Prof Lynn Newton

Contact Prof Lynn Newton (email at l.d.newton@durham.ac.uk)

Biography

After completing a degree in Education at Durham University in 1975, Professor Newton began working as a primary teacher in the North East of England. She completed her MA in Education at Durham University in 1981. Following a fellowship in science education, she worked for Durham Local Education Authority as an Advisory Teacher for Science and then, in 1987, moved to the University of Newcastle as first a Lecturer in Primary Science and Design and Technology, and then a Senior Lecturer and Director of Primary Initial Teacher Training. During that time she completed her PhD on the topic of Teachers’ Questioning for Understanding in Primary Science: An Approach through Mental Model Theory. She stayed at Newcastle for eleven years before moving to Durham in 1997, initially as Course Leader of the new specialist degree in science education for primary initial teacher training. Later she became Course Leader for the Primary PGCE, then Director of Initial Teacher Training and finally, from 2005-2010, Head of the School of Education. She has taught on a range of science and education modules across the School of Education and supervised dissertation and theses students researching a range of topics, mainly although not exclusively, focusing on aspects of science education in the primary school.

Professor Newton’s research interests are in the area of science and design and technology education, particularly in connection with effective communication in science and strategies that support teaching for understanding in science. She has researched teaching for understanding across the primary curriculum and the use of analogical reasoning to support the construction of understanding, and most recently teaching for creativity and productive thought. This is the focus of her current book, Creativity and Problem Solving across the Primary Curriculum (Routledge, 2011). She has written, edited or co-authored over a dozen books on science teaching, primary teaching and professional studies in the primary school. She has also written over one hundred academic and professional papers on these areas. She became Professor of Primary Education in 2003.

Lynn would welcome applications from prospective doctorate students on primary and middle school science education; effective communication in science/ primary schools; teachers' questioning and explaining in science/ primary schools; teaching for understanding;creativity and creative thinking and concepts of engagement.

Completed Supervisions (since 2008)

The provision of nursery education in England and Wales to 1967 with sepcial reference to North-East England

How do teachers' beliefs affect the implementation of inquiry-based learning in the PGS Curriculum? A case study of two primary schools in Hong Kong.

Supervises

• Mr Ozcan Arslanoglu
• Ms Suad Noor
• Mr Kwok Lai
• Ms Susan Oates
• Ms Ong Siew-kim

Research Groups

• Curriculum and Pedagogy

Research Projects

• LEGO

Research Interests

• Creativity and Engagement in Primary/ Middle School Curricula
• Primary/ Middle School Science Education
• Questioning and Communicating for Effective Teaching and Learning

Publications

Journal papers: academic

• 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, L.D. & Newton, D.P. (2010). Creative Thinking and Teaching for Creativity in Elementary School Science. Gifted and Talented International 25(2): 111-124.
• 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.
• Bolden, D.S. & Newton, L.D. (2008). Primary teachers' epistemological beliefs: some perceived barriers to investigative teaching in primary mathematics. Educational Studies 34(5): 419-432.
• Newton, D.P. & Newton, L.D. (2007). An analysis of primary technology textbooks: can they support cause and purpose explanations?. Research in Science and Technological Education 25(2): 199-210.
• Newton, L.D. & Newton, D.P. (2007). Can RE textbooks help you teach for understanding the primary school? REtoday 25(1).
• 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.
• A. Blake, L.D. Newton, D.P. Newton & K. Brown (2003). Do primary history books show a concern for explanatory understanding? Westminster Studies in Education 26: 149-159.
• Blake, A., Newton, L.D., Newton, D.P. & Brown, K. (2003). Do primary history books show a concern for explanatory understanding?. Westminster Studies in Education 26: 149-159.
• L.D. Newton (2003). The Occurrence of Analogies in Elementary School Science Books. Instructional Science 31(6): 353-375.
• Newton, L.D., Newton, D.P., Blake, A. & Brown, K. (2002). Do primary school science books for children show a concern for explanatory understanding?. Research in Science & Technological Education 20(2): 227-240.
• L.D. Newton (2002). Questions That Help Children Understand Elementary Science. Investigating 18(2): 6-9.
• L.D. Newton (2001). Encouraging Historical Understanding in the Primary Classroom. Evaluation & Research in Education 15(3): 182-88.
• Newton, D.P. & Newton, L.D. (2001). Subject Content Knowledge and Teacher Talk in the Primary Science Classroom. European Journal of Teacher Education 24(3): 369-379.
• L.D. Newton (2001). Teaching for Understanding in Primary Science. Evaluation & Research in Education 15(3): 143-53.
• D.P. Newton & L.D. Newton (2001). What primary school student-teachers and head teachers think matters when choosing and judging a teacher. Research in Education 66: 54-64.

Journal papers: professional

• Newton, L.D. (2013). Teachers' Questions: can they support understanding and higher-level thinking? Ecolint Institute of Learning and Teaching Research Journal 1(Feb 2013): 6-17.

Books: authored

• Newton, L.D. (2000). Meeting the Standards in Primary Science. Routledge.

Books: edited

• Newton, L.D. (2012). Creativity for a New Curriculum: 5-11. Routledge.
• Newton, L.D. (2005). Meeting the standards in secondary science: A guide to the ITT NC. Meeting the Standards. Routledge.
• E. English & L. Newton (2005). Professional Studies in the Primary School. David Fulton.
• Newton, L.D. (2002). Teaching for Understanding across the Primary Curriculum. Multilingual Matters.

Books: sections

• Ward, S. & Newton, L.D. (2012). 'Creativity is our Hope': A wider perspective on creativity. In Creativity for a New Curriculum: 5-11. Newton, L.D. Routledge. 120-130.
• Newton, L.D. & Waugh, D. (2012). Creativity in English. In Creativity for a New Curriculum: 5-11. Newton, L.D. Routledge. 19-35.
• Newton, L.D. (2012). Creativity in Science and Design and Technology. In Creativity for a New Curriculum: 5-11. Newton, L.D. Routledge. 48-61.
• Newton, L.D. (2012). Introduction. In Creativity for a New Curriculum: 5-11. Newton, L.D. Routledge.
• Newton, L.D. (2012). Teaching for Creative Learning. In Creativity for a New Curriculum: 5-11. Newton, L.D. Routledge. 131-139.
• Newton, L.D. (2011). Creativity for all in Elementary Science. In Sachunterricht - auf dem Weg zur Inklusion. Geist, H., Kaiser, A. & Schomaker, C. Klinkhardt. 133-144.
• Newton, L.D. (2009). Improving Primary Science Teaching. In Understanding Primary Science. Science Knowledge for Teaching. Wenham, M. & Ovens, P. Sage. xiii-xvii.
• 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.
• D.P. Newton, L.D. Newton, A. Blake & K. Brown (2002). Is understanding a priority in elementary science teaching? In Progress in Educational Research. Nova Science. 6: 139-154.

Books: reviews

• Newton, L.D. (2013). New perspectives in primary education: meaning and purpose in learning and teaching. Cambridge Journal of Education
• Newton, L.D. (2010). Creativity in Science and Science Education: A response to Ghassib. Gifted and Talented International 25(1): 105-109.

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.

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.