Senior Lecturer in Initial Teacher Education
Patrick Boxall (MScRes, MBA, SQH) is a Senior Lecturer in Initial Teacher Education in the Psychology, Sociology & Education Division.
- Overview
- Research Interests
- Teaching & Learning
Patrick Boxall is Senior Lecturer and Programme Lead for the BA Hons Education at Queen Margaret University. He is undertaking a PhD by publication exploring creative pedagogy in outdoor learning. His primary interest is in how critical and creative pedagogies can forward human and eco-centred conceptions of social justice.
He led the development of the ²ÝÝ®ÉçÇø Outdoor Learning Hub, which won the Scottish Inspiring Learning Places Award in 2023. He continues to contribute to the leadership of nature-based education and the development of ²ÝÝ®ÉçÇø’s outdoor spaces for curriculum, community and research.
Patrick began his career as an English and Drama teacher, going on to manage teams in socially and ethnically diverse high schools in Scotland, America and England. During this time, he studied for a Masters in Educational Management (MBA) and the Scottish Qualification for Headship.
In 2014 he set up social enterprise focused on creative learning. He trained as a Forest School leader and completed research towards an MRes. His dissertation was titled, ‘A Good Stick: an inquiry into Creativity in Forest School’.
He worked as a Further Education lecturer and initiated the Forest College at Newbattle Abbey College in Midlothian. He developed and wrote the Forest and Outdoor Learning Awards and worked with a range of national and community partners to support lifelong learning outdoors.
Affiliations/Memberships to Other Organisations:
General Teaching Council of Scotland
Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)
Active research interests:
- PhD by Publication – focused on creativity, pedagogy and outdoor learning.
Publications:
Boxall, P. (2025). A praxis of creativity in outdoor learning: Pedagogies of making, growing, anger and kindness. Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice, 13(1).
Boxall, P. (2024). A Good Stick, An inquiry into creativity in Forest School (W. Garnham, & Oprandi, P., Ed.). Routledge.
Research Methods:
- Qualitative
- Constructivist Grounded Theory
- Situational Analysis
Patrick leads curriculum focused on Learning for Sustainability, outdoor learning, making places, creativity and culture, developing graduate professional skills and creative educational leadership.
Throughout his learning and teaching, there is a consistent focus on creative pedagogies, innovative assessment and rights-based education.
