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The School of Psychology

Dr Heather Branigan

Dr Heather Branigan
Dr Heather Branigan
Dr Heather Branigan

Lecturer

About
Email Address
heather.branigan@abdn.ac.uk
Telephone Number
+44 (0)1224 272398
Office Address

G:15, William Guild Building
Aberdeen
AB24 3RT

School/Department
School of Psychology

Biography

PhD (2019) Psychology, University of Stirling
BSc (2013) Honours in Psychology, University of Stirling

External Memberships

  • Chair, Scottish Developmental Psychology Network (ScotDPN)
  • Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA)

Latest Publications

View My Publications

Research

Research Overview

I'm particularly interested in the following areas:

  • Metacognition
  • Cognitive development
  • Learning theories
  • Qualitative research methods
  • The transition of theory into practice

During my PhD, I explored the transition of ideas from cognitive developmental theory into the applied primary school setting. Specifically, I explored how children think about and manage their own thinking (AKA metacognition), and the role that teachers play in this process. More widely, I’m interested in exploring systems of collaboration between academic researchers, policy and practice.

Research Areas

Education

View Research Area

Psychology

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Research Specialisms

  • Educational Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Qualitative Psychology

Our research specialisms are based on the Higher Education Classification of Subjects (HECoS) which is HESA open data, published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.

Current Research

I am currently undertaking two scholarship/research projects:

  • Exploring articulation students' experiences in relation to the transition to university
  • Developing micro-credential courses to enhance student resilience
Teaching

Courses

Teaching Responsibilities

I am course co-ordinator of:

  • Developmental Psychology: Current Issues in Education (PS5053)
  • Developmental Psychology: Childhood Health and Wellbeing (PS5554)
  • Advanced Paychology A: Concepts and Theory (PS2017)
  • Advanced Psychology B: Concepts and Theory (PS2517)

I lecture on the following courses:

  • Level 1: Developmental Psychology (PS1509)
  • Level 2: Developmental Psychology (PS2517), Methods & Applications (PS2518)
  • Level 5: Qualitative Methods & Research Design (PS5519)

I am a tutor on the following courses:

  • Level 2: Concepts & Theory (PS2017, PS2517), Methods & Applications (PS2018, PS2518)
  • Level 3: Methodology (PS3015 & PS3522), Developmental Psychology (PS3518)
Publications

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  • Exploring and Enhancing Support for Advanced Entry Students Transitioning Into Higher Education

    Branigan, H., Middleton, S., Hutchison, J.
    Perspectives on Enhancing Student Transition Into Higher Education and Beyond. IGI Global, pp. 95-120, 26 pages
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters

  • From Cathartic ‘Brain Tingles’ to Scratching Chalkboard Sensations: An Exploratory Study Investigating the Phenomenological Aspects of ASMR

    Lindfors, A., Branigan, H.
    Reinvention: an International Journal of Undergraduate Research, vol. 14, no. 2
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • ‘Never mind children’s cognition, what about mine?’ Teachers’ perspectives of the enactment of policy: The case of metacognition

    Branigan, H. E.
    Curriculum Journal, vol. 32, no. 3, pp. 402-420
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Teachers matter for metacognition: Facilitating metacognition in the primary school through teacher-pupil interactions

    Branigan, H., Donaldson, D.
    Thinking Skills and Creativity, vol. 38, 100718
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Learning from learning logs: A case study of metacognition in the primary school classroom

    Branigan, H. E., Donaldson, D. I.
    British Educational Research Journal , vol. 45, no. 4, pp. 791-820
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • What we learn from learning diaries: Structured activities as metacognitive tools

    Branigan, H.
    Metacognition 2018
    Contributions to Conferences: Abstracts

  • Whose metacognition is it anyway? Metacognition in the primary school classroom

    Branigan, H.
    BERA Annual Conference 2017
    Contributions to Conferences: Abstracts

  • Exploring metacognitive theory in the primary school setting: Insights from psychological evidence, teachers’ perspectives, and practice

    Branigan, H.
    Metacognition 2016
    Contributions to Conferences: Abstracts

  • Metacognition in the Primary School Classroom: Evidence from Theory and Practice

    Branigan, H.
    International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement
    Contributions to Conferences: Posters

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