Education

Research Interests

• Scientific concepts held by pre-school children
• The elicitation and correction of science misconceptions by means of constructivist philosophy-driven conceptual change pedagogies
• Confirmation bias and its influence on science observation/ inference making (in both historical and contemporary contexts)
• The use of practical work to enhance achievement in school science
• Radio-assisted practice in Initial Teacher Education.

Peter's main interest is in school-based teacher education.

The members of the Physical Education team are active researchers, as well as being involved in the publication of materials for Initial Teacher Training and Newly Qualified Teachers.

Peter, Cathy and Julia have written chapters in "Learning to Teach Physical Education in the Secondary School", 1997, and 2004 editions.

Peter, Cathy, Anne and Julia have also written chapters for "Teaching Physical Education in the Secondary School - A Practical Guide" which is due for publication in 2005.

Peter, Anne and Julia are currently writing a paper for the Teacher Training Agency entitled 'Achieving Consistency in the Assessment of Students against the Standards for the Award of Qualified Teacher Status'. This is part of TTA project, due for publication in early 2005.

Anne is currently exploring the way in which professional learning is understood and experienced by teachers, and the meaning they attribute to those experiences. A narrative approach is being taken.

Anne's research interests are:

• Narrative and Auto/Biography;
• Identities;
• Professionalism;
• Professional Learning/Continuing Professional Development;
• Education policy;

Research Related Report:

• Exploration of black and minority ethnic students’ experiences of physical education teacher education supported by a Recruitment and Retention Challenge Grant from the Training and Development Agency (TDA) led by Leeds Metropolitan University in 2008 to 2009.

Conference Presentations:

• Chappell, A. (2012) The good, the bad and the others: accounts of significant others in teachers’ professional learning, presentation at the British Sociological Association Auto/Biography Study Group Conference, University of Reading, 13^th July 2012.
• Chappell, A. (2012) Whose story? Narratives of professional learning experiences, presentation at the Narrative Matters Conference, American University of Paris, 31^st May 2012.
• Chappell, A. (2011) Whose story? Narratives of professional learning experiences, presentation at the British Sociological Association Auto/Biography Study Group Conference, University of Reading, July 2011.
• Chappell, A. and Ludhra, G. (2010) ‘You were quiet. I did all the marching’: Research processes involved in hearing the voices of South-Asian girls, presentation at the British Sociological Association Auto/Biography Study Group Conference, University of Leicester, July 2010.
• Chappell, A. (2009) Professional development: experiences of moving forward, poster presentation at the National Conference of the Association for Physical Education, Cotswold Water Park, Cirencester, June 2009.
• Flintoff, A., Chappell, A., Gower, C., Jones, A., Lawrence, J., Keyworth, S., Money, J., Squires, S., and Webb, L. (2009) Black and Minority Ethnic Trainees’ Experiences of Physical Education Initial Teacher Education, poster presentation at the National Conference of the Association for Physical Education, Cotswold Water Park, Cirencester, June 2009.
• Gower, C. and Chappell, A. (2009) Exploring the relationship between teaching and research within an Initial Teacher Education ‘Community of Practice’, presented at the Brunel University 10^th Annual Symposium on Learning and Teaching, April 2009.
• Cale, L. and Chappell, A. (2009) Research in Initial Teacher Training and Education: Key Issues, Challenges, Opportunities, presented at the Physical Education Initial Teacher Training and Education Network Conference, Eastwood Hall, Nottingham, February 2009.
• Gower, C. and Chappell, A. (2007) The evolving role of Initial Teacher Education in Continuing Professional Development, presented at the Physical Education Initial Teacher Training and Education Network Conference, Woodside, Warwickshire, October 2007.
• Gower, C. and Chappell, A. (2007) The evolving role of Initial Teacher Education in Continuing Professional Development, presented at the National Conference of the Association for Physical Education, Carden Park, Cheshire, July 2007.
• Murray, J. and Chappell, A. (2005), Constructions of changing academic/ professional identities during induction into Higher Education, presented at the BERA annual conference, University of Glamorgan, September 2005.

