PGCE (Oxon), MA (Oxon), MA (London), PhD (Birmingham).

Profile

Graham is a founding member, and Chair, of the Geography Education Research Collective (GEReCo) - a group of research active geography educationists based in English universities. His research is predominantly in the field of geography education, although he has also published on assessment, teacher workload and modernisation. Graham’s recent books include Lesson Planning (3rd edition) (2008), Geography, Education and the Future (2010) and Making Assessment Matter (2010).

Since 2000, Graham has been engaged in funded research worth £884K (including a total of £94K as joint, or sole, grant holder). He has previously been the Co Director of a £100K Training Schools’ initiative with a Birmingham comprehensive school.

Graham has served as an external examiner for PGCE, Masters, MPhil and PhD students at a number of British universities and as a consultant for the Geographical Association and Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA). He has been employed as an end of award rapporteur for the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

He is an editor of the international journal Educational Review and regularly reviews academic articles for a wide range of journals. Before entering higher education Graham was the Head of Geography in a Hertfordshire comprehensive school.

Research Interests

• Geography education
• Modernisation, remodelling, teacher workload
• Assessment
• Education policy
• Initial teacher education

Research methods include:

• Interviews (structured, semi structured, unstructured)
• Focus Groups
• Documentary analysis
• Analysis of primary and secondary data
• Large scale surveys

Teaching and administration responsibilities

Current teaching responsibilities include PGCE Geography trainees, Masters students and PhD supervisions. Graham also teaches on the Education for Health Professionals course run jointly by the School of Education and Medical School.

Administrative responsibilities are those normally associated with the roles of Deputy Head of School, Director of Academic Planning, and PGCE Geography Tutor.

Other professional appointments

Chair of Geography Education Research Collective (GEReCo); Member of the British Sub Committee of the International Geographical Union (IGU); Member of the Geographical Association (GA); External examiner at PGCE, Masters, MPhil and PhD levels.

Past external assessor for geography GCSE, AS and A level specifications for Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA); Past Chair, Secretary and Treasurer of the Assessment and Examinations Working Group (AEWG) of the GA.

Publications (selection)

Butt, G. (forthcoming 2010) Perspectives on Research In Geography Education. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education.

Butt, G. (forthcoming 2010) Which methods are best suited to the production of high quality research in geography education? In Geography Education. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education.

Butt, G.; MacKenzie, L. and Manning, R. (forthcoming 2010) Influences on British Asian women’s choice of teaching as a career: ‘you’re either a career person or a family person; teaching kind of fits in the middle’. Educational Review

Butt, G. and Lance, A. (2009) ‘I am not the teacher!’: some effects of remodelling the roles of teaching assistants in English primary schools. Education 3 -13, Vol 37 , 3 , p 219-231.

Butt, G. (2009) Developing pupils’ personal geographies – is the personalization of geography education beneficial? Research In Geographic Education, Vol 11 (1), p.5-23.

Butt. G (2008) Is the future secure for geography education? Geography, Vol 93 (3) p.158-165.

Publications 2001 - 2009 [complete, pdf, 331 KB, opens new window]

Publications pre-2001  [pdf]