Ms Ifigeneia Manitsa

Contact

Email: k1738620@kingston.ac.uk
Location: Penrhyn Road
Faculty: Faculty of Business and Social Sciences
School: School of Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences
Department: Department of Psychology
Research groups/centres: Developmental Psychology Research Group, Social Psychology Research Group
Job market candidate
Personal website

Research project: The social inclusion of adolescents with visual impairments

Abstract

I am investigating the impact of social relationships with teachers and peers on the self-concept and academic inclusion of adolescents with visual impairments. The current research is being carried out within the context of two major theoretical approaches: socioecological theory and social cognitive theory.

Research degree: PhD
Title of project: The social inclusion of adolescents with visual impairments

Biography

I am a PhD student in the Department of Psychology at Kingston University. My research is about the social inclusion of adolescents with visual impairments. My two supervisors are Dr Fiona Barlow-Brown (Associate Professor in Psychology) and Professor Evanthia Lyons (Head of the School of Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences).

I have a Degree in Primary Education and a Masters in Special Education. Visual impairment has been my field of expertise for the last six years. I have certified qualifications in Braille and my Master's dissertation was about the academic and social inclusion of students with visual impairment in higher education.

I am currently working as a lab tutor and supervisor in Psychology and Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods.

I am also an Associate Fellow of the Advance HE (formerly Higher Education Academy).

Areas of research interest

Educational Psychology
visual impairments
social inclusion
self-concept
academic inclusion
Psychology research methods

Qualifications

Associate Fellowship of Advance HE (formerly Higher Education Academy)
MSc in Pedagogy with specialization in Special Education, Department of Pedagogy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Degree in Pedagogy from the Pedagogical School of Primary Education, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Funding or awards received

£1,000 grant, Sir Richard Stapley Educational Trust (2019)
1st prize for a New Researcher in the 10th Annual Faculty of Business and Social Sciences Conference, Kingston University, London (2019)
Came first after written and oral examinations, in the field of Special Education at the MSc of Pedagogy in the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

Publications

Manitsa, I. (2019, April). Social Inclusion. Developing Minds: Exploring Cognitive Diversity. Retrieved from http://bit.do/aprilnewsletter2019

Conference papers

Manitsa, I., Barlow-Brown, F. & Lyons, E. (2019). Self-concept in adolescents with visual impairments. Paper presented at the 10th Annual Faculty of Business and Social Sciences Conference, Kingston University, London.
Manitsa, I., (2018). The importance of social inclusion in general schools to the self-concept of adolescents with visual impairment and their differences with sighted children. Paper presented at Kingston University Postgraduate Research Conference, Kingston, UK.
Manitsa, I. (2018). The importance of social relationships with sighted peers to the self-concept of adolescents with visual impairment and the differences between both groups. Oral and poster session presented at "Listen to me" Multi-sensory Impairment Conference, Seashell trust Organisation, Manchester Conference Centre, UK.
Manitsa, I. & Doikou, M. (2017). The academic experiences of studies in higher education from the perspective of visual impaired students. Paper presented at the 4th Pan-Hellenic Conference in Special Education with International Participation, "Modern Trends and Proposals in Special Education", The Company of Special Education in Greece, Harokopio University, Greece.