At present, Nics main research focus is the ‘Darkside’ of digital technology’, in particular ‘Internet Trolls’, ‘Grief Tourism’ and ‘Pro-Ana/Pro-Mia digital presences’. 

He is also exploring the links between digital play and the curriculum, specifically the ways that digital games can be used as tools for learning.

Innovative approaches to pedagogy in Initial Teacher Education.

Using narrative research and video analysis techniques to support professional learning.

Sarmin’s research interests lie mainly in the following areas: 1) Learning technologies and adoption of technologies in education, with a particular focus on tools for modelling and simulating such adoption contexts 2) Mathematics and Mathematics Teacher Education – with a focus on ‘understanding mathematics in depth’ 3) Engineering Education – with a focus on the uptake of engineering initiatives and progarmmes in school education and its impact on students’ engineering study/career choices. Further details of these interests and how they have been explored so far, details of relevant funding bodies, co-researchers/collaborators (both national and international) involved and publications/reports which have resulted from such works are as follows:

1) Learning technologies, adoption of technologies in education, modelling and simulation tools

Sarmin’s doctoral research resulted in the construction of a Fuzzy Cognitive Map (FCM) model of ICT adoption in schools. The model was constructed in the mathematical programming language Matlab®. Her thesis is titled “Modelling Educational Software adoption in schools”. Her previous research in the area includes: Identifying and analyzing roles of stakeholders in the school educational domain. Identifying issues surrounding the problematic adoption of educational ICTs and conducting empirical studies, this resulted in her Masters Dissertation. 2. Exploration of applications of machine learning in simulation research for project titled ‘Machine Learning in Simulation Research: Methodology and Applications’. Her research subsequently focused on FCM and Simulation Modelling as tools for use within the Information Systems (IS) domain. This resulted in a report on the exploitation of FCMs in IS which was submitted to the Brunel Research Initiative and Enterprise Fund award.

Currently she is interested in extending her doctorate work to exploring and modelling digital technologies in the mathematics classrooms and exploring the integration of ICT across other curriculum subjects.

 2) Mathematics and Mathematics Teacher Education

Sarmin is currently involved with the QUANTUM-UK project, led by Professor Jill Adler (Kings College London and University of Witswatersrand). This scoping study has been funded by Kings College London. The study extends from a project in mathematics teacher education currently on-going in South Africa looking at the qualifications for teachers under-qualified in mathematics. The scoping study has been exploring the UK context and finds some similarity between programmes in South Africa (SA) and UK’s recently introduced Mathematics Enhancement Courses (MEC). This has led the research team to investigate the MEC as an alternative route into teaching and through this explore ‘Mathematics Knowledge for Teaching’ with a focus on Understanding Mathematics in Depth. The research team include collaborators from Liverpool Hope, Manchester University and University of East London.

Other research in the area includes- working on a scoping study funded by the Nuffield Foundation, led by Professor Mike Askew and Dr Jeremy Hodgen (Kings College London). The scoping project identified and provided an overview of research in countries with high mathematics attainment. This resulted in a report titled Values and Variables: Mathematics Education in High-Performing Countries which was submitted to the Nuffield Foundation.

3) Engineering Education

Sarmin is currently involved in working on a systematic review titled Systematic Review of Education for Engineering and Interventions for Engineering Education within STEM-related Developments in the UK, led by Professor Peter Kutnick (Hong Kong University) and Dr David Good (University of Cambridge). The review is funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering. It is concerned with examining studies which have evaluated existing/previous engineering education interventions; to systematically identify the qualities and outcomes of these initiatives (which promote engineering formally and informally among school-aged children); to identify a range of pedagogies used within engineering (educational) interventions.

