- Research Associate
I am a Research Associate in Computing Education working with Dr Sue Sentance. I am part of the Raspberry Pi Computing Education Research Centre. We are working on a BBC micro:bit funded project investigating the long-term impact of physical computing on primary school pupils' attitudes and beliefs such as creativity, technological self-efficacy, and socio-technological agency. We will also be investigating gender differences in how young people engage with physical computing, and the role of parents and teachers in developing students' digital capital.
My wider research interests include widening participation in STEM education, inquiry-based learning, and assessment.
I am an Ordinary Member of the Institute of Physics Higher Education Group and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Biography
Prior to joining the department in 2024, I held several postdoctoral positions in science/physics education. I was a postdoctoral researcher in physics higher education at Imperial College London from 2021-2024, in science education at King's College London (in the School of Education, Communication and Society) from 2020-2021, and in physics secondary education at the University of Cambridge from 2019-2021. My undergraduate (Imperial College London), master's (King's College London), and doctoral backgrounds have all been in theoretical physics. I was awarded my PhD in theoretical cosmology from Queen Mary University of London in 2019.
Alongside my PhD I worked part-time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich as an Observatory Explainer and then as an STFC Astronomer. As part of my role I delivered school sessions to primary and secondary school pupils and presented Planetarium shows to schools and the public. During my PhD I also took part in various outreach activities, including highlights such as Soapbox Science and Pint of Science.
Publications
Journal articles
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Durk, J., Smith, A., Rahman, N., & Christie, R. (2024). Exam Experiences, Motivational Beliefs, and Belonging in First-Year University Physics Students: Insights from the Covid-19 Pandemic. Accepted for publication in Teaching & Learning Inquiry.
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Durk, J., Smith, A., Aydın, B., Julia, A., & Rabey, I. (2024). Using expectancy-value theory to understand the teaching motivations of women physics lecturers. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 20(1), 010157. Doi: 10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.20.010157
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Moore, A. M., Fairhurst, P., Bennett, J. M., Harrison, C., Correia, C. F., & Durk, J. (2023). Assessment and practical science: identifying generalizable characteristics of written assessments that reward and incentivise effective practices in practical science lessons. International Journal of Science Education, 46(7), 643-669. Doi: 10.1080/09500693.2023.2253366
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Durk, J., Davies, A., Hughes, R., & Jardine-Wright, L. (2020). Impact of an active learning physics workshop on secondary school students’ self-efficacy and ability. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 16(2), 020126. Doi: 10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.16.020126
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Durk, J., & Clifton, T. (2019). Discrete cosmological models in the Brans–Dicke theory of gravity. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 36(18), 185011. Doi: 10.1088/1361-6382/ab329e
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Bentivegna, E., Clifton, T., Durk, J., Korzyński, M., & Rosquist, K. (2018). Black-hole lattices as cosmological models. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 35(17), 175004. Doi: 10.1088/1361-6382/aac846
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Durk, J., & Clifton, T. (2017). A quasi-static approach to structure formation in black hole universes. Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, 2017(10), 012. Doi: 10.1088/1475-7516/2017/10/012
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Bibi, R., Clifton, T., & Durk, J. (2017). Cosmological solutions with charged black holes. General Relativity and Gravitation, 49, 1-14. Doi: 10.1007/s10714-017-2261-4
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Durk, J., & Clifton, T. (2017). Exact initial data for black hole universes with a cosmological constant. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 34(6), 065009. Doi: 10.1088/1361-6382/aa6064
Book chapters
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Howson, C. B. K., Smith, A., Durk, J., Fox, M. F., Tymms, V., & Richards, M. Strengthening learning communities: Belonging in a UK physics department. In Academic Belonging in Higher Education (pp. 80-94). Routledge. Doi: 10.4324/9781003443735-8
Journal articles
Moore, AM., Fairhurst, P., Bennett, JM., Harrison, C., Correia, CF. and Durk, J., 2024. Assessment and practical science: identifying generalizable characteristics of written assessments that reward and incentivise effective practices in practical science lessons. Int J Sci Educ, v. 46Doi: http://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2023.2253366
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.20.010157
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6382/ab329e
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6382/aac846
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6382/aa6064
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1007/s10714-017-2261-4
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516/2017/10/012
Durk, J., Davies, A., Hughes, R. and Jardine-Wright, L., Impact of an active learning physics workshop on secondary school students' self-efficacy and ability Physical Review Physics Education Research,Doi: http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.16.020126
Book chapters
Doi: http://doi.org/10.4324/9781003443735-8
Kandiko Howson, CB., Smith, A., Durk, J., Fox, MFJ., Tymms, V. and Richards, M., 2023. STRENGTHENING LEARNING COMMUNITIES: Belonging in a UK physics department Doi: http://doi.org/10.4324/9781003443735-8
