Howard Stevenson

Contact

• workJubilee Campus
  Wollaton Road
  Nottingham
  NG8 1BB
  UK
• Howard.Stevenson@nottingham.ac.uk
• https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/education/people/howard.stevenson

Biography

Howard became an Emeritus Professor in January 2025. Howard joined the University of Nottingham as Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in February 2013. Between 2014 and 2018 he was Director of Research in the School and he is currently Head pf Training for the University of Nottingham's ESRC Doctoral Training Programme.

Prior to that he was Professor of Education in the Centre for Educational Research and Development at the University of Lincoln (2007-2013) and Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in the School of Education at the University of Leicester (2002-2007).

Before becoming a higher education teacher and researcher Howard worked for 15 years teaching in a comprehensive community college in Leicestershire. Whilst working as a teacher Howard was an active member of his teachers' association and was President of the largest teachers' association in Leicestershire.

Howard is co-Managing Editor of the SSCI-indexed Professional Development in Education, and Chair of the Editorial Board of Forum: for promoting 3-19 comprehensive education, the journal that was originally founded by Professor Brian Simon over 60 years ago. The journal continues to challenge the (re-emerging) orthodoxy of fixed ability thinking and practice, whilst also making the case for the democratic control of education and education as a public good.

Teaching Summary

Howard is convenor the MA module Educational Research: Purpose, Place and Policy and the BA module Big Ideas in Education: the datafication of education.

He also supervises doctoral students (PhD and EdD).

Research Summary

Howard's research interests focus on both the school and higher education sectors. These include understanding the formation and development of education policy processes, public investment and… read more

Recent Publications

• STEVENSON, H., MILNER, A, WINCHIP, E. and HAGGER-VAUGHAN, L, 2021. Education policy and the European Semester: Challenging soft power in hard times.. In: TETT, L. and HAMILTON, M., eds., Resisting Neoliberalism in Education: Local, National and Transnational Perspectives Policy Press. 211-224
• STEVENSON, H., 2020. Education Union Renewal: The Key to Flipping the System. In: SOSKIL, M., ed., Flip the System US: How Teachers Can Transform Education and Save Democracy Routledge.
• STEVENSON, H., CARTER, B., MILNER, A. and VEGA CASTILLO, M. A., 2020. Your Turn! Teachers for Trade Union Renewal. ETUCE.
• MCINTYRE JOANNA, YOUENS BERNADETTE and STEVENSON HOWARD, 2019. Silenced voices: the disappearance of the university and the student teacher in teacher education policy discourse in England Research Papers in Education. 34(2), 153-168

• View all publications

• Education policy
• Education leadership and management
• Teachers' work
• Teachers' professional learning and professional development
• Education sector labour relations

Please email Howard if you are interested in undertaking research in these areas

Howard is a member of the Centre for Research in Educational Leadership and Management.

Current Research

Howard's research interests focus on both the school and higher education sectors. These include understanding the formation and development of education policy processes, public investment and privatisation in education, educational management and teacher leadership, school and HE sector labour relations/teacher unions and the investigation of teachers' work/academic labour through labour process analysis.

He has recently undertaken research funded by the European Trade Union Committee for Education and Education International.

Past Research

2021 Strengthening the role of education employers in the European Semester (€20,000) (VP/2017/004/0100) (Lead Participant - European Federation of Education Employers)

2019-2020 'Your Turn! Teachers for Trade Union Renewal' (€34,999.62) (VS2018/0358) (Lead Participant - European Trade Union Committee for Education)

2018-2020 European Commission (€292,000) (VP/2017/004/0100) Public service trade unions - effective intervention in the European Semester (Lead participant - European Public Service Union)

2017-2018 European Commission (€15,750) (VS/2016/0248) Education trade unions for the teaching profession: strengthening the capacity of education trade unions to represent teachers' professional needs in social dialogue. (Lead sponsor - European Trade Union Committee for Education - ETUCE)

2016-2017 European Commission (€38,0000) (VS/2015/0329) Investing in education: strengthening the involvement of teacher trade unions in the European Semester on education training. (Lead sponsor - European Trade Union Committee for Education - ETUCE)

2015-17 ESRC Impact Accelerator Fund/National Union of Teachers (UK) (£2,500) Organising without borders.2015-2017 Education International (€27,000) Changing unions in challenging times: case studies in teacher union renewal. Stevenson with Nina Bascia (OISE).

