Christine Doddington
Position/Status
Senior Lecturer in Education
E-mail Address
cd236@cam.ac.uk
Phone
01223 767639
Qualifications
BEd, MA (Ed), MA
Membership of Professional Bodies/Associations
- Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain (PESGB)
- International Network of Philosophers of Education (INPE)
- Association for the Study of Primary Education (ASPE)
Profile
Christine Doddington has been focused on philosophical critique of areas such as curriculum development and educational improvement through much of her academic and teaching career. She has a broad interest in exploring the educational value of the arts with a particular emphasis on drama. She has held a variety of posts throughout her career which have involved the evaluating, planning and design of educational courses at both school and university level. She was formally Director of Primary Postgraduate Studies within the faculty and she continued her commitment to Primary Education as an Associate Director of the The Cambridge Primary Review (2006-2008).
Christine has been involved in a range of projects which have involved working closely with other researchers, academics and teachers. She directed the primary wing of the Nuffield funded project 'Improving Learning: The Pupil's Agenda', working alongside Professor Jean Ruddock. She was Director of the Ofsted funded research project: 'Sustaining Pupils' Progress at Year 3', involving Eve Bearne, Helen Dimitriou and Julia Flutter, which ran over two years. She is a member of the International Advisory Board of the journal 'Education 3-13'.
Christine was Associate Director for The Cambridge Primary Review, which was the most comprehensive review of Primary Education since the Plowden Report (1967) which was independently funded by the Esme Fairburn Foundation. Her book, co-authored with Mary Hilton, is entitled 'Child-centred Education: Reviving the Creative Tradition' was published by Sage in 2007.
Academic Area/Links
- Philosophy of Education
- Drama in Education
- Arts Education
Research Topics
- Year 3 - Sustaining Progress in the transition between KS1 and KS2.
- Aesthetic understandings involved in oral and visual literacy.
- School as a democratic, language-based community.
Current Research Projects
- Human values/competencies and the role of the imagination in education
- Philosophical examination of the aims and values of education
- The Cambridge Primary Review
An independent review of primary education in Britain funded by the Esme Fairburn Foundation. Director Professor Robin Alexander, other Associate Directors Ruth Kershner and Dr. Linda Hargreaves. Website: http://www.primaryreview.org.uk/ (contains full details of the Cambridge Primary Review, its remit, personnel, procedures and publications). - Ethical considerations of the 'person' within the professional community of the school.
Course Involvement
Christine Doddington teaches Undergraduate Philosophy of Education courses, PGCE (Primary and Early Years) and on two Masters Programmes 'Primary Education' which she helps to co-ordinate and the Essex Masters programme in School Improvement.
Publications
Doddington, C. (2008) 'A critique of critical thinking as a source of respect for persons' in Mason, M. Critical Thinking and Learning Victoria, Australia, Blackwell Publishing.
Doddington, C. (2007). 'Individuals or persons: what ethics should help constitute the school as community?' Ethics and Education 2(2): 131-143.
Doddington, C. and M. Hilton (2007). Child-Centred Education: Reviving the Creative Tradition. London, Sage Publications.
Doddington, C. (2007). 'Critical Thinking as the Source of Respect for persons: a critique.' Educational Philosophy and Theory - special edition: Critical Thinking and Learning 39(4): 449-459.
Doddington, C. (2004) 'Are we in time? Some comments arising from recent research into the initial training of primary teachers in the arts', Music Education Research, 6 (1)pp 97-100.
Doddington, C. (Oct. 2001) 'Testing, testing, testing - Can you hear me ? Can year 3 pupils tell us anything we don't already know about assessment', Education 3-13, Vol. 29 No 3.
Doddington, C., Flutter, J. Bearne, E. and Dimetriou, H. (Sept. 2001), 'Sustaining Progress in Year 3', Report of a project funded by Ofsted, Homerton Research Unit.
Doddington, C. (May 2001) 'Entitled to speak: Talk in the classroom' in Studies in Philosophy and Education, Vol. 20 No 3.
Doddington, C. , Flutter, J. and Rudduck, J. (2000) 'Taking their word for it . Can listening and responding to pupils' views give new directions for school improvement?' Education 3-13, Vol. 28 No 3.
Doddington, C. (1999) 'From Minnie the Minx to Little Lord Fontleroy: Understanding Character in Fiction' in Anderson, H. and Styles, M. (eds.) 'Teaching through Text', London: Routledge.
