Dr David Nichol

Assistant Professor

School: Communities and Education

Dr David Nichol is an Assistant Professor of Education at Northumbria University and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA). His research examines academic identity and the ways collaborative, co-constructive pedagogies can enrich professional learning. He focuses particularly on designing and evaluating innovative, practice-informed approaches that strengthen educator confidence and preparedness in both school and higher education settings.

David’s work sits at the intersection of pedagogy and professional practice, with a keen interest in how structural and institutional conditions shape the experiences of early career academics. He is committed to developing inclusive, sustainable models of academic development and to rethinking how professional learning is supported across diverse educational contexts.

In 2024, David received a Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE) in recognition of his contributions to teaching and academic development. He has also led academic development programmes in the Post-Compulsory Education and Training (PCET) sector, reflecting his ongoing commitment to supporting educators at all stages of their careers.

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Key Publications

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Constructing Reality: Comparing Simulation Modalities in Initial Teacher Education, Fossey, R., Counihan, C., Nichol, D., Luke, C., Cole, M., Meller, S., Davies, J., Barker, L., Anderson, A., Hudson, K., Gray, W., Mulholland, K. 3 Jun 2026, In: Education Sciences
Paper versus Pixels: Comparing pre-service teachers' experiences of low-and medium-technology simulation modalities, Duncan, J., Counihan, C., Gibson, L., Nichol, D., Mulholland, K. 29 Jul 2026, In: Frontiers in Education
Rehearsing Legitimacy: Simulation-Based Pedagogies, Imposter Experiences and Academic Wellbeing in Early-Career Academics, Hotonu, I., Mulholland, K., Cole, S., Gibson, M., Nichol, D., Counihan, C. 26 Jun 2026, In: Education Sciences
Back to basics: Pre-service teachers' experiences of ‘SimulatEd’, a suite of low-technology simulated-scenarios to promote preparedness for professional practice, Nichol, D., Mulholland, K., Counihan, C., Meller, S., Anderson, A., Luke, C., Gray, W. 1 Oct 2025, In: Teaching and Teacher Education
Stepping Stones: Adopting a fading programme design to promote teachers’ use of metacognitive strategies for mathematical problem-solving, Mulholland, K., Gray, W., Counihan, C., Nichol, D. 12 Jul 2025, In: Education Sciences
The use of simulation-based learning approaches in initial teacher education and teachers’ professional development – exploring the potential for learning and practice., Davies, J., Meller, S., Luke, C., Anderson, A., Nichol, D., Mulholland, K., Gray, W., Counihan, C. 26 Jun 2025, BERA Global Perspectives in Teacher Education
Key Concepts and Concerns of Teaching Sensitive Topics and Subjects, McGovern, W., McGovern, R., Nichol, D. 5 Feb 2024, Developing and Implementing Teaching in Sensitive Subject and Topic Areas, Leeds, Emerald Publishing
Using Simulation as an innovative pedagogy to reduce Impostor Phenomenon amongst early career academics, Cole, S., Cole, M., Counihan, C., Gibson, M., Mulholland, K., Nichol, D. 2 Dec 2024, International Federation of National Teaching Fellows (IFNTF) Conference and Symposium
Virtual reality check: A realist evaluation protocol for exploring the use of Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) to support pre-service teachers’ understanding of approaches to behaviour management, Woodley, H., Mulholland, K., Nichol, D., Counihan, C., Luke, C., Gray, W., Meller, S., Herridge, D., Anderson, A., Ross, J. 1 Feb 2024, In: Journal of Applied Learning and Teaching
Developing online teaching and learning: The potential benefits of ‘listening’ to student voices for staff professional development and authentic student engagement, Taylor, S., Mulholland, K., Nichol, D., Anderson, A., Davies, J. 1 Jan 2023

Current and Recent Projects

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Public Involvement and Co-production in Research Suite of modules, Brandon, T. (Principal Investigator), Nichol, D. (Co Investigator), Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, 01/06/23 - 31/05/24, £100,000.00

Professional Activity

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Oral presentation: Using Simulation-Based Approaches to Address Imposter Phenomenon in Early Career Academics 2026
Participating in a conference, workshop, ...: European Teacher Education Network (ETEN) 2026
Organising a conference, workshop, ...: Advance HE Teaching and Learning Conference 2023 2023
Oral presentation: Future-proofing assessment: Experiential learning and authentic assessment design 2016

Qualifications