School of Life Sciences

Head of Learning, Teaching & Quality

ROOM: M403
T: +44 141 331 3495
E: k.thomson@gcal.ac.uk

Profile

Having first walked through the gates of GCU, then known as Glasgow College of Technology, as a student in 1986 it could be argued that I am stuck here with the bricks and mortar, however I would maintain that the reason I have been here so long, in a number of different posts (with a short break in the mid 90s when I taught in FE colleges), is because it is a great place to study and work.

As Head of Learning, Teaching & Quality for the School of Life Sciences I work with both academic and support staff across the Departments of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Psychology and Vision Sciences. I am responsible for monitoring the academic health of all undergraduate and post graduate modules and programmes in the School. Academic development and student support for our home and international students is an important aspect of my current role.

My academic background is Social Psychology which influences the approach to my research interests - the student experience in higher education. I am currently involved in a large ongoing research project looking at first year psychology students' expectations and perceptions of their degree course. I have recently been awarded a PMI Project grant to look at the expectations of our international students as they arrive and how this compares to the reality of studying on a programme within the School of Life Sciences at the end of the first trimester. I also have an interest in preferred teaching and learning styles of students within Life Sciences, particularly cultural influences in learning styles.

Although much of my time is spent working across the School, university committees and representing Psychology, Life Sciences and GCU across the Scottish HEI sector and internationally I still maintain some teaching responsibility, delivering lectures on a number of modules and am the module leader for an honours module, Gender Issues in Psychology. This module presents a critical review of perspectives on gender, sex and sexuality based principally on contemporary theory and research but drawing also on anthropological, biological, sociological, historical and literary sources. I continue to supervise a variety of projects at undergraduate levels 3 & 4 and am an external examiner for the Applied Psychology programme at LJMU.

Teaching

I have always thoroughly enjoyed teaching - lecturing to large modules, leading smaller seminar classes and one-on-one or small group tutorials. Next session I will be in charge of the first year General Psychology module which runs in both semesters. This module is an overview to Psychology which is delivered to a number of students from a variety of programmes at GCU.

I am also the module leader for an honours module, Gender Issues in Psychology. This module presents a critical review of perspectives on gender, sex and sexuality based principally on contemporary theory and research but drawing also on anthropological, biological, sociological, historical and literary sources. Some consideration is given to the psychological effects of the dynamic and changing roles of men and women as we enter a new millennium. For the last six years I have supervised a variety of projects at undergraduate levels 3 & 4.

Refereed Journal Articles

Guiller, J., Durndell, A., Ross, A. & Thomson, K. (2007). Issues surrounding use of online discussion groups on traditional undergraduate psychology modules. Psychology Learning and Teaching (PLAT 2006 Conference Special Issue).

Sheffield, D., Duncan, E., & Thomson, K. & Johal .S. S. (2002). Written Emotional Expression and Well-Being: Result from a Home-Based Study. The Australasian Journal of Disaster and Trauma Studies, vol 2002-1.

Shewan, D., Dalgarno, P., Marshall, A., Lowe, E., Campbell, M., Nicholson, S., Reith, G., McLafferty, V. & Thomson, K. (1998). Patterns of heroin use among a non-treatment sample in Glasgow (Scotland). Addiction Research 6(3), 215-234.

Durndell, A., Uzunova, F.. Asenova, D., Asenov, A. & Thomson, K. (1998). Gender Neutral Engineering: An impossible dream? The case of East Europe. International Journal of Science Education.

Durndell, A. & Thomson, K. (1997). Gender and Computing: A Decade of Change? Computers and Education. 28 (1) 1-9.Computers and Education. 28 (1) 1-9.

Refereed Published Conference Papers

Thomson, K. & Forbes, D. (2009). New Psychology Students’ Awareness and Expectations, the Subsequent Reality of Their Programme, and How These Predict Academic Performance. Proceedings of the International Conference on the Teaching of Psychology, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Vancouver, Canada.

Guiller, J., Durndell, A., Ross, A. & Thomson, K. (2006). Issues surrounding use of online discussion forums on traditional undergraduate psychology courses. Proceedings of the Psychology Learning and Teaching Conference 2006. York St John University College: Higher Education Academy Psychology Network.

Thomson, K, Forbes, D (2006). 1st level students' expectations versus subsequent perceptions of the reality, and the extent to which these predict academic performance. . Proceedings of the Psychology Learning and Teaching Conference 2006. York St John University College: Higher Education Academy Psychology Network.

Thomson, K, Forbes, D. & Lynass, R. (2004). Homesickness, socio-demographic background and academic performance in level 1 Psychology students. Psychology Learning and Teaching Conference, PLAT 2004

McKechnie, J. & Thomson, K. (2003). Perceived support and satisfaction of student health professionals' clinical placement experience. Proceedings of the British Psychological Society. (abstracts).

Thomson, K. & Sutton, J. (2003). An investigation into the gender gap in education: Gender differences in teaching and learning styles. Proceedings of the British Psychological Society. (abstracts).

Forbes, D., Thomson, K. & Lynass, R. (2003). Investigation into the 1st year student experience, with particular respect to the roles of homesickness, and its impact on academic performance. Proceedings of the British Psychological Society. (abstracts).

McVey, C., McKechnie, J., Wober, J. & Thomson, K. (2001). The effect of the media on 'documentary-soap' participants, friends and families. BPS Annual Conference: The state of science, March 2001.

McVey, C., McKechnie, J., Thomson, K. & Watt, S. (2000). Group Dynamics: The effects of bipartite selection processes on social interaction of Castaways on a Scottish Island. Scottish Branch, British Psychological Society Annual Conference, Crieff , November 2000.

Durndell, A. and Thomson, K. (1997). Gender and Computing. Transitions, in Gender and Education, International Gender and Education Conference. (abstracts).

Duncan, E., Thomson, K., Davidson, T. & Sheffield, D. (1997). The Salutary Effects of Written Emotional Expression: Parameters for Intervention. Proceedings of the British Psychological Society. (abstracts).

Duncan, E., Thomson, K. & Sheffield, D. (1997). Short-term Effects of Written Disclosure of Real versus Imagined Traumatic Events. Fifth European Congress of Psychology. Psychological Society of Ireland (abstracts).

Thomson, K. & Tuohy, A. (1997). Three Groups of Homeless Men's Attitudes Towards and Experience with the Police. Fifth European Congress of Psychology. Psychological Society of Ireland. (abstracts).

Durndell, A. & Thomson, K. (1996). Gender and Computing: A Change over Time? Proceedings of the British Psychological Society. (abstracts).

Sheffield, D., Duncan, E., Thomson, K. & Johal, S. (1996). Disclosure of Traumatic Events results in decreased well-being. The Fourth International Congress of Behavioural Medicine', Washington DC., (abstracts)..

Thomson, K. (1996). Homeless men's experiences of the police. Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Conference on Intolerance and Prejudice. (abstracts).

Thomson, K. and Tuohy, A. (1996). Relationship between self-categorisation as 'homeless' and evaluations of the police. Proceedings of the British Psychological Society. (abstracts).

Projects in Preparation

Thomson, K. Addressing the Gender Gap in Higher Education

Forbes, D., & Thomson, K.. Homesickness and the first year student experience

McVey, C., McKechnie, J. & Thomson, K. Commissioned by Pearson's Education to write a general psychology text for health professionals. Work is in progress and due to be completed summer 2006.