Profile
Dr S. Ian Robertson, Head of Psychology
Ian Robertson gained his first degree in French and Psychology at the University of Glasgow in 1973.
Later he obtained a First Class Honours Degree in Psychology from the Open University in 1989 and followed that up with a PhD from the Open University on “Problem Solving from Textbook Examples” in 1993. The research looked at how students use examples as the basis for understanding new material in textbooks or other kinds of instruction.
In his early career, Ian was a French teacher and Head of Modern Languages for some 15 years before launching into a new direction. He has been lecturing at the University of Bedfordshire since 1995 where his teaching interests include Cognitive Psychology, Problem Solving, and the role of Psychology in everyday life.
Ian has published two books on aspects of human problem solving and thinking: Types of Thinking in 1998 and Problem Solving in 2001.
Ian's specific focus is on textbook problem solving and the design of instructional material, particularly on how students use examples as the basis for understanding new information in textbooks or other kinds of instructional material. As well as classes on the psychology of problem solving, thinking and decision making, he also teach classes in cognitive psychology covering, for example, the processes underlying memory, learning, attention and perception with an emphasis on how these are applied in the “real world”.
Ian currently offers workshops to external organisations on creative problem solving and the cognitive psychology underlying study skills and students’ writing.
His recent research has looked at how different types of instruction affect student learning and understanding and what kinds of things we can do to improve the experience of students at University.
Sample of Recent Research Activities
Peer Reviewed Journal Articles
- Robertson, S. I., K. Teoh, et al. (2011). "Research Informed Learning In The Psychology Curriculum: An Initial Evaluation." Psychology Learning and Teaching 10(2).
- McMurray, I. and Roberts, P.,Robertson, S.I. and Teoh, K.(Under Review) An Action Research Project exploring the Psychology Degree: Transitions to Employment.
- Robertson, S. I. (2000). Imitative Problem Solving: Why transfer of learning often fails to occur. Instructional Science, 28(4), 263-289.
- Baguley, T., & Robertson, S. I. (2000). Comment on 'Simple Heuristics that Make us Smart' (1999) G. Gigerenzer and P. Todd (Eds.). Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 23(5).
- Robertson, S. I. (2004). Student perceptions of student perception of module questionnaires: Questionnaire completion as problem solving. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. 29(6), 663-679.
Book Chapters
- McMurray, I. and Roberts, P., with Robertson, S.I. and Teoh, K.(2010) Embedding Employability Skills into the Psychology Undergraduate Curriculum in Atlay (2010) Creating Bridges: A collection of articles relating to the implementation of the Curriculum Review 2008 (CRe8) from practitioners across the University of Bedfordshire.
- Roberts, P., Ertubey, C., Robertson, I and Teoh, K (2010) Engaging students in research: Developing a student research community in Atlay and Coughlin (2010), Creating Communities: developing, enhancing and sustaining learning communities across the University of Bedfordshire.
- Robertson, S. I. (2001) Problem Solving, London: Psychology Press.
- Robertson, S. I. (1999) Types of Thinking. London: Routledge
- Robertson, S. I. and H. Kahney (1999). The use of examples in expository texts: Outline of an Interpretation Theory for text analysis. Learning to Build and Comprehend Complex Information Structures: Prolog as a Case Study. P. Brna, B. du Boulay and H. Pain. Stamford, CT, Ablex Publishing Company: 103-133.
Research Reports
- McMurray, I ., Roberts, P., Robertson, I, Gaitain, A (2009) The Psychology Degree: Transitions to Employment. (CETL Funded Project). University of Bedfordshire
- Roberts, P., Ertubey, C and Robertson, I (2010) Application of CANTAB (Neuropsychological Assessment) to child and adult populations. (CETL Funded Project). University of Bedfordshire
Conferences
- Robertson, S. I., I. McMurray, Roberts, P., Teoh, K and Sochos, A. (2010). Research informed teaching in the psychology curriculum: An initial evaluation. Psychology Learning and Teaching Conference. Edinburgh Napier University.
- McMurray, I ., Roberts, P., Robertson I, Gaitain, A (2008) Embedding the Psychology Degree: Transitions to Employment. 3rd International Conference on Teaching of Psychology. St. Petersburg, Russia
- McMurray, I ., Roberts, P., Robertson I, Gaitain, A (2008) ' Embedding Employment into the Psychology Undergraduate Curriculum (CETL Funded Project). Higher Education Academy Psychology Network
- Robertson, S. I. (2007) Imitative Problem Solving and the illusion of understanding Paper presented at the 12th Biennial Conference of the European Association for Research in Learning and Instruction, University of Budapest.
- Roberts. P., Ertubey, C., Teoh, K., Robertson, I., Comparison Between the Presentation of , Paper and Pencil and Electronic Executive Function Tests to Adult Populations. 20th Annual Rotman Research Institute Conference, Frontal Lobes, March 2010, Toronto, Canada.
- Roberts. P., Ertubey, C., Teoh, K., Robertson, I., The Effectiveness of Computerised Assessment Technique (CAT) versus Paper and Pencil in the Assessment of Executive Function for Brain Injury. The 7th Conference of the International Test Commission, Hong Kong, July 2010.
- McMurray, I., Roberts, P., & Robertson, I. (2005) The Student Experience: Issues of Identification and Communication, Edinburgh University.
- Roberts, P., McMurray, I., & Robertson, I. (2005) Enhancing the quality of the undergraduate student experience: A follow up study. Paper presented at the 5th Teaching and Learning Conference, University of Luton.
- Robertson, S. I. (2003, 26-30 August). Controlled plagiarism: Essay writing as imitative problem solving. Paper presented at the 10th Biennial conference of the European Association for Research in Learning and Instruction, University of Padua, Italy.
Non academic pursuits
Away from the hurly-burly of academic life Ian spends much of his time with his two young children. He also spends too much of his time doing DIY instead of sitting down with a good book.