2013-2014 International Baccalaureate Organisation 'Caring' across the International Baccalaureate Continuum($64,000) Stevenson PI - with Stephen Joseph, Lucy Cooker, Lucy Bailey.

2014 Irish National Teachers' Organisation (£6,000) INTO members' views about their work and their union (PI)

2013-2014 International Baccalaureate Organisation ($40,000) IB Middle Years Programme in the UK: Implementation and Practices and Student Outcomes Associated with the Learner Profile Attribute 'Open Minded'. Stevenson PI, with Pat Thomson.

• STEVENSON, H., MILNER, A, WINCHIP, E. and HAGGER-VAUGHAN, L, 2021. Education policy and the European Semester: Challenging soft power in hard times.. In: TETT, L. and HAMILTON, M., eds., Resisting Neoliberalism in Education: Local, National and Transnational Perspectives Policy Press. 211-224
• STEVENSON, H., 2020. Education Union Renewal: The Key to Flipping the System. In: SOSKIL, M., ed., Flip the System US: How Teachers Can Transform Education and Save Democracy Routledge.
• STEVENSON, H., CARTER, B., MILNER, A. and VEGA CASTILLO, M. A., 2020. Your Turn! Teachers for Trade Union Renewal. ETUCE.
• MCINTYRE JOANNA, YOUENS BERNADETTE and STEVENSON HOWARD, 2019. Silenced voices: the disappearance of the university and the student teacher in teacher education policy discourse in England Research Papers in Education. 34(2), 153-168
• WINCHIP, E., STEVENSON, H. and MILNER, A., 2019. Measuring Privatisation in Education: methodological problems and possibilities Educational Review.
• STEVENSON, H., MILNER, A., HAGGER-VAUGHAN, L., VANHERCKE, B., BELLETTI, C. and POND, R., 2019. The European Semester – the challenges for public services trade unions. EPSU.
• HOWARD STEVENSON, 2017. The datafication of teaching: can teachers speak back to the numbers? Peabody Journal of Education. 92(4), 537-557
• FIONA KING and HOWARD STEVENSON, 2017. Generating change from below: what role for leadership from above? Journal of Educational Administration. 55(6), 657-670
• STEVENSON, H., 2016. Mobilisation theory: Is leadership the missing link? Leadership and Policy in Schools. 15(1), 67-90
• STEVENSON, H., JOSEPH, S., BAILEY, L., COOKER, L., FOX, S. and BOWMAN, A., 2016. 'Caring' across the International Baccalaureate continuum IBO.
• STEVENSON H and GILLILAND A, 2015. The teachers’ voice: teacher unions at the heart of a new democratic professionalism.. In: ELVERS J and KNEYBER, R, eds., Flip the System: changing education from the ground up Routledge.
• BARNETT, B. and STEVENSON, H., 2015. Leading high poverty urban schools. In: CLARKE, S. and O'DONOGHUE, T., eds., School leadership in diverse contexts Routledge.
• BARNETT, B. and STEVENSON, H., 2015. International perspectives in urban education leadership: social justice leadership and high needs schools. In: KHALIFA, M., GRANT, C., WITHERSPOON ARNOLD, N. and OSANLOO, A., eds., Handbook of Urban Leadership Rowan and Littlefield.
• ANGELLE, P., MORRISON, M. and STEVENSON, H., 2015. ‘Doing’ social justice leadership connecting the macro and micro contexts of schooling. In: RYAN, J. and ARMSTRONG, D., eds., Working (With/out) the System: Educational Leadership, Micropolitics and Social Justice. Information Age Publishing.
• STEVENSON, H. and LITTLE, G., 2015. From resistance to renewal: the emergence of social movement unionism in England. In: LITTLE, G., ed., Global education 'reform': Building resistance and solidarity Manifesto Press.
• STEVENSON, H., 2015. Teacher unionism in changing times: Is this the real ‘new unionism’? Journal of School Choice. 9(4), 604-625
