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Overview

Professor Douglas Newton

Professor Emeritus (Ncl), Honorary Professor (Dur)


Affiliations
Affiliation
Professor Emeritus (Ncl), Honorary Professor (Dur) in the School of Education

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 largely centred on Teaching with Text, Effective Communication, Teaching for Understanding, Creativity in the Classroom, Engagement in Learning, Fostering Productive Thought, and Peer Review. He has, however, had a long-standing interest in the interaction of thinking and feeling and how moods and emotions affect purposeful thought. While moods and emotions shape the thinking of all of us; for some, this interaction can be the most powerful determinant of academic success (and failure). His most recent book, Thinking with Feeling (London, Routledge) has been described as a Copernican change in the way the educational process is conceptualised. Professor Newton also has a strong interest in mentoring lecturers in HE and works in various parts of the University promoting and fostering scholarly activity. In this capacity, he has contributed to the University's resources for mentor development. This mentoring work has been described as a 'model of good practice'.

Professor Newton's interests are not confined to Education. For example, he has 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 Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He is a member of the University's Durham Commission reporting on creativity across all subjects, including those in Higher Education.

Completed Supervisions

Engaging Children in Question Asking for Problem Finding to Encourage Creative Thinking in Primary School Science Teaching.

Information for prospective doctoral research student supervisions

Professor Newton has a variety of doctorate students working on areas, such as, science education; teaching for understanding; creativity and creative thinking; engagement in learning and the interaction of emotions and learning. Some are listed below.

Research interests

  • Cognitive Engagement in Learning and Productive Thought
  • Creativity
  • Moods, emotions, thinking and learning
  • Peer Review
  • Science and Technology Education

Esteem Indicators

  • 2000: Best publications: Newton, D.P. (2016). In Two Minds: The interaction of moods, emotions and purposeful thought in formal education. Ulm, Germany: International Centre for Innovation in Education (ICIE).

    Newton, D.P. (2014). Thinking with Feeling: Fostering productive thought in the classroom. London New York: Routledge.

  • 2000: Translation into other languages: For example, work on Teaching for Understanding was translated into Swedish at the request of educationalists in Sweden: Newton, D.P. (2003) Undervisa för förstäelse: Vad det är och hur man gör det, Lund, Studentlitteratur, 91 44 02347 2, 256pp
  • 2000: Citations for research literature: His publications have been cited frequently and positively in the research literature. For example, relating to work on children's perceptions, see citations in International Journal of Science Education, 17(6), 755-774 (an Australian author), and on using analogies to support learning, see International Journal of Science Education, 25(6), 697-715. The articles have also been developed by invitation for publication in collected works (e.g. work on teachers' lack of support for understanding in Progress in Educational Research, Vol. 6, Nova Science Publishers Inc., New York, pp. 139-154, (ISBN 1 59033 321 7)
  • 2000: Policy and Practice: His work continues to bear upon policy and practice, as exemplified by, for instance, its lengthy reproduction in books for taining teachers (Reflective Readers: Primary Science, Learning Matters, Exeter, 2005, 15-17; The Teaching of Science in Primary Schools, Harlen, W. & Qualter, A. 2004, David Fulton, London, 278-279) and in articles in the professional literature (e.g. School Science Review, 300, 71-83) and material in science teaching schemes (e.g. Bath Primary Science). I was also invited by the Treasury to give an address on the methodology of assessing learning (2003).
  • 2000: Invention: Inventor of UFlow Meter - a portable, accurate and reliable gauge for the detection of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS)

Publications

Authored book

Chapter in book

Conference Paper

Edited book

Journal Article

Monograph

Other (Print)

Presentation

Report

Supervision students