIVe. Digital Culture & Education, 4(1), pp. 167–175.
Walsh, Christopher S. (2011). Using animation to confront stigma, discrimination and low perceptions of personal risk to HIV/AIDS in Chiang Mai, Thailand. HIV Australia, 9(1), pp. 36–38.
Walsh, Christopher and Apperley, Thomas (2011). Editorial: The future of Digital Culture & Education (DCE). Digital Culture & Education, 3(2), pp. 167–170.
Walsh, Christopher (2010). Systems-based literacy practices: Digital games research, gameplay and design. Australian Journal of Languge and Literacy, 33(1), pp. 24–40.
Apperley, Thomas and Walsh, Christopher S. (2010). Digital culture & education: classroom perspectives. Digital Culture & Education, 2(2), pp. 124–127.
Walsh, Christopher S. (2009). The multi-modal redesign of school texts. Journal of Research in Reading, 32(1), pp. 126–136.
Beavis, Catherine; Apperley, Thomas; Bradford, Clare; O'Mara, Joanne and Walsh, Christopher (2009). Literacy in the digital age: Learning from computer games. English in Education, 43(2), pp. 162–175.
Walsh, Christopher (2008). Teaching literacy in the new media age through the arts. Literacy Learning: The Middle Years, 16(1), pp. 8–17.
Walsh, Christopher S. (2008). Girls challenging patriarchy through multimodal design and participation in online communities of practice. Literacy Learning: The Middle Years, 16(2),
Walsh, Christopher S. (2007). Creativity as capital in the literacy classroom: youth as multimodal designers. Literacy, 41(2), pp. 79–85.
Walsh, Christopher (2007). Creativity as capital in the literacy classroom: Youth as multimodal designers. Literacy, 41(2), pp. 79–85.
Albright, James; Purohit, Kiran D. and Walsh, Christopher S. (2006). Hybridity, globalisation, and literacy education in the context of New York City's Chinatown. Pedagogies: An International Journal, 1(4), pp. 221–242.
Albright, James; Purohit, Kiran D. and Walsh, Christopher S. (2006). Response to Bettina Fabos. Pedagogies: An International Journal, 1(4), pp. 247–252.
Walsh, Christopher (2006). Beyond the workshop: Doing multiliteracies with adolescents. English in Australia, 41(3), pp. 49–57.
Purohit, Kiran D. and Walsh, Christopher (2003). Interrupting discourses around gender through collective memory work and collaborative curriculum research in middle school. Sex Education, 3(2), pp. 171–183.
Albright, James and Walsh, Christopher (2003). Jamming visual culture. Literacy Learning: The Middle Years, 11.2 pp. 15–21.
Albright , James; Purohit, Kiran and Walsh, Christopher (2002). Louise Rosenblatt seeks QtAznBoi@aol.com for LTR: Using chat rooms in interdisciplinary middle school classrooms. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 45(8), pp. 692–705.
Other
Beavis, Catherine; Bradfod, Clare; Omara, Joanne and Walsh, Christopher (2010). Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, Volume 33, No. 1 (editorial). Australian Literacy Educators' Association, Adelaide, South Australia.

last updated 19-Dec-2011