Dr Paula Zwozdiak-Myers
Reader in Education

Research area(s)

Paula has steered a large-scale research study across five counties in England to investigate how continuity and progression from primary to secondary school is facilitated, and contributed toward the publication of research outcomes to national and European audiences. She has worked with colleagues from 7 other HEIs to investigate the knowledge, skills and understanding of trainees, mentors and tutors in relation to Lesson planning. The second edition of her book entitled The Teacher’s Reflective Practice Handbook: Becoming an extended professional through enacting evidence-informed practice consolidates much of the work generated from her own PhD research. More recent research initiatives have focused on the experiences of doctoral researchers across five specific domains: personal goals and expectations; course tutors and supervisory teams; professional development; research culture; health and wellbeing 

Research Interests

Paula’s main research interest is to create Learning Pathways, which capture Reflective Practice for Professional Development in student, early career and experienced teachers within her innovative framework designed to structure evidence informed practice. Other research interests include: Models of effective Partnership working in ITE; Mentor training, support and accreditation; Removing barriers to achievement; Interpersonal relationships and Communication skills; Management and Leadership skills; Continuing Professional Development; Links between ICT Advanced Skills Teachers’ [AST] and ITE as well as harnessing the use of new technologies and resources to scaffold and accelerate learning. Ethics in relation to educational research is also an area of great personal interest particularly within the context of close-to-practice research.

Conference/keynote presentations include the following:

2024 – ‘An ethical framework to capture the processes of moral reasoning’, Global Lives Research Centre: Brunel University London – 4th July  

2023 - Zwozdiak-Myers, P. & Buresova, P. ‘Thriving together: nurturing supportive and effective supervisory relationships’, University of Northampton Graduate School, 9th June: Northampton.

2022 - Zwozdiak-Myers, P., Ineson, G., Ramkalawan, T. & Buresova, P.  ‘Doctoral Researchers’ Perceptions of Supervisory Relationships on their Mental Health and Well-being’, United Kingdom Council for Graduate Education (UKCGE) 3rd International Conference on the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Postgraduate Researchers – 3rd/4th November, Jury’s Inn: Brighton.

2022 - Zwozdiak-Myers, P. & Ineson, G.  ‘The impact of mature researchers’ lived experiences on progress and development during, and beyond the global pandemic’ Researcher Education and Development Scholarship (REDS) 8th International Conference online event – 12th October.

2020 – Reflective Practice for Professional Development in Teacher Education – Universidado do Estado da Bahia (UNEB), Campus V, Brazil -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlbCRj2UKLc

2018 – Becoming an Extended Professional through Reflective Practice, Chartered College of Teachers: Rathfern Research Network Hub, 15 November, Rathfern Primary School, Catford, London.

2018 – Chair and Welcome Address for ‘Raising Standards and Attainment Through Evidence Informed Teaching’, Inside Government Interactive Forums and Conferences, 12 June, Hatton Garden Venues, London.

2018 Cultivating Positive Habits of Mind TEACH Brunel: Learning and Teaching Symposium, 18 April, Eastern Gateway, Brunel University London.

2017 Writing, using and evaluating lesson plans, UCET Annual Conference, Stratford upon Avon, 7-9 November.

2017 Reflective Practice for Professional Development, Keynote speaker at Professional Coordinating Mentors Conference based on the National CPD Standards, 5th July at St Mary’s University, Twickenham and, 6th July at Brunel University London.

2015 Viewing Reflective Practice through a Multi-dimensional lens, Keynote speaker at the Annual Education Conference based on the Respect for All Framework, 15th May, Paradise Bay Hotel: Melliela, Malta: Ministry of Education.

2012 Situating the capacity to ‘Maximise the learning potential of all students’ within a multidimensional framework of reflective practice, 2nd Biennial Conference of the World Federation of Teacher Education [WFATE], Educating all the Worlds Children: Challenges and Strategies for Teacher Development, Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya, 7-9 November.

2012 Reflective Practice for Professional Development in Teacher Education: capturing evidence-informed practice, 37th Annual Conference of the Association for Teacher Education in Europe [ATEE], Teacher Education Policies and Professionalisation, Anadolu University, Eskisehir, Turkey, 25-29 August.

2010 Reflective Practice for Professional Development in Teacher Education, UCET Annual Conference, Hinckley Island, Leicestershire, 11-13 November.

2010 Effective Partnership Working, Professional Coordinating Mentor [PCM] Annual Conference, June 23, South West London Education Consortium [SWELTEC], London: Kingston University.

2010 Reflective Practice for Professional Development: a framework for structuring evidence informed practice, 16th International Reflective Practice Conference, June 23-25, Putteridge Bury, University of Bedfordshire.

2009 Reflective Practice for professional development: a framework to guide student teachers within the context of action research, May 27-29, Besancon, France: AIESEP

2009 Reflective Practice for Professional Development: questioning personal theories and beliefs, 10th Annual Learning and Teaching Symposium, April 23-24, Learning and Teaching Development Unit, Uxbridge: Brunel University.

2007 Every Child Matters, Occasional conference for Multi professionals working with children and young people, May 1, Bedford: University of Bedfordshire.

Project details

2022-2024 Doctoral Researchers’ Experiences – funded by Brunel Graduate School

2011-2016 Lesson Planning study with 7 other HEIs – led by Brunel University

2010-2011 Links between ICT Advanced Skills Teachers and ITT, TDA funded

2010-2011 Scaling up Models of Teacher Education: Reflective Practice for Professional Development, UCET Research Collaborative Network

2009-2010 Literature Review: Effective ITE partnership working, TDA funded

2009 CPD Leadership in 21st Society – accredited MA module, TDA funded

2009 ICT for Future Teachers, workshops to create vision for the future, Becta funded

2009 Reviewing and developing the SEN portal and guidance for trainee teachers, TDA funded