Joe Harkin BA (Econ), PGCE, MA, D.Phil.
Joe is a highly experienced education researcher, author and consultant. His expertise has been used by schools and colleges as well as organisations such as the QCA, LLUK, and LSN for whom he has led a number of major projects.
Joe’s areas of specialism include:
- Improving teaching and learning
- Understanding what learners regard as effective teaching
- Developing active learning and learner autonomy
- Developing teachers’ styles of working with learners
Joe offers experienced and effective consultancy in:
- Motivating teachers to think creatively about their teaching and enhance the quality of learning through staff development events
- Managing research and development projects
- Writing research and development reports
Joe’s professional interests are focussed on the development of young adult learners and their teachers. He was lead consultant to national agencies developing the English and Communication of young adults, and a member of the Literacy in the 21st Century working group. He developed a Communication Styles Questionnaire to help teachers evaluate how they tend to interact with their students. He was a leading member of a European project that researched the constructs that students in six countries use when informally evaluating their teachers. Joe researched younger learners’ perceptions of the Increased Flexibility programme; and best practice in supporting applied learning, in preparation for the piloting of new Diplomas.
Joe has also researched the development of teachers to work with young adults, and jointly organised national symposia to review what professional knowledge teachers should develop in initial training and continuing professional development.