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Overview

Professor Douglas Newton

Professor Emeritus (Ncl), Honorary Professor (Dur)


Affiliations
Affiliation
Professor Emeritus (Ncl), Honorary Professor (Dur) in the School of Education

Biography

Following leadership in teaching in school, Douglas Newton PhD DSc began his long academic career at Newcastle University where he became a Professor and Director of the Doctorate in Education course, trained teachers, taught a variety of higher degree courses in Education, and supervised doctoral students. He now works at Durham University teaching and supervising similarly, and leads the mentoring of academic staff (see, for instance, his Mentoring Academics, VU University Press). This mentoring work has been described as ‘a model of good practice’. His research interests, evolving over time, include engagement in learning, (e.g. Teaching Science in the Secondary School, Routledge) understanding (e.g., Teaching for Understanding, Routledge, in several editions and languages), productive thought (e.g. Making Purposeful Thought Productive, ICIE), creative thinking, especially in STEM subjects (e.g. Creative Thinking in University Physics Education, Inst  of Phys) and wise and integrated thinking (e.g. Competent thinking in digital and challenging world, in EHTGC, Emerald) which includes a long-standing interest in the interaction of thinking and feeling and how moods and emotions affect purposeful thought. While moods and emotions shape the thinking of all of us; for some, this interaction can be the most powerful determinant of academic success (and failure) (e.g. Thinking with Feeling, Routledge, described as a Copernican change in the way the educational process is conceptualised). These interest range over all phases of Education.

Professor Newton's research has not been confined to pure education. For example, he has published research in the European Journal of Archaeology, he has engaged in medical education research (health informatics and diabetes education), and he invented and patented a medical device, the Uflow meter. Prizes and awards include The Mark Wright Prize, The Guinness Award for Science Education, and the Esmée Fairbairn Partnership Trust Commendation for Teacher Training. Professor Newton is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He was a member of the University's Durham Commission reporting on creativity across all subjects, including those in Higher Education. He was honoured to be invited to King Charles III’s Coronation Garden Party for his contributions to Education.

For a more comprehensive and illustrated autobiography see: Profiles of Creativity: An autobiography of Douglas P. Newton, International Journal for Talent Development and Creativity, 2019, 6(1&2), 211-219.

A selection from publications

Books

Newton, D.P. (2016) In Two Minds: The interaction of moods, emotions and purposeful thought in formal education, Ulm-Germany, The International Centre for Innovation in Education.

Newton, L.D. & Newton D.P. (2018) Making Purposeful Thought Productive, Ulm, ICIE.

Rees, S. & Newton, D.P. (2020) Creative Chemistry, London, Royal Society of Chemistry.

Newton, D.P. (2022) Living with Digital Teachers, ICIE, Ulm.

Newton, D.P., Nolan, S. & Rees, S. (2023) Creative Thinking in University Physics Education, Institute of Physics, London.

Newton, D.P. (2023) A Practical Guide to Teaching Science in the Secondary School, 2nd Edition, Routledge, London.

Newton, D.P. (2023) Mentoring Academics in Higher Education, VU Press, The Free University of

Amsterdam, Amsterdam.

Irving-Walton, J., Newton, D.P. & Newton, L.D. (2025) Emotions and Thinking in the Classroom:

A research-led toolkit for educators, International Centre for Innovation in Education, Ulm.

 

Chapters in books

Newton, D.P. (2018) Emotions: Can’t think with them, can’t think without them, in R. Wegerif & L. Kerslake (Eds) Theory of Teaching Thinking: International Perspectives, pp. 26-40, Routledge, London.

Nolan, S. & Newton, D.P. (2023) Curiosity leads: Recognising and rewarding diverse kinds of scholarship in research-led universities, in S. Nolan and S. Hutchinson (eds) Leading Innovation and Creativity in University Teaching, London, Routledge.

 

Articles

Rees, S.W., Kind, V. & Newton, D. (2018) Meeting the challenge of chemical language barriers in university level education, Israel Journal of Chemistry, 58, DOI: 10.1002/ijch.201800079

Newton, D.P., Newton, L.D. & Abrams, P. (2019) A study of children’s classroom questions in relation to elementary science teaching, International Journal for Talent Development and Creativity, 6(1&2), 39-50.

Newton, D.P. (2019) Profiles of Creativity: An autobiography of Douglas P. Newton, International Journal for Talent Development and Creativity, 6(1&2), 211-219.

Davies, L., Newton, D. & Newton, L. (2019) Teachers ’ pedagogies and strategies of engagement, International Journal for Talent Development and Creativity, 6(1&2), 169-180.

Rees, S., Kind, V., & Newton, D. (2019) The Development of chemical language usage by “non-

               traditional” students: the interlanguage analogy, Research in Science Education,

               https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-018-9801-0

Newton, D.P. & Newton, L.D. (2019 online, 2020 paper) When robots teach: A code of practice, Research in Education, 5, 80-86.

Newton, D.P. & Newton, L.D. (2019) Humanoid robots as teachers and a proposed code of practice for human teachers, Frontiers in Education, 4, art 125, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2019.00125

Newton, D.P. & Newton, L.D. (2020) Fostering creative thinking in a digital world, International Journal for Talent Development and Creativity, 8(1&2), 19-28.

Rees, S. & Newton, D.P. (2021) The Creative Sciences, School Science Review, 103(382), 19-23

Newton, D.P., Wang, L. & Newton, L.D. (2022) ‘Allowing them to dream’: fostering creativity in mathematics undergraduates, Journal of Further & Higher Education, doi: 10.1080/03039877X.2022.2075719.

