Dr Matt Homer

Profile

My substantive areas of research interest include aspects of science and 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)

Research interests

I am currently leading research on the uptake of the new and important post-16 Core maths qualification recently introduced in England. This is a large-scale, longitudinal project (2017-2020) funded by the Nuffield Foundation. We have an early conference paper  from this project here. Over the years, I have worked on a number of mixed methods projects related to science and maths curriculum reform, where my speciality has been analysis of the national pupil database.

I am also currently working as a methodologist to support a large character education project within the School, and I recently completed work for the International Baccalaureate looking at the preparation their mathematics HL course provides for studying at university. 

There is a methodological strand to some of my work, in the application of modern quantitative methods. For example, I have an interest in assessment as 'measurement' (e.g. Rasch modelling), the use of multilevel and structural equation 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 research. With a team of colleagues, there is an ongoing and internationally-recognised programme of research centred on improving performance and knowledge assessments. We have published widely in this area, for example, on appropriate metrics for measuring 'quality' in this setting, and on how to set and maintain standards.  We are currently researching the longitudinal impact of a move to sequential testing on weak and failing students.

I also have assessment-related external positions working for the General Medical Council on the forthcoming Medical Licensing Assessment, on the clincal assessment of international medical doctors coming to the UK (PLAB2) and on the Curriculum Advisory Group that approves changes to postgraduate curricula.

Affiliated Research Centres

Centre for Curriculum, Pedagogy and Policy

Quality and Innovation in Assessment

<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>

• Opportunity Areas: Impact Evaluation
• The early take-up of Core Mathematics: successes and challenges

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 research students

• Elizabeth Horncastle
• Syakima Ibrahim
• Tevfik Karabiyik
• Jose Marquez
• Ashwin Mehta
• Theognosia Michailidou
• Agathi Prodromou
• Michael Walker
• Huiming Ding
• Darren Perrett

<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://essl.leeds.ac.uk/research-opportunities">research opportunities</a> allow you to search for projects and scholarships.</p>