A Theoretical Exploration of Contemporary Conductive Education Philosophy and Conductors’ Professional Identity

Berger-Jones, Annamaria (2025) A Theoretical Exploration of Contemporary Conductive Education Philosophy and Conductors’ Professional Identity. Doctoral thesis, Birmingham City University.

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Text Annamaria Berger-Jones PhD _Thesis_Final Version_Final Award June 2025.pdf - Accepted Version Download (9MB)

Abstract

Conductive Education (CE) is an applied system, teaching people with neurological movement disorders, yet existing studies position CE as a treatment option. There is limited pedagogical research on CE, with the available literature focusing on the mechanics of the system. The philosophy of CE is not explicitly formulated in the literature, there is a presence of its underlying principles. CE’s lead professional is the conductor but it was suggested that they do not share a united voice, indicating a degree of fragmentation. A study found that conductors feel under-recognised. There is a lack of research surrounding conductors’ professional identity or what CE is as a profession in the United Kingdom today.

This research suggests a re-configured understanding of CE, aiming to provoke professional perspectives on what CE is in the contemporary world. The primary intention is to impact theory-praxis by seeking out different ways of knowing CE, which is useful to students, conductors and other researchers. This study intends to open up possibilities to explore what produces becoming-conductor identity.

This inquiry aligns to the post-qualitative paradigm and takes a new materialist stance in order to re-orient thought. Twenty-one conductors took part in four focus groups where matter was directly introduced. Diffractive analysis was utilised to investigate data< which is not passive, but has its own agency. Barad’s concepts of entanglements and intra-action were plugged into alongside Bennett’s thing-power.

Conductors’ material and discursive accounts highlighted systematic issues and (un)spoken categorisations of conductor-ness, pointing to the absence of a shared sense of identity. Conductors’ embodied encounters revealed passionate care at the core of their professionalism. Conductors value the meaningful relationships they have with their learners the most, suggesting entanglements. Viewing CE as an assemblage is useful to re-orient thought regarding its theoretical, professional and practical complexities.

Through the doing of this inquiry a diagram emerged, this shows the system of CE as a whole with its parts. The differences that matter in CE are its philosophy, paradigm, process, pedagogy and application. It was uncovered that becoming-identity is based on CE offering an alternative model, which is a potential-based conceptualisation of disability. This thesis offers a visual pathway into the profession, acknowledging CE’s heterogenicity and strengthening professional identity by exploring what produces the conductor. Furthermore, a visual conceptual framework for CE is suggested, as an emergent and always becoming tool to aid the academisation of the profession.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Dates:	Date Event 9 June 2025 Accepted
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Conductive education, becoming-identity, practitioner, professional identity, mattering
Subjects:	CAH02 - subjects allied to medicine > CAH02-04 - nursing and midwifery > CAH02-04-08 - learning disabilities nursing CAH02 - subjects allied to medicine > CAH02-05 - medical sciences > CAH02-05-03 - biomedical sciences (non-specific) CAH04 - psychology > CAH04-01 - psychology > CAH04-01-04 - psychology and health CAH22 - education and teaching > CAH22-01 - education and teaching > CAH22-01-01 - education
Divisions:	Doctoral Research College > Doctoral Theses Collection Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences > College of Life Sciences
Depositing User:	Louise Muldowney
Date Deposited:	25 Jun 2025 10:20
Last Modified:	25 Jun 2025 10:20
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/16442

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