[ Qualifications ]
[ Principal Interests ] [ Research
Supervision ]
[ Biographical
Note ] [ Current
and Recent Research ] [ Publications ]
Qualifications
- BEd Primary Degree (with distinction)
- MEd (Heriot Watt/Moray House) in Special Educational Needs
Principal
Interests
I am interested in the field of educational leadership and management. Specific areas include:
- head teacher development
- developing early leadership
- school leadership
- school improvement
Research
Supervision
I am currently undertaking my own PhD in Educational Leadership and Management.
Biographical
Note
I have considerable school-based experience in various roles across the primary, secondary and special education sectors within Edinburgh. More recently I held the post of 3-14 Educational Adviser and then Quality Improvement Officer with the City of Edinburgh Council before taking up a career in higher education. In 2004, I became a Teaching Fellow and then an Academic Coordinator for the Scottish
Qualification for Headship (SQH) Programme at the University of Edinburgh, based at Moray
House School of Education.
Current
and Recent Research
I have the
lead role for a pilot project, funded by the Scottish
Government, to develop alternative pathways for leadership
development. The aim of this pathway is to blend
the best of academic rigour with the best of work-based
learning, whilst providing flexibility. Additional
tutoring/coaching complements specific aspects of
the SQH programme which the alternative route participants
undertake. Dr
Jim O'Brien and Dr Stephen Sharp have
formally evaluated the first phase of that development.
Publications
Selected
Publications
Journal Articles:
Torrance, D. (2009) 'Distributed Leadership in Scottish Schools: Perspectives
from participants recently completing the revised Scottish Qualifications for
Headship Programme'. Management in Education (pending publication)
O'Brien, J. and Torrance, D. (2005)
'Professional Learning for School Principals: Developments in Scotland'.
Education Research and Perspectives (0311-2543), Vol. 32 (2), pp. 165-181
Torrance, D. (2004) 'Effective Strategies and Materials to Support Less Able
P7-S2 Pupils'. The Scottish Mathematical Council Journal, Vol. 33, pp. 27-30
Published Conference
Papers:
O'Brien,
J., Torrance, D. and Van der Kuyl, T. (2006) 'Indicators of Early
Leadership Potential'. ICSEI 2006, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 2-6
January
 More
on the School's Publications Database
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