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Mr David Wells

Senior Lecturer

Cass School of Education and Communities, TeacherTraining

    David was awarded a BA Hons in Business Studies at the Polytechnic of Wales (now University of Glamorgan) in 1992, before undertaking a PGCE in Business Education at Sheffield Hallam University in September 1992. David has taught in secondary schools since achieving qualified teacher status in 1993. He has held a variety of roles and taught a variety of subjects. His main subjects have always been ICT and Business Studies. From 1997 - 2010 he led the ICT and Business Studies Faculty in a large secondary school in West Essex. David took up his post here in the Cass School of Education and Communities in September 2010.


    David is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
    David is currently an external examiner for Secondary Computing and Information Technology initial teacher training at Edge Hill University.

    David is also Deputy Editor for the Cass School of Education and Communities' "Research in Teacher Education" journal. 

    Overview

    David is currently studying for a Professional Doctorate in Education. The research area being explored is centred upon gamification and the use of game dynamics to improve pupil motivation in non-digital secondary school classrooms.



    Research Group Membership:

    I am a member of the Secondary Teacher Research Group, Cass School of Education and Communities, UEL.

    Current Research Interests:

    I have currently been conducting some research into the capacity for schools (and their ICT teaching staff) to move away from an ICT curriculum offer and towards delivering a more computing based curriculum.
    I am interested in researching current pupil interest, enjoyment and experience in their ICT study, and their perceptions of its appropriateness and challenge in their learning and progression.
    I am also interested to conduct research with local and partner schools regarding their capability to deliver digital literacy successfully across their curriculum, thus allowing IT departments to concentrate on teaching information technology and computer science.

    Publications:

    David Wells (2012) ‘Computing in Schools: Time to move beyond ICT?’ Research in Secondary Teacher Education, Vol 2(No.1), 8–13. Available at: www.uel.ac.uk/riste/issues/vol2/1/pp8-13/

    David Wells (2014) ‘Embedding Information and Communication Technology across the curriculum – where are we at?’ Research in Teacher Education, Vol 4(No.2), 11–16. Available at: www.uel.ac.uk/rite/issues/volume4/no2october2014/articles/embeddinginformationandcommunicationtechnologyacrossthecurriculumwhereareweat/.

    David's current research is exploring the impact of gamification pedagogies in English secondary schools. In particular, he is investigating how the dynamics of video games can be applied in a classroom where learning is not situated within a digital environment, in improving disaffected pupils’ interest, engagement, challenge, motivation, learning and satisfaction.

    Collaborators

    Research

    Publications


    Funding

    Beyond work being done for his doctorate, David is also interested in ICT/ Computing curriculum change and the impact of ICT and technology in enhancing learning.


    David is particularly interested in the huge impact that ICT and technology can have in enhancing the learning of young people. He is also interested in exploring the use of mobile and other emerging technologies, as a source and tool for enriching and enhancing the learning experience. An emerging interest is that of digital video game impact on learning outcomes.
    With Information and Communication Technology curriculum change a current area of focus in schools, David has researched and is continuing to be interested in how schools are looking to support and facilitate this change and whether digital literacy for example, is something that schools can now successfully deliver across their curriculum.

    Interests

    Portfolio




    PGCE and SD Secondary Computing programme

    SD Secondary Business Studies programme

    Pre ITT Computing Subject Knowledge Enhancement programme

    UG Computer Science with Education degree
    July and December 2011 - facilitating (in association with colleagues from UEL's School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering), computer science CPD for partner school ICT colleagues.

    July 2013 - facilitating (in association with AppShed) mobile application development CPD for partner school colleagues.

    February 2014 - Computer Science curriculum content CPD for school teacher colleagues and newly qualified teachers (in association with trainee teachers of computing from UEL).

    Teaching