Claire’s research areas include teacher education and pedagogy; professional learning; educational leadership; and higher education. Drawing on her experience as a researcher in the health and education sectors, Claire has carried out research in different settings in education (including higher education, teacher education and schools) and in health and social care. She is a supervisor for candidates on the Professional Doctorate in Education (EdD) programme, which is designed for graduates who are interested in learning and development in work contexts (https://www.herts.ac.uk/courses/research/doctorate-in-education). 

Prior to joining the University, Claire had extensive experience of conducting clinical research studies in the Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge.

Selected projects carried out in collaboration with colleagues include: 

2023-2026 AECED Project (funded by Horizon Europe & UKRI): Transforming Education for Democracy through Aesthetic and Embodied Learning, Responsive Pedagogies and Democracy-as-Becoming. (Member of the UK AECED Project team from October 2024) (https://www.herts.ac.uk/study/schools-of-study/education/research/aeced)

2022-2024 Evaluation of the Create, Speak, Thrive: Bringing Words to Life project. (https://www.trestle.org.uk/create-speak-thrive-bringing-words-to-life)

2018-2019 Exploring the reasons why some families home educate in Hertfordshire. 

2014-2017 Learning how to learn in higher education. A School of Education study designed to explore how students learn how to learn in transition to higher education and throughout a three year BA Education Studies programme. 

2015-2016 Evaluation of the Primary Science Quality Mark (PSQM) 2013-15. This research  was designed to explore the impact of the PSQM programme from 2013-15 and wider issues relating to primary science teaching, learning and subject leadership. The research was funded by the Primary Science Teaching Trust. 

Selected findings that illustrate what the research participants understood by good science learning, teaching and leadership in primary school are shown in a research-rich picture:

2014-2015 Higher Education Academy (HEA) strategic enhancement programmes. The University of Hertfordshire engaged with two HEA strategic enhancement programmes designed to explore and develop student-staff partnership and partnership learning communities. One of these programmes was funded by the HEA and the other was supported by the HEA.

A report is available to share case studies of student-staff partnership work at the University and a research based resource to support the development of partnership learning communities.

2011-2013 Evaluation of the impact of flexible delivery of the Brent Sector Endorsed Foundation Degree in Early Years on the development of student-practitioners' professional identities and practice. Project funded by the University of Hertfordshire Charitable Trust. 

2008-2011 BEd(Hons) in Primary Mathematics (Malaysia) longitudinal research programme. This programme was conducted in partnership with the Ministry of Education Malaysia and colleagues in Institut Perguruan Kota Bharu and Institut Perguruan Temenggong Ibrahim. The research is documented in several articles and in a report: Learning together through international collaboration in teacher education in Malaysia.

Research interests include:

Teacher education and pedagogy; professional learning; educational leadership; and higher education

Research methods include:

Qualitative, quantitative and evaluation research.

Experience of designing and using questionnaires for surveys in education, health and social care, and designing and managing impact evaluations, scoping exercises and clinical research studies, including randomised trials.  

Doctoral supervision

Completions:

Anat Eshet-Vago (2017): EdD, University of Hertfordshire

Helen Seaman (2021): EdD, University of Hertfordshire   

Current areas of doctoral supervision include: student nurses’ learning of bioscience; self-inquiry into childminding practice; and interprofessional working.