Simpson, R., Newton, D.P. & Newton, L.D. (2022) Developing Creative Teaching Skills in Pre-Service Teachers, International Journal for Talent Development and Creativity, 10 (1&2), 163-179. https://doi.org/10.7202/1099950ar

Wang, L., Newton, D.P., Moger, P., Ion, G. & Arnau, L. (2023) What do we know so far about the research-teaching nexus in initial teacher training? Review of Education, 11:e3405. https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.3405

Wang, Y. and Newton, D.P. (2024) How Initial Teacher Training programmes integrate research: A case study of insights from module expectations and teacher educators’ implementation, TEAN Journal Online First, pp. 74-89.

Irving-Walton, J., Newton, D.P. & Newton, L.D. (2024) Emotions matter in Learning, International Journal for Talent Development and Creativity, 11/12, 179-192. https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.34005

 

 

 

Completed Supervisions

Engaging Children in Question Asking for Problem Finding to Encourage Creative Thinking in Primary School Science Teaching, etc., etc.

Information for prospective doctoral research student supervisions

Professor Newton has a variety of doctorate students working on areas, such as, science education; teaching for understanding; creativity and creative thinking; engagement in learning and the interaction of emotions and learning. 

Research interests

  • Cognitive Engagement in Learning and Productive Thought
  • Creativity
  • Moods, emotions, thinking and learning
  • Peer Review
  • Science and Technology Education

Esteem Indicators

  • Best publications: Newton, D.P. (2016). In Two Minds: The interaction of moods, emotions and purposeful thought in formal education. Ulm, Germany: International Centre for Innovation in Education (ICIE).

    Newton, D.P. (2014). Thinking with Feeling: Fostering productive thought in the classroom. London New York: Routledge.

  • Translation into other languages: For example, work on Teaching for Understanding was translated into Swedish at the request of educationalists in Sweden: Newton, D.P. (2003) Undervisa för förstäelse: Vad det är och hur man gör det, Lund, Studentlitteratur, 91 44 02347 2, 256pp
  • Citations for research literature: His publications have been cited frequently and positively in the research literature. For example, relating to work on children's perceptions, see citations in International Journal of Science Education, 17(6), 755-774 (an Australian author), and on using analogies to support learning, see International Journal of Science Education, 25(6), 697-715. The articles have also been developed by invitation for publication in collected works (e.g. work on teachers' lack of support for understanding in Progress in Educational Research, Vol. 6, Nova Science Publishers Inc., New York, pp. 139-154, (ISBN 1 59033 321 7)
  • Policy and Practice: His work continues to bear upon policy and practice, as exemplified by, for instance, its lengthy reproduction in books for taining teachers (Reflective Readers: Primary Science, Learning Matters, Exeter, 2005, 15-17; The Teaching of Science in Primary Schools, Harlen, W. & Qualter, A. 2004, David Fulton, London, 278-279) and in articles in the professional literature (e.g. School Science Review, 300, 71-83) and material in science teaching schemes (e.g. Bath Primary Science). I was also invited by the Treasury to give an address on the methodology of assessing learning (2003).
  • Invention: Inventor of UFlow Meter - a portable, accurate and reliable gauge for the detection of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS)

Publications

Authored book

Chapter in book

Conference Paper

  • Purposeful thought in the classroom: Do emotions matter?
    Newton, D. (2017). Purposeful thought in the classroom: Do emotions matter? [Conference paper] Presented at 15th International Conference on Excellence, Creativity, and Innovation in Basic-Higher Education and Psychology 3-5 July 2017, International Centre for Innovation in Education (ICIE), Lisbon, Portugal.
  • Deep and shallow approaches to learning mathematics are not mutually exclusive
    Mathias, J., & Newton, D. (2016). Deep and shallow approaches to learning mathematics are not mutually exclusive. In G. Adams (Ed.), Proceedings of the British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics (pp. 46-54). British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics.
  • Conceptions of Creativity in Elementary School Science.
    Newton, L., & Newton, D. (2009). Conceptions of Creativity in Elementary School Science. Presented at Excellence in Educatin 2008: Future Minds and Creativity., Paris.
  • Validity and Reliability of a simple Home Uroflow Device for Repeated Flow Rate Measurement.
    Pridgeon, S., Harding, C., Newton, D., & Pickard, R. (2005, September). Validity and Reliability of a simple Home Uroflow Device for Repeated Flow Rate Measurement. Presented at International Urology Conference.
  • Understanding Science: Is there just one road up the mountain?
    Newton, D. (2005). Understanding Science: Is there just one road up the mountain? Presented at BERA Annual Conference.
  • The end of the diabetic diet in Type 1 diabetes.
    Heller, S., Amiel, S., Beveridge, S., Bradley, C., Gianfransesco, C., James, P., McKeown, N., Newton, D., Newton, L., Oliver, L., Reid, H., Roberts, S., Robson, S., Rollingson, J., Scott, V., Speight, J., Taylor, C., Thompson, G., & Wright, F. (2002, March). The end of the diabetic diet in Type 1 diabetes. Presented at Diabetes UK Annual Professional Conference.
  • Changing the way people manage Type 1 Diabetes.
    Roberts, S., Amiel, S., Beveridge, S., Bradley, C., Gianfransesco, C., Heller, J., Oliver, L., McKeown, N., Newton, D., Newton, L., Robson, S., Rollingson, J., Reid, H., Scott, V., Speight, J., Taylor, C., Thompson, G., Turner, E., & Wright, F. (2001, April). Changing the way people manage Type 1 Diabetes. Presented at Annual Professional Meeting of Diabetes UK: Hot Topics., Glasgow.

Edited book

Journal Article

Monograph

Other (Print)

Presentation

Report

Supervision students