Research Groups
Research Groups
Professional
Partnerships with educators and other professionals will help changes in practice.
Our research into professional learning for all validates the use of:
- practitioner enquiry
- coaching and mentoring
- video interaction guidance
- collaborative and multi-agency practice
We recognise tensions between performance based on compliance and authentic professional learning. These allow for divergent outcomes.
We now have research evidence indicating that significant factors in practitioner development include:
- dialogue
- an enabling culture
- theorised practice
- attuned communication
- effective frameworks and tools
Professional Learning for Change staff
Professional Learning for Change Staff
Dr Wilma Barrow
Senior Lecturer Educational Psychology Joint Director DAppEdPsy Programme
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 8717
Dr Gail Edwards
Lecturer
Email: gail.edwards@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 6591
Professor Simon Gibbs
Professor of Inclusive Educational Psychology and Philosophy
Email: simon.gibbs@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 6575
Professor Rene Koglbauer
Dean of Lifelong Learning and Professional Practice | Executive Director of North Leadership Centre
Email: rene.koglbauer@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 8453
Professor David Leat
Prof of Curriculum Innovation
Email: david.leat@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 6578
Emerita Professor Sue Robson
Emerita Professor
Lucy Tiplady
CfLaT Research Associate
Email: lucy.tiplady@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 7449
Professor Liz Todd
Prof of Educational Inclusion
Email: liz.todd@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 6572
Society
We look at the relationship children, young people and families have with universal and targeted services.
Our research includes the places children, young people and families inhabit, eg schools, young offender institutions, courts. This work looks at families’ role in the creation, implementation and impact of policy and practice.
It has a particular focus in making a contribution to children, parents/carers and practitioners. We aim to reduce social and educational inequalities through their:
- inclusion
- resilience
- creative participation
Key themes include:
- how creative ethical practice in social, educational and health services can be sustained
- how children, young people and communities participate in the development of services (including schools)
- how children and families find the support and opportunities they need at different times
- what conceptual ideas support this policy and practice
We use several tools to achieve these aims, including:
- theory of change framework
- visual methods
- participatory research
- working in partnership
- VIG
- narrative approaches
Education, Society and Inequalities staff
Education, Society and Inequalities Staff
Dr Wilma Barrow
Senior Lecturer Educational Psychology Joint Director DAppEdPsy Programme
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 8717
Professor Jill Clark
Professor of Participatory Research Methods and Executive Director of the Research Centre for Learning and Teaching
Email: jill.clark@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 5637
Dr Gail Edwards
Lecturer
Email: gail.edwards@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 6591
Professor Simon Gibbs
Professor of Inclusive Educational Psychology and Philosophy
Email: simon.gibbs@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 6575
Karen Laing
Senior Research Associate
Email: k.j.c.laing@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 8735
Maria Mroz
Lecturer
Email: maria.mroz@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 6585
Emerita Professor Sue Robson
Emerita Professor
Dr Heather Smith
Senior Lecturer
Email: heather.smith@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 6820
Professor Liz Todd
Prof of Educational Inclusion
Email: liz.todd@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 6572
Innovative
Our researchers look at how and why education innovations succeed or fail.
Some of the headlines for our research projects include:
- Thinking Skills
- Learning 2 Learn
- Metacognition
- Enquiry-Based Learning
- Self Organised Learning Environments (SOLES)
There are other pedagogies and projects, including:
- Open Futures
- Philosophy for Children
- Mantle of the Expert
- Creative Partnerships
- Thinking for Learning
- Building Learning Power
They all have their advocates. They intend to change or even transform educational outcomes or systems. But this is harder to do than most people imagine.
Our research cluster takes a pragmatic approach within a socio-cultural stance. We pursue questions about how and why innovative approaches prosper or fade.
We do not take a neutral stance. We believe that more ‘productive’ pedagogies have much to offer 21st century contexts.
Where possible, we work in partnership with students, teachers, schools and third parties.