• STEVENSON, H., 2014. INTO members’ views about their work and their union: Republic of Ireland Irish National Teachers' Organisation.
• STEVENSON, H., 2014. INTO members’ views about their work and their union: Northern Ireland Irish National Teachers' Organisation.
• STEVENSON, H., 2014. Educational decision-making: making: Making the politics and policy making visible. In: CHITPIN, S. and EVERS, C., eds., Decision making in educational leadership: principles, policies and practices. Routledge.
• STEVENSON, H., THOMSON, P. and FOX, S., 2014. IB Middle Years Programme in the UK: Implementation and Practices and Student Outcomes Associated with the Learner Profile Attribute ‘Open Minded’. International Baccalaureate Organisation.
• STEVENSON, H., 2014. Teachers reclaiming teaching Forum: for promoting 3-19 comprehensive education. 56(2), 169-174
• STEVENSON, H., 2014. When now is not new: the triumph of hard questions over easy answers Professional Development in Education. 40(4), 507-510
• BRUCE BARNETT and HOWARD STEVENSON, 2014. International perspectives on urban school leadership
• STEVENSON, H. and WOOD, P., 2013. Markets, managerialism and teachers’ work: the invisible hand of high stakes testing in England International Education Journal: Comparative Perspectives. 12(2),
• BELL, L. and STEVENSON, H., eds., 2013. Organizing Public Education Sage.
• STEVENSON, H., 2013. Teacher leadership as intellectual leadership: creating spaces for alternative voices in the English school system. In: ALEXANDROU, A. and SWAFFIELD, S., eds., Teacher leadership and Professional Development Routledge.
• STEVENSON, H., 2013. Teachers on strike: a struggle for the future of teaching? Forum: for promoting 3-19 comprehensive education. 55(3), 415-428
• STEVENSON, H., 2012. Teacher leadership as intellectual leadership: creating spaces for alternative voices in the English school system Professional Development in Education. 38(2), 345-360
• CARTER, B. and STEVENSON, H., 2012. Teachers, workforce remodelling and the challenge to labour process analysis Work, employment and society. 26(3), 481-496
• STEVENSON, H., 2012. New unionism? Teacher unions, social partnership and school governance in England and Wales Local Government Studies. n/a(n/a), n/a
• NEARY, M, STEVENSON, H and BELL, L, eds., 2012. Towards teaching in public: reshaping the modern university London : Continuum.
• STEVENSON, H. and MORRIS, A., 2012. Making Teaching Public: Cracking Open Professional Practice. In: BELL, L., NEARY, M. and STEVENSON, H., eds., Towards Teaching in Public: Reshaping the Modern University Continuum.
• STEVENSON, H., 2012. In praise of pedagogy and the science of teaching Professional Development in Education. 38(5), 697-704
• STEVENSON, H., 2011. Coalition education policy: Thatcherism’s long shadow Forum: for promoting 3-19 comprehensive education. 53(2), 197-194
• STEVENSON, H. and TOOMS, A., 2011. Connecting ‘up there’ with ‘down here’ – thoughts on globalisation, neo-liberalism and leadership praxis. In: NORMORE, A., ed., The Development, Preparation, and Socialization of Leaders of Learning-Learners of Leadership: A Global Perspective Emerald.
• CARTER, B., STEVENSON, H. and PASSY, R., 2010. Industrial relations in education: transforming the school workforce Routledge.
• STEVENSON, H., 2010. Working in, and against, the neo-liberal state: Global Perspectives on K-12 teacher unions Workplace: a journal of academic labor. 17,
