Current Research
My research has focused upon two main areas. First, the social and political history of late-eighteenth century Britain, and especially social and political protest in the French Revolutionary period and government responses to this. Second, and more recently, the teaching and learning of history in higher education and the broad field of the scholarship of history teaching and learning. I have written on a wide variety of topics including innovation, skills development, assessment issues, the transition to university history, disciplinary conceptions of scholarship, and the relationship between research and teaching in history.
Supervision
I have substantial experience in the area of late-eighteenth century British social and political history, and in the growing field of the scholarship of teaching and learning in history with a particular emphasis upon developments in higher education.
Conferences
'The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in History: UK Dimensions', paper presented at the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning annual conference 'Connecting to Transformational Agendas', Washington D.C., November 2006.
'Sharing Practice across the Disciplines: Trends in History Teaching and Learning in Higher Education', paper presented at the Classics Association Annual Conference, University of Newcastle, April 2006.
'Collegial Conversations: A Departmental Approach to Curriculum Change', paper presented at the History, Classics & Archaeology Subject Centre History national conference, Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, April 2006 (with C. Taylor, C. Mallia).
'The Experience of Year One History Undergraduates', paper presented at the North East Historians Regional Network Day Conference, Durham University, January 2006.
'Worlds of Difference: Tutor and Student Perspectives on the Transition to Degree Level History', paper presented at the 'History in Schools and Higher Education' conference, Institute for Historical Research, September 2005.
'From Pedagogy to Andragogy: What Can History Learn from Continuing Education?' paper presented at the History, Classics & Archaeology Subject Centre History national conference, Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, April 2005.
'History Teaching in Higher Education: Breaking Down the Barriers to Progression and Dialogue', paper presented at the Institute for Historical Research 'British History in Education' national conference, February 2005.
'Developing the Scholarship of Teaching in History in the United Kingdom', paper presented at the annual conference of the New Zealand and Australian Historical Association, Dunedin University, November 2004.
'Student Experiences and Expectations in the Transition to University History', paper presented at the LTSN Eastern Regional Network conference, Cambridge University, May 2004
'Managing the Transition to Higher Education History', paper presented at the North-West of England conference 'History in the Transition to University', Edge Hill University College, April 2003
'Establishing Discipline Networks in Humanities', paper presented at the Learning and Teaching Support Network annual conference, Coventry, March 2003
'The Relationship between History Research and History Teaching', paper presented at the History, Classics & Archaeology Subject Centre History national conference, Lancaster University, April 2003
'Active Learning in the History classroom', paper presented at the History 2000 national conference, York University, April 2000
'Developing Reflective Learning in History', paper presented at the History 2000 national conference, Bath Spa University, April 1998
'The Experience of Studying History: Student Perspectives on Teaching and Learning', paper presented at the FDTL Heritage Studies as Applied History conference, University of York, January 1998
'New Approaches to Teaching History in Higher Education', paper presented at the Historical Association Conference, University of Nottingham, October 1996
'Integrating Student Learning Skills Development through the Curriculum', paper presented at the NASPA annual conference, Atlanta, Georgia, March 1996 (with J. Booth)
'The Transition to University: Supporting Student Learning in the Humanities', paper presented at the Society for Research into Higher Education national conference, University of York, December 1994
'Learning to Effect in the Humanities', paper presented at the Society for Research into Higher Education national conference 'Learning to Effect', Nottingham Trent University, December 1992
'Innovative Teaching Methods in History' paper presented at the HUDG/PUSH National Conference, 'Historians and the Challenge of Mass Higher Education', Institute of Historical Research, May 1992
'Recent Developments and Innovations in Teaching Methods', paper presented at the Conference on Co-ordinating Curriculum Change for the Arts and Humanities: AS/A Courses and the Interface between Schools/Colleges and Universities, University of Nottingham, March 1991