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KEN SPENCER, PhD.

Centre for Educational Studies,
Institute for Learning, University of Hull

Brief biographical history:

Within the Department of Educational Studies I have held the following positions:

Director of BAEd/BPhil programme
Director of PhD programme
Chair of Resources Committee
IT Co-ordinator

I am currently the Director of the Free Electives Programme, IfL Library Co-ordinator and IFL representative on the University Library Users Committee, and the IFL representative on the University IT Users Committee.

I have been a member of the Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education since October, 1999, and have held governorships in Hull schools for the past 18 years, being Chair of Governors, Parkstone Primary School, for 10 years.

I act as referee and reviewer for several international journals, and for The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

Publications, conference papers, reports:

• Spencer, K.A. (2010) Preliminary Report on the Reading Speed Research Project. Hull: Institute for Learning. Link

• Spencer, K.A., Masterson, J., & Loizidou, N. (2010) Feed-Forward, -Backward and Neutral Transparency Measures for Grade 1 and Grade 2 Greek readers. Behavior Research Methods, 42(1), 96-108.

• Masterson, J., Colombo, L., Spencer, K.A., Ftika, K., Quinn, L. and Syntili, A. (2008) Factors affecting the spelling performance of English-, Greek- and Italian-speaking children in grade 1/2. Paper presented at Writing Systems: Analysis, acquisition and use, 22^nd November 2008, Institute of Education, University of London.

• Spencer, K.A. (2009) Feed-Forward, -Backward and Neutral Transparency Measures for British English. Behavior Research Methods, 41, 220-227; DOI:10.3758/BRM.41.1.220

• Xing, M., Wang, J. & Spencer, K.A. (2008) Metacognitive beliefs and strategies in learning Chinese as a foreign language. System, 37(1), 46-56.

• Spencer, K.A. (2010) Predicting children’s word-reading difficulty for common English words: The effect of complexity and transparency. British Journal of Psychology, 101(3), 519-543. DOI: 10.1348/000712609X470752

• Xing, M., Wang, J. & Spencer, K.A. (2008, March) Language Learners’ Metacognitive Beliefs and Learner Autonomy via ALP. Paper presented at CALICO International Conference, 18-22 March 2008, San Francisco, US.

• Xing, M. and Spencer, K.A. (2008) Reducing Cultural Barriers Via Internet Courses. Innovations in Education and Training International, 45(2), 169-181.

• Xing, M., Wang, J. & Spencer, K.A. (2008) Raising Students' Awareness of Cross-cultural Contrastive Rhetoric in English Academic Writing via an E-learning Course. Language Learning & Technology, 12(2), 71-93.

• Spencer, K.A. (2007) Effects of orthographic transparency on children’s spelling of common English words. British Journal of Psychology, 98, 305-338.

• Spencer, K.A. (2006) Phonics self-teaching materials for foundation literacy. Literacy, 40(1), 42-50.

• Xing, M. and Spencer, K.A. (2004) Multimedia in Language and Culture,  p. 237, Liverpool: Manutius Press.

• Xing, M. and Spencer, K.A. (2004, July) Online learning for Mandarin Chinese Stage 1. Paper presented at the 4th International Conference on Chinese Language Pedagogy, 2-4 July 2004, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming, China.

• Spencer, K.A. (2004, March) Ameliorating a Dyslexic Language: how a transformed English orthography can reduce the emergence of reading problems. Paper presented at the Sixth BDA International Conference DYSLEXIA: The Dividends from Research to Practice, 27-30 March 2004, University of Warwick, UK.

• Spencer, K. and Xing, M. (2003) The gift of Cadmus: The alphabet, literacy and democracy. In G.T. Papanikos (Ed.), Proceedings from the 4th International Conference on Education, 24-26 May 2002, (pp. 461-474). Athens: Atiner.

• Spencer, K.A. (2003) Simplified English,  p. 138, Liverpool: Manutius Press.

• Spencer, K.A. and Xing, M. (2003, September) Raising Students’ Cultural Awareness in Academic Writing. Plenary paper presented at the Second International Scientific Conference “Language and Culture”, (p 526), September 17 - 21, 2003, under the auspices of the Department of Historical and Philological Sciences of the Russian Academy, Moscow, Russia.

• Spencer, K.A. (2002) Simpl Inglish,  p. 109, Liverpool: Manutius Press.

• Spencer, K.A. and Xing, M. (2002, May) The Gift of Cadmus: the alphabet, literacy & democracy. Paper presented at the 4th European Conference on Education, May 24 – 26,  2002, Athens, Greece.

• Spencer, K.A. (2002) English spelling and its contribution to illiteracy: word difficulty for common English words. Reading, April, 16-25.

• Spencer, K.A. (2001) Differential Effects of Orthographic Transparency on Dyslexia: Word reading difficulty for common English words. Dyslexia, 7, 217-228.

• Spencer, K.A. (2001, July) Predicting word difficulty for common English words: English spelling and its contribution to illiteracy. Paper presented at the 12th European Conference on Reading, 1-4 July 2001, Dublin, Eire.

