Simon Chapman

Simon Chapman is a Senior Lecturer in Education (ITT) at the School of Education, University of Northampton, where he joined in 2022. He serves as the Year 1 Leader for the BA Primary Education (QTS) program and is the curriculum lead for Computing. He is also a dissertation supervisor and Personal Academic Tutor, contributing significantly to undergraduate education.

Education:

• PhD in Education (in progress), University of Northampton
• MA in Education, University of Northampton (awarded 2022)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education, University of Northampton (awarded 2011)
• BA (Hons) in History, University of Leicester (awarded 2007)

Simon’s research focuses on Physical Education, particularly on pre-service teachers’ preparedness to teach PE, drawing from his MA thesis and ongoing PhD with the Centre for Educational Research (CER). He investigates the knowledge needs of ‘consciously incompetent’ teachers globally. His recent work also explores Extended Reality (XR) in teaching and learning, where he leads the XR Special Interest Group under the Centre for Active Digital Education (CADE). His research contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goal on Quality Education.

His recent publications (2021–2024) consistently address teacher preparation in physical education, mindset development, and the integration of digital technologies in primary education. These works highlight a clear trajectory toward improving pedagogical effectiveness and technological innovation in teacher training.

Scientific Awards:

• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Simon has been actively involved in academic advising as a dissertation supervisor and Personal Academic Tutor. He has delivered invited talks and participated in workshops, including contributions to the Centre for Education and Research’s Summer Programme 2024. He also co-authored a curriculum development activity on physical education for all. His work is supported through institutional research centers rather than external grants explicitly mentioned.

Labs and Research Teams:
Simon is affiliated with the Centre for Educational Research (CER) and leads the XR Special Interest Group within the Centre for Active Digital Education (CADE), where he collaborates on innovative digital teaching resources and research in immersive learning technologies.