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- Int. 11: Len Newton
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You are in: Home > Expert interviews > Interview 11: Doctor Len Newton
Interview 11: Doctor Len Newton
Dr. Len Newton, Editor of Research in Science & Technological Education.
This is the eleventh audio interview in a series that Routledge is conducting with the editors of some of its key Education journals.
The interview page has been split into sections which can be quickly accessed by selecting any of the links below:
- Introduction
- Dr. Len Newton answers the questions
- More about Dr. Len Newton
- Suggested Reading and Related Articles
Introduction
These interviews are aimed at students, educational researchers, academics and visitors to the Education Arena website who are interested in particular journals and would like to find out more.
Each interview provides information about the editors in question and details about the creation of their journal and its purpose and scope within the wider sphere of educational research. Each editor is also asked to offer advice, hints and tips to prospective authors who may be hoping to submit papers to their journal.
This eleventh interview is with Dr. Len Newton, Editor of Research in Science & Technological Education. The journal publishes original research from throughout the world dealing with science education and/or technological education. It publishes articles on psychological, sociological, economic and organisational aspects of science and technological education, as well as evaluation studies of curriculum development in these fields. Its main aim is to allow specialists working in these areas the opportunity of publishing their findings for the benefit of institutions, teachers and students.
Dr. Len Newton answers the questions
The interview took place at the School of Education, University of Nottingham, UK, March 3rd, 2010.
Discussions
Answers
Q1: How would you describe Research in Science & Technological Education and what are its aims and scopes?
Q2: Which areas does it primarily focus upon?
Q3: What is the range of issues and concerns that the journal aims to explore?
Q4: What do you think are the most contentious issues in contemporary debate and research in education which your journal seeks to address?
Q5: Who do you feel are your readership, your core audience?
Q6: What do you look for when considering articles and submissions?
Q7: What are the most common mistakes?
Q8: What are your aspirations for the future of the journal?
Q9: In your opinion how similar and/or different is the study of science education to/from the study of technological education? Do you feel they are explicitly linked, or can researchers consider them as stand alone, disconnected areas?
Q10: How do you see science and technological education developing in the future? Are there any particular areas which you feel will come to the forefront for researchers, academics and teachers?
Q11: What significant curriculum developments have there been over recent years which have had a direct impact on the direction of the journal?
Q12: What are your own thoughts on/in those areas?
Q13: Is there anything in particular that you think may have been missed in the developments? (In what ways do you think the curriculum can be developed further?)
Q14: Would you say that the curriculum should be more reactive to the events that are happening in the world at the moment, rather than prescriptive?
Q15: Within a learning environment, how do you think other subject areas might be able to assist students going into science and technology who don’t necessarily have a supporting mathematical background?
We also provide a transcription of this interview to overcome accessibility problems if you have hearing difficulties (or for those of you who may just prefer to read the interview).
More about Dr. Len Newton
Len Newton is Associate Professor of Education at the School of Education, The University of Nottingham and is an Associate of the Learning Sciences Research Institute, also at Nottingham.
His expertise is in the areas of science education; teacher education and Information and Communications Technology applied as a tool for learning and teaching science. He also has research interests in inquiry based science teaching and in the use of novel technologies for mediating digital video for teacher education purposes. Dr Newton has authored works on using ICT in science teaching and regularly peer reviews articles for the International Journal of Science Education.
Dr Newton's first degree was in Biological Sciences and he taught in comprehensive secondary schools for 18 years before moving into the Higher Education sector in 1996. Dr Newton’s doctoral studies concerned the use of ICT in inquiry based science education.
Suggested Reading and Related Articles
Len Newton suggests the following articles to be of particular interest:
Experimental comparison of inquiry and direct instruction in science
Volume 28, Issue 1 April 2010
A stratified study of students' understanding of basic optics concepts in different contexts using two-tier multiple-choice items
Volume 27, Issue 3 November 2009
A framework for practical work in science and scientific literacy through argumentation
Volume 25, Issue 3 November 2007