• Spencer, K.A. and Xing, M. (2001, April) Differential Effects of Orthographic Transparency on Dyslexia. Paper presented at the 5th BDA International Conference, Dyslexia: At the Dawn of the New Century, 18-21 April 2001, University of York, UK.

• Spencer, K.A. and Xing, M. (2000, May) Creating communicative language environments via software. Paper presented at 17th Annual  CALICO Symposium – CALICO 2000, Core Technologies: Impact on the Future, 30 May-3 June, Tucson, Arizona.

• Spencer, K.A. (2000) Is English a dyslexic language? Orthographic transparency and multilingual teaching. Dyslexia, 6, 152-162.

• Spencer, K.A. (1999, June) Is English a dyslexic language? Orthographic transparency and multilingual teaching. Paper presented at the First BDA International Conference on Multi-lingualism and Dyslexia, 17-19 June 1999, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, Manchester, England.

• Spencer, K.A. (1999, March 23) Why English Casts a Spell, Guardian (Education Supplement), Tuesday, March 23, p.4.

• Spencer, K.A. (1999) Educational Technology - An Unstoppable Force: a selective review of research into the effectiveness of educational media. Educational Technology and Society, 2(4), 23-34.

• Spencer, K.A. (1999, April) Orthographic transparency in a computerised world. Paper presented at the Eleventh International Writing and Computers Conference, Cambridge, UK.

• Spencer, K.A. (1999, March) On becoming an expert, virtually. Paper presented at CAL99 “Virtuality in Education” Conference, London, UK. ("Outstanding Contribution" Award)

• Spencer, K.A. (1999) English: the culpable language, Curriculum, 20(1), 7-12.

• Spencer, K.A. (1999) Predicting word-spelling difficulty in 7- to 11-year-olds. Journal of Research in Reading, 22(3) 283-292.

• Spencer, K.A. (1999) Predicting spelling behaviour in 7 to 11 year-olds. Reading, July, 72-77.

• Spencer, K.A. (1998, April) Not in the UK: Lyme Disease, Information Technologies and the patient-doctor relationship. Paper presented to the Sixth Biennial Meeting of the European Tick Study Group, Oxford, April, 1998.

• Spencer, K.A. (1998) Predictive models of spelling behaviour in 7- and 11-year-olds, Journal of the Simplified Spelling Society, 24(2), 23-27.

• Spencer, K.A. (1996) Recovering reading using computer mastery programmes. British Journal of Educational Technology, 27(3), 191-203.

• Spencer, K.A. (1996) Media & Technology in Education, p. 173, Liverpool: Manutius Press.

• Spencer, K.A. (1995) NCET Portable Computers in School – Final Report: Portable Primary Reading Laboratory, p.11, The University of Hull, Centre for Educational Studies.

• Spencer, K.A. (1994, May) Designing for Pedagogy - Mastery Learning and Advanced Learning Technologies. Paper presented to E.C. Delta Conference: Concerted Action on Learning and Pedagogical Research, Lisbon, 16-17 May, 1994.

• Spencer, K.A. (1992, September) What can we learn from educational technology research. Paper presented to the British Universities Film and Video Council Conference: Effectiveness and Efficiency in Higher Education - Using Technology, London, 23-25th September, 1992.

• Spencer, K.A. (1992, November) Information technology and human information processing: a critical perspective. Proceedings of the European Conference about Information Technology in Education, Barcelona, November, 512-522.

• Simatos, A. & Spencer, K.A. (1992) Children and Media, p.158, Liverpool: Manutius Press.

• Spencer, K.A. (1991) Modes, media and methods: the search for educational effectiveness, British Journal of Educational Technology, 22(1), 12-22.

• Spencer, K.A. (1990) HyperHeart: does animated illustration contribute to mastery learning? British Journal of Educational Technology, 21(3), 227-8.

• Spencer, K.A. (1990) HyperCard: teaching technology for successful learning, Journal of Audiovisual Media in Medicine, 13, 25-30.

• Spencer, K.A. (1989, June 16) Heartwarmer: HyperCard for Science, The Times Educational Supplement, 16.6.89, p. B25.

• Spencer, K.A. (1988) The Psychology of Educational Technology and Instructional Media, pp198, London: Routledge.

• Spencer, K.A. (1981) AV communication: small is beautiful, Audiovisual Librarian, 7(1), 22-28.

• Spencer, K.A. (1981) Alternative media: a review of the instructional effectiveness, Educational Broadcasting International, 14(2), 90-93.

• Spencer, K.A. and Clarke, A. (1981) A BBC television series for the mentally handicapped, Educational Broadcasting International, 14(3), 110-113.

• Spencer, K.A. (1981) An evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of film and tape-slide instructional presentations for the mentally handicapped, Programmed Learning and Educational Technology, 18(1), 23-9.

• Spencer, K.A. (1980) Audio-visual instruction for the mentally handicapped, Journal of the British Institute of Mental Handicap, 8(1), 10-13.

• Spencer, K.A. (1977) An evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of audiotaped and videotaped self-study media presentations, British Journal of Educational Technology, 8(1), 71-77.