Dr Ian Hughes

I was born in Carlisle, England soon after the end of the Second World War. I was brought up to be a devout Catholic, attending a monastic high school. I migrated to Sydney Australia with my family, and was very fortunate that my family blended with a family of Aboriginal descent. Though a bit confusing at times, I benefited from these complex family arrangements.

I entered a Catholic monastery, and left during the first year. I matriculated then entered Sydney University to study Social Work. During my you adult years I became involved in Student Action for Aborigines, did voluntary work towards the first Aboriginal Legal Service and first Aboriginal Medical Service in Redfern, lived near The Block and was a volunteer with Fr Ted Kennedy and the team at St. Vincent's Redfern. During the same period I resisted compulsory military service for the Vietnam War (or the American War as the Vietnamese call it) and avoided the draft by volunteering to join the Sydney University Regiment.

After graduation I help establish a child care course, then became an Instructor in Social Work at Prince of Wales Hospital Clinical School. I met Dee, my beloved wife, and my two darling daughters at the Down To Earth drop-in centre at Paddington Uniting Church. We spent a year in Western Australia setting up a volunteer family support service, and then the family moved to Maningrida, Northern Territory where I worked as a Community Development Worker to establish Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation with local elders and community leaders. From these elders I learned deep lessons about country, about relationships and about being Whitefeller in Australia. We returned to Pinehill, the family home. Mu daughters completed high school, and for a few years I took a number of jobs in social work, university teaching and community development, also completing a Masters in 'Fourth World' (indigenous) development studies.

An opportunity opened for me to teach Community Development to Aboriginal Health Workers at Sydney University, and I commenced PhD studies in Aboriginal Community Health, helping to set up Eleanor Duncan Health Centre. Over time I completed the PhD and spent more time on action research, maintaining a web site and editing Action Research e-Reports. I supervised several PhD projects and consulted on a number of action research projects, becoming increasingly involved in the use of action research in complex adaptive systems. A Research Learning Circle, based on action learning principles, became the focus of an action research community of practice.

After retirement from academic life I facilitated a Quaker Learning Circle and a learning circle guided by on the Charter for Compassion. After the terminal illness and death of Dee, my dear wife I expect to continue my interest in action research and complexity, and becoming more involved with Quakers. In 2010 I am starting a project looking at the Evolutionary Potential of Quakerism.

Qualifications

Doctor of Philosophy (The University of Sydney) 1998 (Community Health)
Master of Development Studies (Deakin University) 1992 (Fourth World Development)
Associate Diploma in Community Work (Charles Darwin University) 1985 (Indigenous Community Work)
Bachelor of Social Studies (The University of Sydney) 1972 (Social Work)

Recent publications

Selected publications can be downloaded from Scribd

Sum, S., Mathews, R. M., & Hughes, I. (2009). Participation of older adults in cyberspace: How Australian older adults use the Internet. Australian Journal on Ageing, 28(4), 189-193.

Hughes, I. (2008). Action Research in Healthcare. In P. Reason & H. Bradbury (Eds.), The Sage Handbook of Action Research (2nd ed., pp. 381-393). London: Sage.

Sum, S., Mathews, M., Hughes, I., & Campbell, A. (2008). Internet use and loneliness in older adults CyberPsychology & Behavior, 11(2), 208-211.

Russell, C., Campbell, A., & Hughes, I. (2008). Ageing, social capital and the Internet: Findings from an exploratory study of Australian 'silver surfers'. Australisian Journal on Ageing, 27(2), 78-82.

Russell, C., Mahony, M. J., Hughes, I., & Kendig, H. (2007). Post-graduate Education in Gerontology in the Asia-Oceania Region. Gerontology & Geriatrics Education, 27(3), 99-111.

Hughes, I. (2006). Action research in healthcare: what is the evidence? ALAR Journal, 11(1), 29-39.

Hughes, I. (2006). Growing a learning community for research, in ITL Case Studies in Higher Degree Research Supervision. Available from http://www.itl.usyd.edu.au/

Hughes, I. (2004, 2006). The HS-CD: Research software resources from the Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney [CD-ROM]. Lidcombe: The University of Sydney.

Hughes, I., & Yuan, L. (2005). The status of action research in the People's Republic of China. Action Research, 3(4).

Hughes, I., Ndonko, F., Ouedraogo, B., Ngum, J., & Popp, D. (2004). International Education for Action Research: The Bamenda Model. Action Research e-Reports (20), Available from http://www.fhs.usyd.edu.au/arow/arer/020.htm.

Hughes, I. (Ed.). (1996-2007). The Action Research Electronic Reader. http://www2.fhs.usyd.edu.au/arow/o/m01/reader.htm: The University of Sydney.

