Staff

Prof Doug Newton

Research Support Tutor in the School of Education

Contact Prof Doug Newton (email at d.p.newton@durham.ac.uk)

Biography

After teaching in school, Doug Newton became a Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Reader and Professor at Newcastle University where he trained teachers, taught higher degree courses and was Director of the Doctorate in Education course, founded the Teaching and Learning journal and established the Collection of Historical Science Textbooks. Professor Newton now teaches and researches at Durham University, where he mentors early-career researchers, teaches on higher degree courses, and trains teachers, mainly in Science and Technology Education. His research has largely centred on Teaching with Text, Effective Communication, and Teaching for Understanding. Current interests are in Creativity in the Classroom, Engagement in Learning, Fostering Productive Thought, Peer Review and Characteristics of the Productive Researcher. His mentoring work has been described as a 'model of good practice' and he has contributed to the University's resources for mentor development.

His interests are not confined to Education. For example, Professor Newton recently published research in the European Journal of Archaeology on using found coins as indicators of coins in circulation. He has also engaged in medical education research (health informatics and diabetes education) and he invented and patented a medical device, the Uflow meter, now produced by MDTi and available worldwide.

Prizes and awards include The Mark Wright Prize, The Guinness Award for Science Education, and the Esmée Fairbairn Partnership Trust Commendation for Teacher Training. Professor Newton is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Doug would welcome applications from prospective doctorate students on science education; teaching for understanding; creativity and creative thinking; concepts of engagement and emotions and learning.

Research Groups

Curriculum and Pedagogy

Research Interests

Cognitive Engagement in Learning
Creativity
Peer Review
Science and Technology Education

Publications

Journal papers: academic

Newton, D.P. (2012). Moods, emotions and creative thinking: A framework for teaching. Thinking Skills & Creativity 8: 34-44.
Newton, D.P. & Newton, L.D. (2011). Engaging science: pre-service primary school teachers' notions of engaging science lessons. International Journal of Science & Mathematics Education 9(2): 327-345.
Newton, D.P. & Donkin, H. (2011). Some notions of artistic creativity amongst history of art students acquired through incidental learning. International Journal of Education through Art 7(3): 283-298.
Newton, D.P. (2010). Assessing the creativity of scientific explanations in elementary science: an insider-outsider view of intuitive assessment in the hypothesis space. Research in Science & Technological Education 28(3): 187-201.
Newton, L.D. & Newton, D.P. (2010). Creative Thinking and Teaching for Creativity in Elementary School Science. Gifted and Talented International 25(2): 111-124.
Bolden, D.S., Harries, A.V. & Newton, D.P. (2010). Pre-service primary teachers’ conceptions of creativity in mathematics. Educational Studies in Mathematics 73(2): 143-157.
Newton, D.P. (2010). Quality and Peer Review of Research: An Adjudicating Role for Editors. Accountability in Research 17(3): 130-145.
Blake, A., Edwards, G., Newton, D.P. & Newton, L.D. (2010). Some student teachers' conceptions of creativity in primary school history. International Journal of Historical Learning, Teaching and Research 9(2): 15-24.
Newton, D.P. & Newton, L.D. (2010). What teachers see as creative incidents in elementary science lessons. International Journal of Science Education 32(15): 1989-2005
Newton, L.D. & Newton, D.P. (2009). A Procedure for Assessing Textbook Support for Reasoned Thinking. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher 18(1): 109-115.
Newton, D.P. & Newton, L.D. (2009). Knowledge development at the time of use: a problem-based approach to lesson planning in primary teacher training in a low knowledge, low skill context. Educational Studies 35(3): 311-321.
Newton, D.P. & Newton, L.D. (2009). Some student teachers' conceptions of creativity in school science. Research in Science & Technological Education 27(1): 45-60.
Lynn D. Newton & Douglas P. Newton (2005). Thinking about Art: Could Elementary Textbooks Serve as Models of Practice to Help New Teachers and Non Specialists Support Reasoning in Art?. The International Journal of Art & Design Education 24(3): 315-324.

Books: authored

Newton, D.P. (2012). Teaching for Understanding. Routledge.
Newton, D.P. (2008). A Practical Guide to Teaching Science in the Secondary School. Routledge.
Moseley, D., Baumfield, V., Elliott, J., Gregson, M., Higgins, S., Miller, J. & Newton, D.P. (2005). Frameworks for thinking: a handbook for teaching and learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Books: sections

Newton, D.P. (2012). Creativity and problem solving: An overview. In Creativity for a New Curriculum. Newton, L.D. Routledge. 7-18.
Newton, D.P., Donkin, H., Kokotsaki, D. & Newton, L.D. (2012). Creativity in Art and Music. In Creativity for a New Curriculum: 5-11. Newton, L.D. Routledge. 62-79.
Newton, D.P. (2012). Recognizing creativity. In Creativity for a New Curriculum. Newton, L.D. Routledge. 108-119.
Newton, L.D. & Newton, D.P. (2008). A problem-based approach to training elementary teachers to plan science lessons. In Teachers and Teacing: Strategies, Innovations and Problem Solving. Ollington, G.F. Nova Science Publishers.
Newton, D.P. (2005). Motivating students in science. In Meeting the Standards in Secondary Science. Newton, L.D. London: Routledge/Falmer. 164-173.

Conference papers

Newton, L.D. & Newton, D.P. (2009), Conceptions of Creativity in Elementary School Science, Excellence in Educatin 2008: Future Minds and Creativity. Paris, Descartes, Paris.

Other publications: research

Higgins, S., Baumfield, V., Newton, D. & Elliott, J. (2009). Developing effective multimedia instruction for expert learners. American Journal of Psychology 567-569.

Reports: official

Newton, L.D. & Newton, D.P. (2009). A problem based learning approach to developing lesson planning skills in primary science. London, Teacher Development Agency.

Supervises

Current vacancies