Staff Profile
Dr Keither Parker
Associate Head of Education
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As Associate Head of the School of Education, Language and Psychology I have overall responsibility for Initial Teacher Education programmes at York St John University. I work closely with colleagues and school partners to ensure our undergraduate and postgraduate student teachers have every opportunity to achieve their potential to become highly effective teachers. I am actively involved in local, regional, national and international teacher education networks. I am particularly interested in developing our work with external partners and the mutual benefit this brings and as such have a School wide responsibility for Public Engagement. I teach whole school issues on the Professional Studies modules on postgraduate programmes and this is supported by my research interests related to education policy.
I have a BA (Hons) in Humanities/Social Studies (Politics, History and Sociology), a PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate of Education) and also NPQH (National Professional Qualification for Headteachers). I have also completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice at York St John University, an MA in Educational Improvement, Development and Change and I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. My research interests include education policy and my PhD thesis is titled: ‘Diminishing inequalities? A critical feminist genealogy of education policy and practice in post-World War II England’.
Before joining York St John University, my professional background in the UK included 18 years of teaching experience in state secondary schools. I began my career as a teacher of Humanities in Luton where I was also Head of Sociology and Head of History. Moving to London I then worked as Head of Humanities and coordinator of whole school equal opportunities. The last six years within the secondary sector were as Deputy Headteacher of a comprehensive school in Northamptonshire. I was Acting Headteacher at this school prior to moving to Australia. Whilst in Australia I worked within Higher Education as a teacher educator, building upon my experience of working with a range of teacher education programmes in the UK.
- School – School of Education, Language and Psychology
- Email – k.parker@yorksj.ac.uk
- Phone – 01904 876 341
- Research - View my work in RaY
Teaching
My main teaching responsibility is within Professional Studies modules on PGCE primary and secondary programmes.
Research
I am actively involved in research and my research interests include:
- Developing the critical engagement of postgraduate student teachers with educational issues and policy
- Models of teacher education and developing school partnerships through active collaboration
- Teacher educators – identity and the role of teacher educators as knowledge creators
My research interest in education policy informed my PhD study which is titled: ‘Diminishing inequalities? A critical feminist genealogy of education policy and practice in post-World War II England’.
Publications, Conferences and Presentations
Publications
Clarke, M. and Parker, K. (2021) Major teaching reform in England will erode the intellectual basis of the profession. In: The Conversation.
Parker, K. (2018) Collaborating to develop practitioners in ITE. In: Practice-Informed learning: the rise of the dual professional. London, Guild HE, pp. 54-55.
Parker, K. and Caddell, J. (2017) Delivering teacher education in partnership. In: World-class teachers, world-class education. London, GuildHE, Cathedrals Group, pp. 67-81.
Lucas, T. & Parker, K. (2014) New Pathways in Initial Teacher Education. In: International Teacher Education Conference (ITEC 2014) Online Proceedings Book, pp. 1045-1059.
Parker, K., Lucas, T. & Caddell, J. (2013) Promoting quality in teacher education. In: Universities Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET) Annual Report 2013, pp. 6-7.
Caddell, J. & Parker K. (2013) Exploring Prejudice - New Neighbours. Religious Education Journal of Australia, 29 (2), pp. 44-46.
Parker, K. (2013) Developing cooperative learning and oracy. Religious Education Journal of Australia, 29 (1), pp. 43-45.
Parker, K. (2011) Marketplace Activity. Religious Education Journal of Australia, 27 (1), pp. 40-42.
Conferences / Other Presentations
Murtagh, L., Peiser, G., Sharpling, E. and Parker, K. (2023) ITE staff expertise: Pracademics and their value to Higher Education. Presentation at the Teacher Education Advancement Network (TEAN) Annual Conference, May 2023.
Parker, K., Day, R. and Whitfield, L. (2021) Teacher Trajectories: rhetoric and reality, autonomy and constraint. Presentation at Universities Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET) Annual Conference, 2-3 November 2021, Online.
Parker, K., Bloom, K. and Elbra-Ramsay, C. (2021) Re-imagining the assessment of school-based practice. Presentation at Universities Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET) Annual Conference, 2-3 November 2021, Online.
Elbra-Ramsay, C., Parker, K. and Bloom K. (2021) Re-imagining the assessment of work-based practice. Presentation at Talk about Teaching for Social Justice Conference, 6-8 July 2021, online.
Parker, K. (2019) Teacher education in England: government responses to the crisis in the recruitment and retention of teachers. Presentation at the Educarnival Conference, 12-14 December 2019, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, India.
Parker, K., Scott, D. & Jones, A. (2018) Developing research skills and capacity in PGCE programmes. Presentation at the Talking about Teaching Conference, 26 June 2018, York St John University, UK.
Parker, K. (2017) Teacher Education and development within a school context: The lived experience versus the rhetoric of government policy. Presentation at the Postgraduate Colloquium, 7 April 2017, York St John University, UK.
Parker, K. & McVittie, E. (2017) How the PGCE Secondary Partnership is attempting to support students in the development of resilience, to support them in dealing with the challenges of teaching in secondary schools. Workshop presentation at the Talking about Teaching Conference, 20 January 2017, York St John University, UK.
Parker, K. (2016) Initial Teacher Education in England. Presentation at the International Diversity & Inclusive Education Conference, 9-13 May 2016, Pädagogische Hochschule, Salzburg University of Education, Salzburg, Austria.
Parker, K. & Lucas, T. (2014) School Direct one year on: an analysis of evaluation data. Presentation at Universities Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET) Annual Conference, 4-5 November 2014, Birmingham, UK.
Parker, K. (2014) PGCE Secondary Programme Selection Processes. Presentation at the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS) Conference, 9 April 2014, York St John University, UK.
Parker, K. & Lucas, T. (2014) New Pathways in Initial Teacher Education. Paper presented at the International Teacher Education Conference (ITEC 2014), 5–7 February 2014, Dubai, UAE.
Parker, K. (2013) How do I further develop my own practice to encourage student teachers to critically engage with educational issues? Presentation at the 3rd International Conference on Value and Virtue in Practice-Based Research , 9-10 July 2013, York St John University, UK.
Parker, K. (2013) School partnership involvement with recruitment for secondary PGCE. Presentation at the Universities Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET) Secondary Committee, 6 June 2013, London, UK.
Parker, K. & O’Grady, I. (2013) Picking and Choosing: Collaborating with partnership schools for the effective selection, recruitment and preparation of PGCE students in initial teacher education. Paper presented at the Education & Theology Faculty Research Seminar Series 1 May 2013, York St John University, UK.
Parker, K., O’Grady, I., Caddell, J. & Capper, J. (2012) Collaborating with partnership schools for the effective selection, recruitment and preparation of PGCE students in ITE. Presentation at the Universities Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET) Annual Conference, 8-9 November 2012, Hinckley, UK.
Parker, K. & Carpenter, J. (2010) Creating Spaces to Think: Collaborative Enquiry for Improving Practice on One-Year PGCE Programmes. Presentation at British Educational Research Association (BERA) Annual Conference, 1-4 September 2010, University of Warwick, UK.
Professional activities
Higher Education Academy
- Fellow of the HEA since 2009
- Senior Fellow of the HEA since 2016
External Examiner
- St Mary’s University College, Twickenham, PGCE Secondary programme (2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14)
- Roehampton University, London, PGCE Secondary (Professional Studies) 2014 - 2018
- University of Lincoln, PGCE Secondary, 2018-2023
