Janet Hanson, FHEA

Janet Hanson is a researcher in the Centre for Real-World Learning (CRL). Since joining CRL in 2013, Janet has undertaken research projects with a focus on dispositional teaching in STEM subjects that have led to publications and conference presentations in the field of engineering and technology education. Janet also supports teachers undertaking action research inquiries through the Expansive Education Network professional development community. 

Janet has undertaken a series of research studies commissioned by the Royal Academy of Engineering since 2013. In collaboration with Bill Lucas and Guy Claxton, she organised CRL’s first study for the Academy, published in 2014, that investigated the distinctive ways in which engineers think when ‘doing engineering’. By interviewing and surveying engineers, the concept of engineering habits of mind, known as the EHoM model, was created, together with identification of signature pedagogies, or teaching methods, most likely to cultivate the six EHoM.  

The overall aim of this seminal work was to reframe thinking about engineering education, to move it away from its emphasis on specific subjects such as physics and maths, and to encourage teachers to focus more on the dispositions needed by engineers, such as creative problem-solving, systems thinking and adapting, which might encourage more children, especially girls, to believe they could become engineers. This conceptualisation of engineering education could be applied in almost any subject and at any level.

In collaboration with researchers at the Science and Engineering Education Research and Innovation Hub (SEERIH) at the University of Manchester, Janet organised an intervention study between 2015-2017, supporting primary and secondary teachers in England and Scotland to introduce engineering into their teaching, with the aim of testing the applicability of the EHoM model and signature pedagogies in the classroom.

After it had been demonstrated that teachers could successfully use EHoM in their teaching, Janet was commissioned by SEERIH to undertake a review of published engineering progression frameworks. This work underpinned SEERIH’s research into developing an Engineering Learning Progression Framework aligned to Key Stages 2 and 3 of the English national curriculum. Janet’s analysis further contributed to a scoping review written collaboratively with SEERIH researchers and published in 2020.

Internal collaboration with colleagues in the Institute of Education led to Janet working with ITE senior lecturers to introduce EHoM and other engineering resources to students learning to teach primary D&T, science and computing. This study was undertaken with further funding from the Royal Academy of Engineering.

The impact of CRL’s research was recognised by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) when in 2018 it selected EHoM as one of the ‘big ideas’ of the decade in engineering education. Since then, the EHoM model has been widely adopted by engineering educators at all levels, both in the UK and internationally. The Royal Academy of Engineering has embedded EHoM into its resources for teachers and quizzes on ‘thinking like an engineer’ have been used to promote careers in engineering at displays in the Science Museum and the London Transport Museum. The EHoM model’s use in higher education encourages cross-disciplinary learning across arts, sciences, design and technology, as more university engineering departments are recognising the need to attract a student intake with a wider diversity in subject interest as well as in other more traditional measures of diversity.

Most recently, Janet has been undertaking consultancy work for Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology (DIET) to develop a bespoke ‘Dyson’ version of the EHoM model to support the next generation of engineering leaders being prepared through DIET’s degree apprenticeship programme in engineering.

Widespread concern about the declining number of pupils taking creative and technical subjects at GCSE led to widening the scope of Janet's research to practical learning. With a further commission from the Academy, she has undertaken a scoping literature review of pedagogies most associated with practical learning in order to understand the conditions underpinning teaching for high quality practical learning. In collaboration with a number of secondary schools she is producing case studies to highlight promising practices

Janet completed her doctorate in the field of e-learning in 2008 and before joining CRL she led research into students’ academic skills at Coventry University and worked as a higher education policy adviser with Universities UK.  Prior to that she held teaching and leadership positions at Bournemouth University, including Head of Academic Services. Janet also supervised doctoral students for the University of Liverpool’s online Doctorate in Education programme for eight years.

Research reports

Lucas, Bill and Hanson, Janet (2021) Re-imagining practical learning in secondary schools: a review of the evidence. London: Royal Academy of Engineering. 

Hanson, Janet, Hardman, Sally, Luke, Sue, Maunders, Pam, and Lucas, Bill (2018) Engineering the future: training today’s teachers to develop tomorrow’s engineers. London: Royal Academy of Engineering.

Lucas, Bill and Hanson, Janet (2018) Learning to be an engineer: the role of school leadership. London: Royal Academy of Engineering.

Lucas, Bill and Hanson, Janet, Bianchi, Lynn and Chippindall, Jon (2017) Learning to be an engineer: Implications for the education system. London: Royal Academy of Engineering.

Lucas, Bill and Hanson, Janet (2016) Learning to be employable: Practical lessons from research into character. London: City & Guilds.

Lucas, Bill, Hanson, Janet and Claxton, Guy (2014) Thinking like an engineer: Implications for the education system. London: Royal Academy of Engineering.

Articles

Hanson, Janet, Hardman, Sally, Luke, Sue, and Lucas, Bill (2021) Developing pre-service primary teachers’ understanding of engineering through engineering habits of mind and engagement with engineers. International Journal of Technology and Design Education. 26 p.

Bonsall, Amy, Bianchi, Lynn and Janet (2020) A scoping literature review of learning progressions of engineering education at primary and secondary school level. Research in Science and Technological Education. 24 p.

Lucas, Bill and Hanson, Janet (2016) Thinking like an engineer: Using Engineering Habits of Mind and signature pedagogies to redesign engineering education. International Journal of Engineering Pedagogy, 6 (2), 4-13.

Thomas, B. Gail and Hanson, Janet (2014) Developing social integration to enhance student retention and success in higher education: the GROW@BU initiative. Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning, 16 (3), 58-70.

Hanson, Janet (2013) Educational developers as researchers: the contribution of insider research to enhancing understanding of role, identity and practice. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 50 (4), 388-398.

Book Chapters

Hanson, Janet and Lucas, Bill (2020) The Case for Technology Habits of Mind. In Pedagogy for Technology Education in Secondary Schools: Research Informed Perspectives for Classroom Teachers. Williams, P. J. & Barlex, D. (eds.). Singapore: Springer Nature Switzerland AG, p. 45-64 19 p. (Contemporary Issues in Technology Education).

Conferences

Hanson, Janet and Lucas, Bill (2018) The role of school leadership in increasing engineer employer engagement among teachers. In P. Huddleston and J. Rehill (Eds.) Research for practice. Papers from the 5th International Conference on Employer Engagement. London: Education and Employers Research, pp.9-12.

Hanson, Janet (2017) Engineering Habits of Mind – what are they and how can we cultivate them? HEA STEM Conference 2017: Achieving Excellence in Teaching and Learning, 1-2 February, Manchester, UK.