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 Ron Johnston 


  • Ron JohnstonName : Ron Johnston

  • Job Title : Senior Lecturer - Science

  • Email : ronald.johnston@newport.ac.uk

  • Contact Telephone Number : 01633432097

  • Campus : Caerleon Campus

  • Academic Faculty and School or Department : School of Education

  • Research Centre or Group : SWCHIR

  • Biography : Ron Johnston completed his BSc Ecology (Joint Honours Biology & Environmental Science) from Stirling University in 1993. PhD research followed at University of Wales, Cardiff and Newport in 1994 which he completed in 1998. This studied the soil chemistry and plant / soil interrelationships in response to management on upland heather moorland in the Berwyn Mountains in Mid Wales.  He  teaches Biology, Chemistry & Environmental Studies on undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes here at Newport.  He also teaches and researches in the field of Education for Sustainable Development & Global Citizenship and is programme leader for the MA ESDGC programme.

  • Academic and Professional Qualifications :
    • PhD, University of Wales Cardiff and Newport
    • BSc Ecology, University of Stirling
    • PGCE, University of Wales Newport

  • Professional Bodies and Memberships :
    • Fellow of Royal Geographical Society
    • Fellow Higher Education Academy
    • Association for Science Education

  • Research Expertise or Interest : Research interests are in the fields of Environmental Science and Biogeography that include landscape studies on upland heather moorland and industrially derelict land. These studies, tracking landscape change originating from the impacts of human activity. have been undertaken independently and in collaboration with colleagues at Newport, in France and in Canada. Currently developments extend these studies to the WW1 Verdun and Somme battlefields in France.

    He has also been a key contributor to EU funded projects, collaborating with partners in Germany, Poland, Sweden and Spain.  The most recent of these has been the developemnt of an  e-learning package  available to students here and in these countries. This package seeks to develop statistical literacy and critical thinking about the presentation of statistical information.

  • Grants Awarded :
    • L&T small grant aid to dvelop ESDDGC research in wales and Northern France

  • Research Supervision : One  MPhil student to completion and currently Director of Studies for one PhD student due to complete early 2012

  • Publications :
    • Johnston, R.A.S. (2013) The essential role of science education and ‘science awareness’ for effective education for sustainable development
      and global citizenship ESDGC .  In :  Envisioning change and achieving transformation: ESD/GC core ‘competences’ for educators, TEESNet 2012 Conference Proceedings Edited by Sally Inman & Maggie Rogers. pp. 59 – 66. London : London South Bank University ISBN 978-0-946786-76-3
    • Johnston, R.A.S. (2010) Science education and education for citizenship and sustainable development. Collected Essays, STLHE  Conference : Toronto, Ontario 2010.
    • Johnston, R.A.S. (2009) "The role of science within education for sustainable development / education for sustainable development within science". Proceedings of the Newport NEXUS Conference. Special Publication, No. 1, pp 27 -33.
    • Johnston , R.A.S. (2004) The use of soils analyses to identify platform houses at Cefn Drum, Pontardulais, West Wales.  (Antiquity, No 20 ).
    • Johnston, R.A.S. (2002) Wild Berwyn or coy nature reserve : a changing landscape. Canadian Journal of Environmental Education Spring 2002 Volume 7 (2).


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