Graham Gibbs has a first degree in maths and worked in computing before returning to the University of Kent to do a masters in Philosophy and a Postgraduate Diploma in Sociology and Social Anthropology. He joined the University in 1979 and his interests include computer assisted learning and the use of computers in the social sciences.

He has published on the sociology of the state and computer assisted learning and been involved in a number of local environmental projects including Keeping Kirklees Warm. He was director of the coMentor research project, which developed software to support the teaching of social theory and philosophy, and of several linked computer assisted learning projects. He has written two books, Qualitative Data Analysis: Explorations with NVivo , for the Open University Press and Analyzing Qualitative Data , for Sage, and a third is on its way

In 2006 he was made a National Teaching Fellow and is now working on a HEA funded project, REQUALLO: Reusable Qualitative Learning Objects: Resources to support the learning of methods of qualitative data analysis in the social sciences.

Guest editors for: Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung/Forum: Qualitative Social Research: Technology in Qualitative Research, (with W. Mangabeira and S. Friese) 2002

Membership of editorial board: Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung/Forum: Qualitative Social Research (2001-present)

Member of conference organisational committee: CAQDAS 07 Conference: Advances in Qualitative Computing, Royal Holloway College, London (2007).

Teaching Responsibilities

Course Co-ordinator:

• MSc Social Research and Evaluation (postgraduate)
• MSc Social Research and Evaluation (Social Work) (postgraduate)

Module Co-ordinator:

• Qualitative Analysis of Data (postgraduate)
• Social Research Methods (postgraduate)
• Evaluation Research, Policy and Practice (postgraduate)
• Investigating the Social World (undergraduate)
• Dissertation (postgraduate)

Contributions to

• Introduction to Qualitative and Quantitative Data Analysis (postgraduate)
• Philosophy of Social Research and Research Design (postgraduate)
• Popular Culture (undergraduate)

Research Interests:

Research Methods, qualitative research, use of computers in research, Computer Assisted Learning, CSCL.

Research Groups:

Current:

• Member of the Centre for Constructions and Identity
• Social Science & Computers Research Group
• Director of REQUALLO: Reusable Qualitative Learning Objects: Resources to support the learning of methods of qualitative data analysis in the social sciences
• Climbié Inquiry Data Corpus Online (with Graham Stone, Antony Osborne, Andrew Teal, Chris Hall)

Previous:

• Director of the coMentor project
• Director of the Virtual Learning Environments in Nursing Project
• Co-director of EduC&IT@H - the School of Human & Health Sciences Computer-Based Learning Project
• Co-director of BaCITS - University wide basic C&IT skills project
• Co-director "Online support for QDA and CAQDAS and Evaluation of Learning Needs" ESRC Research Methods Programme Phase 2. This has produced online resources for qualitative analysts.

Grants, Awards etc

External

(2008) Climbié Inquiry Data Corpus Online (with Graham Stone, Antony Osborne, Andrew Teal, Chris Hall). Jisc (Enhancing Digital Resources). £96,001

(2008) Consultancy on Qualitative Innovations in CAQDAS (QUIC) with Nigel Fielding, Jane Fielding, Ann Lewins, University of Surrey. ESRC. £13,500.

(2007) REQUALLO: Reusable Qualitative Learning Objects: Resources to support the learning of methods of qualitative data analysis in the social sciences. (With Ann Lewins, U. Surrey and Colm Crowley, U. Greenwich.) NTFS Project (Higher Education Academy). £221,140.

(2006) National Teaching Fellow (Higher Education Academy) Higher Education Academy. £10,000

(2003-) Online support for QDA and CAQDAS and Evaluation of Learning Needs (with Prof. N. Fielding and Ann Lewins, Univ. of Surrey). ESRC Research Methods Programme Phase 2.£97,736

(2003) Motivation and Student Attrition in Politics and Sociology. (with U. W. of England & U. of Swansea) LTSN Centre for Sociology, Anthropology and Politics. £7,270

(2001) Using a chatbot conversation to enhance the learning of social theory. (with A Teal, C Cameron, R van Kemenade, - U. of Huddersfield, J Phillips – U. of Manchester Met.)LTSN Centre for Sociology, Anthropology and Politics, (£4,000) and U. Huddersfield (£5,000) £9,000

