CURRICULUM VITAE
NAME
Prof. JACK B. HOLBROOK PhD CChem FRSC Teacher Certificate
DATE OF BIRTH
NATIONALITY
QUALIFICATIONS
1941
British
Ph.D. (Chemistry) University of London. 1974
B.Sc. Chemistry & Mathematics. University of London. 1965
Teacher's Certificate. University of London. 1964
FRSC C.Chem. Royal Society of Chemistry, UK. 1991
MEMBERSHIP OF
PROFESSIONAL
SOCIETIES
Executive Secretary, International Council of
Associations for Science Education (ICASE) (1985 - 2004)
President, ICASE (2008- 2011)
Fellow (FRSC CChem), Royal Society of Chemistry, UK (1991 - )
International Organisation for Science and Technology Education
(1996- )
Member, Association for Science Education, UK (1965 - )
Member National Association for Research in Science Teaching
(2002- )
Member, European Science Education Research Association (2007 - )
Life Member, Hong Kong Association for Science and Mathematics
Education (1976- )
Life Member, Bangladesh Association for Science Education (1997-.
Member, Science Teacher Association of Nigeria (2009-
COUNTRIES OF WORK
EXPERIENCE
Bangladesh, Bhutan, Estonia, Hong Kong, India, Jordan, Kosovo,
Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Qatar, Tanzania, U.K., USA, Uzbekistan, (also
workshop leader in - China, Iran, Lebanon, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan,
Philippines, Argentina, Brazil, Mozambique, South Africa, Cyprus,
Greece)
ADDRESS
Tiigrisilma 11, 61708 Tartu, Estonia
E-mail jack@ut.ee or jbh309@gmail.com
CURRENT STATUS
Visiting Professor in Science Education, University of Tartu,
International Education Consultant (freelance) in assessment,
curriculum, teacher education
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EMPLOYMENT RECORD
FROM 1999-2012
POSITON HELD
Visiting Professor, University of Tartu, Estonia
DESCRIPTION OF Initiating the development of a MSc and PhD programme in science
DUTIES
education within the University. Supervising students for MSc and PhD in
science education covering research in the area of curriculum, learning and
associated assessment and teaching strategies within the science education
area. Providing international contacts for the centre within the Faculty of
Science and Technology. Preparing proposals and overseeing the centre’s
involvement in European Research projects (FP6, Comenius) in science
education geared to scientific literacy in a socio-cultural context and its
monitoring plus other research developments in science education
(relevance, inquiry teaching, motivation). Offering Education consultancy
support to, and involvement in, research and developmental projects,
funded under the Academy of Science, Estonia. Contracted to develop an
evaluative report indicating standards in PhD thesis in all Education fields
in Estonia over the last 5 years. Contracted to evaluate new competencybased curriculum (intentions versus subject syllabuses).
FROM 1993-
Freelance Education Consultant
Working in the fields of Curriculum Development and Evaluation, Science
Education, Teacher Education, Classroom Teaching and Monitoring
Strategies, Assessment and Examinations, Pre & In-service Teacher
Education
FROM 1976-1993
EMPLOYER
POSITION HELD
University of Hong Kong
Lecturer, then Senior Lecturer, in Chemistry and Science Education in the
Department of Curriculum Studies.
DESCRIPTION OF Taught (and was course director for) post-graduate courses in Chemistry
DUTIES
Education and Science Education; Curriculum Studies for Master Degree
courses in Education and Ph.D supervision in Science Education,
Curriculum Analysis, Teacher Education, Teaching/Monitoring Strategies,
Evaluation and Assessment/Examinations.
Undertook research and published (articles, edited journals and wrote/edited
books) in the area of science education, curriculum development and data
survey analysis pertaining to monitoring learning achievement related to the
curriculum and methods of assessment. Attended and ran many in-service
seminars, symposia and conferences, both within Hong Kong and overseas.
Member of Government committees on curriculum development,
monitoring learning achievement, examination development, and was
examiner, question setter, moderator, marker in chemistry for Certificate (Olevel) and A-level. Supervisor for the teacher assessment scheme (TAS) for
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teacher continuous assessment of student development through monitoring
student achievement in experimental work at A-level.
Was national research coordinator for the 2nd and 3rd international science
studies (SISS and TIMSS). Hong Kong was one of 23 countries
participating in the second study conducted in the 1980's. The third study
began in 1991.
FROM 1974-1976
EMPLOYER
University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
POSITION HELD Lecturer in Chemistry and Science Education
DESCRIPTION OF Taught Chemistry and Science methodology as part of the B.Sc programme
DUTIES
and supervised student teachers on teaching practice.
