Personal profile

Personal Statement

Will joined the University of Strathclyde’s Institute of Education as a Teaching Fellow in 2021. Previously, he worked in Falkirk Council as a teacher of Geography and Rural Skills and held the position of Faculty Head for Social Subjects and RMPS. During this time Will developed a keen interest in Learning for Sustainability and understanding barriers to its implementation. Tracking, monitoring and moderation in the Broad General Education phase was also an area of interest. 

Since joining the Institute of Education, Will's work and knowledge exchange activity has specialised in the fields of Sustainability Education, Geography Education and Practitioner Enquiry. He is also active in a number of national and international working groups and professional networks relating to these areas. 

Will is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and a member of the Scottish Association of Geography Teachers.  

Teaching Interests

Module Leadership:

  • Course Tutor for PGDE Geography
  • Module Leader for the MEd module X3969 - Learning for Sustainability
  • Co-Module leader for the PGDE module X9674 - Professional Learning through Enquiry
  • Module Leader for the BA module X2204 - Learning for Sustainability: Theory and Practice 
  • Member of the PGDE Course Management Team

 

Tutor/Lecturer:

  • X3969 – Learning for Sustainability (MEd)
  • X9574 – Professional Learning through Enquiry (PGDE)
  • X9573 – Education Studies, Professional Values (PGDE)
  • X9577 – Curriculum and Pedagogy: Geography (PGDE)
  • X7460 – Professional Skills: Professional Practice (PGDE)
  • X7331 – Teaching Social Studies Creatively (BA)
  • X9284 – Learning for Sustainability: Theory and Practice (Interdisciplinary Module)
  • X7334 - Social Research Methods (BA)
  • X9651 - Practitioner Enquiry for Professional Learning
  • Masters dissertation supervision (MEd/MSc)
  • Undergraduate dissertation supervision

Expertise & Capabilities

Will offers CPD/CLPL in People, Place and Environment to primary and lower secondary practitioners. Will also offers CPD/CLPL in Learning for Sustainability and Education for Sustainable Development for both primary and secondary settings.

Information on the sessions Will delivers can be found in the Institute of Education CLPL catalogue: https://www.strath.ac.uk/humanities/education/career-longprofessionallearning/ 

Will leads the Strathclyde Institute of Education Sustainable Development Group.

As an active member of the StrathCAN network, Will is an experienced Climate Fresk facilitator and specialises in delivering interdisciplinary climate education experiences. 

Research Interests

In 2024 Will was awarded the Global Challenges Teaching Award (Climate Change) by the US-UK Fulbright Commission. In partnership with The Division of Science of Brandeis University, Massachusetts, Will and colleagues are co-creating a Virtual Exchange/Collaborative Online International Learning initiative. https://fulbright.org.uk/our-community/meet-our-fulbrighters/ 

Will represented the Strathclyde Institute of Education in the Erasmus+ Island Schools (iSHRINK) project. This project saw Will working collaboratively with colleagues in institutions in The Netherlands, Greece, Iceland and Spain to bring schools from across Europe’s islands together around sustainability challenges. Further information can be found on the projects website https://www.islandschools.eu/  

Will has been interviewed about his work and research on the Institute of Education podcast. You can listen through the following link https://tinyurl.com/585t8zkj  

Will is a co-convener of the Strathclyde Children and Young People Sustainability Network which supports research, teaching and knowledge exchange activities that promote children and young people’s participation in realising the Sustainable Development Goals

Will is currently a Doctoral student on the University of Strathclyde’s EdD programme. His doctoral research explores the distribution of public open spaces in urban areas and its influence on the wellbeing of adolescents.

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 1 - No Poverty
  • SDG 2 - Zero Hunger
  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
  • SDG 4 - Quality Education
  • SDG 5 - Gender Equality
  • SDG 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation
  • SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
  • SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
  • SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities
  • SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities
  • SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production
  • SDG 13 - Climate Action
  • SDG 14 - Life Below Water
  • SDG 15 - Life on Land
  • SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
  • SDG 17 - Partnerships for the Goals

Keywords

  • Sustainability
  • Geography
  • Education

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