Senior Lecturer (Scholarship)
- Overview
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Dr Graeme Nixon Contact Details
- Telephone
- work +44 (0)1224 274644
- g.nixon@abdn.ac.uk
- Address
- The University of Aberdeen Room 523 School of Education University of Aberdeen MacRobert Building 5th Floor King's College Aberdeen AB24 5UA t: +44 (0)1224 274644 e: g.nixon@abdn.ac.uk
Web Links
Studies in Mindfulness postgraduate programme:
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/education/degrees-programmes/studies-in-mindfulness-pgcertpgdipmsc-407.php
Recent paper on the Aberdeen Mindfulness MSc programme (August 2016):
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02643944.2015.1127990.
Recent paper on Religious Education Association website (October 2015):
http://www.religiouseducation.net/re/v110n1
Recent paper on parental withdrawal of children from RE:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01416200.2016.1161597.
April 2015, 3 RME Professional Dialogue papers published by Education Scotland:
Using religious & cultural artefacts in RME: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/p/professionaldialogueinrme/artefacts.asp
visiting sites of religious & cultural interest in RME: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/p/professionaldialogueinrme/visitingsites.asp
using visiting speakers in RME: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/p/professionaldialogueinrme/visitingspeakers.asp
Biography
MA Philosophy (University of Edinburgh) 1987-1990
BD Ecclesiastical History (University of Glasgow) 1991-1994
PGCE Religious Education (University of Strathclyde) 1994-1995
Teacher and Principal teacher of RMPS 1995-2005
PHd (University of Aberdeen) 2012
Interests:
- Mindfulness
- Hillwalking
- Rugby
- Cricket
- Research
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Research Interests
- The Emergence of Philosophy in Religious Education
- Secularisation and education
- The impact of faculty management structures on secondary schools
- Faith education
- Comparative studies in Religious Education
- Thinking skills approaches in schools
- Mindfulness in education
- Religious Observance in Scottish education
- Mindfulness; secular and/or spiritual?
- The sanitisation of religion in education
- Using e-portfolios in initial teacher education
Current Research
PhD (completion Sept 2011); what factors have influenced the emergence of philosophy in Scottish secondary school Religious Education?
Mindfulness in Schools
The student and probationer experience of faculty style management structures in Scottish secondary schools
Mindfulness and reflective teaching
Mindfulness as secular analogue for religious experience in the Religious Education classroom
The conscience clause and Religious Education. How often are children withdrawn and why?
Mindfulness in Contexts(s); the perfect storm for mindfulness?
Religious Education in an age of Diversity (READY): European project looking at preparation for teachers of Religious Education in multiuple jurisdictions and how facilitate safe dialogic space in the RE classroom
Schools and the santising of religion
Collaborations
Erasmus Plus project Religious Education and Diversity (READY) is a three year European Union project involving universities of Aberdeen, UCL, Karlstadt, Vienna and Tuebingen, as well as the Comenius Institute. This project aims to develop approaches to teaching about and training for dealing diversity in classrooms.
Currently collaborating with Dr Jo Pearce at University College London on a series of papers about the sanitising of religion in schools; qualifications for Religious Education teaching, and purpose of Religious Education.
