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Lada Smirnova

Lada Smirnova

Profile

I joined the university in 2021. Prior to working at Leeds, I worked as a Director of Studies in a private language centre in Moscow, Senior Academic English Teacher in two universities: Moscow School of Social and Economic Sciences, and in Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, and as a Deputy Director of MA in Digital Transformation in Education in HSE University, where I developed the MA programme and launched it. 

I have taught EAP in several universities in China, Russia and the UK. and designed modules for a range of BA and MA programmes. One of my primary research interests is sustainable teacher development in integrating digital technology and well-being. I have published several articles in this area, and a book in collaboration with Peter Lang – an outcome of a 4 year study I conducted with experienced language teachers from two EdTech leading Moscow universities.

Research interests

 

  1. Ethical use of AI chatbots for student academic writing.
  2. The impacts of AI chatbots on student-teacher relationships in ELT.
  3. Using narrative methodology to explore teacher experience in using technology for EAP.
  4. Sociocultural research for teacher education, training, and development.

Recent Publications

Books

  • Smirnova L. (2021). Exploring perezhivanie: a new tool for teacher development in the digital transformation in education. Peter Lang: Оxford.
  • Smirnova, L. (2019). Integrating technology 
into the university language classroom: a study of complexities and perezhivanie in teachers’ experience. (Unpublished PhD thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education). The University of Manchester.

Edited book

  • Smirnova L. (2022). (Ed.) Using Activity Theory in the Digital Transformation in Education. Uright: Moscow. In Russian.

Book Chapters

  • Smirnova L., Rasskazova T. (2024). The development of a reflective language teacher in Russia: from an apprenticeship to a dialogical partnership. In Cirocki A., Gao A., Wyatt M. (Eds) Developing Reflective ELT Practitioners through Teacher Education: Insights from Asian Contexts. Springer Nature Singapore. pp. 303–323.
  • Smirnova L. (2022). Theorizing the digital change in education. In Smirnova L. (Ed.). Using Activity Theory in the Digital Transformation in Education. Uright: Moscow, pp. 12–32. In Russian.
  • Smirnova L. (2021). Designing individual learning paths in Moodle. In Saphonov A.A., Chastova P.A., Kokaya E.T., Matys O.I. (Eds) Digital education: Methods, Practices, and Tools. A collection of webinars, talks, and research. Uright, Moscow, issue 4, pp. 24–25. In Russian.
  • Smirnova L. (2020). Davydov’s Activity Approach for developing a MA in Digital Transformation in Education. In The School of Davydov: traditions and Innovations. FGBOY VOMGPPU: Moscow. pp. 250–252. In Russian.
  • Smirnova, L. (2016). Language teacher development in integrating technology: mind the gap. 3rd international Conference on ESP/EAP/EMI in the context of Higher Education Internationalization. National University of Science and Technology ‘MISIS’, Russia, November 25, 2016, Proceedings. In Conference proceedings, MISIS. p. 70.

Journal Articles

  • Smirnova, L. (2024). A deeper form of reflection: perezhivanie as a tool for teacher development. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/13611267.2024.2366268
  • Smirnova L. (2023).Teachers’ motives, agency and Vygotsky’s notion of perezhivanie. The European Journal of Applied Linguistics and TEFL. 12 (1), 173–189.
  • Smirnova L. (2020). Two forms of perezhivanie that work: integrating technology into a Russian university language classroom. The European Journal of Applied Linguistics and TEFL. 9 (2), 65–82.
<h4>Research projects</h4> <p>Any research projects I'm currently working on will be listed below. Our list of all <a href="https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/dir/research-projects">research projects</a> allows you to view and search the full list of projects in the faculty.</p>

Qualifications

  • PhD in Education, University of Manchester
  • MA in Educational Technology and TESOL, University of Manchester
  • DELTA, University of Cambridge
  • CELTA, University of Cambridge
  • Specialist Diploma in Programming, National Research Nuclear University (MEPhI)

Professional memberships

  • ISCAR
  • BALEAP
  • Mind, Culture and Activity (xMCA) group
  • BAAL

Research groups and institutes

  • Language Centre
<h4>Postgraduate research opportunities</h4> <p>We welcome enquiries from motivated and qualified applicants from all around the world who are interested in PhD study. Our <a href="https://phd.leeds.ac.uk">research opportunities</a> allow you to search for projects and scholarships.</p>