Professor Jean Murray

National Teaching Fellow 2011 Professor Jean Murray is widely regarded as a 'champion' for teacher education and a leading researcher in the field, promoting its importance in national and international arenas. A Research Leader at UEL's Cass School of Education, she has responsibility for research development and teaches on post-graduate courses. Cited by one of her doctoral students as "an excellent, clear and engaging teacher", Jean says that her mission is to create, reflexive, intellectually curious, lifelong professional learners. Many of her students are teachers working in schools or on teacher education courses in universities. She says this means that, in many ways, she has degrees of responsibility for the quality of learning of at least two sets of learners - her students and the pupils they teach. Committed to achieving a socially just society through education, Jean sees research-informed teaching as central to improving the learning opportunities of all students and pupils. She is delighted when she finds that her teaching has had an impact on the classroom practices of her students, as when a recent student stated that working with her had "revolutionised my own teaching..... although I know I was also working on my research, my pupils have probably benefitted as much as me." Jean also supports academic colleagues in developing research and research-informed teaching, with the ultimate aim of improving learning opportunities for the diverse student body found at UEL. She believes strongly in the idea of academic generosity and, as a senior academic, is clear about her responsibility to mentor and coach colleagues. Together with colleagues, Jean has run national, HEA-funded workshops for academic induction since 2006. These courses have been variously characterised as 'inspiring', 'extraordinarily helpful' and 'the best course I've attended all year'. Jean also co-wrote the ESCalate Guidelines for teacher educator induction which won the British Educational Research Association (BERA)/SAGE practitioner prize and were said to 'demonstrate excellence in the application of research in practice.' Her work in this area is identified as 'ground breaking', influencing academic induction practices in countries including Canada, Australia and the Netherlands.