Steve Watson
Contact details
B86, Centre for Research in Mathematics Education, The School of Education, Dearing Building
Jubilee Campus
NG8 1BB
e: steven.watson@nottingham.ac.uk
t: 0115 9514988
m: 07528 135075
Subject of thesis
The project is concerned with the design and evaluation of professional development materials for secondary mathematics teachers. Mathematics teaching in England is predominantly traditional, characterised by teachers presenting methods and techniques followed by students practising the use of methods. Professional development materials designed by the Centre for Research in Mathematics Education have been developed to help teachers adopt approaches that encourages students to engage in discussion and inquiry in their learning and develop a deeper conceptual understanding of mathematics. The aim of this study is to use design based research and mixed methods approaches to evaluate the use of the materials in secondary schools. I will be working with up to five secondary schools. The evaluation will be used to inform the further development and design of professional development.
Publications:
Swan, M. and Watson, S. (2011). Designing Professional Development for Mathematics Teachers: A Case Study. Submitted for the 35th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education.
Watson, S. (2009). Implementing collaborative planning in the mathmatics department of a secondary school. National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM), teacher research grant report.
Conferences
British Education Research Association Conference, University of Warwick, 2010
International Society for the Design and Development in Education, Baliol College, University of Oxford, 2010
British Society for Research in Learning of Mathematics, termly day conferences 2009 and 2010
British Congress in Mathematics Education, University of Manchester, 2010
Association of Teachers of Mathematics, University of Swansea, 2009
National Centre for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics, International Research Conference: Transforming Mathematics Teaching and Learning through CPD. Bristol 2009
International Congress in Mathematics Education, 2008 Monterrey, Mexico
Previous Experience
I taught mathematics in secondary schools in North East Lincolnshire and Lincolnshire, since 2002 having completed a PGCE at the University of Sheffield. In that time I have been a whole school literacy coordinator, head of wider and key skills, and head of mathematics. I have worked with the National Centre of Excellence in Teaching of Mathematics since 2007 contributing to conferences, acting as an ambassador for the organisation at home and aboard and also conducting teacher research. I completed a Masters in Education, part time, while I was a teacher and I have become increasingly interested in education research. I am interested particularly in the professional development of mathematics teacher, and students who are disengaged from learning maths.
Prior to being a teacher I was an engineer, specialising in the design and installation of network cabling. My first degree is in chemical engineering. Prior to that I trained as an interior designer and worked in my family’s retail furniture business in North Nottinghamshire
Why I chose Nottingham
This is a first class university and one of the UK’s leading mathematics education research groups, within an excellent school of education. The Centre for Research in Mathematics Education has academics and educational designers with a global reputation. The opportunity to work with them was not to be missed. Beyond my research centre in the school of Education, there are a wide range academics who are recognised internationally, many of whom I have found to be supportive and helpful in the development of my research methodology, philosophy, academic writing and in developing a wider awareness of educational research. Outside of this the university offers excellent facilities. I use the gym at Jubilee Campus and University Park and I have also been able to develop my French on free postgraduate courses. I am also in the process of setting up a Professional Development Consultancy with the Support of the University’s Enterprise and Innovations Unit based in the Sir Colin Campbell building on the Jubilee Campus. Nottingham is a pleasant, lively, cosmopolitan city and I have enjoyed getting to know it by bicycle.