New Head of Department for Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment appointed

The Department undertakes world-leading research and teaching about curriculum, pedagogy and assessment, specialising in geography, economics, mathematics, history, RE, citizenship and science education.

Dr Walshe is currently Head of the School of Education and Social Care at Anglia Ruskin University where she has overarching responsibility for the leadership of education, research and knowledge exchange across both education and social work provision. She will join the Institute as Head of Department and Professor of Education in the summer, ahead of the 2021/22 academic year.

Dr Walshe previously gained a PhD in Glaciology and taught and worked as Head of Geography in three secondary schools in the UK before going on to teach and lead the Geography PGCE course at Cambridge University for ten years.

Her research is predominantly in the field of geography education, with a particular focus on high quality teacher education practices in environmental and sustainability education and utilising technology for teacher development. Recently, she has been exploring pedagogies at the intersection of nature, the arts and wellbeing. Her AHRC-funded project, Eco-Capabilities, examines the processes by which creative, nature-based practice supports the wellbeing of primary school children.

In addition, she is Secretary of GEReCo (Geography Education Research Collective), a committee aiming to promote geographical and environmental education globally by undertaking and disseminating high-quality research, and co-convenor of the Environmental and Sustainability Education Research (ESER) network in the European Educational Research Association (EERA).

Dr Walshe said: "I am absolutely delighted to be taking up this prestigious role as Head of Department of Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment at the UCL Institute of Education. The Department is renowned for its international leadership in teacher education, as well as its world-leading research and knowledge exchange; as someone absolutely committed to providing high quality education for all children and young people I am hugely excited to be joining such an ambitious and impactful team.

"I have a strong personal commitment to equality, diversity and social justice, as illustrated through my leadership, research and teaching to date, and I very much look forward to working with staff and students across and beyond the Department to realise our shared vision of improving lives through education."

Links

• View Dr Nicola Walshe’s profile
• Department of Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment
• IOE academic departments