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Dr Matt Homer

Dr Matt Homer

Profile

My substantive areas of research interest include aspects of mathematics education curriculum reform, and medical education assessment. I also have a range of teaching, supervision and leadership responsibilities.

In terms of my academic background, I have a PhD in Mathematics, an MSc in Applied Statistics, and taught mathematics and statistics in further and higher education for several years. I am also a Chartered Statistician (CStat).

Responsibilities

  • Postgraduate Research Tutor (2015-2018)
  • Chair of Assessment Research Group

Research interests

I have been leading research on the uptake of the new and important post-16 Core maths qualification introduced recently in England. This is a large-scale, longitudinal project (2017-2020) funded by the Nuffield Foundation. We have a recent papers from this project here and here, as well as the final report which was published in mid September 2020. Impact work related to this project is ongoing into 2021.

There is a methodological strand to some of my work, in the application of modern quantitative methods. I have carried out analysis of the national pupil database in many of my projects. I also have an interest in assessment as 'measurement' (e.g. Rasch modelling), the use of multilevel models, methods for inferring causality, and the 'problem' with p-values and hypothesis testing.

Research in medical education

I am seconded for 40% of my time to the Leeds Institute of Medical Education within the School of Medicine, carrying out assessment-related work. With a team of colleagues, we have an ongoing and internationally-recognised programme of research centred on improving performance and knowledge assessments. We have published widely in this area, for example, recent work is on re-conceptualising examiner stringency in performance tests and on conjunctive standards.

I also have two assessment-related external positions with the General Medical Council, quality assuring the clinical assessment of international medical doctors coming to the UK (PLAB2), and sitting on the GMC’s Curriculum Advisory Group that approves changes to postgraduate curricula. I am also sitting on the Medical Skills Council Assessment Alliance group that is working on psychometric and standard setting issues in the forthcoming Medical Licensing Assessment. Finally, I sit on the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s Test of Competence Assurance Advisory Group, and on the Physician Associate National Exam Development Group.

Affiliated Research Centres

Centre for Curriculum, Pedagogy and Policy

Assessment research group

<h4>Research projects</h4> <p>Any research projects I'm currently working on will be listed below. Our list of all <a href="https://essl.leeds.ac.uk/dir/research-projects">research projects</a> allows you to view and search the full list of projects in the faculty.</p>

Qualifications

  • BSc in mathematics
  • PhD in mathematics
  • PGCE (FE)
  • CStat (Chartered statistician)

Professional memberships

  • Royal Statistical Society
  • British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics
  • Psychometrics SIG for the Association for the Study of Medical Education

Student education

I have a number of postgraduate research students, and I teach quantitative research methods to Master’s level.

Research groups and institutes

  • Centre for Curriculum, Pedagogy and Policy

Current postgraduate researchers

<h4>Postgraduate research opportunities</h4> <p>The school welcomes enquiries from motivated and qualified applicants from all around the world who are interested in PhD study. Our <a href="https://phd.leeds.ac.uk">research opportunities</a> allow you to search for projects and scholarships.</p>