Innovative Pedagogy and Curriculum staff
Innovative Pedagogy and Curriculum Staff
Dr Gail Edwards
Lecturer
Email: gail.edwards@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 6591
Dr Hanneke Jones
Senior Lecturer in Education
Email: h.jones@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 5460
Professor Rene Koglbauer
Dean of Lifelong Learning and Professional Practice | Executive Director of North Leadership Centre
Email: rene.koglbauer@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 8453
Professor David Leat
Prof of Curriculum Innovation
Email: david.leat@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 6578
Dr James Stanfield
Lecturer
Email: james.stanfield@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: 07966 865 860
Ulrike Thomas
CfLaT Research Associate
Email: u.thomas@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 5654
Lucy Tiplady
CfLaT Research Associate
Email: lucy.tiplady@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 7449
Dr Pamela Woolner
Senior Lecturer in Education
Email: pamela.woolner@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 5470
Teach & Learn
Our group includes colleagues from the School and across the University. We share existing research and knowledge about teaching and learning.
We apply this to new research collaborations and practical applications to enhance student experience. Research themes include:
- learning, teaching and assessment
- classroom discourse
- the internationalisation of higher education
- intercultural learning and communication
- the role of technology in supporting learning
We also look at the development of inclusive learning environments and innovative pedagogies.
If you're interested in joining the Teaching and Learning group, visit our website.
Teaching and Learning in HE staff
Teaching and Learning in HE Staff
Professor Jill Clark
Professor of Participatory Research Methods and Executive Director of the Research Centre for Learning and Teaching
Email: jill.clark@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 5637
Emerita Professor Sue Robson
Emerita Professor
Dr James Stanfield
Lecturer
Email: james.stanfield@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: 07966 865 860
Professor Steve Walsh
Professor of Applied Linguistics
Email: steve.walsh@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 5094
tRee
We understand the transformative power of education. We see its contribution towards a fairer and just society.
Our research challenges the assumed neutrality of education.
It reflects on its social purposes. It works to disrupt normalised discourses, which reinforce and reify existing inequities.
tRee (Research in Transformative Education for Equity) staff
tRee (Research in Transformative Education for Equity) Staff
Fred Clark
Head of Education
Email: f.clark@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 8452
Dr Gail Edwards
Lecturer
Email: gail.edwards@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 6591
Dr Hanneke Jones
Senior Lecturer in Education
Email: h.jones@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 5460
Maria Mroz
Lecturer
Email: maria.mroz@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 6585
Dr Heather Smith
Senior Lecturer
Email: heather.smith@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 6820
Learning Environments
This research cluster brings together some well-established strands of work. This has the intention of focusing our activities and developing new ideas and projects.
Our interests cover the following areas:
School buildings
We have an established reputation in researching the relationship of school premises to education.
This includes:
- historical investigations
- evaluations of the evidence base for the impact of the environment on quality of learning
- interdisciplinary collaborations.
Visit our School Buildings website for more information.
Outdoor learning
We consider the impact of:
- being outside
- learning outdoors
- participating in activities such as gardening and nature study.
We have looked at many school-based outdoor learning initiatives.
We investigated children's learning and relationships they build when taking part in outdoor activities.
We provided formative evaluation during the development of Open Futures (from 2006 to 2010). We then did a full evaluation of the programme's impact within school.
In 2011, we worked with schools on the Creative Partnerships report about outdoor learning.
The psychology of learning environments
We're working with teachers and children to gain understanding of issues such as:
- how physical attributes of schools affect how teachers teach and children learn
- how important is it for a teacher to be able to adapt the arrangement of displays and furniture
- whether poor acoustic conditions make a difference
- whether smaller corridors affect children’s behaviour
Participation in design and change
Evidence suggests value in students, teachers and other staff engaging with their learning environment. This can be a catalyst for other educational and organisational change.
Our conference in 2011, brought together practitioners and academics from education and architecture. It explored participatory approaches to school design.
We have developed a range of visually mediated activities to help school communities talk to each other and make decisions.
Our interests centre on how, in practice, a beneficial relationship between setting and activity can be set in motion.
Learning Environments staff
Learning Environments Research Group Staff
Dr Wilma Barrow
Senior Lecturer Educational Psychology Joint Director DAppEdPsy Programme
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 8717
Professor Simon Gibbs
Professor of Inclusive Educational Psychology and Philosophy
Email: simon.gibbs@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 6575
Ulrike Thomas
CfLaT Research Associate
Email: u.thomas@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 5654
Lucy Tiplady
CfLaT Research Associate
Email: lucy.tiplady@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 7449
Dr Pamela Woolner
Senior Lecturer in Education
Email: pamela.woolner@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 5470