Dr Leonardo Franchi
- Lecturer (Pedagogy, Praxis & Faith)
telephone:
01413303433
email:
Leonardo.Franchi@glasgow.ac.uk
R530a Level 5, St Andrews Building, Glasgow, G3 6NH
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0646-0975Biography
Dr Leonardo Franchi has a long-standing association with the University of Glasgow where he did an undergraduate degree in Modern Languages. From 1986 until 1991 he was a member of the Department of Adult and Continuing Education's team of tutors in Modern Languages (Italian).
Dr Franchi spent 13 years teaching in schools while doing higher studies in Theology and working as a Theology tutor with the Maryvale Institute, Birmingham. He re-joined the University of Glasgow on a full-time basis in 2005 (Department of Religious Education, Faculty of Education). In 2012 Dr Franchi was appointed as the inaugural Head of the St. Andrew's Foundation for Catholic Teacher Education, his term ending in 2016.
Dr Franchi's scholarly interests are wide. He has a keen interest in the potential of the liberal arts to shape Higher Education, especially Teacher Education. He continues to publish in all aspects of Catholic education.
Dr Franchi is a member of the Executive of the Association of Catholic Institutes of Education (a sectorial body of the International Federation of Catholic Universities) and a Council member of the Scottish Catholic Historical Association. He was a Trustee of the mentoring charity Citywise from 2016 until 2021, where he is now a patron. In 2021 Dr Franchi was appointed as a Foundation Director of the Mater Christi Multi-Academy Trust in Cumbria.
Research interests
Dr Franchi has made a significant scholarly contribution to the study of Catholic education. He has co-written and co-edited the Reclaiming the Piazza series and is currently working on the following monograph and edited book:
- Renewing Religious Education: The Legacy of Rev Dr Thomas Shields (Catholic Education Press, autumn 2022);
- Formation of Teachers for Catholic Schools: Challenges and Opportunities in a New Era ((co-editor with Richard Rymarz, Springer, spring, 2022).
Dr Franchi was invited to be Guest Editor of a special issue of Religions on Catholic Education and the Liberal Arts. It is due for publication in summer 2022.
Dr Franchi's other research interests include:
- the role of the liberal arts in contemporary education;
- the history of Christian education, especially models of formation in early Christianity;
- initial teacher education in the contemporary university.
Dr Franchi would be delighted to hear from prospective PhD students with an interest in the areas highlighted above.
NB: Please see our webpage on PhD studies for further information on how to apply for doctoral study at the University of Glasgow.
Grants
2018
£10,000 from Porticus UK (Commercial Grant) to support academics from developing countries to attend the ACISE 2018 conference.
Supervision
Dr Franchi welcomes applications for Masters and Doctoral supervision in areas related to Religion, Education and Culture.
Doctoral Research Supervision
Current
- Religious Education and Inspection in Scottish Non-Denominational Schools, 1972-2017 (Stephen Scholes - PhD)
- To what extent are issues of professional identity essential for teachers in Catholic schools in Scotland in order to discharge effectively their responsibilities to the state and the Church? (Natalie Finnigan – PhD)
- An examination of the extent to which teacher induction programmes in religious independent schools are anchored in the founding congregation’s charism (Christian Kendall-Daw -PhD)
- Activating the Teaching Methods Contained in the Holy Quram Among Islamic Teachers (Bandr Al Onzi - PhD)
- This Our Faith and the Professional Development of Teachers (Marie McCoy - PhD)
- Supporting non-specialist teachers of Music (Julie Carrie - Ed D)
- COVID-19, Professional Identity and International Baccalaureate Programme Teachers (Diane Ciacoi - Ed D)
- Liberal education and skills training (Nicola Weaver - Ed D)
Complete
- The Perceptions and Views of Cypriot Teachers about a Cosmopolitan Future in Education (Frangis Frangopoulos - Ed D)
- Music and Religious Education in Islam (Yusuf Ögretici - PhD)
Recent Doctoral Examinations
- Foundations for Senior Leadership in Catholic Education: Sacred or Secular? (Gerard Gaskin, John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family, Melbourne, Australia)
- Towards a New Approach for Teaching Religious Education in Catholic Schools (Anne-Marie Irwin, Notre-Dame University, Fremantle, Australia)
- ‘School-based career guidance programmes in junior colleges in Singapore: An interpretivist study. (He Jia Wen, University of Western Australia)
- Integral and Holistic Catechesis for Children in the Third Millennium (William O'Leary, Notre-Dame University, Fremantle, Australia)
- Teachers’ understanding of ‘Delivering Excellence and Equity in Scottish Education: A Delivery Plan for Scotland’ in an era of continuing curricular and assessment development: Developing excellence and equity or masking incoherence and inequality? (Rhona McFarlane, University of Glasgow, EdD)
- The Experiences that Form and Sustain Generation Y Religious Education Coordinators (Dirk Gleghorn, University of Notre Dame, Australia, Ed.D)
- A Cosmopolitan Defence of International Education (Kirsty Fuller, University of Glasgow, Ed.D)
NB: Please see our webpage for information on how to apply for doctoral study at the University of Glasgow.