Doddington, C., Flutter, J. and Rudduck, J. (1999) 'Exploring and explaining 'dips' in motivation and performance in primary and secondary schooling' in Research in Education, No. 61.
Doddington, C., Flutter, J. and Rudduck, J. (1998) 'Improving Learning: The pupil's Agenda - A Report for Primary Schools', Homerton Research Unit.
Doddington, C., Flutter, J. and Rudduck, J. (1998) 'Year 8 - a Suitable Case for School Improvement' in Improving Schools, 1,3, 39-42.
Doddington, C. (1998) 'Significant Speech', in E. Bearne (ed.) 'Language across the Primary Curriculum', London: Routledge.
Doddington, C. (1997) Senses and Health, in Coltman, P., Peacock, G. and Richardson, R. (eds.) The Longmans Science Connection Scheme, London: Longmans, pp 32-46. (Plus pupil materials.)
Doddington, C. (1996) 'Grounds for differentiation: some values and principles in primary education considered', in E. Bearne (ed.) 'Differentiation and Diversity in the Primary School', London: Routledge, pp38-51.
Doddington, C. (1994) 'Primary Perceptions: the new professional', Cambridge Journal of Education, 24, 1, 75-87.
Bonnett, M. and Doddington, C. (1991) 'Philosophy of education and primary teaching', in B. Lofthouse (ed.) 'The Study of Primary Education: A Source Book (Volume 1)', Lewes: Falmer Press, pp. 173-180.
Bonnett, M. and Doddington, C. (1990) 'Primary teaching: what has philosophy to offer?', Cambridge Journal of Education, 20,2, 115-121.
Conference papers and Invited Talks
'he Cambridge Primary Review and Aims of Education London Branch of the Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain, November 2008.
Aims and Values in The Primary Review West Midland Branch of the Philosophy of Education June 2008.
Critical Thinking as the Source of Respect for persons: a critique' Paper delivered at Philosophy of Education Society of Australasia (PESA) Conference in Hong Kong November 2005.
Reality is the first and last word of our time: to what extent should education be limited to what is real? Paper delivered at EERA Conference - ECER, Rethymnon Campus, University of Crete August 200
Beyond the Literal Paper delivered at International Network of Philosophers of Education (INPE) Conference, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, August 2004.
The Politics of Creativity Key note speech at 'Imaginative Teaching' Conference organised by the Mark Allen Group at the Institute of Physics, London May 15th and 16th 2004 (the other key note speaker was Edward De Bono).
The Ethics of Relationships in Schools Paper presented at Philosophy Society of Great Britain Conference, Gregynog, Wales, June 2003.
Personal involvement and performance in cultural engagements Paper delivered at EERA Conference - ECER, University of Lisbon, September 2002.
Functional Relationships and mechanical reasoning in education Paper delivered at International Network of Philosophers of Education (INPE) Biennial Conference, University of Oslo, August 2002.
How should we think of a school? Paper delivered at Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain (PESGB) Annual International Conference, University of Oxford, April 2002.
Children's thoughts for improving learning. Key note presentation to Behaviour Support Professionals at the Essex County Council Behaviour Support Conference ' Listening to Children and Young People' April 2001.
Space for Personal Involvement in Learning: Can the Arts Perform? Paper delivered at Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain (PESGB) Annual International Conference, Oxford University April 2001.
Picture Books as Performance Paper delivered at 'Reading Pictures: Art, narrative and Childhood and International Symposium Homerton College, September 2000.
Improving Learning through the Pupil's Agenda Key note speaker at the Cambridgeshire Primary Headteachers' Conference 'Teaching and Learning in the New Millennium: Opportunities and Challenges' March 2000 .
Entitled to Speak: Talk in the Classroom Paper presented at the International Philosophers of Education Biennial Conference, Ankara University, Turkey, 1998.
Speaking in Person paper presented at Philosophy Society of Great Britain Conference, Gregynog, Wales, 1998.
Re-constituting Expression: The Arts in Education (with Professor Richard Smith) paper presented at the conference on Philosophy, Education and Culture, Edinburgh, 1997.
Reflection in Educational Practice, paper presented at BERA, 1994.
The Role of the Arts in Education, paper presented to the Cambridge Branch of Philosophy of Education Society Conference, 1987.