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Dr Pamela Cowan

Dr Pamela Cowan

BSc, MSc, PGCE, PhD

Room 101
69/71 University Street
School of Education
Queen’s University Belfast

Tel: +44 (0)28 9097 5931
Fax: +44 (0)28 9097 5066
Email: p.cowan@qub.ac.uk

Leadership Roles:
Adviser of Studies and Disability Adviser (Education)
Course Co-ordinator for MSc in E-learning
Co-ordinator of ICT across PGCE programme including LNI training
Co-ordinator of assessment in PGCE
PGCE ICT/Computing and mathematics tutor

Teaching:
Dr Cowan is the course tutor for PGCE ICT/Computing and Mathematics, and tutor for the ICT-specific elements of the PGCE course delivered via an online course.  She organizes the training of students in LNI and provides support in the assessment of the course. 
She also supervises dissertation students at Masters and doctoral levels and is the course co-ordinator and tutor for the MSc in E-Learning, teaching all the modules and training students in the use of SPSS.

Research/Scholarship
Dr Cowan’s general areas of research interest encompass all aspects of assessment in education, structural equations modelling, the uses of ICT in educational contexts and issues in mathematics education. She is particularly interested in the use of computer adaptive testing in schools and in the assessment of higher order thinking skills, such as writing and mathematical problem-solving using computer-based techniques. She is also interested in assessment issues in higher education and has recently been involved in evaluation projects looking at the use of online assessment in mathematics, the use of ICT in assessing SEN pupils and evaluations of the process of creating Virtual Learning environments in schools.  Pamela has presented her work at numerous international conferences in Europe and the USA and has supervised doctoral level students in areas of e-learning, special educational needs and disability, teaching and learning.  Her current work in e-portfolios is contributing to innovative developments in teacher education and her previous work on the validity and reliability of the Transfer Test has led to recent changes in the arrangements for pupils during the transition from primary to post-primary education.

Research/Scholarship Projects:
  • Teacher E-portfolio (2006)  – joint research with University of Ulster, Stranmillis and St Mary’s University Colleges, Department of Education, Regional Training Unit, CASS Service, C2K and Becta.  (Funding in Year 1: £50,000; Year 2: £100,000)
  • The CAUSES Project (2003) – joint project with Dr Hugh Morrison.  (Part-funding from DE: £8,500)
  • Transfer Test (2000) – joint project with Professor J Gardner.  (Funding: £29,000)

Publications:
  • Cowan, P. (2006)  Teaching Mathematics.  Routledge Falmer.
  • Gardner, J and Cowan, P (2005)  The fallibility of high stakes ’11-plus’ testing in Northern Ireland.  Assessment in Education, 12, 2, 145-165
  • Morrison, H., Cowan, P. & D'Arcy, J. (2001)  How defensible are current trends in GCSE mathematics to replace teacher-assessed coursework by examinations?  Evaluation and Research in Education, 51, 1, 33-50
  • Cowan, P., Morrison, H., Wylie, C., McBride, F., Lee, M. & Greenaway, G. (2001)  Disseminating standards in higher order learning: systemically valid instruments for standards-based education reform.  Interactive Learning Environments, 10, 3, 217-241.
  • Cowan, P. and Morrison, H. (2001).  Assessment in the 21st Century: the role of computerised adaptive testing in National Curriculum subjects.  Teacher Development, 5, 2, 241-257
  • Face-zine the Future: Moving from Face-to-Face to Online Teaching