Director of Education UG (School of Education)
Senior Lecturer
- About
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- Email Address
- l.bjorkvoll@abdn.ac.uk
- Telephone Number
- +44 (0)1224 274838
- Office Address
MacRobert Building, King's College, Aberdeen. AB24 5UA
- School/Department
- School of Education
Biography
Science Education
My background in Biology and interest in supporting the learning of science, led me to becoming a Biology teacher which was a brilliant experience. Working with children and young people was a privilege and I loved it all! An interest and experience in mentoring student teachers and probationers led me move into teacher education. Currently, as a science teacher educator working across Primary and Secondary Initial Teacher Education programmes, I focus on supporting student teachers in developing key skills, knowledge, and dispositions for the effective teaching of science. Innovative approaches seek to address the challenges of both the teaching of and learning of science, making science education more accessible and inclusive for all learners and supporting the development of children and young adults in becoming scientifically literate citizens.
Other areas of expertise in education are: professional placements; effective science pedagogies; mentoring, and outdoor learning.
Leadership
I am currently the Director of Education (UG) in the School of Education. I am particularly interested in the quality of the student experience and how the contemporary education of students can continue to be developed, ensuring relevance and adding value to both the academic and professional student learning journey. Essential for a positive student experience is programme design. I have been heavily involved in the leadership of Initial Teacher Education programmes since joining the University and successfully led two consecutive GTCS accreditation events- 2013 for the combined PGDE Primary and Secondary programmes; and a new PGDE S programme was accredited in April 2019, achieving a commendation for the conceptual design and theoretical underpinning of the programme.
Employment:
2007- present: Lecturer/Senior Lecturer, School Of Education, University of Aberdeen
2002- 2007: Biology teacher, Aberdeenshire Council
Internal Memberships
Member of School of Education Executive| August 2020-present.
Member of University Education Committee (UEC)| May 2021- present
Joint Chair of School of Education, School Education Committee (SEC)| August 2020- present.
Current Leadership Responsibilities
Director of Education (UG)| School of Education| August 2020- present.
School Experience Coordinator| Professional Graduate Diploma Education (Secondary), August 2023- present
Centre for Teaching Excellence- UoA Hub Operational Lead| Jan 2026-present
Subject selector for PGDE Biology
- Teaching
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Programmes
- Postgraduate, 1 year, August start
- Subject selector (Biology)
- Curricular tutor (Biology and Science)
- Professional Studies tutor
- School Experience visiting tutor
- Postgraduate, 2 semester, August start
- Science tutor
- Undergraduate, 4 year, September start
- ED101E Teaching Primary Science Through Fiction (Course Co-ordinator)
- ED301P Teaching Science in the Primary Classroom (Course Co-ordinator)