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School of Public Policy & Professional Practice

 

Education

Dr Jane Essex

Title: Lecturer in Science Education
Phone: (+44) 01782 733504
Email:
Location: Chancellor's Building : CBA 2.055
Role: Curriculum Tutor for Post/ Professional Graduate in Education (Science)
Lecturer on Pre-Initial Teacher Education Subject Knowledge Enhancement courses
Chemistry Education lecturer on Science Additional Specialism Programme
Contacting me: Please e-mail to arrange an appointment at a mutually convenient time
Essex_Jane

After graduating form the London School of Pharmacy, I undertook a Post Graduate Certificate in Education. Since qualifying as a Science teacher with a specialism in Chemistry I have taught in maintained secondary schools in Suffolk, East Riding of Yorkshire and Staffordshire. In addition I have worked as a science lecturer in a college of Further Education and an Associate Lecturer with the Open University. In addition to Science-related responsibilities, I also undertook several positions of pastoral responsibility.

Within this varied professional profile I developed particular interest and expertise in Thinking Skills and also the effective teaching of Science to pupils with learning difficulties. I initially developed my interests in educational issues by studying for an Advanced Diploma in Applied Educational Studies; I subsequently built upon this to obtain an M.A. in Education. I valued the academic study of my professional practice because I felt it helped me to become a more reflective and responsive teacher. Studying Educational Research at Masters level provided me with the challenge of understanding a research paradigm other than that of my graduate discipline, and made me look very critically at the sort of evidence upon which education policy and practice may be based.

Whilst in school I became involved in Initial Teacher Education as a mentor, and this subsequently formed the basis of my doctoral research into mentoring. I started the research as an Action Researcher seeking to improve practice in my own school and the notion of turning my passion for teaching, into a career as a teacher educator did not occur to me until the vacancy occurred at Keele in 2002. I subsequently completed my Ed. D. in 2005.

I am interested in all aspects of Science Education, with my primary focus being on Chemistry Education. I have specialised in the study of the History, Philosophy and Ethics of Science, and how these issues can best be presented in school. I have recently been awarded a Teacher Fellowship in Holocaust Education by the Imperial War Museum to undertake work on the place of Holocaust Education in Science Teaching.

Selected Publications

  • Essex J. 2011. An exploration of the effects of mentoring on post-16 Chemistry students' exam performance. CHEMISTRY EDUCATION RESEARCH AND PRACTICE, vol. 12(1), 68-73. link> doi>
  • Essex JE and Watts J. 2011. Trialling an Indicator of the Impact of Two Library Induction Models. New Review of Academic Librarianship, vol. 17(2), 222-233. doi>
  • Essex JE. 2008. Using the history of insulin to illustrate scientific process and ethical issue on drug development. School Science Review, vol. 90(330), 65-75.
  • Essex J. 2002. Can the quest for best practice be assisted by formal research?. School Science Review, vol. 84(307), 61-63.
  • Essex JE. Behind the scenes at a Victorian Pharmacy. Pharmaceutical journal.

Full Publications List show

Journal Articles

  • Essex J. 2011. An exploration of the effects of mentoring on post-16 Chemistry students' exam performance. CHEMISTRY EDUCATION RESEARCH AND PRACTICE, vol. 12(1), 68-73. link> doi>
  • Essex JE and Watts J. 2011. Trialling an Indicator of the Impact of Two Library Induction Models. New Review of Academic Librarianship, vol. 17(2), 222-233. doi>
  • Essex JE. 2008. Using the history of insulin to illustrate scientific process and ethical issue on drug development. School Science Review, vol. 90(330), 65-75.
  • Essex J. 2002. Can the quest for best practice be assisted by formal research?. School Science Review, vol. 84(307), 61-63.
  • Essex JE. Behind the scenes at a Victorian Pharmacy. Pharmaceutical journal.
  • Essex JE. Chemistry's hidden history: the chemistry of the Holocaust. Chemistry in Action.
  • Essex JE. Experiences of people with diabetes using animal insulin in a pump: A survey. vol. 15(1), 32-36.
  • EDU-00008 - Foundation Chemistry
  • EDU-00010 - Further Chemistry
  • EDU-00012 - Philosophy and Ethics