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Mary Brown
Mary joined BGU November 2023. Lecturer in Sociology and Criminology. Mary has contributed to the programme development and delivery of the new undergraduate programme: BA Criminology degree and to the BA Sociology degree, developing several modules including the new module Sociology of Education, one of her specialist subject areas. More widely, Mary contributes to the Lincolnshire Youth Justice Team Futures4Me programme on the Community Panel. She is involved with developing placement opportunities as part of the BA Criminology as well as developing involvement of multiple sections of Lincolnshire police and agencies within the Criminal justice System in vocational curriculum development and employability. Other connections and class based learning development Mary has affiliated with include from Social Work teams, the Lincolnshire Recovery Partnership and LiNCHIGHER. Previously, Mary gained her BA (Hons) Social Sciences degree at the University of Hertfordshire (1995), her PGCE from Nottingham Trent University (2010) and her Master of Philosophy research degree from University of Lincoln (2022). Mary has taught at Lincoln College, where she was a lecturer in sociology, criminology (2007-2024) and policing (2021-2024) and at the University of Lincoln where she was an Associate Lecturer (2018-2021). Mary’s research interests are principally focused on young people and social class, particularly in the field of education and the relationship between these and what they mean for experience and success in education. She has contributed to improved innovation and focus on learning programmes and their accessibility for wider participation students and those with more practical focus particularly from working class backgrounds. Such interests are also shared with the wider sociological community via the British Sociological Association and Mary is a contributor to discoversociety.org. By applying research literature reviews of sociologists of education, Mary has applied new found ways of contributing to teaching programmes. -
Professor Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson is Executive Dean of Research and Knowledge Exchange at BGU, and Professor of Local, Regional and Landscape History. Andrew joined the staff of Bishop Grosseteste University in 2007, following ten years at the University of Exeter. The main focus of Andrew’s research includes twentieth-century local, regional, and landscape change in rural and urban contexts, and especially in Lincolnshire and Devon. Professor Jackson also engages in public history and heritage projects, supervises doctoral students, and contributes to undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes in History. -
Dr Claire Thomson
Head of Centre for Enhancement in Learning and Teaching (CELT) Claire Thomson offers strategic leadership and management in the area of learning and teaching and student engagement. She has established the Centre for Enhancement in Learning and Teaching (CELT), a purposely-equipped state of the art centre, designed around new and innovative ways of working to implement the strategic aims of the Centre. Claire leads a dynamic team with responsibility for teaching excellence, teacher excellence and learning excellence – implementing research-informed enhancement across Bishop Grosseteste University whilst embedding the ‘Students Creating Change’ project, working with academics and professional support staff to ensure student engagement projects are established and evaluated at all levels of the institution. Claire’s research interest is in the area of learning and teaching in higher education and the development of new methodologies for the delivery of effective and engaging learning, teaching and assessment. A Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Claire joined Bishop Grosseteste University in 2000; prior to this, she lectured at the Universities of Keele and Sheffield. Research Claire’s research background is in medieval studies – including literature, linguistics, medieval art and architecture. Current research interests include Chaucer, medieval textual studies, codicology and palaeography, and the application of humanities computing to medieval texts. Recent publications include The Blake Editions – a series of online editions that present full diplomatic transcriptions of seven manuscripts of Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales. The work was a collaborative project with the Universities of Oxford, Sheffield, York and Leicester. Claire’s other area of research is in the field of learning and teaching and the undergraduate student experience. Research interests here focus on the development of student-centred, blended learning approaches that utilise e-technologies and new methodologies for the delivery of effective and engaging learning, teaching and assessment. Interested in evaluating impact and effectiveness of activities, Claire is currently working on the development and implementation of an Evaluation and Impact Framework based on the ‘What Works?’ approach. Recent publications in the area of learning and teaching focus on Bishop Grosseteste University’s ‘Students Creating Change’ project. -
Dr Julia Lindley-Baker
Julia Lindley-Baker coordinates and teaches on undergraduate programmes in Special Educational Needs and Inclusion(SENI) across the university. Having originally trained as a special needs teacher with a focus upon the primary age range, she has taught and held senior leadership positions in a range of different settings, always with a special education focus. Julia joined the staff of Bishop Grosseteste University in 2010, following ten years as Vice Principal of a special educational needs college. Teaching Julia co-ordinates and teaches on a wide variety of modules drawing upon her knowledge and understanding of SENI. Her teaching interests include the sociology and history of special needs, pedagogy of special needs and the diverse nature of inclusive practice. She also has extensive experience of delivering inset and CPD for teachers and teaching assistants. She has delivered training locally, nationally and internationally. She is recognised as a senior fellow by the higher education academy (SFHEA). -
Dr Mark Larrad
