Dr John Mynott

Biography

Before joining the School of Education in 2020, I taught as a primary school teacher and held the position of Headteacher of a large primary school in Hertfordshire for 10 years. I have taught across the primary age range, and have a passion for teaching languages, the creative arts and social sciences. Throughout my career in schools, I have sought to involve pupils in creative and inspiring projects, often working in collaboration with partner organisations to help pupils learn about singing, puppet making and dance. I believe in well-structured, diverse and inclusive curriculums.

During my doctoral studies, I found that alongside my passion for curriculums, I was also curious about andragogy and helping teachers learn more about their own practice. I noticed how some professional learning opportunities are rich in learning for some, yet not for others. For me this difference is key to my ongoing research into the complexity of collaborative structures.

Research Overview

How collaboration occurs – when it goes well and when it does not go well – is a particular area of interest in my current research. This exploration is currently formed of three strands of my research activity: Lesson Study; Professional Learning over time and Facilitation.

Lesson Study as a method of collaboration is a primary aspect of my research. I have explored Lesson Study cycles in different schools and contexts and am interested in how Lesson Study has a diverse interpretation and how this interpretation can impact on the outcomes of the collaboration.

What do we mean by Professional Learning? When does Professional Learning occur? These are key questions which frame my enquiries into thinking about the Professional Learning of teachers with a particular interest in knowing if learning changes and develops practice over time.

As I have researched collaborative learning, I have noted differing outcomes and the role of a facilitator has appeared important to some of these differences. Exploring the ways facilitators work and how they can impact on outcomes in collaboration is the third strand of my current research interests.

I also have a strong interest in digital collaborations, how we learn in digital contexts and what helps us learn when we are in digital collaborations. This has involved me working on international projects with colleagues in the United States and Europe exploring how digital collaborations can support learning overtime. 

Current Research

My current research is exploring the recording and development of Professional Learning over time. This frames learning at the end of a collaboration as potential learning, that is used or not in the participants’ careers. Currently, I am exploring the factors that aid and hinder the development of this learning and why these vary depending on individuals and contexts. The practical applications of this work will be in supporting more effective collaboration and Professional Learning to take place in the future.

Within the identification of factors that impact on potential learning, I am also exploring how facilitators can mitigate and overcome possible barriers in Professional Learning. I am exploring how facilitators can work, what they respond to and how they interact with different participants to understand facilitations in more detail.

Collaborations

I am currently collaborating with colleagues in Texas on professional learning in schools and how this supports the development of interdisciplinary learning. 

I am the principal investigator working on a teacher education project which is capturing the stories of teacher educators from five European countries. 

I am working with a colleague in Germany, looking at quality within Lesson Study and how we can use this to consider improvements to lesson study projects and research.