Sarah MacQuarrie

I am a psychologist whose expertise lies in the application of research into practice and use this in my position as Senior Lecturer in Psychology of Education at the University of Manchester. 

My academic credentials include an MA(Hons) in Psychology from the University of Glasgow, an MSc in Research methods in Psychology and a PhD in Psychology both from the University of Strathclyde.  My research and lecturing experience includes University of Strathclyde, University of the Highlands and Islands and Robert Gordon University.

Expertise and research interests

The questions that drive my research target knowledge equity and inclusive realities. Specifically, my research is focused on ensuring that all teachers and students, regardless of their background or identity, have equal access to learning opportunities, resources, and representation in curricula, while their diverse perspectives and experiences are valued and reflected in the educational environment. I enjoy and value creating work and knowledge that has relevance for education and can be fostered in applied contexts.

I have researched teacher engagement and inclusion, identifying gaps in provision where there is limited access to suitable resources that support literacy. My work has identified when children are learning a minority language assessment of their needs is complicated and suitable resources are scarce.

By fostering attention and scrutiny to play, movement, physical activity and wellbeing I have successfully identified and made visible those barriers facing teachers and staff. Ensuring that provision extends to accommodate nature-based education, outdoor learning and quality physical activity is complicated and my work has tapped into multiple relevant areas on these themes fostering a link between psychology and education.

Ensuring student voices are recognised as a component of knowledge equity fuels a project that cultivates equitable educational opportunities as a means for students to share examples of their research projects and engage with these examples while shaping and finalising research plans. In doing so a platform has been established that democratises the research experience and drives inclusion by supporting students within their research projects and research journeys.

Creating accessible routes and engagement with research findings allows me to regularly give talks where I enjoy engaging with different groups. I am fortunate to work with colleagues who support teachers and educational professionals and we co-develop routes to share resources and materials, facilitating routes for professional development. My commitment includes fostering professional development in the longer term by adopting an open research practice where resources and guides from workshops and talks are available without restriction, supporting a range of groups to venture into new territories of thought and stimulating change in the short- and longer-term. Examples of projects are offered below with more examples on my project page.

Teacher engagement with research

(Research plans available here https://t.co/i76tlImo0L)

There is an increasing focus on evidence based practice in education and this requires teachers and professionals in education to make decisions when selecting content for use in their setting.

Teachers are recognised as having a demanding vocation with minimal time available to source and access research knowledge. It follows that evidence based practice marketed or recognised as being beneficial or effective is expected to be alluring.

MIE is rated as the top University provider of primary initial teacher training in the North West and has an established record of supporting students becoming teachers through multiple routes (PGCE primary, PGCE Secondary, School Direct, Teach First and through working with SCITTs (School-Centred Initial Teacher Training). This project will consider how MIE can capitalise on these routes and its relationship with a broad network of schools and educational organisations to consider how the research produced in and by MIE can have a more direct relationship with practice.

Becoming bilingual in Scotland – a focus on Gaelic medium education

For children enrolled in Gaelic medium education, Gaelic is identified as the first language, coupled with English. Thus, the main outcome of Gaelic medium education is to provide pupils with an equal footing in Gaelic and English languages. Yet, this goal is at odds with the paucity of research regarding typical language development in Gaelic/English learners and investigations focused on assessing and diagnosing language difficulties. The lack of appropriate research is concerning as parents attracted to Gaelic Medium Education may not be aware that after 30 years of provision; support mechanisms for children with additional support needs, such as assessment tools and dyslexia identification, continue to be in their infancy.

Publications:

Lyon, F., & MacQuarrie, S. (2014). Assessment of reading skills in Gaelic-medium education: Exploring teachers’ perceptions and present practice. Educational & Child Psychology, Special issue: Volume 31 (2) Bilingualism and Language Diversity.