Undertook research on the indigenous technology potential for science
education (particularly with respect to local equipment, chemicals and
teaching materials and assessment strategies) and published in overseas and
local journals.
FROM 1970-1973
EMPLOYER
Surrey County Council, UK, College of Teacher Training
POSITION HELD Lecturer in Science
DESCRIPTION OF Lectured (and was course director) in science and science education on the
DUTIES
teacher's certificate course and the B.Ed programme.
FROM 1965-1970
EMPLOYER
London Borough of Ealing, UK
POSITION HELD Teacher of Chemistry at Secondary School Level
DESCRIPTION OF Taught chemistry at senior secondary level and science at junior secondary
DUTIES
level in two secondary schools. Introduced the then new Nuffield Chemistry
course at the grade 10-11 level.
LIST OF CONSULTANCIES OVERSEAS (last 10 years)
Consultant on Curriculum Development (science - grades 7-12) October 2010 & April 2011
Commissioned by GTZ Germany) to be an expert on competency-based curriculum development in
the sciences to guide developments under the Ministry of Education in Kosovo. This involved
guiding a local team developing key competencies, core competencies and subject competencies
towards the creation of new science curricula for grades 7-12. The project involved 2x 2-week
visits.
Consultant in Monitoring of Learning Achievement (MLA) Nigeria (on-going project funded
by British Aid 2008-2014)
Commissioned by Cambridge Education, UK to be an international consultant for ESSPIN
(Education Sector Support Programme in Nigeria) in monitoring student achievement particularly
for literacy and numeracy in basic education grades. This involved developing tests, sampling
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systems, training of personnel, analysis and evaluation of outcomes and in capacity building of local
personnel to enable MLA to be an ongoing national system. The project involves short term visits.
Consultant on Science Education Curriculum and Textbook reform (grades 1-11),
Kyrgyrstan (9 months May 2007-May 2010)
Commissioned by PINZ (Polytechnic International New Zealand) to be an international consultant
for the Second Education Project working alongside national consultants on the training and
development for curriculum development (grades 1-11) and textbook and teaching materials
(grades 1-11). This involves training of national consultants, core group teachers and other teachers
involved in curriculum and textbooks/learning materials development, including evaluation of
materials and assessment of learning especially through formative assessment procedures through
which teachers monitor learning achievement across the knowledge, skills and values frontiers in
science education.
Consultant on Coordinated Actions on secondary science (grades 7-12) teaching materials
Europe-wide – EU FP6 Project (October 2006- March 2009)
Involved as University and NGO consultant for an 8 University plus 1 NGO project (30 months)
financed by the European Union on coordinating actions related to the development and evaluation
of science education teaching materials at the secondary level in Europe. These materials include
competencies in the cognitive, personal and social areas of science learning and especially address
the monitoring of learning achievement through formative learning outcomes in four key areas
(cognitive, process skills (inquiry) personal attitudes/aptitudes (and communication) and also social
values including cooperative learning, argumentation through reasoning and socio-scientific
decision making). The project evaluated outcomes from trying out the materials in the classroom
situation on a cognitive and student attitude front based on the need for strong student intrinsic
motivation and self learning.
Consultant on Assessment and Examinations (all subjects), Bangladesh, (40 months between
July, 2001 and Dec 2006)
Commissioned by CEC (Cambridge Education Consultants) to be an international consultant for
the Secondary Education Sector Improvement Project, working alongside a national consultant on
evaluation of the existing assessment system and the development, testing and also implementation
of a revised examination system for grades 9-10 and 11-12 curriculum, plus the introduction of
school-based formative/summative assessment at the grade 9-10 level. This involves development
of new assessment strategies for both school based assessment and external summative
examinations which recognised, on the one hand, the cognitive, personal and social educational
developments and, on the other, the differing levels of cognitive thinking that can and should be
assessed. The project also included the training of local staff in assessment development and
monitoring learning achievement, piloting the monitoring of learning achievement in 49 schools
and implementation of an upgraded summative examination system and a SBA scheme covering a
wide range of educational goals, over a period of 4 years. Strategies for monitoring the degree to
which the assessment strategies determined intended learning goals and standardisation processes
which identified learning achievement intentions were also developed.
Resource Person for running a Scientific and Technological Literacy workshop, August 2002
Commissioned by ICASE, with UNESCO support, to run a 5 day workshop in Thessaloniki,
Greece on creating STL (science literacy) teaching materials for European region countries. These
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materials focus on scientific literacy in a wide sense and include assessment strategies that relate to
the objectives of learning so as to enable teachers to monitor student achievement through
formative and summative means.
