Senior Lecturer in Computer Science Education
I qualified as a teacher almost 35 years ago and worked as a teacher in schools and a lecturer in colleges throughout the country before joining the University in 2003.
My interest in computing began when I was at school but opportunities to utilise that interest were restricted. I used some of the first IBM PCs in the UK during my degree as well as the Mainframe computers which were then the norm. While working in colleges, I delivered modules in computing to degree level prior to coming to the University of Sunderland, both at college and at another university. My interests in computing are diverse and this is useful in my job role because teachers can be asked to deliver a wide range of content to children in school.
At the University I have been involved in delivering Teacher Training courses in Computing/ICT for almost 20 years. My role leads me to teach modules on other courses and to supervise some dissertation students.
Teaching and supervision
I am Programme Leader for PGCE Computer Science with Qualified Teacher Status. Trainee teachers who undertake the course spend a large number of days in school and I work with them both in the school and in the University setting.
My work with the trainees in the University setting leads me to consider pedagogical issues relating to the teaching of computing including the particular need to consider Health and Safety issues in computing classrooms. I also work with them to develop their subject knowledge in computer science.
I also supervise MA Education students mainly by distance learning.
Research interests for potential research students
- Computer Science Education in Secondary Education
- Policymaking in education
- Governance
- School Governors
- Social capital
- History of education
Research
I am interested in research across a range of areas.
My first publication came from a consideration of how to tackle diversity of knowledge when teaching databases. It was naturally occurring research and led me to attend a conference on databases.
Around the same time, I was offered the opportunity to bid for a small scale research project. This led me to look at something I had considered in teaching – whether ICT teachers are getting the training they want. The answer from teachers was that they weren't.
I was then approached to write a chapter for a book about using computing in different ways in the classroom. My chapter, entitled "Exploration" considered ways that pupils could utilise models within the classroom.
As a Computer Science Education lecturer, I obviously have an interest in computing, particularly as it impacts on the curriculum and pedagogies employed within the secondary sector.
My interests extend into more diverse areas such as capital, particularly social capital, as well as to social justice. My PhD (awarded 2020) was on the topic of the acquisition of capital by school governors. I am interested in the historical aspect of policymaking, the legislative framework which implements public policy as well as ideologies which underpin decision making. I am interested in the public/private provision of services as it relates to governance and in some areas which relate to policy technologies including markets.
My research is diverse. For example I have researched Cybersecurity in Secondary Education and the policy debates around grammar schools, using Sunderland as a case study. I presented papers at both the British Educational Research Association Conference and at the IT in Teacher Education Conference (now TPEA).
Publications
Book Section
Dagg, Lynne (2007) Exploration. In: A Practical Guide to Teaching ICT in the Secondary School. Routledge, Abingdon. ISBN 9780203962602
Dagg, Lynne and Grey, John (2007) Do Secondary School ICT Teachers in England Get the CPD they want and think they need? In: Education, Training and Lifelong Learning. IFIP, Laxenburg, Austria.
Dagg, Lynne (2007) Teachers as IT Professionals: A clash of cultures? In: Education, Training and Lifelong Learning. IFIP, Laxenburg.
Conference or Workshop Item
Dagg, Lynne, Walker-Gleaves, Caroline, Walker-gleaves, Alan and Grey, John (2005) Learning Databases through teaching: Towards a re-alignment of pedagogy for student teachers. In: 3rd Workshop on the Teaching, Learning & Assessment of Databases (TLAD05), 2005, University of Sunderland.
Thesis
Dagg, Lynne (2020) An investigation into how human and social capital may be acquired and utilised by school governors. Doctoral thesis, University of Sunderland.
I am a Member of the British Computer Society (MBCS) and hold Chartered IT Practitioner status (CITP). I am a former secretary and currently Treasurer of a local branch.
I am an active member of Computing at School, regularly attending and leading sessions.
I am a member of the Political Studies Association and hold a Certified Diploma in Accounting and Finance which allows me permanent student membership of ACCA.
In addition, I am a member of the British Educational Research Association and the Technology, Pedagogy and Education Association (TPEA).
I have been a school governor in Sunderland in other areas for the vast majority of my adult life and I am a member of the National Governance Association. I am involved in a political party and a Trade Union at local level.