Contact
Biography
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
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.