(2000) Co3: the implementation of IMS specifications to achieve interoperability between COSE, CoMentor and Colloquia (with Univ. of Bangor and Staffordshire Univ.) Hefce JISC, JCIEL programme (£24,000 to Huddersfield). £100,000

(1998) coMentor Dissemination Project. Hefce JISC Technology Application Programme. £27,470

(1998) Nursing VLE (With Sue Frost, U. Huddersfield). NHS Training Consortium. £9,999

(1996-9) Research Bursary Yorkshire and Northern Region Health Authority. £31,721

(1996-9) Director and lead site, coMentor Project. (with M. Henry, U. Stirling). Hefce JISC Technology Application Programme. £93,955

(1993-) Member of PsyCLE consortium. (With D. Robinson, U. Huddersfield) TLTP 1 £2,000

Internal

(2007) Suspect research designs in the evaluation of e-learning. School Innovation Fund. £2,137

(2003) The Cross-Examinations held as part of the Inquiry into the Death of Victoria Climbié: Identifying the Themes in the Data and Establishing a Data Corpus (with Chris Hall, Helen Masson, Rachel Balen and Sue Hanson). University Research Project funding. £28,793

(2000) Basic IT skills Project (with H. Howden-Leach). University Innovation Fund. £100,000

(1999) Development of School Web Pages, (with P. Renwick and V. Senior) School Innovation Fund. £2,000

(1998) Centre for Constructions and Identity, (with T. Butt, N. King, J. McAuley, and B. Roberts). University Innovation Fund. £15,000

(1998) Nursing VLE, (With Sue Frost and Cathy Doggett, U. Huddersfield). NHS/WYCOHS. £10,610

(1997-) Research grant (With Keith Ward & Steve Porritt, U. Huddersfield). NHS/WYCOHS. £26,373

(1995-) University Teaching Fellowship (with D. Cliff and B. Roberts). University Teaching Fellowship. £8,970

(1994) Small grant to undertake seedcorn research on the use of digital video for the analysis of qualitative data in the social sciences. (with Dave Robinson). University Research Project funding. £1,180

(1993-4) Student careers guidance and job applications project (EHE 58). Enterprise in Higher Education Initiative. £13,648

(1993) Achieved award under the University’s Performance Related Pay Scheme

2012

Gibbs, G (2012) ‘Grounded theory, coding and computer-assisted analysis’. In: Understanding Research for Social Policy and Social Work: Themes, Methods and Approaches. Bristol, UK: Policy Press. pp. 337-343. ISBN 9781847428158

Gibbs, G (2012) ‘Computers and Qualitative Data Analysis’. In: Research Methods and Methodologies in Education. London: Sage. pp. 251-258. ISBN 9780857020383

2011

Gibbs, G (2011) ‘Introduction to the use of NVivo in research’. In: Research Methods Fair, 5th Oct 2011, University of Manchester.

2010

Gibbs, G., Clarke, D., Teal, A., Lewins, A. and Crowley, C. (2010) ‘Learning Theory and RLOs: The REQUALLO Experience’. In: Requallo C-SAP e-Learning Conference, June 2010, London

Clarke, D. and Gibbs, G. (2010) ‘The Victoria Climbié Corpus Project. ’. In: Open Educational Resources 2011 (OER11), 11 - 13 May 2011, University of Manchester

Gibbs, G., Clarke, D., Teal, A., Silver, C. and Crowley, C. (2010) ‘Learning Theory and OERs: The REQUALLO Experience’. In: Open Educational Resources 2011 (OER11), 11 - 13 May 2011, University of Manchester

Gibbs, G. and Silver, C. (2010) ‘Qualitative Innovations in CAQDAS (QUIC) ’. In: Open Educational Resources 2011 (OER11), 11 - 13 May 2011, University of Manchester

Gibbs, G (2010) ‘Mathemetics and Statistics Skills in the Social Sciences’. In: Responding to the Mathematics Problem: The Implementation of Institutional Support Mechanisms. St. Andrews, Scotland: The Maths, Stats and OR Network. pp. 44-50. ISBN 9780955591464

Gibbs, G., Clarke, D., Hall, C., Stone, G. and Osborne, A. (2010) ‘Teaching and Research use of the Victoria Climbié Corpus: Launch of the Victoria Climbié Corpus Website and Project’. In: Launch of the Victoria Climbié Corpus Website and Project, 29 April 2010, University of Huddersfield

