Dr Nia Cole Jones

Professional biography

Nia’s research interests are focussed around the Welsh language and its use in both the first-language and second-language sector. She has an interest in the opportunities for growth of the Welsh Language within Curriculum for Wales. She was recently a member of the research team that conducted the scoping study for the Welsh Government to evaluate the curriculum and assessment reforms in Wales. She has a keen interest in facilitating students’ own research journeys and was a co-organiser of the PGCE Programme in Wales’ first bilingual Student Research Conference 2022. .

Mae diddordebau ymchwil Nia yn canolbwyntio ar y Gymraeg a'i defnydd yn y sector iaith gyntaf ac ail iaith. Mae ganddi ddiddordeb yn y cyfleoedd i’r Gymraeg ffynnu o fewn Cwricwlwm i Gymru. Yn ddiweddar bu'n aelod o'r tîm ymchwil a gynhaliodd yr astudiaeth gwmpasu ar gyfer Llywodraeth Cymru i werthuso'r diwygiadau cwricwlwm ac asesu yng Nghymru. Mae ganddi ddiddordeb brwd mewn hwyluso teithiau ymchwil myfyrwyr, ac roedd yn gyd-drefnydd Cynhadledd Ymchwil i Fyfyrwyr dwyieithog cyntaf Cymru yn 2022. 

Nia is passionate about fostering a love for the Welsh language among prospective teachers, teachers and pupils. She leads on the delivery of Welsh language provision for the PGCE Programme in Wales at all levels and is responsible for developing the skills of students who will become Welsh teachers in the second language and first language sectors. She also uses this expertise in leading language awareness training for both staff and students.

She is currently supervising two Professional Doctorate students.

Nia is a co-author of the free bilingual Open Learn course Mentoring Mindsets which focuses on quality mentoring in the initial teacher education phase and has also published a suite of resources on using language technology in teaching for the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

She also published the OU’s first bilingual research conversations blog on Cymraeg 2050:

One of the million: developing Welsh language skills amongst ITE students | Research Conversations: by and for Education researchers (open.ac.uk)

Nia is the OU representative for the Collaborative Research network research network on Welsh and bilingualism.

Mae Nia yn un o gyd-awduron y cwrs 'Open Learn' sef Mentoring Mindsets sy'n canolbwyntio ar fentora ansawdd ym nghyfnod addysg gychwynnol athrawon ac mae hefyd wedi cyhoeddi cyfres o adnoddau ar ddefnyddio technoleg iaith wrth addysgu'r Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

Cyhoeddodd hefyd flog sgyrsiau ymchwil dwyieithog cyntaf y Brifysgol Agored ar Cymraeg 2050:

Un o'r miliwn: datblygu sgiliau iaith Gymraeg ymhlith myfyrwyr Addysg Gychwynnol Athrawon | Sgyrsiau Ymchwil: gan ac ar gyfer ymchwilwyr Addysg (open.ac.uk)

Nia yw cynrychiolydd y Brifysgol Agored ar gyfer rhwydwaith ymchwil cydweithredol y Gymraeg a dwyieithrwydd.

 Nia works with a number of external stakeholders, is on the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol Academic Board, and the Coleg’s Welsh Language Competency Framework Board. She represents the sector on the Welsh Government’s Welsh in Education Workforce Implementation Group. She also has a wider role within the OU on the WELS  Faculty Academic Committee. She is a panel member for ‘Athrawon Iaith yfory’, a cross-consortia training and education network for Welsh subject teachers.

Nia is an established External Examiner, most recently for Cardiff Metoropolitan University, and has participated in external university programme validation for UWTSD and Wrexham Glyndŵr University.

Mae Nia'n gweithio gyda nifer o randdeiliaid allanol. Mae ar Fwrdd Academaidd y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, a Bwrdd Fframwaith Cymwyseddau Iaith Gymraeg y Coleg. Mae hi'n cynrychioli'r sector ar Grŵp Gweithredu Gweithlu’r Gymraeg mewn Addysg, Llywodraeth Cymru. Mae ganddi hefyd rôl ehangach o fewn y Brifysgol Agored ar Bwyllgor Academaidd Cyfadran WELS. Mae'n aelod o banel 'Athrawon Iaith yfory', sef rhwydwaith hyfforddi ac addysg traws-gonsortia ar gyfer athrawon pwnc Cymru.

Mae Nia yn Arholwr Allanol, yn fwyaf diweddar ar gyfer Prifysgol Metoropolitan Caerdydd, ac mae wedi bod yn ddilysydd allanol ar gyfer rhaglenni ym mhrifysgolion Prifysgol Cymru Y Drindod Dewi Sant a Phrifysgol Glyndŵr Wrecsam.