Bronwen Deacon
Bronwen Deacon works as a researcher and PhD student in the project Organizational Resilience and Creativity: Exploring the Future of Educational Technology as part of the research program “Knowledge & Society”.
During the previous research project Organisational Adaptivity in the German Higher Education Context (OrA), she started her PhD, in which she explores the digitalization of higher education with a particular focus on organizational aspects and leadership roles. Together with her research team, she has published her research findings in numerous international journals. Previously, she worked at HIIG as project manager for the essay competition “twentyforty”.
Bronwen studied at the Berlin University of Arts Berlin (UdK) and tockholm University (SU) and holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in “Communication in Social and Economic Contexts” (GWK). In her master’s thesis “Knowledge & Politics”, an empirical study, she examined the sources of selected politicians in their online communication (on X, formally Twitter) during the 2019 European election campaign in Germany. Bronwen was always particularly interested in the changes in social structures and processes brought about by media change.
Science & educationOrganisational Resilience and Creativity: Exploring the Future of Educational Technology
How can educational technology be creatively contribute to building resilient universities and equip them to cope with future change?
Science & educationOrganisational Adaptivity in the German Higher Education Context
In this project, we investigate the digitalisation of higher education, with a focus placed on exploring the implementation of teaching and learning innovations.
Journal articles and conference proceedings
Laufer, M., Deacon, B., Mende, M.A., & Schaefer, L.O. (2024). Leading with Trust: How University Leaders can Foster Innovation with Educational Technology through Organizational Trust. Innovative Higher Education. DOI: 10.1007/s10755-024-09733-5 Publication details
Timm, M., Deacon, B., Laufer, M, Schäfer, L. O. & Tschache, T. (2022). Atomisierung, Innovation und Organisation: Qualität der Lehre im ersten Digitalsemester. In M.Bigos, J. Hiebl, & I. Steinhardt (Eds.). Soziologische Betrachtungen zur Digitalisierung der Lehre (in der COVID-19-Pandemie) [Special issue] die hochschullehre, 8(28), 395-408. DOI: 10.3278/HSL2228W Publication details
Deacon, B., Laufer, M. & Schäfer, L. O. (2022). Infusing Educational Technologies in the Heart of the University – A Systematic Literature Review from an Organisational Perspective. British Journal of Educational Technology, 0(0), 1-26. DOI: 10.1111/bjet.13277 Publication details
Laufer, M., Leiser, A., Deacon, B., Perrin de Brichambaut, P., Fecher, B., Kobsoda, C., & Hesse, F. (2021). Digital higher education: A divider or bridge builder? Leadership perspectives on EdTech in a COVID-19 reality. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 18(51). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239‐021‐00287‐6 Publication details
Elsholz, U., Fecher, B., Deacon, B., Schäfer, L.O., & Laufer, M. (2021). Implikationen der Covid-19-Pandemie für digitale Lehre: Organisierte Freiheit als Veränderungsparadigma. MedienPädagogik: Zeitschrift für Theorie Und Praxis Der Medienbildung, 40(CoViD-19), 472-86. DOI: 10.21240/mpaed/40/2021.11.29.X Publication details
Book contributions and chapters
Schäfer, L. O., Deacon, B. & Laufer, M. (2023). Die Rolle der Digitalisierungsstrategien bei der Implementierung digitaler Lehre. In Lorenz Mrohs, Julia Franz, Dominik Herrmann, Konstantin Lindner & Thorsten Staake (Eds.), Digitale Kulturen der Lehre entwickeln. Perspektiven der Hochschuldidaktik. Wiesbaden: Springer VS. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-43379-6_3 Publication details
Schütz, J., Rosenkranz, L., Deacon, B. & Elsholz, U. (2022). Never walk alone. Über das Verhältnis pädagogischer Professionalität und organisationaler Bedingungen an Hochschulen in Zeiten der Pandemie. In H. Angenent, J. Petri, & T. Zimenkova (Eds.), Hochschulen in der Pandemie: Impulse für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung von Studium und Lehre. Bielefeld: transcript. Publication details
Laufer, M. Deacon, B. & Schäfer, L. O. (2022). The Power of Informal Networks: How Middle Management, Central Leadership and Trust can Impact Innovation at the University. In F. W. Hesse, C. Kobsda & C. Schemmann, Digital Transformation of Higher Education—Global Learning Report 2022. (pp. 21-23). Berlin: Global Learning Council (GLC), Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst e.V. (DAAD), Times Higher Education (THE). DOI: 10.21241/ssoar.79627 Publication details