Resource Person for running a Scientific and Technological Literacy workshop, May 2002
Commissioned by ICASE, with Kuwaiti Government support, to run a 5 day workshop on creating
STL teaching materials for Arab region countries. These materials focus on scientific literacy in a
wide sense and include assessment strategies that relate to the objectives of learning so as to enable
teachers to monitor learning achievement both during the teaching process and summatively.
Consultant on Evaluation of grade 7 and 8 science curriculum, Bhutan, March 2002
Commissioned by UNESCO to evaluate the revised grade 7 and grade 8 integrated science
curriculum introduced in Bhutan to replace the Indian curriculum. This included approaches to the
monitoring of learning achievement through experimental and classroom teaching.
Consultant on Textbooks development in Science, Uzbekistan, May/June, 2001, April 2002
Commissioned by CEC (Cambridge Education Consultants) to be an international consultant on the
evaluation of existing textbooks and development and writing of textbook in science for two
periods of 1 month. Mainly involve training to textbook writers of science subjects.
Consultancy on Scientific and Technological Literacy for All, June 2001
Commissioned by the Curriculum Development Centre in Tehran, Iran to run a 5 day workshop on
creating STL teaching materials for Iranian science educators. These materials focus on scientific
literacy in a wide sense and include assessment strategies that relate to the objectives of learning so
as to enable teachers to monitor student achievement.
Resource Person on Scientific and Technological Literacy, April 2001
Commissioned by ICASE, with UNESCO support, to run a 5 day workshop on creating STL
teaching materials for Southern African countries. These materials focus on scientific literacy in a
wide sense and include assessment strategies that relate to the objectives of learning so as to enable
teachers to monitor student achievement.
Resource Person on Scientific and Technological Literacy, March 2001
Commissioned by ICASE, with UNESCO support, to run a 5 day workshop on creating STL
teaching materials for Arabic speaking countries in Lebanon. These materials focus on scientific
literacy in a wide sense and include assessment strategies that relate to the objectives of learning so
as to enable teachers to monitor student achievement.
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RECENT PUBLICATIONS (last 10 years)
Holbrook, Jack. (in press). Enhancing STL (Scientific and Technological Literacy): A major
focus for science teaching at school. Journal of the Science Teacher Association of
Nigeria, Nigeria.
Holbrook, J. (2010). Determining the degree of inter-rater consistency in a high stakes,
developing country, examination. Educational Measurement and Evaluation Review
(EMEReview), Vol. 1, 116-139.
Visiting Professor in Science Education, University of Tartu, EstoniaHolbrook, Jack.2010.
Education through science as a motivational innovation for science education for all.
Science Education International, 21(2), 80-91.
Holbrook, J., & Rannikmäe, M. (2010). Contextualisation, de-contextualisation, recontextualisation – A science teaching approach to enhance meaningful learning for
scientific literacy. In I. Eilks & B. Ralle (eds.), Contemporary Science Education (pp. 6982). Aachen, Germany: Shaker.
Holbrook, Jack & Rannikmae, Miia. 2009. The Meaning of Scientific Literacy. International
Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 4(3) 275-288.
Holbrook, Jack. 2008. Promoting Valid Assessment of Learning through Standardised Testing.
In: Jack Holbrook; Miia Rannikmae; Priit Reiska; Paul Ilsley. (eds.). The Need for a
Paradigm Shift in Science Education for Post-Soviet Societies. Peter Lang: Germany.
Holbrook, Jack. 2008. Promoting Competency driven School-based Assessment. In: Jack
Holbrook; Miia Rannikmae; Priit Reiska; Paul Ilsley. (eds.). The Need for a Paradigm
Shift in Science Education for Post-Soviet Societies. Peter Lang: Germany.
Holbrook, Jack. 2008. Introduction: The Need for Change: Paradigm Shifts in Education. In:
Jack Holbrook; Miia Rannikmae; Priit Reiska; Paul Ilsley. (eds.). The Need for a
Paradigm Shift in Science Education for Post-Soviet Societies. Peter Lang: Germany.
Holbrook, Jack. 2008. Way Forward. In: Jack Holbrook; Miia Rannikmae; Priit Reiska; Paul
Ilsley. (eds.). The Need for a Paradigm Shift in Science Education for Post-Soviet
Societies. Peter Lang: Germany.