MacQuarrie, S., & Lyon, F. (in press). Defying expectations: valuing the engagement of practitioners with research. Insights from minority language education in Scotland. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. DOI: 10.1080/01434632.2017.1417414

MacQuarrie, S., & Lyon, F. (in press). A consideration of the inequalities apparent in Gaelic medium education linked to appropriate language assessment: an outline of the field and potential future directions. Educational Review. DOI: 10.1080/00131911.2017.1417236

Pupil and teacher interaction

Group work has long been documented as a feature of classrooms and within education can be separated into organisational and instructional approaches. When adopted as an instructional approach there is clear evidence from research that arranging and planning for group work is vital so that pupils and teachers can benefit. A focus of work I have undertaken in this area considered the role of the teacher and looked at how teachers used the introduction and conclusion of lessons to support the knowledge and content covered in lessons.

Publications

MacQuarrie, S. (2013). Briefing and debriefing: Investigating the role of the teacher within group work science lessons. International Journal of Educational Research, 62, 87-99. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2013.06.008

MacQuarrie, S., Howe, C., & Boyle, J. (2012). Exploring the characteristics of small groups within science and English secondary classrooms. Cambridge Journal of Education, 42 (4), 527-546. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0305764X.2012.733345

Pedagogical Approaches and Outdoor Learning

The terms teaching and pedagogy are often associated with classrooms or schools, yet outdoor learning emphasises learning that links with schools/educational settings but is not bound by walls. This work has considered pedagogy when school-teachers implement outdoor learning and has looked more broadly at how cultural contexts ought to be interwoven with educational experiences.

Publications

MacQuarrie, S. (in press) Everyday teaching and outdoor learning: developing an integrated approach to support school-based provision. Education 3-13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2016.1263968

MacQuarrie, S. & Nugent, C. (in press) Considering children’s opportunities for exploration of their local environment and engagement with nature. In T. Waller (Ed) The SAGE International Handbook of Outdoor Play and Learning.

Nugent, C. & MacQuarrie, S. (2017) Natural settings: considerations for practice. In Buchan, N. A Practical Guide to nature-based practice. Bloomsbury, Routledge.

MacQuarrie, S., Nugent, C., & Warden, C. (2015). Learning with nature and learning from others: nature as setting and resource for early childhood education. Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning, 15(1), 1-23 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14729679.2013.841095  

Research Opportunities & Supervision

Please feel free to contact me to discuss ideas for supervision / joint research.  I have a focus on psychological theory and approaches within educational research in my work. I would be interested in supervising students in topics that link with my research interests – please get in touch. 

Ongoing Doctoral Supervision:

Jia Song (1^st Supervisor)

Joanne Taberner (1^st Supervisor)

Amelia Perkin (2nd Supervisor)

I'm fortunate to work primarily on the MEd Psychology of Education and it gives me flexibility to contribute to sessions elsewhere within the University.

Under my direction (2019-2023) the MEd was reaccredited by the British Psychological society and achieved two commendations reflecting exceptional provision for PGT students:

https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/med-psychology-of-education-re-accredited-by-the-british-psychological-society/

Service to Research community

I regularly review funding applications and publications for a range of journals and funding bodies. 

11/2016-ongoing Review editor Special Educational Needs section of Frontiers in Education.

2021-ongoing Co-Convenor of the Cognition and Language Special Interest Group jointly with Kelly Burgoyne.

01/2022-ongoing Editorial board member Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning.

05/2022-ongoing Editorial board member Education 3-13. International Journal of Primary, Elementary and Early Years Education.

07/2023-ongoing Editorial board member Journal of Research for Special Educational Needs.

05/2024-ongoing Editorial board member of the British Educational Research Journal.

Service to UoM

2017-ongoing Chair of malpractice panels for the Faculty of Humanities.

2019 -ongoing Member of Faculty College of Peer reviewers.

2019-Mentor for Manchester Gold staff mentoring.

Programme Director of the MEd in Psychology of Education 2019-2023.

Associate Director of Academic Advising and Student Wellbeing and senior academic advisor for the School of Environment, Education and Development 2021- July 2024. 

2023 - ongoing Chair of the Manchester Institute of Education Admissions committee.

Fellow of the British Psychological Society and a Chartered Psychologist.

Fellow of Higher Education (AdvanceHE).

BERA special interest groups (for example Mental Health & Wellbeing, Nature Outdoor Learning and Play).

I’m part of the Education and Psychology research group at Manchester Institute of Education.