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. I am Programme Director of the MEd in Psychology of Education and Associate Director of Academic Advising and Student Wellbeing for the School of Environment, Education and Development.

My substantive research interests address the development of materials and resources for use in real-world settings and includes considerations regarding the value of interaction in education (who is working with whom and how can it contribute to learning and experience).

I have a broad background in psychology and have received specific training in research methods in psychology. Research to date has included pupil-teacher interaction and group work in Science and English classrooms and has expanded to include outdoor learning. These projects have been conducted within a variety of settings, including primary and secondary schools, pre-schools, nature kindergartens and botanic gardens; using experimental and observational methodologies. Within each project the development of materials was a central component of the wider project. Recent research has included a focus on minority language education, including the assessment of language related cognitive processes, such as reading, with children who are becoming bilingual.

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. I am an associate fellow and chartered member of the British Psychological Society.

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

Research interests:

My research interests involve a number of overlapping themes and are underpinned by the application of psychology in education. Indicative themes include:

Pedagogical and constructivist approaches to learning and teaching.

Role of classroom dialogue / discussion and how it can be used to support learning

How processes influence gains that come from classroom experience

Learning in and out of the classroom (including outdoor learning)

Dual language learners (also labelled as immersion education, bilingual education or content and language integrated learning)

Teacher engagement with research

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

This collaborative project is currently in progress and involves a team across MIE. 

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 would be interested in supervising students in topics that link with my research interests – please get in touch.

Doctoral Supervision:

Jia Song (1^st Supervisor)

Joanne Taberner (1^st Supervisor)

Doctor of Educational Psychology (DEdPsy)

Patricia Lunt (2nd supervisor) completed

Frances Parker (2nd supervisor) completed

Masters Supervision MEd Psychology of Education

Examples of supervised Masters Research*

2021-2022

Fionnuala Mottishaw

What are young people’s perceptions and emotional experiences of Climate Change Education in the UK? 

Amy Adams 

Dyslexic higher education students experiences of online teaching and support amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sarah Cunningham

Perspectives into children’s development of ‘ordinary magic’ during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An insight into teaching staff experiences regarding children’s educational resilience and mindsets throughout COVID-19.

2020-2021

Nadiah Kazzan

Understanding Paediatric Neurodevelopment: A Vignette Study of Pre-school Leaders in the United Kingdom

Ana Pilar Colmenero Lorenzo

An investigation of practitioners’ perception of children with English as an Additional Language and their approach to teaching EAL pupils in the early years foundation stage

2019-2020

Agnieszka Hollins

A qualitative study exploring teachers’ views on restorative approaches in primary schools.

Laura Sinclair

The mediating role of goal orientations  between the Big Five, Dark Triad and academic performance. Exploring the impact of student ethnicity on motivational beliefs in UK higher education.  

Denise Mocking

Teacher perceptions regarding the challenges in teaching STEM.

2018-19

Matthew Coxon Teachers’ attitudes towards pupils undertaking a managed move.

Kirstie Howard The educational experiences of care-experienced further education students: the perspectives of young people in Scotland

2017-18

Laura Guy 'Teacher's perceptions on students self efficacy beliefs'.

Sarah Harris Title TBC

Carla Mason A qualitative report investigating the difficulties primiparous mothers experience when bonding with their infants and the measures they used to support these difficulties.

            Since completion Carla is working as a researcher at the University of Manchester and is also involved in supporting and organising a  young persons mental health charity.  

Rachel Williamson 'The Nature and Impact of Student-Athlete Sports Initiations in UK Universities'.

2016-17 

Nichola-Jayne Curzon  Do children with EAL understand non-literal speech acts

            Since completion Nichola is teaching year 5 at a school in North Manchester.

Eleanor Diamond Why Volunteer in a Food Bank? A Self-Determination Theory Approach

Andrea Keane Motivation: The Relationship between Perceived Self-Competence and Social Supports in Primary School Irish Language Learning

Marie-Grace Nkeshimana The lived experience of homeschooled Christians: A qualitative study.

Josephine Faure Walker 'Adolescent perceptions of refugees in areas of low contact in the North of England

           Since completion Josie is a Specialist Mentor with the Disability and Dyslexia Support Service, University of Sheffield and a Research Coder in Training for MACI-Infant with the Division of Psychology and Mental Health, University of Manchester.

Gina Wilson Peer interaction and second language development.

2015-16

Catherine Angharad Jones. Attributions for Loneliness by Ten Year Old Children. MEd Psychology of Education

               Since completion Angharad has joined the D.Ed.Psy course in Cardiff.

Ola Demkowicz. Two-year-olds in schools: An exploration of practitioners’ experiences and perceptions of offering the two-year-old provision in schools in England through the Theory of Planned Behaviour. MEd Psychology of Education

               Since completion Ola is undertaking a PhD at the University of Manchester.

Halima Shah. Exploring mentors motivation to mentor. MEd Psychology of Education

               Since completion Halima is undertaking a PhD at University College London.

*Students have given their permission to be named

The majority of my teaching links to my role as Programme Director of the MEd in Psychology of Education and I also contribute to other courses within the University.

Under my direction 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/

I am unit course unit director for

• Introduction to neuroscience and education  (Neuro)
• Learning and Individual Differences (LID)

I contribute to other units including

• Research Principles and Practice
• Research Methods and Analysis
• Psychological Perspectives in Child Development
• Cognition and Education