Holbrook, Jack; Rannikmae, Miia; Reiska, Priit; Ilsley, Paul. (eds.). 2008. The Need for a
Paradigm Shift in Science Education for Post-Soviet Societies. Peter Lang: Germany.
Holbrook, Jack, Rannikmae, Miia & Kask, Klaara. (2008) Teaching the PARSEL Way: Students’
Reactions to Selected PARSEL Modules, Science Education International, 19(3) 303-312.
Vaino, Katrin & Holbrook, Jack. 2008. Challenging Chemistry teacher’s Beliefs – Towards a
Paradigm Shift. In: Jack Holbrook; Miia Rannikmae; Priit Reiska; Paul Ilsley. (eds.). The
need for a Paradigm Shift in Science Education for Post-Soviet Societies. Peter Lang:
Germany.
Holbrook, Jack. (2008) Introduction to the Special issue of Science Education International
Devoted to PARSEL. Science Education International, 19(3), 257-266.
Holbrook, Jack & Rannikmae, Miia (2007). The Nature of Science Education for enhancing
scientific literacy. International Journal of Science Education, 29(11) 1347-1362
Holbrook, Jack & Rannikmae, Miia (Eds). 2007). Europe needs more Scientists; proceedings of
the 5th Eastern and Central Europe IOSTE conference, Tartu, November 8-11, 2006.
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Sild, Tiiu and Holbrook, Jack (2007). Visitor Expectations from a Centre Centre. In: Jack
Holbrook and Miia Rannikmae (eds) Europe needs more Scientists. Proceedings of the
5th IOSTE Eastern and Central European conference, Tartu, 2006.
Rannikmae, A., Rannikame, M; Holbrook, J. (2006). The Nature of Science as viewed by NonScience Undergraduate Students. Journal of Baltic Science Education, 2(10), page 77-85.
Teppo M., Rannikmäe M., Holbrook J. (2006). Bridging the gap between research and practice what do teachers find useful from a research report? Journal of Science Education, No.2,
vol.7
Holbrook, J. & Rannikmäe, M (2005). A SySTEM Module at level 2. An Introduction to Classroom
Action Research. Tartu, EU ,Comenius C 21/09 49 p.
Holbrook, J. & Rannikmäe, M. (2005). A SySTEM Module at level 2 Understanding Science
Education. Module Handbook Tartu, EU, Comenius C 21/09 62p.
Holbrook, J. (2005). Making chemistry teaching more relevant. Proceedings of the 18th ICCE
conference, Turkey.
Holbrook Jack (with Barker Susan, Elliot Paul, Laius Anne, Rannikmae Miia). 2004. Investigating
Teaching Concerns by Teachers: Action Research Methods - a Multicultural Approach.
British Council, University of Tartu, Estonia and University of Warwick, UK, Tartu.
Holbrook Jack. 2003. Rethink Science Education. Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and
Teaching, vol 4, issue 2.
Holbrook Jack. 2003. Increasing Relevance of Science Education: The Way Forward. Science
Education International, vol 14, no.1, March (pp5-13)
Holbrook Jack and Rannikmae Miia. 2002. Scientific and Technological Literacy for All – an
Important Philosophy for the Teaching of Science Subjects. In: K. Niinisto, H. Kukemelk,
L. Kemppinen (eds). Developing Teacher Education in Estonia. Finland: Turku
Holbrook Jack and Tenzin Wangpo. 2002. Science Education in Bhutan. Science Education
International, vol. 13, no. 2, June (pp30-36).
Holbrook Jack. 2002. Interdisciplinary Education in Science. In: Maciejowska Iwona and Stochel
Grazyna (ed) Interdisciplinary Education – challenges of 21st Century. Jagiellonian
University. Krakow, Poland (ISBN 83-86505-63-X).
Holbrook Jack. 2001. A Statement on Science Education. Science Education International, vol.
12, no. 3, September (pp 2-8).
Holbrook Jack and Valanides Nicos. 2001 Scientific and Technological Literacy - the major
goal for school science teaching. In N. Valanides (ed). 1st IOSTE symposium in southern
Europe. Science and Technology Education: Preparing future citizens. Paralimni,
Cyprus, 29th April- 2nd May, 2001.
Holbrook Jack. 2000. STL for Industry-Education Partnerships. In V. Firth, J. Lazonby, M.
Stephenson, D. Waddington (eds). A Celebration of Good Practice on which to build future
Education Industry Partnership activities. 5th CEFIC/ICASE conference on European
Education-Industry Partnerships. UK, University of York.
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