Professor David Hall
Professor of Education
D.J.Hall@exeter.ac.uk
4932
+44 (0) 1392 724932
Baring Court BC216
Baring Court, University of Exeter St Luke's Campus, Heavitree Road, Exeter, EX1 2LU, UK
Overview
David Hall is an education researcher with a particular interest in large scale educational reform programmes and their effects upon educational institutions and those who work and study within them. This interest is reflected in research he has undertaken in the school, FE and university sectors in a variety of contexts both across Europe and the Global South. His research has been funded by agencies including the Economic and Social Research Council, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the European Union, the Educational Endowment Foundation and the Department for International Development.
Professor Hall’s teaching mainly focuses upon education policy and leadership. He has been responsible for developing a series of large and successful MA programmes and modules targeted at both UK and international education professionals. His doctoral students have completed theses on topics including the rise of consultants in English schools, the classed identities of teachers, changing teacher professionalism, leadership and cultural change in Indonesian universities and mediating policy change in the English FE sector.
Prior to joining the university sector Professor Hall spent twelve years as a teacher of Economics, Politics and Business Studies in a variety of schools, VI Form Colleges and FE colleges both in the UK and overseas. Most of this time was devoted to teaching, but he also assumed a range of leadership and management responsibilities, wrote a best selling textbook series and participated actively in a number of national curriculum development projects.
Professor Hall was Head of the Graduate School of Education at the University of Exeter from 2017-2020 and was previously the founding Head of the Manchester Institute of Education at the University of Manchester.
Research
Research projects
Date: October 2014-September 2015
Funder: ESRC
Title: Accelerating impact through the Manchester Education Debates
Funding: £19,617
Role: Principal Investigator
Spreading the impact of education research activities via a series of young people’s, community and practitioner debates in the run-up to the 2016 General Election. Principal Investigator with Prof. Ruth Lupton (Co-Investigator) and Dr Carl Emery (Co-investigator).
Date: September 2013-June 2014
Funder: British Academy
Title: Consultancy and Knowledge Production in Education
Funding: £9000
Role: Co-Investigator
A study of the rise of consultancy and consultants within the field of education set in the wider context of school reform. Co-investigator with Prof. Helen Gunter (Principal Investigator) and Colin Mills (Co-investigator).
Date: Sept 2009-Jan 2011
Funder: Economic and Social Research Council
Title: Distributed Leadership and the Social Practices of School Organisation in England (RES 000-22-3610)
Funding: £100,000
Role: Director and Principal Investigator
The project sought to critically examine education policy through a conceptual analysis of leadership linked discourses and practices in schools. Members of the Project Steering Committee included Prof. Sharon Gewirtz, Prof Peter Gronn, Prof. David Hartley, Prof. Gemma Moss, and Prof. Jim Spillane; all foremost scholars in the field of educational policy and leadership. Outputs include a report, conference papers, four journal articles and a book. Research conducted with co-investigators Prof. Helen Gunter and Joanna Bragg.
This research project was graded as ‘very good’ by the ESRC. Rapporteur evaluation comments included the following:
‘The significance of the findings lies in the way the data provide empirically grounded insights into how dominant policy on leadership impacts upon practitioners in schools.’
‘The report gives a convincing and authentic account of how educational practitioners understand distributed leadership and are able to use the concept to explain their own contexts.’
‘The findings clearly contribute and add to knowledge about distributed leadership in general and its relationship to teacher and school leader identity.’
‘It raises important questions about the nature of leadership in schools and the ability of organisations such as NCSL to influence knowledge and practice.’
This project has been instrumental in the establishment of the Manchester Critical Educational Policy and Leadership Research Interest Group of which I co-lead.
Date: September 2005 – April 2006
Funder: Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Title: Education and Poverty: conceptualising the evidence base
Funding: £40,000
Role: Co-applicant and co-investigator
The project consisted of a multi-disciplinary literature review on the links between education and poverty. Outputs included a report, an edited book, journal article and conference papers. The research was conducted with Prof. Carlo Raffo (Principal Investigator), Prof Alan Dyson, Prof. Helen Gunter.
