Tara Fenwick

Intro and Career Highlights

Dr. Tara Fenwick is the current Professor of Professional Education and Director of Research at the School of Education at the University of Stirling in Scotland. Dr. Fenwick has a PhD in Educational Policy Studies. Previously Dr. Fenwick worked for the University of British Columbia in Vancouver Canada as a Professor and Head of Educational Studies. Dr. Fenwick has had over 103 publications and 2004 was awarded by the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education the Cyril O. Houle award for her book Learning Through Experience, Troubling Assumptions and Intersecting Questions, NIACE, 2003. The Houle award is widely regarded as the most important for literature on Adult Education in the English Speaking

Tara Fenwick has given to the field of Adult Education Is the ProPEL network at Stirling. Coming from the ProPEL, “ProPEL is a collaborative, multi-professional international network at the University of Stirling launched in 2010 to promote research and knowledge exchange in leading issues of professional education, practice and learning. In 21st century conditions of rapidly changing societies, transnational knowledge cultures and work arrangements, increasing regulation and audit, restructuring of professions and changing expectations of professionals, we ask: What purposes and forms of education are most helpful to support professional learning in changing societies? The research network aims to create a dynamic working space for re-conceptualizing professionalism and professional learning, and for fostering collaborations to improve educational policy and practice to support professional learning. A number of research projects are underway exploring our two themes; the changing nature of professional learning and responsibility in professional practice. We use a range of theoretical and methodological resources, particularly in practice-based or ‘socio-material’ approaches to understand professional knowledge.” (ProPEL: Professional Practice, Education and Learning.) This network connects university-based researchers and doctoral students who are interested in health care, policing, social care, public education, management and organization studies, and creative industries. By having this network, researching and the sharing of information and knowledge has become easier for educators, researchers and students and has also given them access to peers within their field for additional assistance. By Dr. Fenwick assisting in this amazing network we can see one of the biggest contributions that she has given, not only to the adult education field, but those who conduct research and