Iain Kitchener

Iain Kitchener BSc Hons, PGCE, MA, SFHEA, MInstLM

Head of School of Education

After studying for a BSc in Psychology with Sociology Iain worked in community mental health for several years. He then undertook a PGCE in Primary Education with QTS at the University of London Institute of Education and began a career as a teacher in south London. Iain completed his MA in Education with endorsement in e-learning at the University of Greenwich, focusing on leading change in the adoption of educational technologies.

Since joining the primary department at the university of Greenwich in 2007 Iain has taught on a number of postgraduate and undergraduate initial teacher education programmes as well as on the MA and accelerated degrees. He has also held a number of leadership and management roles, including programme leadership. Iain has been a senior fellow of the HEA since 2014 and was previously a University Associate Teaching Fellow in recognition of his teaching excellence. His main expertise is in educational leadership and his teaching currently sits in the area of primary education, with a particular focus on child psychology and development, computing, and primary art. Externally Iain is engaged with the Universities’ Council for the Education of Teachers and he is an external examiner for ITE.

Iain's main motivation is to impact positively on the experience of learners of all ages. He is committed to developing exciting and engaging programmes, with the highest quality teaching and learning, through deep subject knowledge and pedagogy.

Posts held previously:

  • Interim Head of the School of Education
  • Deputy Head of the School of Education
  • Interim Head of Teacher Education
  • Deputy Head of Teacher Education
  • Deputy Head of Primary Education
  • Senior Lecturer
  • KS 1/2 Class Teacher
  • Deputy House Manager
  • Mental Health Support Worker

Teacher training

Responsibilities within the university
  • Head of school, responsible for the day to day running and strategic development of the school of education: including oversight of the delivery and enhancement of academic quality, the student experience and research and enterprise as well as staffing and portfolio
  • Member of the faculty executive and faculty management groups
  • Member of UCET
  • Teaching on various modules including Child Psychology and Development, Critical Perspectives on Contemporary Issues, technology enhanced primary education, and Art in Education
  • MA dissertation supervisor
  • Disciplinary and fitness to practice/study panels
  • Mentor and member of the GOLD recognition panel, assessing staff HEA award applications from across the institution

Recognition
  • Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
  • Qualified Teacher Status
Professional memberships:
  • Professional Affiliate Member of The Chartered College of Teaching
  • Member of the Institute for Leadership and Management
  • Member of The Association for Information Technology in Initial Teacher Education
  • Member of the British Education Studies Association

Research / Scholarly interests

Iain's work has focused on the themes of blended learning; change management and technology; choice in modes of assessment; control technology in primary education; e-portfolios, digital literacy; and the future of accelerated degrees.

Key funded projects

  • 2011, TDA: Developing Digital Literacies
  • 2009, TDA: Review of the impact of control technology on the skills and confidence of trainee teachers
  • 2008, TDA: Review of e-portfolio pilot in primary ITE

Recent publications