This research project has enabled my participation in an international Education and Poverty Network of academics and researchers who are leaders in their field
Date: October 2005 – March 2006
Funder: Teach First
Title: Retaining Teach First participants in Greater Manchester schools facing challenging circumstances
Funding: £8,000
Role: Co-investigator
The project examined the career trajectories of teachers working in socio-economically disadvantaged urban schools. Outputs included a report and a conference paper. The research was conducted with Dr Lisa Jones (Principal Investigator) and Prof. Olwen McNamara (Co-investigator)
Date: October 2005-September 2006
Funder: Teacher Training Agency
Title: Urban Initial Teacher Education Project 2 – Working in Urban Schools in ‘Challenging Contexts’
Funding: £15,000
Role: Principal Investigator
This research and development project investigated the experiences of new teachers in their first post-QTS year working in schools designated as being in ‘challenging circumstances’. Outputs included a report, a journal article and conference papers. The research was conducted with Co-Director (Andy Ash) and co-investigators Dr Sophie Diamontopolou, Dr Lisa Jones and Prof. Carlo Raffo
Date: October 2003-September 2004
Funder: Teacher Training Agency
Title: Urban Initial Teacher Education project 1 – Training teachers to work in urban schools
Funding: £15,000
Role: Principal Investigator
This research and development project investigated the characteristics and dispositions of new teachers wanting to work in urban schools (2003 -04). Outputs included a report and conference papers. The research was conducted with co-investigators Prof. Carlo Raffo, Andy Ash, Dr Lisa Jones and Dr Sophie Diamontopolou
Date: Sept 2002-Sept 2004
Funder: Higher Education Funding Council
Title: Excellence Fellowships
Funding: £60,000
Role: Co-investigator
This research and development project involved collaborating with teachers on school based widening participation projects. Outputs included a report. Research conducted with Prof. Carlo Raffo (Principal Investigator).
Date: January 01 – November 01
Funder: Department for International Development
Title: Links between education and the workplace in Malawi
Funding: £51,000
Role: Principal Investigator
Funded through the Department for International Development’s ‘Skills for Development’ strand, this project focused upon the development of links between FE/HE and workplaces and the recognition of qualifications by Malawian employers. It was carried out in collaboration with the University of Bath, School of Management. Outputs included conference papers and a journal article.
Date: Jan – June 2000
Funder: Northern Consortium of Universities
Title: Establishing the feasibility of providing university modules in the Sixth Form of English and Welsh Schools and Colleges
Funding: £22,500
Role: Director and Principal Investigator
The research examined emerging changes in the boundaries between schools and universities and curriculum based partnerships between these institutions. Outputs included a report and three journal articles. The research was conducted with Prof. Carlo Raffo, Dr Harold Thomas and Helen Notman (Co-investigators)
Date: Sept 98 – Dec 2000
Funder: Department for Education and Employment/Manchester Training and Enterprise Council Title: The work-related curriculum at KS$
Funding: £101,000
Role: Principal Investigator
This project was an evaluation of the Manchester TEC Mpower KS4 work related curriculum project in over 40 schools across four LEAs. One RA was employed full-time on the project and the research was conducted with Prof. Carlo Raffo as joint Project Director. Outputs included a project report, conference papers and journal articles.
Key findings from this research were disseminated via a London School of Economics ESRC seminar series focusing on disaffection and the work-related curriculum
Publications
Books
Journal articles
Chapters
External Engagement and Impact
Professional Consultancy, Advisory work, Policy Reports/Papers and Media Reports
British Council, Sri Lanka
My research on global aspects of educational reform including the exporting of aspects of the New Public Management informed a Leadership and Management conference and subsequent dialogue with HE and school leaders in this context.
National Headteacher Steering Committee
My research on distributed leadership has led to my involvement with the National Headteacher Steering Committee, disseminating research findings and implications for professional practice to serving headteachers.
Management and leadership in further education
Responsible for the development and implementation of one of the first university accredited courses for managers working in F.E. sector colleges. This work was undertaken within a consortium of four universities (the Universities of Brighton, Hull, Manchester and Warwick) working closely with the F.E. sector employers bodies, the Association of Colleges and the Association of Principals of VI Form Colleges. I acted as Chair of this Consortium.
Teacher Training Resource Bank (TTRB)
Linked to my work on urban teaching I have been a regular contributor to this web based resource. This has involved writing articles, reviewing books and curriculum materials and creating podcasts for an audience of teachers, beginning teachers and teacher educators.
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
Commissioned by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) to act as Lead Writer in the development of the Advanced Business GNVQ course specifications. I was also a member of the 'A' level Business Studies Subject Criteria Committee and the GCSE Economics Accreditation Committee at QCA and was engaged in reviewing specifications for the vocational GCSE in Business. At the time this work placed me at the forefront of national developments in the economics and business education curriculum.
Reform of Higher Education in Mongolia
I acted as co-director of this project and as a curriculum development consultant undertaking work both in the UK and Mongolia. The focus was on working with academic counterparts and administrators to reform the curriculum and curriculum support structures at the National University of Mongolia. This involved working with Mongolian counterparts and business administration and economics academics from the UK and abroad to develop a new undergraduate curriculum in accounting, business and economics. As part of this I chaired the Curriculum Development Working Party and was instrumental in the development of an independent study centre and materials production centre. The project was funded by the EU Technical Assistance for the Commonwealth of Independent States (TACIS).
Further Education Development Association (FEDA)
Consultant to the Further Education Development Association (FEDA) on the training and support for GNVQ teachers and lecturers, September, 1996 – February, 1997
Economics and Business Education Association
Consultant to the Economics and Business Education Association on the future focus of its journal, October 1996
