Research
Research interests
- Philosophy of Education: Bourdieu, Theory and Practice
- Arts/ Music Education: artistic biography, performance pedagogy
- Second Language Learning and Teaching: Communicative Language Teaching, Language Learner Strategies
- Language in Education: Literacy, Bilingualism, Language Teacher Education
- Teacher Education
Publications
Supervision
Current PhD Students
Biography
Michael has a long association with educational research, as well as involvement in various policy fora, such as the Centre for Information and Research on Language Teaching and the Tomorrow Project. He chaired the Research Committee for UCET (Universities Council for the Education of Teachers). Michael was also contributor/ consultant to the DfES Key Stage 3 Strategy. He has authored in excess of 20 books and numerous research articles on such topics as second language learning and teaching, teacher education, and philosophy and research methodology; especially with respect to the applications of the theory of practice of the French social theorist Pierre Bourdieu.
Michael was originally a medical laboratory scientific officer before taking his undergraduate degree in the University of London - BA (1st Class Hons) in French Studies in 1981.
He did a Masters in Applied Linguistics in the University of London - MA (with Distinction) in 1985.
His PhD (1995 the University of Southampton) was in the Philosophy of Education and Teacher Education.
After working for 8 years as language teacher in a secondary school in London, Michael was appointed Lecturer in Education at the University of Southampton, where he was subsequently appointed Reader and then Chair of Education.
He was appointed 1904 Chair of Education at Trinity College, University of Dublin, Ireland in 2009.
He returned to the University of Southampton as Emeritus Professor in 2016.
Prizes
- British Educational Research Association (2006)
- American Educational Research Association (2007)
- Art Biography as Field Theory (2023)