Profile
Biography
I am currently an Honorary Fellow in the department having retired from my post as Senior Lecturer in September 2009. Since that time, I have worked on research projects focused mainly on the evaluation of professional development of teachers and teaching approaches in biology. I joined the department in April 2001 having spent the previous seven years teaching science and environmental biology to student teachers at Bretton Hall College, University of Leeds. Before that I was an advisory teacher for science and assessment, a research fellow at the University of Leeds and a Head of Science at a comprehensive school in North Yorkshire.
After graduating in Zoology and Geology from Exeter University I taught science in secondary schools in Cardiff, York and Boroughbridge for 18 years. In 1989-1991 I completed a Masters in Science Education while working as a Research Fellow for the Assessment of Performance Unit in Science at the University of Leeds. In May 2010, I completed a PhD at the University of York looking at transition in science from primary to secondary schools. From 2008 to 2015 I was Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Education and Social Sciences at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. My work in South Africa involved research on argumentation in classrooms, teacher development and mentoring and capacity building for research at the university.
As Adjunct Professor in Cape Town and in my capacity as Editor of the Association for Science Education's journal 'Science Teacher Education' (from 2008 to 2015) I was involved in the development of academic writing, particularly for new researchers and writers. Since retirement, I have been a keynote speaker at international research conferences and consultant in several countries including; Brazil, Norway, Finland, New Zealand, Rwanda, Brunei, Chile, Portugal, Germany and Turkey.
My current work looks at the use of drama and the Arts to teach science and informal learning beyond the classroom. I continue to work and publish with colleagues in South Africa.
Research
Overview
My research interests are in learning in primary and secondary science, biology education, museums and informal learning, teacher education and professional development of teachers, discussions and critical thinking/argumentation in science and the uses of the arts including drama to teach science.
My recent work and publications are linked to talk and discussions in primary school science (DiPS), evaluation of programmes in professional development, the uses of drama to teach science and critical thinking and argumentation.
Research group(s)
Publications
Selected publications
Braund, M. (2010). Curriculum Development in the United Kingdom: Themes, Trends, and Tensions. In, Kirylo, J.D., and Nauman, A. K. (2010) (Eds.) Curriculum Development: Perspectives from Around the World. Pp. 346-359. Association for Childhood Education International: Olney, MD.
Braund, M. (2009). Talk in primary science: a method to promote productive and contextualized group discourse, Education 3-13(37), 385-399.
Braund, M. (2008). Starting Science …Again? London: Sage Publications
Scholtz, Z., Braund, M., Hodges, M., Koopman, R., and Lubben, F. (2008). South African teachers’ ability to argue: the emergence of inclusive argumentation, International Journal of Educational Development, 28(1), 21-34.
Braund, M. (2007) ‘Bridging work’ and its role in improving progression and continuity: an example from science education, British Educational Research Journal , 33(6), 905-926.
Braund , M., Lubben, F., Scholtz, Z., Sadeck, M., and Hodges, M. (2007). Comparing the effect of scientific and socio-scientific argumentation tasks: lessons from South Africa, School Science Review, 88(324), 67-76.
Braund, M., and Reiss, M. (2006). Towards a more authentic science curriculum: the contribution of out-of-school learning, International Journal of Science Education , 28(12), 1373–1388.
Braund, M., and Reiss, M. (2006). Validity and worth in the science curriculum: learning school science outside the laboratory, The Curriculum Journal, 17(3), 313-228.
Braund, M., and Driver, M. (2005). Pupils’ perceptions of practical science in primary and secondary school: implications for improving progression and continuity of learning. Educational Research, 47(1), 77-91.
Braund, M., and Hames, V. (2005). Improving progression and continuity from Primary to Secondary Science: Pupils’ Reactions to Bridging Work, International Journal of Science Education, 27(7), 781-801
Braund, M., and Driver, M. (2005). Pupils' attitudes to practical science around the KS2/3 transition, Education 3-13, 33(2), 20-26.
Braund, M and Reiss, M. (Eds.) (2004) Learning Science Outside the Classroom. London: RoutledgeFalmer.
Braund, M. (2004) The nature of learning outside the classroom. In M. Braund and M. Reiss (Eds) Learning science outside the classroom . (pp. 1-12) London: RoutledgeFalmer.
Reiss, M., and Braund, M. (2004). Practicalities and safety issues. In M. Braund and M. Reiss (eds.) Learning science outside the classroom . (pp. 13-18) London: RoutledgeFalmer.
Braund, M. (2004) Learning from freshwater habitats. In M. Braund and M. Reiss (eds.) Learning science outside the classroom . (pp. 35-54) London: RoutledgeFalmer.
Braund, M. (2004) Learning at museums and science centres. In M. Braund and M. Reiss (eds.) Learning science outside the classroom . (pp. 113-128) London: RoutledgeFalmer.
Reiss, M. and Braund, M. (2004) Managing learning outside the classroom. In M. Braund and M. Reiss (eds.) Learning science outside the classroom . (pp. 225-234) London: RoutledgeFalmer.
Braund, M. (2001) Primary Plants: A handbook for teaching plant science in the primary school . Birmingham: Questions Publishing Company.
External activities
Memberships
I am a member of the Royal Society of Biology (RSB) and hold Chartered Biologist Status (CBiol). I am a member of the Association for Science Education (ASE), The Association of Tutors of Science Education (ATSE), the European Science Education Research Association (ESERA), and the South African Association for Research in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education (SAARMSTE).
Editorial duties
I am a member of the editorial boards of the International Journal of Science Education (IJSE), Research in Science Education (RISE) and the African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education (AJRMSTE.) More occasionally I review papers for the Journal of Biological Education, School Science Review, International Journal of Educational Development and the South African Journal of Education in Science and Technology.
Invited talks and conferences
I regularly contribute to international conferences and research workshops in Southern Africa, Australasia, South America and in many countries of Europe.
Evaluation and external examinations
I have refereed proposals for several organisations such as the Wellcome Trust, the ESRC and the NRF in South Africa as well as Fullbright nominations.
I have been external examiner for PhDs in the UK, Australia, South Africa and Brazil.
