Dr Richard Greenwood
General Information
Teaching Responsibilities
- Teaching BEd (Primary), MEd (Education Studies), PGCE Early Years, MA Early Childhood Studies
- Coordinator Year 1 module ‘ICT in the Primary Classroom’
- Coordinator Curriculum Studies ‘World Around Us’ 2
- Coordinator for Year 1 PSP
- Coordinator for MA in Outdoor Learning
External Interests / Community Service
- Research Committee member of the Irish Association of Social, Scientific and Environmental Education (IASSEE)
- Treasurer and committee member of the Belfast Branch of the Geographical Association
- Member of IASSEE- Irish Association for Social, Scientific and Environmental Education
Research Interests
- Research on attitudes of Teacher Education students to the school subjects of History, Geography and Science Implementation of the NI Curriculum- ‘connected learning’, teachers’ attitudes
- Significant Life Experiences/ Formative memories
- Enquiry-based learning
- Outdoor learning
Background & Qualifications
- Teacher in three Belfast primary schools 1982-1990
- MEd QUB Primary Education 1988
- MPhil QUB Physical Geography
- PhD Queen’s University, Belfast 2012
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Research & Scholarship
Journal articles
Greenwood, R., Austin, S., Bacon, K., Pike, S. (2020) Enquiry-based learning in the primary classroom: student teachers’ perceptions, Education 3-13, DOI: 10.1080/03004279.2020.1853788
Greenwood, R (2019) Pupil involvement in planning topics using KWL grids: opinions of teachers, student teachers and pupils. Educational Studies 45 (4) 497-519.
Greenwood, R, Richardson, N and Gracie, A (2017) Primary Humanities – a perspective from Northern Ireland. Education 3-13 Special Edition 45 (3) 309-319.
Dolan, A, Waldron, F, Pike, S and Greenwood, R (2015) Learning to teach primary geography in the context of school placement: lessons from an all-Ireland study. European Journal of Teacher Education.
Dolan, A, Waldron, F, Pike, S and Greenwood, R (2014) Student teachers’ reflections on prior experiences of learning geography. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education 23 (4) 314-330.
Greenwood, R (2013) Subject-based and cross-curricular approaches within the revised primary curriculum in Northern Ireland: teachers’ concerns and preferred approaches. Education 3-13, 41 (4) 443-458.
Catling, S, Greenwood, R, Martin, F and Owens, P (2010) Formative experiences of primary geography educators. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education 19 (4) 341-350.
Waldron, F, Pike, S, Greenwood, R, Murphy, C, O’Connor, G Dolan, A and Kerr, K (2009) Becoming a Teacher: Primary Student Teachers as Learners and Teachers of History, Geography and Science- An All-Ireland Study. A Report for SCoTENS
Greenwood, R (2007) Geography Teaching in Northern Ireland Primary Schools- a survey of content and cross-curricularity. International Research in Geography and Environmental Education 16 (4) 380-98
Waldron, F., Pike, S., Varley, J., Murphy, C. & Greenwood, R. (2007) Student Teachers’ prior experiences of history, geography and science: Initial findings of an all-Ireland survey. Irish Educational Studies 16:2, 177-194
Research report(s)
Waldron, F, Pike, S, Greenwood, R, Murphy, C, O’Connor, G Dolan, A and Kerr, K (2009) Becoming a Teacher: Primary Student Teachers as Learners and Teachers of History, Geography and Science- An All-Ireland Study. A Report for SCoTENS
Book chapter(s)
Greenwood, R (2019) Geography in Your Curriculum. In: Leading Primary Geography by Tessa Willy (Ed.) Sheffield: Geographical Association.
Greenwood, R (2017) Teaching student teachers about development issues – Is it possible to avoid stereotype and prejudice? In: Catling, S (Ed.) Reflections on Primary Geography. Sheffield: Register of Research in Primary Geography.
Greenwood, R (2017) Playful Learning in Natural Outdoor Environments. In G Walsh, D McMillan and C McGuinness (Eds.) Playful Learning and Teaching. London: Sage 116-132.
Periodical articles
Greenwood, R (2019) KWL Grids: Pupil Voice in Action. Primary Geography 98 Spring 2019, pp7-8.
Greenwood, R (2017) A Woodland ‘What If…?’ Primary Geography 94, 22-24.
Greenwood, R (2013) My Place: Belfast. Teaching Geography 38 (3) 122-123.
Greenwood, R (2013) Curriculum Lessons? Primary Geography 82 16-18.
