The Boyd Orr Centre for Population and Ecosystem Health

Dr Shagufta Shafqat Chandi

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Contact Details

School of Education
College of Social Sciences
University of Glasgow
St Andrew's Building, Room 682,
11 Eldon Street, Glasgow, G3 6NH
E-mail  shagufta.chandi@glasgow.ac.uk


Tel +44 141 330 8138
Mobile +44 7905 74117 


Research Interests

I am currently working as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the School of Education at the University of Glasgow. My area of research is Biology Education, and specifically evolution education. I am working with Dr Rebecca Mancy on a project to explore students' personal experiences of learning the theory of evolution at tertiary level. A second project currently in progress with Dr Mancy & Mr Yasri (School of Education) is about exploring student teachers  perceptions of relating science and religion. I am also interested in using the concept of systems thinking in biology education. Currently, I am working on a paper with Dr Donald Gray for the University of Aberdeen on systems thinking.


Academic History

  • PhD (Science Education), University of Strathclyde and the University of Glasgow (2008)
  • MA (English Literature), University of Peshawar, Pakistan (2000)
  • MSc (Zoology), University of Peshawar, Pakistan (1996)
  • MEd University of Peshawar, Pakistan (2001)
  • BEd University of Peshawar, Pakistan (1998)


Previous Research Projects

  • "Teaching methods of Jesus Christ" (MEd thesis)
  • "Exploring the health care needs of the rural population in Hazara" (MSc thesis)
  • "Systems thinking as a teaching and learning tool for biology education" (PhD thesis)

Scholarships & Awards

  • The Estelle Brisard Memorial Prize, 2007 for Educational Research from the Scottish Educational Research Association
  • Gold Medal in MEd, 2002, From the University of Peshawar, Pakistan
  • Silver Medal in MSc, 1997, from the University of Peshawar, Pakistan
  • MacRobertson Travelling Scholarship (October-November, 2006) for work in collaboration with the research team in the University of Utrecht, the Netherlands, for two months.
  • Synergy Scholarship (2004-2007) for PhD from the University of Strathclyde and the University of Glasgow.
  • Charles Wallace Scholarship (from the British Council) for a Visiting Fellowship Programme to the Centre for Science Education, University of Glasgow, Scotland from January to March 2003.

Publications

  • Chandi, S. S., Reid, N., McWilliam, A., & Gray, D. S. (2009). Exploring the usefulness of 'systems-based model' from the perspective of biology students. Scottish Education Review, 1, 65-86
  • "An Episode of Change: using systems-based model in biology education" won Estelle Brisard Award, 2007 from SERA (Scottish Education Research Association) for writing an article (Award winning paper published in TES: The Education Supplement, Newspaper).

Conference Presentations

  • Exploring student teachers perceptions of relating science and religion. Research paper accepted for ICET Conference in July, 2011, at the University of Glasgow.
  • Exploring students' personal experiences of learning the theory of evolution at tertiary level. Research proposal accepted for ESERA, September 2011 Annual conference in Lyon, France.
  • Fusion of Two Approaches: systems based narrative style as a pedagogical tool in genetics education. Postgraduate conference, September 2008, arranged by BERA.
  • The concept of systems thinking and biology education. Scottish Education Research Association Annual Conference, November 2008.
  • An Episode of Change: using systems based model in biology education. Paper presented at the annual SERA conference, Perth, Scotland November 2007
  • Impact of using systems thinking on students' learning. A paper present in a Mini Conference 2, arranged by eSHARP, and held at the University of Glasgow, March 2007
  • Systems thinking as a teaching and learning tool.  Paper presented in a postgraduate conference: Moving Forward, held at the University of Aberdeen, June 2006
  • Systems thinking as a tool for teaching and learning biological complexity I. Paper presented at a postgraduate conference, Research Education: Different ways of knowing and doing, held at the University of Birmingham, July 2006.
  • Systems thinking as a tool for teaching and learning biological complexity II. Paper presented in summer school arranged by ESERA (European Education Research Association) and held at the University of Minho, Braga, Portugal July 2006.
  • 'Systems thinking as a teaching and learning too-1' Paper presented at a postgraduate conference: Moving Forward, held in University of Aberdeen, June 2005

Journal article writing in progress

  • Chandi, S. S., Mancy, R.,  & Yasri, P. (in preparation). A quantitative study of student teachers' perceptions of the relationship between science and religion (based on my postdoctoral research).
  • Chandi, S. S., Mancy, R (in preparation). Exploring students' personal experiences of learning the theory of evolution at tertiary level (based on my postdoctoral research).
  • Chandi, S. S. (in preparation). Complexity indicator: mapping students' written responses to the open ended questions in genetics (based on my PhD research).
  • Chandi, S. S., & Gray, D. S. (in preparation). Exploring the usefulness of systems based questions in biology education (Under revision for submission)