Projects per year
Personal profile
Research Interests
Allen's research interests include improving learning in schools and research methods. His school based work looks at how to raise attainment for those students from socio-economic disadvantaged backgrounds. He predominantly uses randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and is currently running four-large RCTs on improving literacy levels for students in schools. His pedagogic expertise lies in the area of cooperative/peer learning. He has published extensively in this area.
Achievements
Allen is Editor in Chief of International Journal of Educational Research (IJER) and the International Journal of Educational Research Open (IJEDRO). He is on the Editorial Board of Technology, Pedagogy and Education, Pakistan Journal of Special Educational Needs, and Educational Psychology. He was awarded the 2013 American Educational Research Association (AERA) Cooperative Learning SIG award for 'Outstanding Research Contribution in the Field of Cooperative Learning'. He served as Secretary/Treasurer of the AERA Cooperative Learning SIG from April 2014 until April 2017, was Chair of the SIG awards committee 2019-21, and is currently Chaor of the SIG (2021-24). He is a member of the ESRC Peer Review College and has Reviewed Grant Applications for Social Science Research Councils in Canada, Portugal, Oman and the Netherlands. Allen was a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Academy of Globalization and Education Policy, Zhengzhou University, China (2017-2021) and is currently a Visiting Professor at Laboratorio de Economia de la Educacion, Pontifica Universidad Javeriana, Colombia (2020-onwards). Allen was a member of the REF2021 Unit of Assessment Panel for Education.
Interests
Allen is a member of The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission Academic Adviser Panel. He is also a mentor for the Council for At Risk Academics helping mentor academics who have been displaced by war or persecution. He is currently working with a group of Syrian academics who have country of safety status in Turkey. He is a Governor for a local cross-commity post-primary school. Before retiring from active service he was a member of mountain rescue teams in Scotland and Northern Ireland for over 33 years, completing over 450 rescue missions, being both Team Training Officer and Team Leader for North West Mountain Rescue Team (NWMRT), initiating call-outs when requested by PSNI/Garda. He was also a trustee of the NWMRT mountain rescue charity. His past times these days take place closer to the ground and he enjoys riding his bicycle/tricycle and walking his dogs.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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R2859SES: Improving Reading Comprehension in Primary Schools in England
30/06/2022 → …
Project: Research
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R3218SES: Using paired reading in Colombia to improve reading
Thurston, A., Cockerill, M. & MacKenzie, A.
14/09/2020 → …
Project: Research
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R2726SES: Reading for Meaning: Reciprocal Reading intervention to improve reading at transition
19/08/2020 → …
Project: Research
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R2456SES: Cluster RCT of SMART Spaces
O'Hare, L., Cockerill, M., Stark, P. & Thurston, A.
02/08/2018 → …
Project: Research
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A pilot randomized controlled trial comparing the effectiveness of different spaced learning models used during school examination revision: the SMART Spaces 24/10 model
O'Hare, L., Stark, P., Gittner, A., McGuinness, C., Thurston, A. & Biggart, A., 19 Sep 2023, In: Frontiers in Education. 8, 14 p., 1199617.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile24 Downloads (Pure) -
Configuring governmentalized teachers through introspective panopticism inscribed within their subjectivities in the regime of performativity from the Foucauldian perspective
Chiang, T-H., MacKenzie, A., Zeng, W., Thurston, A., Fu, S. & Yao, Y., 07 Mar 2023, In: International Journal of Educational Research. 118, 102158.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Developing reciprocal peer tutoring in Irish medium schools
Thurston, A. & Thurston, C., 29 Mar 2023, Contemporary global perspectives on cooperative learning. Applications across educational contexts. Gillies, R. M., Millis, B. & Davidson, N. (eds.). Taylor and Francis - Balkema, p. 159-169 11 p. (Routledge Research in Education).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review
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FFT Reciprocal Reading Train the Trainer pilot: report on pre and post intervention reading test
Cockerill, M., Thurston, A. & O'Keeffe, J., 20 Sep 2023, Queen's University Belfast. 8 p.Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned report
Open AccessFile11 Downloads (Pure) -
FFT Reciprocal Reading Train the Trainer programme: feedback report from trainee and school staff surveys
Cockerill, M., O'Keeffe, J. & Thurston, A., 20 Sep 2023, Queen's University Belfast. 10 p.Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned report
Open AccessFile5 Downloads (Pure)
Datasets
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Data set for "Assessing the Differential Effects of Peer Tutoring for Tutors and Tutees"
Thurston, A. (Creator), Cockerill, M. (Creator) & Chiang, T. (Creator), Queen's University Belfast, 2021
Dataset
File
Prizes
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AERA Outstanding Research Award
Thurston, Allen (Recipient), 2013
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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Reading for Meaning: Reciprocal Reading Secondary for struggling readers in KS3:Dissemination Event 2nd February 2023
Maria Cockerill (Presenter), Joanne O'Keeffe (Presenter) & Allen Thurston (Presenter)
02 Feb 2023Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
File -
CINDE Foundation
Maria Cockerill (Presenter) & Allen Thurston (Presenter)
05 Mar 2020Activity: Visiting an external institution types › Visiting an external academic institution
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Using cooperative learning to enhance outcomes for students from low socio-economic backgrounds
Allen Thurston (Advisor)
28 Jun 2019Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited or keynote talk at national or international conference
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Improving literacy for school students from high poverty backgrounds using peer learning
Allen Thurston (Advisor)
27 Jun 2019Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
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Using cooperative learning to enhance outcomes for students from low socio-economic backgrounds
Allen Thurston (Advisor)
23 Jun 2019Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited or keynote talk at national or international conference
Press/Media
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Article in The Economist: How to Make Children do Their Homework
Sarah Miller, Jenny Robinson, Seaneen Sloan, Aideen Gildea & Allen Thurston
15/07/2016
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Other
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BBC Education Report: Texting parents boosts maths grades, study suggests
Sarah Miller, Jenny Robinson, Seaneen Sloan, Aideen Gildea & Allen Thurston
15/07/2016
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Other