• STEVENSON, H. and CARTER, B., 2009. Teachers and the State: forming and re-forming 'partnership' Journal of Educational Administration and History. 41(4), 311-326
• STEVENSON, H., 2009. Challenging the orthodoxy: union learning representatives as organic intellectuals. In: ALEXANDROU, A., ed., Union Learning Representatives Challenges and Opportunities 61-72
• STEVENSON, H., 2009. Feeling the Crunch: education policy and economic crisis Forum: for promoting 3-19 comprehensive education. 51(3), 279-287
• BELL, L, NEARY, M and STEVENSON, H, eds., 2009. The future of higher education: policy, pedagogy and the student experience London ; Continuum.
• STEVENSON, H., 2009. Universities in transition: themes in higher education policy. In: BELL, L., STEVENSON, H. and NEARY, M., eds., The Future of Higher Education: Policy, Pedagogy and the Student Continuum.
• STEVENSON, H. and THODY, A., 2009. Managing change or living with change? Education reform in complex environments International Journal of Education Management. 23(4), 298-301
• STEVENSON, H., 2008. Teacher development through practitioner research and cross-school collaboration: possibilities and limitations. In: LEE, J., LO, N-K and SHIU, L-P, eds., Developing teachers and developing schools in changing contexts
• STEVENSON, H., 2008. Challenging the orthodoxy: union learning representatives as organic intellectuals Journal of In-Service Education. 35(4), 455-466
• STEVENSON, H., 2007. Changes in teachers’ work and the challenges facing teacher unions International Electronic Journal for Leadership in Learning. 11, 13
• STEVENSON, H., CARTER, B. and PASSY, R., 2007. ‘New professionalism’, workforce remodelling and the restructuring of teachers’ work International Electronic Journal for Leadership in Learning. 11, 15
• STEVENSON, H., 2007. Restructuring teachers’ work and trade union responses in England: Bargaining for Change American Education Research Journal. 44(2), 224-251
• STEVENSON, H., 2007. A case study in leading schools for social justice: when morals and markets collide Journal of Educational Administration. 45(6), 769-781
• BELL, L and STEVENSON, H, 2006. Education policy: process, themes and impact Abingdon : Routledge.
• STEVENSON, H., 2006. Moving towards, into and through Principalship: developing a framework for researching the career trajectories of school leaders Journal of Educational Administration. 44(4), 408-420
• STEVENSON, H., 2006. Involving students in school based enquiry Curriculum Briefing. 4(3), 44-47
• STEVENSON, H., 2005. Leading under Labour: leadership and management in changing times Cambridge Journal of Education. 36(3), 455-460
• STEVENSON, H., 2005. From ‘school correspondent’ to workplace bargainer? The changing role of the school union representative British Journal of Sociology of Education. 26(2), 219-233
• STEVENSON, H., 2004. Health, Safety and Welfare – Managing Stress. In: BRUNDRETT, M. and TERRELL, I., eds., Learning to Lead in the Secondary School Routledge.
• 2004. The Recruitment and Selection of Staff. In: BRUNDRETT, M. and TERRELL, I., eds., Learning to Lead in the Secondary School Routledge.
• STEVENSON, H., 2003. On the Shopfloor: exploring the impact of teacher trade unions on school-based industrial relations School Leadership and Management. 23(3), 341-356
• STEVENSON, H., Talking about teaching: collaborating for improvement Curriculum Briefing. 4(2), 35-38
• STEVENSON, H. and LITTLE, G., From resistance to renewal: the emergence of social movement unionism in England. In: LITTLE, G., ed., Global education 'reform': Building resistance and solidarity Manifesto Press.