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Dr Jill Steel
PhD, MEd, PGCE, BA

SUMMARY

 

Experienced Researcher, Lecturer in Early Education and Primary School Teacher.

 

Expertise in the development of literacy, wellbeing and learning, and animal-assisted learning.

 

Creator of Paws and Learn®, an online innovation to support enjoyment of reading and wellbeing.

 

Available for bespoke educational training.

Experience

Lecturer in Early Education
and Childhood Practice
Edinburgh College and West Lothian College
2008-2016 

School Teacher/Teacher of Additional Support Needs
Edinburgh Council, Midlothian and  West Lothian Councils
2003-2008, 2016-2019

Manager and Trainer
Business Travel Industry
1987-1993

   Education
​
PhD Education | 2023 | University of Edinburgh
MEd | 2014 | University of Glasgow 
PGCE | 2003 | University of Edinburgh
BA | 2001 | Open University


    Awards
 
PhD Scholarship 2019-2022 University of Edinburgh
Paws and Learn® Funding   2023 Edinburgh Innovations
BERA Early Career Researcher Award 2022
ISAZ Diversity Award 2022
Paws and Learn® Film Funding 2021 Edinburgh Futures Institute
MEd Top Student Award 2014 University of Glasgow

   
  Publications
 
Steel, J. (2023): Reading to dogs as a form of animal assisted education: are positive outcomes supported by quality research?  Literacy.
 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/lit.12345
 
Steel, J.  (2023). Reading to Dogs in schools: A controlled feasibility study of an online reading to dogs intervention.  International Journal of Educational Research.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2022.102117
 
Steel, J. (2023). Reading to Dogs - children’s perspectives. BERA Blog.
https://www.bera.ac.uk/blog/reading-to-dogs-childrens-perspectives
 
Steel, J, Williams, J., & McGeown, S. (2022) Teacher-researcher collaboration in animal-assisted education: Co-designing a reading to dogs intervention. Educational Research.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2021.2016061
 
McGeown, S., Oxley, E., & Steel, J. (2022) Collaboration and co-design: Learning from literacy interventions co-created by researchers and teachers. The Psychology of Education Review 46 (2). 
 
Howell, T. J., Nieforth, L., Thomas-Pino, C., Samet, L., Agbonika, S., Cuevas-Pavincich, F., Steel, J.,... & Bennett, P. (2022). Defining terms used for animals working in support roles for people with support needs. Animals. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12151975
 
Steel, J. (2022). Children’s wellbeing and reading engagement: the impact of reading to dogs in a Scottish Primary 1 classroom. Education 3-13.
https://doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2022.2100442
 
Steel, J., (2022, October 28). Reading to Dogs in Schools: Misguided Fad or Effective Research Backed Intervention? BERA Blog. https://www.bera.ac.uk/blog/reading-to-dogs-in-schools-misguided-fad-or-effective- research-backed-intervention.
 
Steel, J., Williams, J. M., & McGeown, S. (2021). Reading to dogs in schools: An exploratory study of teacher perspectives. Educational Research.  
https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2021.1956989
 
Steel, J. (2019). An evaluation of the potential impact of standardised assessments on the promotion of pupil autonomy in Scottish education, from the perspective of Dearden’s view of autonomy.Citizenship, Social and Economics Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/2047173419845057

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