Hughes, I. (Ed.). (2003). Action Research in Africa Reader. Sydney: The University of Sydney.

Hughes, I. (Ed.). (2003). Action Research in Health Reader. Sydney: The University of Sydney.

Hughes, I. (2003). Confronting the gaps: does a decade of action research prepare us for sustainable development in the future? ALAR Journal, 8(2), 26-43.

Hughes, I. (Ed.). (2003). International Education in Action Research Manual (3 ed.). Eschborn: GTZ.

Lin, R., & Hughes, I. (2003). Information for Radiotherapy Patients. Action Research e-Reports (016), Available from http://www2.fhs.usyd.edu.au/arow//arer/016.htm.

Hughes, I., Atkinson, M., Campbell, A., Dameni, M., Lovering, S., Rapaich, Z., et al. (2003). Support for Research: Students in learning circles. SUPRA Express, 7(3), 14-15.

Hughes, I., Ndonko, F., Ouedraogo, B., Ngum, J., & Popp, D. (2003, October). International Education for Action Research: The Bamenda Model. Paper presented to the ALARPM 6th and PAR 10th World Congress, Pretoria, South Africa. Action Research e-Reports (20) Available from http://www2.fhs.usyd.edu.au/arow/arer/020.htm

Research funding

Campbell, A., & Hughes, I. (2007). Research Learning Circles for HDR Students. TIES funding $45,000 Grant, The University of Sydney.

Russell, C., Hughes, I., & Campbell, A. (2005). Older People and the Internet. Research & development funding $32,750, University of Sydney.

Hughes, I. (2005) Assessment of Graduate Essays. TIFF funding $2,500, The University of Sydney

Hughes, I. (1999) Health Science Education and the World Wide Web. Research into Teaching and Learning Gant $5,000, The University of Sydney.

Hughes, I., Bentley, S., Cant, R., Kench, P., Lee, K. & Neville, V. (1998) A Web Education System for the Faculty of Health Sciences. Research into Teaching and Learning Gant $11,000, The University of Sydney.

Gow, L., Barnes, A., Clapham, K., & Hughes, I. (1996) ($950,000) Indigenous Collaborative Research Network Infrastructure stage 1. A collaborative project involving Universities of South Australia, New South Wales and Sydney, RIEF Grant $950,000 Australian Research Council. .

Hughes, I., Russell, C., & Khavarpour, F. (1994) Koori Action Research in Community Health, Cumberland Research Grant, $3,500, The University of Sydney.

Hughes, I. (1994) Koori Action Research in Community Health: A Case Study and Description, $4,704, National Staff Development Fund.

Hughes, I., Russell, C. & Khavarpour, F. (1994) Koori Action Research in Community Health, School of Community Health Research Grant $1,500, The University of Sydney.

Research supervision

Baghbanian, (2005-2008) A. The Role of Economic Evaluation in Health Decision Making. PhD. (Principal and Associate Supervisor)

Barr, F. (2004-2009). Social capital of older people. A qualitative study to explore the social networks, resources and connectedness of two cohorts of older people resident on the Tomaree Peninsula, Port Stephens, NSW, with a view to determining whether any significant differences exist which might influence the demand for and appropriateness of community-based care policy. PhD (Associate Supervisor)

Campbell, A. (2003) An Investigation into the Theory of Social Escapist Behaviour and the use of the Internet and other Media Resources in the Treatment of Depression and Anxiety Disorders. PhD (Associate Supervisor) Graduated PhD 2003.

Ko, A. (2004-2009) Using Action Research and Complex Adaptive Systems theory to improve medication safety for older people in a health care setting. Doctor of Health Science. (Principal and Associate Supervisor)

Lovering, S. (2000-2008) Arab nurses' experiences of the meaning of caring. Doctor of Health Science (Associate Supervisor)

Rapaich, Z. (2002-2009) Partnering in the Construction Industry: The First Ten Years - An Evaluation. PhD (Associate Supervisor)

Razaghi, A. (2005-2009) Development and evaluation of education program to improve HIV-preventive behaviours and intention among adolescents. PhD. (Principal and Associate Supervisor).

Smith, S. (2004-2009) Cross-cultural Learning and Leadership Development. PhD (Principal and Associate Supervisor)

Sum, S. (2005-2008) Perceived social support by using the Internet and Quality of life among elderly people. PhD (Principal and Associate Supervisor).

Tadros, E. (2009) Striving for Excellence: The Coptic orthodox community in New South Wales, Doctor of Health Science, (Principal and Associate Supervisor) graduated 2009.

Yuan, L. (2006-2009) Participation by Miao Older People in the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme (RCMS) in Sichuan Province, P.R. China. PhD (Principal and Associate Supervisor).