Dr Susan Mathieson

Principal Lecturer

Sue is a Director of Learning and Teaching in the Teaching Excellence team. She leads Northumbria’s Professional Recognition Scheme (NUPRS), which awards HEA Fellowship via the experiential route. Since the Scheme started in 2015 it has awarded 488 Fellowships, including 351 FHEA, 107 SFHEA, and 30 AFHEA. Sue leads the central programme of continuous professional development (CPD) for Learning and Teaching, which underpins NUPRS, and liaises with departments to support academic learning about the teaching role. She initiated and developed plans for the taught PGCAP route to HEA Fellowship, which is aligned to the Apprenticeship for Academic Professionals. She also leads on Research Rich Learning, and on the Teaching Quality Enhancement Fund.

Sue’s professional practice is underpinned by research on how academics learn about teaching through their engagement in socially situated practices in disciplines, departments and institutions. This has influenced the development of an approach that links institutional support for developing teaching with departmental practices, with a strong focus on mentoring and tools to support learning. She has a PhD in Educational Research from Lancaster University, with a thesis on changing academic cultures of learning and teaching, and has published on this theme in international journals, as well as presenting widely at conferences. She was awarded a SEDA research grant in 2018 to research induction to teaching practices across disciplines and departments. She has a MA in postcolonial literary theory and honours degrees in Law, Sociology and English.

Sue joined Northumbria in May 2012, from Heriot Watt University where she led teaching enhancement and the HEA accredited Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice. She lived in South Africa from 1985-2009, where she worked in educational development at the University of KwaZulu Natal, and as Education Policy Adviser to the first democratic Parliament, where she facilitated the introduction of the new policy framework for higher education.

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Key Publications

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
New academics’ experiences of induction to teaching: using Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) to understand and improve induction experiences, Mathieson, S., Black, K., Allin, L., Hooper, H., Penlington, R., McInnes, L., Orme, L., Anderson, E. 2 Jul 2024, In: International Journal for Academic Development
Enhancing Support and Recognition for Teaching Mentors, Meller, S., Allan, J., Elsdon, M., Hayman, R., Mathieson, S. 27 Jun 2023, The North East Universities Consortium Three Rivers Conference
Enhancing University mentoring practice through Activity Theory analysis of the lived experiences of Learning and Teaching mentors, Hooper, H., Allan, J., Allin, L., Elsdon, M., Mathieson, S., Penlington, R. 4 Dec 2023, Higher Education Research, Practice, and Policy: Connections & Complexities
Culture shock and the gendered teaching experiences of new academics., Hooper, H., Mathieson, S., Black, K., Allin, L., Orme, L., Anderson, E., Penlington, R., McInnes, L. 7 Dec 2021, Society for Research into Higher Education: Annual International Research Conference 2021
Integrating research, teaching and practice in the context of new institutional policies: a social practice approach, Mathieson, S. 1 Nov 2019, In: Higher Education
New academics’ experiences of induction to teaching: an Activity Theory approach, Mathieson, S., Allin, L., Penlington, R., Black, K., Orme, E., Anderson, E., Hooper, H., McInnes, L. 31 Dec 2019
Student Learning, Mathieson, S. 14 Aug 2014, A Handbook for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Taylor & Francis
Disciplinary cultures of teaching and learning as socially situated practice: rethinking the space between social constructivism and epistemological essentialism from the South African experience, Mathieson, S. May 2012, In: Higher Education
Developing academic agency through critical reflection: a sociocultural approach to academic induction programmes, Mathieson, S. 2011, In: International Journal for Academic Development

Qualifications

Education PhD June 30 2009
Senior Fellow (SFHEA) Higher Education Academy (HEA) 2014

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