She is also involved in the study/project titledA cross-sectional study of effects on perceptions and actions towards engineering education as a result of interventions within LEP schools. The other proposers of this study include Dr David Good (University of Cambridge), Professor Peter Kutnick (Hong Kong University) and Heather Hawthorne (Royal Academy of Engineering). The study is funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering. This is a tracking/cross-sectional study focusing on the number and type of engineering activities that have taken place in particular schools as part of the London Engineering Project. This study is concerned with exploring the extent of particular pupil involvement (as opposed to general number attending events) with these engineering initiatives; impact on pupils with regard to their age and involvement; teacher and staff views of particular aspects of the programme with regard to pedagogy and materials; identification of which parents have been involved; and relationships to technical/higher education career aspiration/choice.

Her main research area involves the exploration of the relationships between the incidence of connected mathematical thinking in children and trainee teachers of primary mathematics and their mental mathematics competence, confidence and strategy choices in the context of the Primary Mathematics. Her doctoral work used design-based research to design an intervention programme to develop the mental mathematics of trainee teachers for teaching.

Deborah has taken a feminist poststructuralist approach to research and enquiry. She is concerned with ways of exploring the production of professional teacher identities both at the initial stage of formation, and also in relation to primary headship. Key areas of research have involved the perceptions and experiences of male teachers in the early years of schooling and the perceptions of female teachers who have worked with men in this context.

Subsequent work has taken a phenomenological approach and explored the lived experiences of male and female head teachers. This research explores issues connected with men in a variety of care and educational roles with respect to young children. Her book ‘Men in the Lives of Young Children’ published by Routledge, contextualised this work, drawing upon her network of international contributors. Her current research focus is on the narratives of British Asian headteachers.

Additionally, Deborah has undertaken research and evaluation for both charities and industry which have investigated the interface between policy and practice. Among these have been 2 national British Telecom schools literacy projects. The first focussed on ‘Reading Volunteers’ and explored the quality and level of interaction of BT volunteers with teachers, headteachers, children and the wider school community. The second, ‘Partners in Communication’ was an innovative quality development scheme which aimed to enable both primary and secondary schools to improve their approach to communication in relation to pupils, staff, governors, parents and external bodies. These projects have provided innovative national models of support and practice.

Deborah is European Editor for the Journal Early Child Development and Care and is a regular reviewer for a variety of academic journals. She currently has 8 PhD students at various stages of their work and has examined doctoral work externally at a number of universities. She has a consistent track record of presenting her work at international conferences including the American Education research Association (AERA), the British Education Research Association (BERA), the the National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (NAECTE) and INET.

My work covers both primary and secondary education.

My main research interests are:

• All aspects of Mathematics Education.
• Teachers’ responses to government policy.
• Aspects of talent development of students in urban areas and the role of their parents in their education.
• Effective classroom practices to address children’s special abilities and interests.
• Education of mathematically promising pupils.
• Assessment.
• The role of Action Research in continuing professional development of teachers.
• The use of Design Research for educational interventions.

Dawn works in conjunction with colleagues in The School of Engineering and Design and is a member of the Centre for Sensors and Instrumentation. She is currently involved with two main projects: The fist is the High Energy Particle Physics experiment, CMS at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, Geneva. CMS is one of two general purpose detectors at the LHC, which has been optimised to search for the predicted Higgs Boson over a wide mass range; The second is the development of a radiation dosimeter based on quantum dots, which are luminescent nanoscale particles with particularly interesting properties.

Dawn is particularly interested in combining her research in Physics and Engineering with her work in Education and often takes part in outreach events with the aim of encouraging students to continue their study of science-based subjects to A-Level and beyond.

I am currently engaged in the last phase my doctoral study which explores the complex ways in which a group of academically ‘successful’ South Asian girls (aged between 16-18 years), navigate aspects of culture and religion within their academic and personal lives   I am adopting a narrative research approach, which draws on notions of intersectionality within a black feminist perspective. My PhD has enabled me to engage in valuable inter-disciplinary work with academic colleagues from other institutions and university departments beyond Initial Teacher Training.  I have been awarded the BERA ‘Mentoring of the Minds Award’ (2012-2013) with Professor Ann Phoenix, Institute of Education, and secured a place on the Brunel ESRC Research Leaders Programme (2012-2013).