Gibbs, G., Clarke, D. and Teal, A. (2010) The Victoria Climbié Corpus [Dataset]

2009

Gibbs, G., Lewins, A., Silver, C., Fielding, N. and Bryman, A. (2009) ‘Multimedia contributions to e-learning projects’. In: ESRC NCRM e-learning event, 2009, Institute of Education, University of London

Gibbs, G (2009) ‘Open Educational Resources in the Social Sciences: Evaluation Issues’. In: Requallo C-SAP e-Learning Conference, January 2010, London

Gibbs, G., Clarke, D., Teal, A. and Lewins, A. (2009) ‘E-learning as apprenticeship for large numbers’. In: C-SAP E-learning conference, 16th January 2009, London

2008

Hall, C., Gibbs, G., Balen, R., Masson, H. and Rodriguez, A. (2008) ‘The usefulness of coding in the Victoria Climbie Data Corpus: a reply to Taylor’ Qualitative Research , 8 (5), pp. 635-640. ISSN 14687941

Gibbs, G (2008) Analysing qualitative data . London, UK: Sage .

2007

Gibbs, G., Taylor, C., Fielding, N. and Lewins, A. (2007) ‘Evaluating learner needs in the development of an online training website’. In: Beyond The Boundaries, School of Human and Health Sciences Teaching and Learning Conference, 17th July 2007, University of Huddersfield

Gibbs, G (2007) ‘Mathematics and statistics skills in the Social Sciences: dealing with deficits’. In: Addressing the Quantitative Skills Gap: Establishing and Sustaining Cross-Curricular Mathematical Support in Higher Education, 25th – 27th June 2007, University of St. Andrews, Scotland

Gibbs, G (2007) ‘Creative ways to use codes’. In: CAQDAS 07 Conference : Advances in Qualitative Software, 18-20 April 2007, Royal Holloway, University of London

Gibbs, G., Taylor, C., Lewins, A. and Fielding, N. (2007) ‘International survey of users of qualitative data analysis and CAQDAS ’. In: CAQDAS 07 Conference : Advances in Qualitative Software, 18-20 April 2007, Royal Holloway, University of London

Gibbs, G. and Hall, C. (2007) ‘The research potential of testimony from public inquiry websites ’ Children and Society , 21 (1), pp. 69-79. ISSN 0951-0605

Assiter, A. and Gibbs, G. (2007) ‘Student retention and motivation ’ European Political Science , 6 (1), pp. 79-93. ISSN 1680-4333

2006

Gibbs, G. and Lewins, A. (2006) ‘Qualitative resources’. In: ESRC Research Methods Festival, 17-20 July 2006, St Catherine's College, Oxford

Gibbs, G (2006) ‘Qualitative resources’. In: ESRC Research Methods Festival, 17-20 July 2006, St Catherine's College, Oxford

Gibbs, G (2006) ‘Combining text search and concordance in the coding of large data sets ’. In: ESRC Research Methods Festival, 17-20 July 2006, St Catherine's College, Oxford

Gibbs, G (2006) ‘Addressing the quality of analysis using Atlas.ti’. In: ESRC Research Methods Festival, 17th - 20th July 2006, St Catherine's College, Oxford

Gibbs, G (2006) ‘e-Learning. Is it teaching’s ‘magic bullet’?’. In: Dept of Behavioural and Social Sciences Public Lecture, 27th May 2009, University of Huddersfield

Gibbs, G., Fielding, N., Lewins, A. and Taylor, C. (2006) The Online QDA website http://onlineqda.hud.ac.uk/ Available at: http://onlineqda.hud.ac.uk/

Gibbs, G (2006) ‘Concordances and semi-automatic coding in qualitative analysis: possibilities and barriers’. In: Bridging quantitative and qualitative methods for social sciences using text mining techniques, 28 April 2006, University of Manchester

Gabb, J., Balen, R., Gibbs, G., Hall, C. and Teal, A. (2006) ‘Victoria Climbié inquiry Data Corpus project: using the Delphi method in multidisciplinary child protection research ’ British Journal of Social Work , 36 (4), pp. 577-596. ISSN 0045-3102

