Biography

I was appointed Teaching Associate in the School of Education in October 2019 after 25 years of teaching social subjects in Fife. I had been Faculty Head of a large department and the regional coordinator for modern studies for over a decade. My wider experience includes being a modern studies question setter for the SQA since 2000 and more recently as the Subject Implementation Manager for modern studies alongside my university role. This enabled me to support students in the ITE programme with current policy and practice. I am able to draw on a wide network of expert colleagues such as Principal Assessors to work with students.

My knowledge of modern studies teaching is routinely used to support GTCS colleagues in reviewing those seeking modern studies certification.

I value strong relationships across all aspects of my work. I am a mentor for new colleagues and seek to support students throughout their studies at Strathclyde.

Teaching Interests

I am the course tutor for PGDE modern studies and am involved in courses relating to this within both primary and secondary in the School of Education. I teach the citizenship element of Learning for Sustainability at Master’s level and have recently embarked on engagement with some of the School of Education’s international work through both the iPGCE and TESOL.

A key teaching interest is practitioner enquiry with ITE students and working to ensure that this is valued and reflected within their ITE year. I have recently (May 2022) become co-leader of the PLTE course.

Research Interests

I have completed several Master’s level courses around inclusion and supporting teacher learning. The latter resulted in post-graduate certification. I am embarking on an EdD is September 2022 following the Supporting Teacher Learning pathway. A current area of focus is on mentoring within the ITE. Based on this, I have been asked to contribute a chapter to a book on early researchers being edited by Deirdre Harvey at St Agatha’s (due January 2023).

Expertise & Capabilities

• curricular knowledge of modern studies
• planning, assessment and curriculum design
• mentoring skills