James Williams

• Emeritus reader in science education and communication, University of Sussex

I graduated in Geology from the University of London and trained as a science teacher at Chelsea College, Centre for Science and Maths Education, University of London. I taught science in North London (Enfield), South London (Croydon) and Surrey. I have worked as a head of biology, head of year and head of science. I entered teacher education in 1997. In 2006 I filmed a six-part TV history/reality series for Channel 4 called 'That'll teach 'em taking the role of the deputy head and housemaster in the fictional Charles Darwin school teaching 30 teenagers 1950s style.

I was awarded Chartered Science Teacher status in September 2008.

My research interests currently revolve around teachers and their knowledge and understanding of 'The Nature of Science' and 'The Scientific Method'. In particular, what do trainee teachers understand about these concepts and ideas in science. This leads to work on a better understanding of the 'Working Scientifically' approach in the new National Curriculum an public examinations.

Linked to this work I also do research on the teaching of Evolution in science and the issues surrounding Creationism in a school based context.

Other research interests involve the publication of the Theory of Evolution by means of Natural selection by Alfred Russel Wallace and Charles Darwin.

• –present Lecturer in Science Education, Sussex School of Education and Social Work, University of Sussex
• 1997–2003 Lecturer in Science Education, Brunel University

• 1990 King's College, University of London, MEd
• 1982 Goldsmiths' College, University of London, BSc

• 2014 Evolution Versus Creationism: A matter of acceptance versus belief, Journal of Biological Education DOI: 10.1080/00219266.2014.943790
• 2013 “It's just a theory”: trainee science teachers' misunderstandings of key scientific terminology, Evolution: Education and Outreach 2013, 6:12 doi:10.1186/1936-6434-6-12
• 2011 How Science Works: Teaching and Learning in the Science Classroom. , Continuum, London & NY. ISBN 9781441147073
• 2009 Belief versus Acceptance: why do people not believe in evolution? , BioEssays, 31 (11). pp. 1255-1262. ISSN 0265-9247
• 2008 Creationist Teaching in School Science: A UK Perspective, Evolution: Education and Outreach, 1 (1). pp. 87-95. ISSN 1936-6426

• Fellow Royal Society of Biology, FRSB
• Elected, but non active, Fellow of the Geological Society of London
• Elected but non active Fellow of the Linnean Society of London

Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, Fellow of the Linnean Society of London, elected but not active Fellow of the Geological Society of London and Linnean Society, Chartered Science Teacher

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