Jane O'Connor

Jane O'Connor is an Associate Professor in Childhood Studies at Birmingham City University, affiliated with the School of Education and Social Work within the Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences. She previously worked as a primary school teacher and held a senior lecturer position at the University of Wolverhampton before joining BCU.

Her research focuses on child stardom, child celebrities, digital technology usage by children and educators, and the digital transformation of higher education. She leads the Education Doctorate (EdD) program and supervises doctoral students in Education and Childhood Studies.

Jane currently leads two international British Council-funded projects exploring digital pedagogies in teacher education and doctoral education. She has extensive experience collaborating with children and families on research projects, including studies on preschoolers' digital technology use and children's use of time/space during the pandemic.

Her academic contributions span publications and projects addressing education technology, media representations, and the evolving role of digital tools in teaching and learning environments.