Editorial boards:

• International Journal of Adolescence and Youth (IJAY)
• The Journal of Early Childhood and Care

Brunel research groups:

• Education Identities and Social Inclusion (EISI)
• Brunel Theory Group
• Centre for Youth Work Studies (CYWS).

Professional memberships:

• British Sociological Association (BSA)
• BSA Auto/Biography Group
• Centre for Narrative Research (UEL)
• British Education Research Association (BERA)
• National Association for Teachers of English (NATE)

For two decades I have devoted my career to understanding bullying in schools and, particularly, how bullying affects the mental health and well-being of adolescents. I am particularly interested in bias-based bullying and how its impacts upon those who experience it and witness it. In the 1990s the focus of my research was on the nature and long-term correlates of homophobic bullying. It was conducted at a time when Section 28 of the Local Government Act was in full force and also when few organisations (including LGBT organisations), other than a few key unions (NASUWT, NUT and UNISON), were willing to listen and acknowledge that this had been and continued to be an issue in British schools.

My more recent research, conducted with colleagues from various universities in the U.K. and U.S., has focus on text and-email bullying and the experiences of witnesses. Working collaboratively with local education authorities, our studies have shown that, across five years (2001-2006), text and e-mail bullying rose with the take-up of technology by young people transitioning to high school. We have also shown that students who witness bullying at school not only are affected by that experience but share a number of similarities with victims. Issues such as feelings of powerlessness, witnessing bias-based bullying and cognitive dissonance are associated with an increased likelihood of engaging in self-harming and destructive behaviours.

My research increasingly includes the integration of theories drawn from social and developmental psychology with aspects of cognitive psychology (particularly implicit and explicit reasoning) to better understand the train of thought that takes an individual form a position of safety to one of potential harm. I hope that this research can be applied to many contexts and fields of study.

I have prepared a short series of briefing notes based on some of the research I have conducted over the last few years.

1. Bystanders

2. Homophobic Bullying

3. Cyberbullying

4. Why Do Kids Bully Others?

BOOKS

Rivers, I and Duncan, N. (2013). Bullying: Experiences and discourses of
sexuality and gender. London: Routledge. ISBN-13 9780415505031.

Bullying: Experiences and Discourses of Sexuality and Gender provides a valuable insight into the experiences of young people and how bullying can impact upon them in the school environment. The book offers an introduction to the key issues associated with bullying on the grounds of sex and sexual orientation, and points to key policies and guidance on these
difficult issues. With cutting-edge research and appliedstudies from leading academics and practitioners in the field, Bullying combines theory with suggestions for practical intervention for practitioners in education and social work. Chapter by chapter, the book strengthens the reader’s knowledge base, and demonstrates how best to develop both academic and advocacy arguments to confront bullying, formulate intervention through examples of research findings, and recommend advice and guidance in professional contexts. Bullying offers multiple perspectives to challenge bullying related to gender, sexuality, and transgender status.

The book includes the latest work on sexual bullying and the implications for policy and practice, sexual dimensions of cyberbullying, homophobia, sex differences in bullying, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues in educational contexts, and planning and delivering interventions in schools.

Ward, R., Rivers, I. and Sutherland, M. (Eds.) (2012). Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender ageing: Biographical approaches for inclusive care and support. London: Jessica Kingsley Press. ISBN-13 9781849052573

This important book should be recommended reading for all health and social care practitioners working with older people, not just those with an existing interest in LGBT issues. The essays cover an impressive range of topics, including meeting the needs of LGBT people affected by dementia, understanding the caring relationships of LGBT people, the experiences of older lesbians in the UK, and the special challenges faced by transgender people as they reach old age. - Journal of Dementia Care

Rivers, I. and Ward, R. (Eds.) (2012). Out of the ordinary; Representations of LGBT lives. Newcastle- Upon-Tyne: CambridgeScholars Publishing. ISBN‐13 9781443837439.

