Dr Sue Becker
Dr Sue Becker has a background in social psychology and completed both her undergraduate degree and PhD at Loughborough University. Before joining BGU in March 2017 as Academic Coordinator for Psychology, she worked as a Senior Lecturer and Psychology Programme Leader at Teesside University. During this time her work developing a final year option module on the Psychology of Sex & Intimate Relationships was recognised as an example of effective practice in directed independent learning by the QAA & HEA. Sue is an active member of several professional networks including RAISE and ELESIG (with whom she has recently worked to produce a MOOC for researchers and practitioners interested in using Action Research to evaluate learner experiences).
Sue is also an HEA Senior Fellow. In 2014 Sue developed a staff-student partnership project to enable students to improve their academic writing. The Student’s Academic Literacy Tool (SALT) project has not only produced a useful and accessible app for students but also won national recognition in the JISC Summer of Student Innovation competition (2015) and well as being runner-up for Best Student Experience in Guardian University Awards (2016).
Teaching
Sue teaches across the BA Psychology courses, with a focus on qualitative research methods.
PSY 321: Advanced Qualitative Research Methods in Health and Wellbeing (module leader)
Related Courses
Sue’s research activities are centred on using Action Research to build equitable research partnerships with students and community groups. Sue is currently interested in students as pedagogic co-creators. Outside of learning and teaching, Sue is also interested in the social construction of sexual behaviour and in particular modern discourses of celibacy.
2015 – (£5000) JISC Summer of Student Ideas National Competition winning project (Student’s Academic Literacy Tool 2014 – Improving Student Writing. (£14, 000) Innovation Fund Teesside University. 2011 – (£5,000) Durham & Darlington Primary Care Trust. Enabling patient participation: evaluating participatory research training materials for people living with a neurological condition. PI in partnership with Tees Valley, Durham & North Yorkshire Neurological Alliance
Souto Pereira, S; Becker, S & Gardiner, G (2016). Dichomotised discourse in the erasure of bisexuality. Journal of Psychology & Sexuality. Becker, S; Shaverdi, H; Spence, N; Kennedy, L & Rayment, G. (2016). Embedding equality in staff-student research partnerships – co-creating an academic writing tool. Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal, 1(1). Kennedy, L; Shahverdi, H; Spence, N; & Becker; S. (2016). Using partnership working to develop an academic writing tool for Undergraduate students: The SALT project. BPS North East Psychology Bulletin. Becker, S; Kennedy, L; Shahverdi, H; & Spence, N. (2015). Improving student writing: working in partnership to develop the Student Academic Literacy Tool (SALT). Journal of Educational Innovation, Partnership and Change, 2. Wiggins, S; Gordon-Finlayson, A; Becker, S; & Sullivan, C. (2015). Qualitative undergraduate project supervision in psychology: Current practices and support needs of supervisors across North East. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 00:1-19. Becker, S. (2015). Bridging the theory-practice divide: using psychological knowledge and personal experience to develop a sex education resource. In Compendium of effective practice in directed independent learning. QAA & HEA.