Gibbs, G., Taylor, C., Fielding, N. and Lewins, A. (2006) Qualitative phase of the formative evaluation of learning training needs in computer assisted qualitative data analysis. Huddersfield, UK: University of Huddersfield (Unpublished)

2005

Assiter, A. and Gibbs, G. (2005) ‘Motivation and retention: new concepts in learning and teaching - international perspectives’. In: C-SAP Conference 2005 – “New Contexts in Learning and Teaching”, 23-25 November 2005, Jurys Inn Hotel Birmingham, UK

Balen, R., Gibbs, G., Hall, C., Masson, H. and Teal, A. (2005) ‘Establishing an accessible data corpus based on evidence to the Victoria Climbié inquiry’. In: Online Qualitative Data Resources: Best Practice in Metadata Creation and Web Standards: ESDS Workshop, 15th November 2005, Centre Point, London

Gibbs, G., Taylor, C., Lewins, A. and Fielding, N. (2005) ‘Designing and evaluating the Online QDA Website’. In: Strategies in Qualitative Research Conference, 21-23 September 2005, University of Durham

Gibbs, G., Taylor, C., Lewins, A. and Fielding, N. (2005) ‘A team under pressure: evaluating the evaluators’. In: Strategies in Qualitative Research Conference, 21-23 September 2005, University of Durham

2004

Gibbs, G., Taylor, C., Lewins, A. and Fielding, N. (2004) ‘User needs in learning to use NVivo and N6 ’. In: Strategies in Qualitative Research Conference, 1-3 September 2004, University of Durham

Gibbs, G (2004) ‘Narrative analysis and NVivo ’. In: Strategies in Qualitative Research Conference, 1-3 September 2004, University of Durham

Balen, R., Gabb, J., Gibbs, G., Hall, C., Hanson, S., Masson, H. and Teal, A. (2004) ‘How can we learn from an Inquiry into the death of a child?’. In: ISPCAN 15th International Congress on Child Abuse & Neglect, 19-22 September, 2004, Brisbane, Australia

Gibbs, G (2004) ‘Using CAQDAS in lexical searching and narrative analyses’. In: ESRC Research Methods Festival, 1-3 July 2004, St Catherine's College, Oxford

Gibbs, G (2004) ‘Establishing an accessible data corpus based on evidence to the Victoria Climbié inquiry: Merging user needs and research dimensions’. In: ESDS Qualidata Workshop: Online Access to Qualitative Data: Opportunities and Challenges, 15th January 2004, Royal Statistical Society, London

Gibbs, G (2004) ‘CAQDAS’. In: The SAGE Encyclopedia of Social Science Research Methods. Thousand Oaks, CA.: Sage. . ISBN 9780761923633

2003

Gibbs, G (2003) ‘Searching for text’. In: Social Research Methods. London, UK: Routledge. pp. 307-311. ISBN 978-0-415-30084-1

Gibbs, G (2003) ‘Introduction to NVivo’. In: Personal Construct Psychology the XVth International Congress, July 14th-18th 2003, Huddersfield University, UK

Gibbs, G (2003) ‘Doing phenomenological analysis using NVivo’. In: Strategies in Qualitative Research Conference, 8th-9th May 2003, University of London

2002

Gibbs, G. and King, N. (2002) ‘Using creativity techniques to improve node tree construction in template analysis using NVivo ’. In: Strategies in Qualitative Research, Institute of Education Conference 2002, 7-8 February 2002, London, UK

Gibbs, G (2002) ‘Learning gains in a multi-user discussion system used with social science students’. In: The digital university - building a learning community. London, UK: Springer. pp. 95-112. ISBN 978-1-85233-478-9

Gibbs, G (2002) Qualitative Data Analysis: Explorations with NVivo . Buckingham: Open University . ISBN 9780335200849

Gibbs, G., Friese, S. and Mangabeira, W. (2002) ‘The use of new technology in qualitative research Introduction to Issue 3(2) of FQS ’ Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung/ Forum Qualitative Social Research , 3 (2). ISSN 1438-5627

1999

Gibbs, G. and Skinner, C. (1999) ‘Future Directions: IT and Studying Social and Political Science in the Next Decade’. In: I.T. in the Social Sciences: A Student's Guide to the Information and Communication Technologies. Oxford, UK: Wiley Blackwell. pp. 115-134. ISBN 978-0-631-21267-6

