Claire Dewhirst

Role: Head of Centre for Educational Development

Institution: Queen's University, Belfast

Email: c.dewhirst@qub.ac.uk

I have spent the last twelve years working in Higher Education, initially as a Senior Teaching Fellow in Teacher Education and more recently in my role as Head of the Centre for Educational Development at Queen’s University, Belfast. In my previous roles in Teacher Education I have led on a number of quality assurance functions in a range of management roles from Director of Learning and Teaching through to Director of Initial Teacher Education. I have lead on the content development of and delivery of a wide range of courses, many of which have been at a Masters level, including a number around coaching and mentoring as well as Educational Leadership, all of which have had to be accredited by the General Teaching Council for Scotland. I have also worked in and around REF as the Research Impact Manager at Queen’s University, Belfast. This was a post that allowed me to work with researchers across the university.

In relation to ethics and integrity I have chaired a professional practice panel for Teacher Education and have sat on a University committee for academic progression as well as a Fitness to Practice Committee for Nursing and Midwifery. I have also sat on my current university’s disability forum.

My main area of research has been around professional communities of practice with my EdD focusing on the professional identities of teachers through a CPD Masters programme. The research drew upon the work of Foucault. I also have an interest in inclusive pedagogies.