Martin Braund University of York, UK

Martin Braund is Senior Lecturer in Science Education at the University of York where he leads programmes at asters and undergraduate levels. He taught in three comprehensive schools for eighteen years and was Head of Science at Boroughbridge High School in North Yorkshire. He was closely involved in writing materials for Salters Science and was Honorary Senior Research Fellow with the Assessment of Performance Unit in Science at the University of Leeds. After completing a research degree in Science Education at Leeds, he joined North Yorkshire LEA as an Advisory Teacher for Science, Techonology and Assessment. In 1994 he was appointed as Senior Lecturer at Bretton Hall College of the University of Leeds where he led the science education and environmental science teams. His research interests include: teaching biology, transitions in science education, museum education, discussion and argumentation and teacher effectiveness. He has directed projects investigating primary/secondary transition in science education, teaching about ideas and evidence and, most recently, discussion in primary science. He is the author of papers in several international journals, has published three acclaimed books and is Editor of the journal, Science Teacher Education.