Educational Research

Lead – to be confirmed. Please direct any enquiries to earlyyearssig@kingston.ac.uk.

The Early Years SIG is open to all colleagues who specialise in the Early Years and to those who may have interests which are relevant and contribute to the activities of the group.

Contemporary issues relevant to the Early Years will form the basis for designing and developing research opportunities individually and collectively. This SIG will encourage members to share expertise and interests in order to facilitate research activity culminating in publications.

Visit the Early Years SIG page >

Dr Paty Paliokosta

The Special Interest Group on 'Inclusion and Social Justice' was created with the following remit for colleagues at the Department of Education and across the Faculty and beyond: discussing teaching and learning issues in relation to inclusive education and special educational needs for different higher education courses; sharing expertise; discussing research and current or future projects; linking to wider organisations; peer mentoring and co-authoring; linking to wider academic forums; applying for research bids. 

Research and professional practice investigation has taken place on: 'reasonable adjustments and multi-professionalism'; 'preparing student teachers for 'inclusion'; 'debating outcomes from students' extended placement in specialist settings'; safeguarding vulnerable groups and lessons learnt from Serious Case Reviews; social marginalisation; transitions and mental health as a new SEN Code of Practice category; supporting student teachers with SpLD in HE and practice placements.

We would particularly welcome inquiries from prospective research students interested in any of the following topics.

• Current issues regarding educating highly or exceptionally able students
• Twice-exceptional students and issues relating to identification and educational provision in primary schools
• Critical evaluation of school provision for highly and exceptionally able students
• Investigating post-code lottery for inclusive education; implications for policy and practice;
• Developing inclusive curricula in developing countries. Teachers' perspectives
• Transitions for children with SEND
• Reasonable adjustments and exclusions for children with Mental Health and other SEND
• Parental involvement in interventions for children with SEND/ASD

Read more about the Inclusion and Social Justice Special Interest Group >

Dr Christos Dimitriadis

The SIG-ME is a special interest research group within the Department of Education that connects diverse research and disciplines within mathematics education, with a shared focus on improving mathematics teaching and learning. In a world which is rapidly changing socially and technologically, the group is interested in advancing the theory and practice for mathematics learning across educational levels and learning settings.

Read more about the SIG-ME >

Lead – to be confirmed. Please direct any enquiries to r.h.wood@kingston.ac.uk.

The group is open to specialists working in science subjects and others whose interests may cross over into this domain. Current areas of research include pre-school obesity and issues surrounding the initial training of secondary science teachers.

Dr Ruth Wood

Technology and Pedagogy (TaP) is a special interest group, which aims to promote purposeful use of digital, virtual and social media technologies and platforms to enhance learning and teaching. The emphasis is on the enhancing property of the technology when appropriately and purposefully implemented.

The group is open to colleagues with interests in the enhancing and evaluating affordances of digital, online, networked, and simulated learning and teaching.

Current research ideas include:

• Technology enhanced learning/reflection
• Learning design
• Human-computer interaction
• Digital literacies
• Technology enabled learning
• Evaluation of technology-enhanced learning
• The educational potential of new and emerging technologies