Greenwood, R (2006) Questions about Cross-Curricularity. Primary Geographer 60, Summer 2006 pp 4-6.
Conference proceedings and papers
Greenwood, R (2017) Teaching student teachers about development issues – Is it possible to avoid stereotype and prejudice? In: Catling, S (Ed.) Reflections on Primary Geography. Sheffield: Register of Research in Primary Geography.
Conference presentations
Greenwood, R. (2021) ‘Lockdown learning about outdoor learning’. Presentation to the Charney Manor Primary Geography Conference, Oxfordshire (online), February 2021.
Greenwood, R. (2021) ‘What if….? Upper primary pupils’ reactions to the hypothetical destruction of local woodland’. BERA Conference (online). Building a Curriculum for a Sustainable Future, March 2021
Greenwood, R. (2020) ‘Assessment of cross-curricular enquiry-based learning.’ Presentation to the Charney Manor Primary Geography Conference, Oxfordshire, February 2020.
Greenwood, R (2019) ‘Local Studies – better to be wide-ranging or a specific enquiry?’ Presentation to the Charney Manor Primary Geography Conference, Oxfordshire, February 2019.
Greenwood, R. (2018) ‘ENEBLe (Embedding and Nurturing Enquiry-based Learning) – Developing a two-level model of initial teacher education through enquiry.’ With Sandra Austin, Karin Bacon, and Susan Pike. Presentation to the Charney Manor Primary Geography Conference, Oxfordshire, February 2018.
Greenwood, R. (2017) ‘What if….? Upper primary pupils’ reactions to the hypothetical destruction of local woodland.’ Presentation to the Charney Manor Primary Geography Conference, Oxfordshire, February 2017.
Greenwood, R. (2016) ‘Pupil involvement in planning topics using KWL grids: Teacher, student teacher and pupil opinions. ‘ Presentation to the Charney Manor Primary Geography Conference, Oxfordshire, February 2016.
Greenwood, R. (2015) ‘Using images in primary geography activities.’ Workshop led at the Charney Manor Primary Geography Conference, Oxfordshire 27 Feb – 1st Mar 2015.
Greenwood, R. (2014) ‘Learning outside the classroom: an example of outdoor work with Year 1 BEd students and KS2 pupils’. Paper presented to the Charney Manor Primary Geography Conference, Oxfordshire, March 2014.
Greenwood, R. (2013) ‘Teaching student teachers about development issues – is it possible to avoid stereotype and prejudice?’ Presentation to the IASSEE Conference, St Patrick’s College, Dublin, June 2013.
Greenwood, R. (2013) ‘The Northern Ireland Primary Curriculum and Mr Gove’s Proposals’ Presentation to the Charney Manor Primary Geography Conference, Oxfordshire, March 2013.
Greenwood, R. (2012) ‘What kind of curriculum is the Northern Ireland Curriculum?’ Presentation to the IASSEE Research Symposium, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, September 2012.
Greenwood, R. (2012) ‘Teacher attitudes to the revised Northern Ireland Primary Curriculum’ Presentation to the Charney Manor Primary Geography Conference, Oxfordshire, February 2012.
Greenwood, R. (2011) ‘Thinking Skills in Primary Geography, History and Science Topics: `infused` or explicit?’. Presentation to the IASSEE Conference, St Patrick`s College, Dublin, February 2011.
Greenwood, R. (2011) ‘Thinking Skills in Primary Geography Topics: `infused` or explicit?’ Presentation to the Charney Manor Primary Geography Conference, Oxfordshire, February 2011.
Greenwood, R. (2010) ‘Pupil Planning as an aspect of Curriculum Revision.’ Presentation to the Charney Manor Primary Geography Conference, Oxfordshire, February 2010.
Greenwood, R. (2009) ‘Teacher attitudes towards curriculum revision in Northern Ireland- the example of pupil involvement in planning.’ Presentation to the IASSEE Conference, St Patrick`s College, Dublin, June 2009.
Greenwood, R. (2009) ‘Evaluating the effectiveness of a topic-based approach to planning and teaching through the assessment of pupil writing.’ Presentation to the Charney Manor Primary Geography Conference, Oxfordshire, February 2009.
Greenwood, R. (2006) ‘Topic-Based and Subject-Based Approaches within Primary Geography.’ Presentation to the Charney Manor Primary Geography Conference, Oxfordshire, February 2006.
Doctoral thesis
Greenwood, R (2012) Cross-curricularity and the implementation of the revised Northern Ireland Primary Curriculum- a focus on ‘World Around Us. Unpublished PhD, QUB.