Brief bio
Currently I am working as an independent consultant. My main interests have been in the teaching of thermodynamics at secondary school level, the uses of computer modelling and data analysis in the physical sciences, and the design of scalable teacher education programmes.
I studied chemistry at Balliol College, Oxford, and gained a PGCE and an MA in science education at the University of London Institute of Education. I taught science and chemistry mainly in London comprehensive schools before taking up a research post at the University of London Institute of Education. Subsequently I worked as a lecturer in science education at the University of Reading and at the Open University, and as national co-ordinator for the Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme.
The following lists the main educational design projects on which I have worked:
- Nuffield Exploratory Data Skills Project: publication ‘Making Sense of Data’ (1988-1991, co-director)
- Iconic Model Maker: publication ‘Worldmaker’ (1991-1992, co-director)
- Tools for Exploratory Learning (1991-1992, researcher)
- Teaching abut why things change: publication ‘Energy and Change’ (1992-1995, co-director)
- Synap (BECTA Multimedia Portables for teachers) (1997, trainer and writer)
- Institute of Physics 16-19 Initiative (1997-1998, contributor)
- Learning Schools Programme (LSP) (1998-1999, secondary subjects co-ordinator)
- Science Teacher Training in an Information Society (STISS) (1999-2001, consultant)
- Open University Flexible PGCE (1999-2001, science subject leader)
- Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme (2001-2011, national co-ordinator)
- Innovations in Practical Work (SEP) (2005-2011, series editor)
- Physics of Football (IoP-Arsenal) (2012-2013, editor)
- Understanding Electrical Transmission (National Grid) (2012-2013, author)
- Voicebox School Workshops (UCL-IoP) (2013, external evaluator)
- The Language of Mathematics in Science (ASE) (2014-2016, lead author)