Custer, S., Deacon, B., Herckis, L., Hesse, F. W., Hörig, M., Kercher, J., Knoth, A., Knüttgen, N., Kobsda, C., Leiser, A., Meyer-Guckel, V., Ndemo, B., Saxberg, B., Vignare, K. , & Willems, D. (2021). Global Learning Council (2021). Digital Transformation of Higher Education—Global Learning Report. In Friedrich W. Hesse, Christian Kobsda & Anne Leiser, Berlin:. DOI: 10.21241/ssoar.73580 Publication details
Fecher, B., Deacon, B., Ingen-Housz, T., Sokolovska, N. (Eds.) (2020). An Unlikely Experiment., Twentyfourty - Utopias for the Digital Society (pp. 9-15) Berlin: Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3678207 Publication details
Other publications
Deacon, B., & Laufer, M. (2024). Resistance to change: Challenges and opportunities in digital higher education. Digital society blog. Publication details
Lukan, T., Deacon, B., Kontareva, A. (2024). How TikTok Science Communicators Navigate Norms and Values in the Age of Generative AI. Elephant in the Lab Blog Journal. Publication details
Laufer, M., Kuper, F., Mende, M. A., Schäfer, L. O., Tschache T., & Deacon, B. (2023). Organizing Digital Change at the University. The Practitioners’ Field Guide for Implementing Educational Technology. HIIG Impact Publication Series. Publication details
Deacon, B. & Leiser, A. (2022). Inequalities in higher education: A global perspective. Hochschulforum Digitalisierung (HFD) BLOG. Publication details
Deacon, B., Laufer, M. & Sokolovska, N. (2022). Sharing knowledge: Impact of Covid-19 on digital teaching. Digital society blog. Publication details
Deacon, B. & Timm, M. (2022). Possibilities for Change: Higher Education and Digitalisation. encore. The Annual Magazine on Internet and Society Research, 2021/2022, 120-127. Publication details
Deacon, B., Timm, M. (2021). Possibilities for Change – Higher Education and Digitalisation. Elephant In The Lab Blog Journal. Publication details
Deacon, B., & Timm, M. (2021). Possibilities for Change – Higher Education and Digitalisation. Digital society blog. Publication details
Fecher, B., & Deacon, B. (2021). Turning Scientists Into Novelists. encore. The Annual Magazine on Internet and Society Research. Publication details
Fecher, B., & Deacon, B. (2020). Leben, lieben, lernen – im Jahr 2040. Digital Society Blog. Publication details
Laufer, M. & Deacon, B. (2020). The rapid digital turn: How are universities faring? Digital Society Blog. Publication details
Lectures and presentations
Resisting Digital Change at Higher Education Institutions: Identifying Triggers and CountermeasuresCHER 36th Annual Conference. University of Luxembourg, Esch an der Alzette, Luxemburg: 05.09.2024
Bronwen Deacon, Melissa Laufer, Maricia Aline Mende
Sensemaking and the future university: Exploring the role digitalization strategies play for university teachers’ engagement with EdTech40th EGOS Colloquium - Crossroads for Organizations: Time, Space, and People. EGOS. University of Milan-Bicocca, Mailand, Italien: 05.07.2024
Bronwen Deacon, Freia Kuper, Melissa Laufer, Marvin Sievering, Len Ole Schäfer
Den digitalen Wandel an Hochschulen lenken – ein PraxisleitfadenLange Nacht der Wissenschaften 2024. Alexander von Humboldt Institut für Internet und Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany: 22.06.2024 Further information
Bronwen Deacon
Ein Diskurs über Verantwortung - Krise, Resilienz und EdTech an HochschulenUniversity:Future Festival 2024 - Tales of Tomorrow. Hochschulforum Digitalisierung. Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Deutschland: 05.06.2024 Further information
Maricia Aline Mende, Marvin Sievering, Bronwen Deacon, Freia Kuper, Melissa Laufer
The intersection of resilience, creativity and edtech: A conceptual framework for universities39th EGOS (European Group for Organizational Studies) colloquium. University of Cagliari. Online, Cagliari, Italy: 06.07.2023 Further information
Melissa Laufer, Len Ole Schäfer, Freia Kuper, & Bronwen Deacon
Die Rolle der Digitalisierungsstrategien bei der Implementierung und dem Erhalt digitaler LehreSymposium. Digitale Kulturen der Lehre entwickeln. (Session: Rahmenbedingungen digitaler Lehre). University of Bamberg. University of Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany: 07.10.2022 Further information
Len Ole Schäfer, Bronwen Deacon, Melissa Laufer
Leadership in Digital Change: An exploration of organizational trust and innovation in universities44th Annual EAIR Forum 2022. Malta College of Arts, Science & Technology (MCAST), Malta. Online, Paola, Malta: 06.09.2022 Further information
Melissa Laufer, Bronwen Deacon, & Len Ole Schäfer
Organizational conditions and dynamics of digital teaching.Academic Practice and Technology (APT): Shaping academic practice through diversity and flexibility. UCL, LSE, Imperial College London, Kingston University & Queen Mary University London. Online, London, UK: 01.07.2022 Further information
