Sally Aston

Sally Aston is a Senior Lecturer in Initial Teacher Education at St Mary's University specializing in Design and Technology (D&T) for primary education. Her work focuses on developing critical pedagogy and ecological literacy within teacher training programs.

Her research interests center on Design and Technology Education, where she explores how D&T can foster ecological literacy and critical consciousness in student teachers. She investigates cross-curricular teaching approaches to elevate D&T's status in primary education and develops strategies for integrating emotional learning (affective domain) with technical skills. Her work emphasizes emancipatory education and global citizenship through practical D&T applications.

Analysis of her publications reveals consistent focus on primary D&T teacher development across four major works (2009-2013). Key trends include: using D&T as a vehicle for ecological awareness, implementing critical pedagogy in teacher training, and addressing challenges in cross-curricular implementation. Her research bridges theoretical frameworks like Bloom's affective domain with practical classroom applications.

Collaboration is central to her work, particularly with Dot Jackson on multiple publications examining D&T integration and ecological literacy. She has contributed to significant publications including the International Handbook of Primary Technology Education and journals like Educational Journal of Living Theories.