Gibbs, G (1999) ‘Learning how to learn using a virtual learning environment for philosophy’ Journal of Computer Assisted Learning , 15 (3), pp. 221-231. ISSN 02664909

1998

Skinner, C. and Gibbs, G. (1998) ‘coMentor’. In: European Academic Software Award 1998, 19-21 September 1998, Oxford, UK

Gibbs, G (1998) ‘CAL as a learning tool: lessons from educational theory’. In: Using IT effectively: a guide to technology in the social sciences. London, UK: Taylor and Francis. . ISBN 9781857287950

Gibbs, G., Skinner, C. and Teal, A. (1998) ‘coMentor: a WWW-based multi-user virtual environment to facilitate collaborative learning amongst social theory and philosophy’. In: IRISS '98, 25-27 March 1998, Bristol, UK

Gibbs, G (1998) ‘Modifying multi-user discussion systems to support text-based virtual learning environments on the WWW - the coMentor experience’. In: The digital university: reinventing the academy. London, UK: Springer. pp. 115-134. ISBN 9781852330033

1997

Gibbs, G., Skinner, C. and Teal, A. (1997) ‘Comentor: a Text-Based Collaborative Virtual Environment to Support Social Science Students ’. In: ALT-C 97, Monday 15th September to Wednesday 17th September 1997, Wolverhampton, UK

Gibbs, G (1997) SocInfo Guide to IT Resources in Sociology, Politics and Social Policy . Stirling: The CTI Centre for Sociology, Politics and Social Policy . ISBN 0951 5746 3 9

1996

Gibbs, G (1996) ‘"Working at your own pace". Resource-based delivery of a computer-aided research methods course’ SocInfo Journal , 2 (3). ISSN 1361-8865

1994

Gibbs, G. and Robinson, D. (1994) ‘Learning abstract concepts with computers. The experience of users learning about correlation’. In: CiP94: Computers In Psychology Conference, 21st-23rd September 1994, CTI Centre for Psychology, University of York

Roberts, E., Leavey, R., Allan, D. and Gibbs, G. (1994) ‘Feedback on quality: patients’ experience of surgical care’ International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance , 7 (3), pp. 27-32. ISSN 0952-6862

Sociology of Web 2.0

The interactivity, sociality and openness of Web 2.0 technologies such as Flickr, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter makes possible a new set of online activities that sociologists might study. These include the social and political use of the Web and its use therapeutically (such as in self help groups). However, one might ask, just how new these uses really are.

Video and the Internet

Watching video on the Internet is new but probably doesn’t involve any fundamental changes to the medium of video (although it might be argued that timeshifting and automatic scene skipping might have serious consequences for advertising). However, the ability of anyone to create and share video is new and might have widespread consequences for viewers as well as those in the video and film industry. Will this have an impact on what is considered to be entertainment?

Virtual society on the Internet

More and more people are spending a long time online in virtual realities (such as MMORPG’s and Second Life). Some have argued that these are promoting new forms of sociality and the development of new norms/rules/laws of behaviour. Others are more sceptical about the extent to which people in virtual realities are really separate from the real world.

Teaching and learning in HE

The evidence base for teaching and learning in HE is very large (lots of journals etc. publishing evaluations) but actually very poor quality. It suffers from some serious design flaws. Two things follow from this. First, are there ways that the quality could be improved – better design of research, better management of the results etc. Second, to what extent can we actually measure the impact of teaching approaches on learning?

e-learning

Much technology is now being used to support learning in HE. Just what are the best ways to design such technology and to use it in e.g. reusable learning objects (RLOs)? What is the best user interface and best pedagogic design for RLOs? If we use communication technology in teaching and learning (e.g. online discussion groups and wikis) how do these work and do they promote different ways in which students communicate with each other?

CAQDAS and QDA and technology

Computer assisted qualitative data analysis (CAQDAS) has developed over the last 25 years as a common technology in qualitative data analysis (QDA). For many enthusiasts of CAQDAS it should have encouraged and supported new and powerful ways of analysing qualitative data. Has it done that? Or has technology had a more subtle or subversive impact on the way qualitative analysis is done?