"Out of the Ordinary: Representations of LGBT Lives" is a book that seeks to case study the ways in which being other than heterosexual and other than biologically male or female can be or represented today. The essays contained within this book represent a body of creativity and thought that is rarely found together. It offers insights into the ways in which lives are not only experienced but portrayed by others as well as by those lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people who live them.

 Rivers, I. (2011). Homophobic bullying: Research and theoretical perspectives. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN-13  9780195160536.

The voices of pain are powerful.The author presents poignant, evocative narratives in which victims express the  maelstrom of confusion that peer abuse etched on their memories. He integrates a rich review of pivotal investigations on the topic of bullying with primary quantitative and qualitative data as he introduces three original studies that focus on the victimization of sexual minorities. His insightful discussion of classic and contemporary theories from a multidisciplinary perspective will sharpen the reader's understanding of the complex set of psychosocial factors involved in this cycle of abuse. This is a powerful, timely reminder that there are no innocent bystanders in the "bullying circle." Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty/professionals. – CHOICE

Those seeking a better understanding of the problems encountered by victims of bullying will find...Homophobic Bullying by Ian Rivers, a useful work of scholarship. Rivers compiled data from numerous studies on the form and nature of the problem and created a curriculum to help eliminate bullying in schools, starting in kindergarten with the simple message that there are different types of families, and progressing all the way through high school with lessons on the consequences that follow from homophobic taunting and exclusions. Homophobic Bullying is an academic work, written with the emotional detachment of its genre. The personal accounts from victims, while gripping, are brief. However the curriculum and supporting data make this a treasure trove for anyone creating change in a school or workplace. Homophobic Bullying should be in the principal’soffice. – Gay and Lesbian Review Worldwide.

Rivers, I., Duncan, N., & Besag, V.E. (2007). Bullying: A handbook for educators and parents. Westport: Greenwood/Praeger. ISBN 0-313-33850-2

Drawing on research conducted in the US, the UK, Scandinavia, and Canada, Rivers offers insight into the immediate and long-term impact that bullying can have on the lives of students, their families, and teachers. He gives parents tips for working proactively with school administrators to resolve bullying issues, and provides teachers with materials that facilitate a better understanding of the social dynamics of the classroom, hallways, and playground. Administrators will find a quick guide to recent state and federal statutes, directives, and legislation related to bullying and antisocial behavior in grades K-12. –Library Media Connection.

RESEARCH GROUP

Education, Identities and Social Inclusion (EISI)

Paula’s main research interest is to create Learning Pathways, which capture Reflective Practice for Professional Development in student, early career and experienced teachers within her innovative framework designed to structure evidence informed practice.
Other research interests include: Models of effective Partnership working in ITE; Mentor training, support and accreditation; Removing barriers to achievement; Interpersonal relationships and Communication skills; Management and Leadership skills; Continuing Professional Development; how to draw upon Advanced Skills Teachers’ [AST] effectively to support student teachers in their development of ICT skills and use of Web 2.0 technologies/resources.

Exemplars of recent/ongoing projects

· 2011 [ongoing] Lesson Planning study with 7 other HEIs – led by Brunel University

· 2010-2011 Links between ICT Advanced Skills Teachers and ITT, TDA funded

· 2010-2011 Scaling up Models of Teacher Education: Reflective Practice for Professional Development, UCET Research Collaborative Network

· 2009-2010 Literature Review: Effective ITE partnership working, TDA funded

· 2009 CPD Leadership in 21^st Society – accredited MA module, TDA funded

· 2009 ICT for Future Teachers, workshops to create vision for the future, Becta funded

· 2009 Reviewing and developing the SEN portal and guidance for trainee teachers, TDA funded