Dr Matthew Dunn

Matt is Head of Initial Teacher Education Programmes, with a portfolio encompassing primary, secondary and further education age phases. His portfolio also covers postgraduate taught programmes for teachers such as the MA Education and international distance learning programmes, including the iPGCE and MA International Education. Matt is also Associate Dean (Admissions) with a cross-Faculty remit for liaison between the Faculty Executive Group and the university’s Marketing, Recruitment and Admissions teams.

Matt contributes to a range of programmes across the portfolio.

Matthew’s main research interests lie in the Threshold Concept Framework, and its application to improve teaching and learning in secondary and higher education. His doctoral research explored students’ experiences of the transition from GCSE to A Level study, in particular the affective dimension of their encounters with Threshold Concepts using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Matthew is currently working on collaborative research and staff development projects with secondary schools to explore the potential pedagogical impact of the Threshold Concept Framework in the classroom through the Troublesome Transitions project. He is also working with student teachers to explore practice thresholds in secondary teaching.

Dunn, M. J. (2019). Threshold concepts and the troublesome transition from GCSE to A-level: exploring students’ experiences in secondary school biology. The Curriculum Journal.

Dunn, M. J. (2019). Crossing the threshold: when transition becomes troublesome for A-level students. Education and Health, 37(1), 15-21.

Dunn, M. J. (2019a). Crossing the threshold: when transition becomes troublesome for A-level students. Education and Health, 37(1), 15–21. Retrieved from http://sheu.org.uk/sheux/EH/eh371mjd.pdf.