- Teaching
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Teaching Responsibilities
Supervision
Currently supervising 7 PhD and 20 Masters students
Teaching
Programme Director for MSc Programme Studies in Mindfulness (teaching and co-ordinating courses ED505A Mindfulness, ED555B Compassion, ED505L Insight and ED555J Professional Enquiry)
Subject leader for all RME/RMPS inputs across MA and PGDE programmes
Course co-ordinator for MA3 Professional Focus Elective 'Belief in Scotland'
Course co-ordinator and lead lecturer for MA1 What Makes Us Human? (Ed1545)
Tutor on Thinking Skills elective courses within PGDE and BEd programmes
CPD co-ordinator for RME/RMPS and thinking skills
Joint course co-ordinator for MA2 What Makes Us Human (Ed2056)
- Further Info
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External Responsibilities
Peer Reviewer for Religious Education (Journal) (2018)
External Examiner for Dublin City University (2016)
Peer Reviewer for Religious Education (Journal) (2015)
Key Witness for Commission on Religion and Belief in British Public Life (April 2015, University of Glasgow)
Initial Teacher Education representative on National Forum for RE/RME (2015)
Peer Reviewer for ESRC (2014)
Reviewer for Journal of Language and Intercultural Communication (2013)
Reviewer for Scottish Educational Review (Journal) (2013)
Consultant on Monitoring Standards process for Scottish Qualfications Authority (February 2013)
Member of RME Reference group as part of Education Scotland's Curriculum Impact Project (November 2012)
External Review member for Irish Teaching Council review of St Patrick's Teaching College, Thurles (2012)
Member of editorial review board of Leadership and Policy Quarterly (July 2012)
Writer of RMPS materials for Education Scotland on the Dalai Lama and Aung San Suu Kyi (for senior secondary pupils) (2012) Weblink:https://education.gov.scot/improvement/Documents/rme14-buddhism.pdf
External Examiner for University of Strathclyde (BEd1 RME, Health and Well-being and electives) (2011-14)
External Review member for Irish Teaching Council review of Mater Dei Institute, Dublin (2011)
Scottish representative on European Forum for Teachers of Religious Education (2010 - present)
Convener of Scottish Joint Comittee for Religious and Moral Education curriculum group (2008 - 2014)
SQA marker for Higher RMPS (2001 - 2015)
Member of Curricular Area Review Group (CARG) for Religious and Moral Education (2010 - 2013)
Writer of subject summary material for CfE review (SQAm 2010)
Writer of exemplar material for Religious Observance review (2007)
External Examiner for RMPS inputs at the University of Edinburgh (2006-2009)
General Teaching Council (Scotland) member of accreditation team for University of Glasgow (MA in Religous Education) (2005)
Admin Responsibilities
Programme Director MSc Studies in Mindfulness
Subject leader for all RME/RMPS inputs across MA and PGDE programmes
Course co-ordinator for MA3 Professional Focus Elective 'Belief in Scotland'
Course co-ordinator and lead lecturer for MA1 What Makes Us Human? (Ed1545)
Tutor on Thinking Skills elective courses within PGDE and BEd programmes
CPD co-ordinator for RME/RMPS and thinking skills
Press articles, curricular guidance materials and Book Reviews
- June 2005 – Times Educational Supplement, article on Religious Observance and the inappropriateness of collective worship for diverse school populations
- November 2005 - Times Educational Supplement, article on Thinking Skills and Philosophy for Children; Reasoning as the 'fourth R' in education.
- June 2006 - Book Review 'We're all Citizens Now' (Maitles), Education in the North
- February 2007 - Religious Observance Exemplar Materials (Learning and Teaching Scotland). Team leader of 4 lecturers developing assembly exemplars for Scottish Schools http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/thecurriculum/howdoyoubuildyourcurriculum/curriculumplanning/creatingaplan/religiousobservance/assemblyresources/index.asp?iPage=1&strSubmit=True&strSearchText=&id=&bSortCD=0
- July 2007 - Times Educational Supplement, article on Subject Specialist identity within secondary teachers; I'm teacher of a subject, not children.
- September 2007 - Book Review 'Citizenship and Enterprise Education' (Deuchar), Scottish Educational Review
- Research into the emergence of Philosophy in schools has also attracted media attention: Times Educational Supplement (11th January 2008); Sunday Herald (20th January 2008), and has been discussed during Radio 4's Today programme (22nd January 2008), as well as Radio Scotland's 'Good Morning Scotland' programme (21st January 2008) The Sunday Herald article can be accessed at: http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.1979177.0.re_teachers_put_their_faith_in_philosophy.php
- June 2009 - Book Review 'Faith Schools in the Twenty First Century' (MacKinney), Scottish Educational Review
- August 2010 - Appendices to Subject Summary report for the SQA detailing international and comparative approaches to Religious Education http://www.sqa.org.uk/files_ccc/Progress_Report_RME.pdf
- October 2011, Religious Observance and Religious and Moral Education, a position paper, (co-author with Ewan Aitken), Scottish Joint Committee for Religious and Moral Education http://www.sjcrme.org.uk/library.html
- June 2012, author of Education Scotland Testimony online resource for schools, contributing materials on the Dalai Lama and Aung San Suu Kyi http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/testimony/index.asp
- December 2012, Book Review 'Silence in Schools' (Lees), Scottish Educational Review
- April 2015, 3 RME Professional Dialogue papers published by Education Scotland:
Using religious & cultural artefacts in RME: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/p/professionaldialogueinrme/artefacts.asp
visiting sites of religious & cultural interest in RME: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/p/professionaldialogueinrme/visitingsites.asp
using visiting speakers in RME: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/p/professionaldialogueinrme/visitingspeakers.asp
- April 2015, Book Review 'The Way of Mindful Education' (Rechtenshaft), Scottish Educational Review
Conference presentations
Date
Venue
Conference/event title
Presentation/workshop title
September 2017
University of Sussex
British Educational Research Association Conference
Schools and Sanitising Religion (joint paper with Drs David Smith and Jo Pearce (UCL)
June 2017
Samye Ling
Mindfulness Association bi-annual conference - Mindfulness in Society, Changing the World one Mind at a Time
Secular Mindfulness?
