Shona McIntosh

My primary research interests lie in understanding the inter-relations between learning and development through the lens of historical, social-cultural activity theory. My fields of research include professional learning, international education, and the long-term impact of educational experiences. My doctoral thesis took a sociocultural approach in examining the professional development of trainee teachers during their teaching practice placements. The findings showed how important trainees' analysis of their own practice was in identifying problems that they, subsequently, worked jointly with professional colleagues to overcome. I am interested in participative methods of qualitative research which can involve participants as co-constructors of knowledge. I have worked on research funded by the International Baccalaureate investigating the impact of the Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, and the British Academy, critically examining the teaching-research nexus in higher education. I received the Jeff Thompson Research Award from the International Baccaluareate in 2017. Other relevant research interests include Effective Learning, Learning Communities and, arising from ten years' teaching English and Drama in state secondary schools in London and an international school in Spain, practical implications of pedagogical choices on learning and teaching relationships in schools.

Research interests

• International schools
• International education
• Experiential learning
• Participative qualitative research methods
• Historical, sociocultural theory
• Applications of Vygotksy