- Kendall-Daw, Christian
An examination of the extent to which teacher induction programmes in religious independent schools are anchored in the founding congregation’s charism.
Teaching
Dr Leonardo Franchi has many years experience of teaching in schools and universities. He was Director of Catholic Teacher Education at the University of Glasgow from 2012-2016. Dr Franchi currently teaches on a wide range of course at both UG and PGT level and is a supervisor for students on our PhD and EdD programmes.
Dr Franchi has written the following courses:
- Theology in Education 1, an undergraduate course (20 credits), is mandatory for students on the MEduc who wish to qualify with the Catholic Teacher's Certificate in Religious Education. The course is also available to all students on campus.
- Curriculum Leadership in Religious Education, a Masters course (20 credits), is available as part of the School of Education's suite of Masters options and as a stand-alone course. The course explores the Catholic tradition of Religious Education through three themes: Christology, Ecclesiology and Sacramental Theology.
- Conceptual Frameworks in Contemporary Religious Education, a Masters course (20 credits), is available as part of the School of Education's suite of Masters options and as a stand-alone course. The course explores the nature of Religious Education in the Catholic tradition.
Dr Franchi is the School of Education’s representative on the University’s bespoke Access to Education initiative. Both roles involve a high level of engagement with senior school pupils who have expressed an interest in studying on an ITE programme at the University. In this role, Dr Franchi organises sessions for University Taster Days and contributes to related Widening Access events both on and off campus.
Professional activities & recognition
Editorial boards
- 2019: Review of Religious Education, Formation and Theology
- 2017: Studia Pedagogica Ignatiana
- 2020: Educa-International Journal of Catholic Education
- 2020: Review of Religious Education, Formation and Theology
Professional & learned societies
- 2019: Council Member, Scottish Catholic Historical Association
- 2019: Academic Adviser, Academic Advisory Forum for the Reform of Religious Education in England and Wales
- 2016: Executive Member, Association of Catholic Institutes of Education
- 2018: 2015, Scottish Catholic Education Service
Selected international presentations
- 2018: Keynote: Religious Education in a Change of Era (Australian Institute of Theological Education)
- 2017: Public Lecture:National Religious Education Conference (Pontifical University of Maynooth, Ireland)
- 2016: Keynote: Catholic Education as Public Theology (Radboud University, Holland)
- 2015: Public Lecture: Catholic Teacher Education: Preparing for Mission.” (St Mary's University College, Belfast)
Additional information
Academic Qualifications
1986 Master of Arts - MA (Hons)
1991 Post Graduate Certificate in Education - PGCE
1998 Master of Education - MEd
2007 Post Graduate Certificate in Education - PGCE (Academic Practice)
2013 Doctor of Philosophy - PhD
Academic and Professional Body Membership
- General Teaching Council of Scotland (since 1993)
- Council Member, Scottish Catholic Historical Association (appointed in 2019)
-
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (since 2008)
-
Citywise (Trustee) (appointed in 2014)
- Foundation Director of the Mater Christi Multi-Academy Trust in Cumbria (appointed in 2021)
Social Media
https://twitter.com/PiazzaThe
https://www.facebook.com/leonardo.franchi.94
https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00ACL18DK
http://reclaimingthepiazza.com