June 2017
University of Tuebingen
Seminar on European Religious Education
Religious and Moral Education in Scotland (joint paper with Dr David Smith)
June and August 2017
Beijing
Thinking Skills trainings for Chinese secondary teachers
Critical Thinking Skills in the secondary school
April 2017
Dublin
Ireland International Conference on Education (IICE)
The Religious Education and Diversity Project (READY) – an overview
February 2017
York
Compassionate Wellbeing conference
Mindfulness and Spirituality
November 2016
Alford Academy
Mindfulness in Education (Aberdeenshire Schools CPD event)
An introduction to mindfulness
January 2015 and April 2016
University of Aberdeen
Health and Well-being day
An introduction to mindfulness
November 2015
Edinburgh City Council
Mindfulness in Schools
The Emergence of Mindfulness in Education – An Overview
October 2015
Nairn
Northern Alliance Annual Conference
Mindfulness and Empowerment
August 2013
University of Malmo, Sweden
European Forum for Teachers of Religious Education Tri-annual conference – Religion and Relationships
Mindfulness, self-compassion and the anatomy of love
May 2013
University of Aberdeen
Mindfulness and Resilience in Community Development
March 2013
St George’s School, Edinburgh
Scottish Council for Independent Schools conference on Religious and Moral Education
Mindfulness, Compassion and Religious Education
January 2013
Carlton Hotel, Edinburgh
Edinburgh Secular Society Meeting
RME/RMPS – an overview of Scottish practice
October 2012
University of Edinburgh
Scottish Joint Committee for Religious and Moral Education annual conference
Assessment in RME – the Case for.
August 2012
St Patrick’s College, Dublin
Developing reflective teachers. CPD for 30 academic staff
Developing Reflective practice in the BEd programme
June 2012
University of Dundee
Engendering Dialogue III -Pedagogical Encounters: Feminist Philosophy and Education
Mindfulness, relationality and pedagogy
March 2012
Stranmillis University College, Belfast
European Forum for Teachers of Religious Education Board Meeting
Mindfulness as a secular analogue for religious experience
March 2012
University of West of Scotland
Youth in Crisis Conference
Paper: Mindfulness as a Thinking Skill for a Distracted Generation
March 2012
Glasgow
Scottish Humanist Society meeting
RME/RMPS – the Scottish situation
October 2011
University of Edinburgh
Scottish Joint Committee on Religious and Moral Education Annual Conference
Paper and workshop on Mindfulness as a Thinking Skill
May 2011
University of Aberdeen
Educational Institute for Scotland and University Aberdeen CPD event on Health and Well-being
Keynote speaker: Mindfulness in Education
May 2011
North West University, South Africa
International KOERS conference on world views and education
Paper on the emergence of philosophy in Scottish secondary school Religious Education
April 2011
University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh International Science Festival
Guest speaker during forum discussing 'Creeping creationism' in Scottish education
May 2010
Churches, House, Dunblane
Association of Teachers of RE in Scotland annual conference
The emergence of philosophy in RE in Scottish secondary schools
November 2009
Dundee
HMIE good practice event for RE
Developing religious literacy using philosophy for children and mindfulness
October 2009
University of Aberdeen
School of Education staff forum
Using De Bono's Hats to structure an analysis of critical thinking in the School of Education
October 2009
Samye Ling Buddhist monastery
Buddhism for teachers
Teaching Buddhism in Higher RMPS
September 2009
Glasgow
HMIE event for Initial Teacher educators in Religious Education
Update on research into the emergence of philosophy in RE
May 2009
Museum of Religion, Glasgow
Scottish Interfaith Council
Religious and Moral Education; the Personal Search and Curriculum for Excellence
November 2008
Perth
Scottish Educational Research Association (SERA) annual conference
The Move to Faculty Middle Management Structures in Scottish Secondary Schools; A Case Study
August 2008
University of Edinburgh
Scottish Joint Committee for Religious and Moral Education annual conference
Thinking skills and the Curriculum for Excellence
August 2008
University of Kent, Canterbury
European Association for Research in Learning and Instruction (EARLI)
The impact of Postmodernity on teaching within the context of Religious Education.
