معرفی
Dr. Katharine Smales is a Research Fellow in the Department of Information Studies at University College London, specializing in young people's information literacy and digital experiences. Her research employs co-production methods, innovative video documentation, and participatory arts approaches to investigate how individuals navigate digital technologies and algorithmic systems.
Her work utilizes publishing theory, Agential Realism, and Practice Theory to frame digital, data, and algorithmic literacy development. She approaches information literacy through sociocultural perspectives that recognize its social construction and relationship to power dynamics, examining how material and paratextual features can be leveraged to create accessible educational resources.
Dr. Smales currently leads two significant research initiatives:
- An AHRC-funded project with Dr. Kaitlyn Regehr in collaboration with the Association of School and College Leaders examining smartphone relationships among 120+ UK youth to identify digital literacy education gaps
- The Co-Creating Digital Bibliotherapy project with Dr. Laura Dietz and the Reading Agency, funded by UCL Grand Challenges, designing wellbeing interventions around digital reading
Her doctoral research at UCL, supported by the AHRC London Arts and Humanities Partnership, pioneered ethical protocols for video research with children during social distancing, including illustrated consent materials presented as best practices to the UK Department of Education.
Research funding includes:
- AHRC London Arts and Humanities Partnership (PhD)
- AHRC project funding
- UCL Grand Challenges grant
Teaching experience spans multiple institutions:
- Four years as Associate Lecturer for Children's Literature MA at Goldsmiths
- Publishing Skills module at University of Roehampton
- Guest lectures at City University, Bath Spa, Kingston, and UCL