Len Ole Schäfer, Bronwen Deacon, & Melissa Laufer
Qualität in der digitalen Lehre – Eine Untersuchung von EinflussfaktorenTagung der Gesellschaft für Hochschulforschung 2021. Gesellschaft für Hochschulforschung. Online, Siegen, Germany: 16.09.2021 Further information
Moritz Timm, Bronwen Deacon, Melissa Laufer, Len Ole Schäfer
Enge und lose Kopplungen in der Hochschule – Die COVID-19 Pandemie und digitale LehreSoziologische Betrachtungen zur Digitalisierung der Lehre (in der COVID-19-Pandemie). DIPF | Leibniz-Institut für Bildungsforschung und Bildungsinformation. Online, Frankfurt am Main, Germany: 10.09.2021 Further information
Bronwen Deacon, Len Ole Schäfer, Moritz Timm, Melissa Laufer
The Rapid Digital Turn: An Exploration into the Tight and Loose Coupling of University Structures [paper presentation]43rd Annual EAIR Forum 2021: Transformation Fast and Slow: Quality, Trust and Digitalisation in Higher Education.. Humboldt University of Berlin. Online, Berlin, Germany: 10.09.2021 Further information
Bronwen Deacon, Len Ole Schäfer, Melissa Laufer
Re-imagining higher education: Shifting gears and shifting visionsUNIVERSITY:FUTURE FESTIVAL - LEARNING, SYSTEMS AND THE NEW NORMAL. Hochschulforum Digitalisierung. Online, Berlin, Germany: 08.10.2020 Further information
Anne Leiser, Melissa Laufer, Bronwen Deacon, Christian Kobsda
Lehren in der Krise, Lernen aus der Krise? Erfolg & Verstetigung digitaler Lehr- und LerninnovationenUNIVERSITY:FUTURE FESTIVAL - LEARNING, SYSTEMS AND THE NEW NORMAL. Hochschulforum Digitalisierung. Online, Berlin, Germany: 07.10.2020 Further information
Melissa Laufer, Bronwen Deacon, Len Ole Schäfer
Panels
SRHE Conference 2022, Mobilities in Higher Education. Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE). Online, London, UK: 05.12.2022 Further informationMelissa Laufer, Len Ole Schäfer, Bronwen Deacon
Digital higher education – A divider or bridge builder? Leadership perspectives on digital learning for collaborationCHER 33rd Annual Conference Promoting Closer Relations and Scholarly Dialogues Between European and Asian Higher Education Researchers. University of Hong Kong; CHER Board of Governors. Online, Hong Kong, HKSAR: 01.09.2021 Further information
Bronwen Deacon, Anne Leiser, Erle Lim Chuen Hian & Ilka Parchmann
Projects of a Digital Future – interventions and talkBerlin Sci-Fi Film Fest. Berlin Sci-Fi FilmFest. Babylon Cinema, Berlin, Germany: 30.11.2019 Further information
Bronwen Deacon
Moderation of workshops and panels
Utopian science fiction writing: build your own future AI worldAnnual Conference: KI-Camp 2021. Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF), Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI). Online, Berlin, Germany: 16.03.2021 Further information
Bronwen Deacon, Isabella Hermann
Organisation of events
Lange Nacht der Wissenschaft22.06.2024. Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, Berlin, Germany (National) Further information
Philipp Mahlow, Birte Lübbert, Maurice Stenzel, Alina Kontareva, Daniel Pothmann, Nele Buß, Irina Kühnlein, Sarah Spitz, Freia Kuper, Sami Nenno, Freya Hewett, Frederik Efferenn, Georg von Richthofen, Sonja Köhne, Bronwen Deacon, Matthias C. Kettemann, Thomas Christian Bächle, Nataliia Sokolovska, Martin Wrobel, Jörg Pohle, Hendrik Send, Theresa Züger, Jeanette Hofmann
The Rapid Digital Turn: An Exploration into the Tight and Loose Coupling of University StructuresUnderstanding Digital Transformations of Higher Education Teaching and Learning in the Nordics and Beyond. From 30.03.2021 to 31.07.2021. Online, Online, Online. Co-Organised by: Universities of Agder (Norway) Aarhus (Denmark) and KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden) (International) Further information
Melissa Laufer, Bronwen Deacon
twentyforty talks - Auf einen Drink mit Dirk Baeckerwith attending Vip: Dirk Baecker. 15.04.2020. Stream, Berlin, Germany (National) Further information
Bronwen Deacon, Benedikt Fecher
Participation as expert
Stakeholder-Dialog – Ethik der DigitalisierungStakeholder-Dialog – Ethik der Digitalisierung Stakeholder-Dialog – Ethik der Digitalisierung Berkman Klein Center, Digital Asia Hub. Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, Berlin, Germany: 06.10.2021 Further information
Vincent Hofmann, Freya Hewett, Georg von Richthofen, Adrian Kopps, Bronwen Deacon, Matthias C. Kettemann, Wolfgang Schulz
Media appearances
Twentyforty: How will we work, live, love, shape schools, and governmental structures in 2040? (07.05.2020). Europarama Podcast
Further information
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Europarama Podcast
twentyforty
Position
Researcher and project manager: Knowledge & Society