November 2007
Perth
Scottish Educational Research Association (SERA) annual conference
Social Theory, Secularisation and the changing educational paradigm as factors in the emergence of Philosophy in schools. Reflections on a pilot study of Religious Education in one local authority.
November 2007
Perth
Scottish Educational Research Association (SERA) annual conference
A conceptual background to the use of Actor Network Theory as a lens by which to analyse School Experience (as part of Scottish Teachers for a New Era symposium).
September 2007
Glasgow
HMIE event for Initial Teacher educators in Religious Education
From RE to RMPS; the case for change
May 2007
University of Aberdeen
CASS Moving Forward conference
The Emergence of Philosophy in Scottish Schools
November 2006
Perth
Scottish Educational Research Association (SERA) annual conference
A review of Religious Education guidelines as evidence for a move towards increasingly philosophical approaches to the subject.
Research Funding
- Religious Observance tender - bid and leadership (November 2006 – March 2007). Successful tendering for a bid to write exemplar material for Learning and Teaching Scotland and leadership of the writing team to create 18 assembly exemplars for the primary and secondary sectors. The tender was worth £15,422.
- Scottish Joint Committee for Religious and Moral Education. Successful bid for £2498.10 to support writing of paper and research into the issue of withdrawal from Religious and Moral Education in Scotland.
- Religious Education and Diversity in Europe: Erasmus Plus - Share of €275,506. Three year project working with 5 European partner institutions
Supervision
PHd Supervision
David Di Domenico - Multiculturalism and Nurse Education
Kathryn Anderson - Mindfulness and Hospital Chaplaincy
Jane Kellock - The experience of mindfulness, a phenomenological study
Debbie Banks - Mindfulness and Nursing
Heather MacKenzie - Mindfulness in Scottish secondary schools
Jennifer Obbard - Nature Connectedness
MSc Supervision
Currently have 17 Masters supervisess
Graduated (a sample):
Graduated
Surname
Name
Dissertation Title
Jun-13
Bertram-Smith
Norton
An assessment into how mindfulness learning contributes to
developing authentic leadership.
Nov-13
McCusker
Angela
An Evaluation of a Mindful Leadership Programme
Nov-13
Arnold
John
Learning Sport Mindfully
Jun-14
Nevejan
Annick
Compassion, unlocking the interpersonal potential
Jun-14
Regan-Addis
Heather
A comparative analysis of the Insight course ED505C of the University of Aberdeen’s Studies in Mindfulness MSc Program with respect to the Interacting Cognitive Sub-Systems Model of Cognitive Psychology
Jun-15
Wall
Sally
‘Lite’ Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Meditation: An Exploratory study of the Perceived Value for Primary Post Graduate Trainee Teachers
Nov-14
Flynn
Colin
Can an increase in mindfulness lead to an individual's increase in working memory capacity?
Nov-13
Grigg
Janet
To what Extent does a Mindfulness Training Intervention contribute to pupil Health and Wellbeing in the context of the Curriculum for Excellence in a Scottish Secondary School?
Jun-14
Cullen
Gavin
An Evaluation of mindful compassion training for nurses
- Publications
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Publications