Biography
Stephen Thorpe is a PhD student, group facilitator and IT consultant specialising in the online groupwork domain and trains others in online facilitation. Working with Zenergy, he has been researching ways to enhance the effectiveness of online groups. His PhD explores facilitation as a vital area in assisting online groups with a focus on the benefits of story in online relationship development.

Stephen is the Secretary of the International Association of Facilitators and Editor of Group Facilitation: A Research and Applications Journal.

Education

Auckland University of Technology
2008 (in progress) PhD - The use of storytelling in facilitating online relationship development

Zenergy
2006 Zenergy Diploma of Facilitation

Auckland University of Technology
2001 Bachelor of Business with First Class Honours

Manukau Institute of Technology
1997 Advanced National Certificate in Retailing
1996 National Certificate in Retailing

Experience

Information Technology Director | Zenergy Ltd
2001 - Present

Responsible for office administration, IT function and planning for Zenergy Limited, a NZ-based facilitation, mediation, coaching and facilitation training company. Responsibilities include website development and maintenance, graduate database management, the design and production of advertising and marketing collateral, graduate statistics, development of management reports, managing the enrolment process, providing IT support to the team and company directors, presenting at international facilitator conferences in the USA, Australia and NZ. Co-designed and lead the Zenergy Online Facilitation Skills training programme, co-authored a chapter in the Handbook of Group Facilitation and contributing author of the 2007 edition of The Art of Facilitation by Dr. Dale Hunter.

Lecturer (Part-Time) | Auckland University of Technology
2000 - 2006

Taught on the 407105 Human Computer Interaction paper of the Bachelor of Business, and Bachelor of Computer Science degrees. A strong focus of the paper is on the application of usability within systems design. Key accountabilities included: tutorial design and delivery, assisting in the development of existing and new modules, monitoring the progress and assessment of students, participating in assessment policy, validation and quality control procedures.

Research Officer | Auckland University of Technology
2000 - 2004

Worked within a research team environment. Managed the AUT ethics committee approval process for the start-up of the Systems Usability Research Laboratory (SERL) (now called the User Experience Lab). Developed and piloted systems and procedures for usability testing. Coordinated and trained other staff in user testing procedures. Undertook usability testing of two versions of AUT’s WebSol/Business Online (BOL) interactive learning system. Conducted usability testing of NZ tourism websites in association with AUT’s Tourism Research Institute (TRI) and presented research findings at the New Zealand Tourism and Hospitality Research Conference in December 2000.

Presented research on E-learning in Higher Learning Institutions in the United Arab Emirates at the E-ducation Without Borders Conference in 2001 and published a chapter in the E-ducation Without Borders book.

Involved in the planning, design, development and usability testing of a digital whiteboard called a Large Interactive Display System (LIDS). A New Economy Research Funded project in conjunction with Waikato University, Manukau Institute of Technology and the University of Auckland. My role involved production of technical reports, conducting usability testing, authoring and presentation of usability research findings at the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education (ASCILITE) Conference, Auckland 8-11 December, 2002.

Project managed the Tutorial for Business Modelling (TBM) initiative. Role involved writing funding submissions, development of the proposed system's information design and learning content, analysis of screen capture software, development of integrating terminology and learning structure, storyboarding, usability testing and post-testing development of a CD-ROM tutorial used in the 406102 Information Engineering paper of the Bachelor of Business degree.

Lecturer (Part-Time) | Auckland University of Technology
2004

Taught on the 475120 Business Information Management and 475130 Globalization and Business Enterprise papers in the First Year Integrated Programme of the Bachelor of Business Degree. Key accountabilities included: designing lessons, teaching students, assisting in the development of existing and new modules, monitoring the progress and assessment of students, and participating in assessment policy, validation and quality control procedures.

IT Consultant | Thorpe Contracting Ltd
2001 - Present

Part-time freelance web design and marketing collateral (brochures, logos, CD cover design and labelling). Front and back end conception, design, development and maintenance of websites, usability testing, CD-Rom creation and production. See my web design portfolio at www.stephenthorpe.co.nz.

Vocational Training

Coaching for Outstanding Results
An Introduction to Adult Learning and Teaching
Psychodrama
Co-counselling

Interests, Associations & Community

Jogging, reading, travelling, social networking, friends and family
Secretary of the International Association of Facilitators
Editor-in-Chief of Group Facilitation: A Research and Applications Journal
IAF-Australia & New Zealand Regional Leadership Team
On the Advisory Panel of the Global Facilitators Service Corps
Member of the Australasian Facilitators Network
Student Member of The New Zealand Computer Society
Member of the NZ Chapter of the Usability Professionals Association
Member of the Participation Community of Practice - part of New Zealand's E-government Strategy
Secretary of Maungakiekie Toastmasters (District 72: Club 7686)
Member of the Amnesty International
Member of the Heart Politics NZ

Research Publications

Chapters in Books
Thorpe, S. (2008) Facilitating effective online participation in e-government. In New Zealand E-government 2007: Progress Towards Transformation. State Services Commission, pp. 103-104.
Thorpe, S. (2008) The Use of Storytelling in Building Online Group Relationships. In Kelsey, S. and St. Amant, K. The Handbook of Research on Computer Mediated Communication. San Francisco: Idea Group Inc.
Thorpe, S. (2007) Welcome to Issue 8. Editorial. Group Facilitation: A Research and Applications Journal. 8, p. 8.
Thorpe, S. (2007) Facilitation Online. In Hunter, D. The Art of Facilitation. Random House New Zealand: Auckland.
Hunter, D. & S. Thorpe (2005) Facilitator Values and Ethics. In S. Schuman (Ed.), The IAF Handbook of Group Facilitation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Thorpe, S. (2004) Online Storytelling in IS Research. Chapter 2. (ed) Cusack, B. The Proceedings of the 2004 NACCQ Post-Graduate Symposium. Auckland, Trumps.
Thorpe, S. (2001) E-learning as an Opportunity for Higher Learning Institutions. In Tayeb, A. and J. Metzner, L. Bornstein (Eds.) Education Without Borders. CERT Publishing Centre: Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Research Papers
Hunter, D. & S. Thorpe (2006) Mapping the Field of Facilitation. Paper presented at The 9th IAF Asia Facilitators Conference. August 31 - September 1, 2006, Singapore.
Thorpe, S. (2004). Online Facilitation. Paper presented at Heart Politics. January 7-11, Taupo.
Thorpe, S. & P. Carter, A. Baker, B. Lough (2002) The Use of a Large Interactive Display Surface (LIDS) in Graphic Design Teaching. Proceedings of the 19th Annual conference of the Australasian Society for Computers in learning in Tertiary Education (ASCILITE). December 8-11, Auckland.
Thorpe, S. & Carter, P. (2002). Factors Impacting on the use of Large Interactive Display Surfaces. Unpublished paper.
Thorpe, S. (2001) Online Facilitation Pilot Study: An Exploration of the Zenergy Online Group. Paper presented at AFN/ALARPM/IAP2/SCIAR. October 7-8, 2001, Brisbane, Australia.
Thorpe, S. (2000) Usability Testing for Web-based Travel Agents. Paper presented at The 4th Annual New Zealand Tourism and Hospitality Research Conference. December 5-8, 2000, Auckland.

Referees

Referees and portfolio available upon request.

Homepages

Stephen Thorpe
www.stephenthorpe.co.nz

Website for my PhD research group
www.onlinestory.net

Zenergy Limited
www.zenergyglobal.com

Group Facilitation: A Research and Applications Journal
www.albany.edu/cpr/gf/gfj/

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