Mark’s early career as a professional musician led to studies at the University of Liverpool where he gained his doctorate in 1992. Following his first academic appointment as a lecturer at the Royal Northern College of Music Mark trained as a primary school teacher, holding teaching and leadership roles in four schools. Subsequently, as a lecturer in higher education for many years, Mark worked in the field of initial teacher education and has supported student teachers on all routes, from employment-based and assessment only to traditional undergraduate and postgraduate pathways. In a bid to refresh his classroom practice, he returned to the classroom, firstly as lead teacher at a special school for children with severe behavioural problems, and then as a supply teacher in primary and secondary schools. He joined the staff of Bishop Grosseteste University as senior lecturer in the School of Teacher Development in 2017. Mark’s current research is centred within the realm of comparative approaches to teacher education with a particular focus on Spain. He has taught undergraduates at the University of Granada, where he has collaborated in a joint research project, and has also taught at schools in Granada and Armilla. As a musicologist, Mark’s research was centred on Spanish and Catalan music of the 19th and 20th centuries in which role he was invited, recently, to give a lecture in Barcelona on the Catalan operas of Granados at the Institut d’Estudis Catalans (2017 being the centenary of the Spanish/Catalan composer’s tragic death). His cross-cultural studies in music provided many insights into his educational research where he believes an understanding of regional identity is fundamental to his work. Mark would love to hear from anyone with a professional or research interest in Spanish education or comparative approaches to teacher training and can be contacted at mark.larrad@bishopg.ac.uk -
Dr Rob Boast
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Students) Rob joined the senior management team at BGU in November 2017, firstly in the role of Executive Dean for Learning, Teaching and Student Engagement, and now as Pro Vice-Chancellor (Students). Rob leads on all aspects of the academic learning, teaching and student experience, both on-campus and also through collaborative arrangements with educational and business partners. His focus is on supporting academic staff to deliver inspirational teaching, an excellent student learning experience and meaningful student engagement. Through his role he has direct oversight of the Centre for Enhancement in Learning and Teaching, the Library, Student Advice, UK and International Partnerships. Prior to joining BGU, Rob worked at Staffordshire University, where he was most recently Associate Dean for Learning and Teaching. Rob is recognised as an innovator in higher education practice. He has a particular specialism in problem-based learning and practical scholarship, personalised learner support and innovative course development across a range of disciplines. A Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, he has also championed the introduction of technology-enhanced learning and creation of new employer engagement and student employability opportunities. -
Dr Helen Bushell-Thornalley
Helen has oversight of Secondary PGCE for Physical Education and Dance, leadership in secondary mentor training and Educational Ethnography research in the Education Master's programme team. Helen had an International career of fourteen years, playing Hockey for England and Great Britain and coaching professionally within this sport. During the 2018 Helen was part of the former Women’s International group during the Hockey World Cup. Helen’s first degree is in Sports Science and her subsequent qualification as a secondary Physical Education teacher at Brunel University. Throughout her school career, she was Head of Department of Physical Education department and then as Head of Sixth Form in an outstanding school of over 1200 pupils in London. Helen then moved from her role in leadership to work with undergraduate, PGCE, GT, OTT and Master's in Education degree students at St Mary’s University. Helen took on a leading role within mentoring and coaching Secondary Physical Education Specials at St Mary’s University for four-years QTS degrees and PGCE programmes. During ten years at that institution, Helen held leadership roles in Education at Academic, and Programme Director levels and course leads and completed her Master’s degree from Surrey University. This research developed an institutional Academic Tutoring System ATS, focusing on tutor support for degree classifications and target setting for undergraduate QTS students through Action Research. In 2012 Helen embarked on her Doctorate in Education at Bishop Grosseteste University. The focus of Helen’s research is in Physical Education and School Sport and how the Olympic movement has politically influenced practices in the UK, from its origin in Victorian Britain and then during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. -
Janice Morris (Retired)
Between 2003 and 2020, Janice was the Teaching Resources Collection Librarian at Bishop Grosseteste University. Her career started in Willenhall Public Library, followed by two years in Nigeria as Reader Services Librarian in a College of Education. On returning home she worked for Wiltshire School Library Service where she discovered and developed the love of children's literature. As the former Subject Librarian for Initial Teacher Training, TESOL and Children's Literature, Janice was responsible for the Teaching Resources Collection. In that capacity, Janice facilitated students and staff to develop their knowledge of Children’s Literature held in the TRC. She initiated and contributed to projects that have promoted this, including shadowing the Carnegie and Greenaway Awards and the UKLA Book Awards, organising author visits, and co-producing an in-house newsletter dedicated to children’s literature, It’s successor is The Four Corners, edited by Rose Roberto and Amy Webster. Janice was a founder member of the English Subject Group that evolved into the RKEU Literature and Literacies (LiLi) and she did a tremendous amount of work contributing to improving the BGU collections for the BGU community and beyond. -
Katie Potter
Teaching Katie teaches on a range of Education Studies modules. She is a Primary School teacher with over twenty years experience. She has taught all Primary years including the Early Years in schools in the UK. Katie has also taught in state schools in Sweden and an international school in Portugal. -
Mark Plater
Mark Plater coordinates and teaches on the Secondary PGCE Religious Education programme. He also teaches various undergraduate and Master's level theology modules, with an emphasis on world religions and education. He has a special interest in fieldwork, and leads annual visits to London, Europe and India in addition to various day trips. Mark joined the staff of Bishop Grosseteste University in 2006 following a wide-ranging career in secondary school teaching, advisory work and four years as Director of Education at the Diocese of Southwell, Lincolnshire. Teaching Mark’s teaching contribution is varied, including secondary PGCE teaching and various undergraduate and postgraduate Theology modules. The Theology modules include World Religions, Religious Conflict and Dialogue, Asian Beliefs, Green Theology and Holocaust Education. Mark also coordinates the 3forRE scheme, and the Farmington Fellowships programmes at BGU, both of which are for classroom based RE research.
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