Environmental Science
Watch our video of physical geography student, Faye, as she explains what a field trip for geography and the environment students at Manchester Met involves.
The world around us is changing – a…
Professor A. Mark Langan
Professor
My profile
Biography
Biologist with expertise in animal ecology and behaviour who has evolved into a researcher of education. Educationally, I specialise in both quantitative explorations of higher educational systems and innovative methods for teaching & learning. My research focuses on the use (and abuse) of metrics in education and methods for enhancing learner creativity and autonomy through educational designs. Biologically, I retain doctoral and post-doctoral interests in invertebrate behaviour and ecology. My former senior leadership roles include; Faculty Head of Education, Associate Dean for Learning & Teaching, Associate Dean for Student Experience and Senior Fellow in Learning and Teaching.
Consultancy and advisory roles
Higher Education expert and author working across the sector, having delivered numerous keynotes and acting as visiting speaker (e.g. Society of Experimental Biology) and currently annual roles as Professorial Panel member (Kingston University) and HE leadership expert (Durham University).
Former Editor in Chief of the journal ‘Bioscience Education’ and guest editor for the journal of Research in Learning Technology, with an editorial on the theme of Playful Learning.
Original member of the National United Kingdom Engagement Survey (UKES) Advisory Group building the national student survey tool and publishing pilot studies.
Former memberships of national committees such as the HEA Bioscience Committee and I have significant experience as a consultant to the agrochemical sector (e.g. Lonza Switzerland).
Professional bodies
National Teaching Fellow for the Higher Education Academy (awarded 2013).
Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (awarded 2014).
Fellow of the Royal Society for Biology (chartered biologist; since 1996).
Member of the Institute for Environmental Management (since 1999).
External examiner roles
Formerly (chief) external for multiple programmes at the universities of Central Lancashire and Cumbria.
Interests and expertise
In addition to my interests in quantitative and qualitive explorations of student-generated information, I current lead projects that (i) explore measures of learning gain, and (ii) develop systems to enhance active learning.
Teaching
How I’ll teach you
I use a variety of techniques to help students reach their full potential in the classroom, laboratory and field. For example, my students have worked with professional clients for over thirty years (e.g. local consultancies) to deliver highly valued undergraduate ‘consultancy’ projects. I enjoy teaching residential fieldwork in the UK and abroad as well as laboratory work such as invertebrate identification.
My specialist subject areas include ecology (terrestrial and aquatic environments), animal behaviour (particularly invertebrates), ecological fieldwork and research methods. I also mentor staff in higher educational research and practices enabling colleagues to gain accreditation and career progression.
Biology
Watch our video of biology and conservation student, Megan, as she gives us a glimpse into what life was like on her year-long placement at Chester Zoo.
Our BSc (Hons) Biology degree offers the chanc…
Animal Behaviour and Conservation
Watch our video of biology and conservation student, Megan, as she gives us a glimpse into what life was like on her year-long placement at Chester Zoo.
From ragworms and rhinos to locusts and lemurs…
Supervision
All my doctoral students supervisions have been successful, acting as Director of Studies for candidates researching invertebrate ecology and on supervisory teams or examining many others. This includes Principal Supervisor of a successful Educational Doctorate (EdDoc). I have also been successful in industrial gaining funding to support postdoctoral, doctoral and Master’s level research.
Research outputs
My research has focused on higher education metrics, for example modelling National Student Survey outcomes using machine learning and developing metric benchmarks for NHS funded courses. I have interests in the role of creativity and play in adult learning as one of the founding members of the Playful Learning Conference (http://conference.playthinklearn.net/blog/), and published an editorial about pedagogical views and practices of playful learning.
Previous research projects have included research into student engagement and success; measures of learning gains and assessment practices. In my early career I enjoyed biological research and consultancy, including explorations of: impacts of stressors such as pesticides on invertebrate behaviour and ecology; ecology of invertebrate pests, predators and other beneficial taxa; measures of ecosystem function in aquatic systems. Currently I work on institutional projects to enhance active learning practices and also develop measures of educational gains and modelling data to enhance student support systems.
I have worked on many funded projects in my career and retain interests in these research areas. These have encompassed both biological and educational research, including funding from EU Framework, NHS, Hefce, Higher Education Academy, RAND corporation and industrial monies. I’ve been invited as a (keynote) speaker by many institutions and societies and institutions (e.g. Royal Society of Biology, St Andrews University, Bangor University, Bristol University, Leeds Metropolitan University, Durham University, Manchester University).
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Chapters in books
Langan, A.M. (2022) 'Educational Metrics and Leadership.' Leading Innovation and Creativity in University Teaching.
Langan, A.M. (2019) 'Playful evaluation.' Playful Learning Events and Activities to Engage Adults. Routledge,
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Journal articles
Langan, A.M., Harris, W.E. (2024) 'Metrics of student dissatisfaction and disagreement: longitudinal explorations of a national survey instrument.' Higher Education, 87(2) pp. 249-269.
Hamshire, C., Jack, K., Forsyth, R., Langan, A.M., Harris, W. (2019) 'The wicked problem of healthcare student attrition.' Nursing Inquiry, 26(3) pp. e12294-e12294.
Langan, A.M., Harris, W.E. (2019) 'National student survey metrics: where is the room for improvement?.' Higher Education, 78(6) pp. 1075-1089.
Whitton, N., Langan, A.M. (2018) 'Fun and games in higher education: an analysis of UK student perspectives.' Teaching in Higher Education, 24(8) pp. 1000-1013.
Harris, W.E., Langan, A.M., Barrett, N., Jack, K., Wibberley, C., Hamshire, C. (2018) 'A case for using both direct and indirect benchmarking to compare university performance metrics.' Studies in Higher Education, pp. 1-12.
Langan, A.M., Smart, F. (2018) 'Playful learning.' Research in Learning Technology, 26(0)
Jack, K.F., Hamshire, C., Harris, W., Langan, A.M., Barrett, N., Wibberley, C. (2018) '‘My mentor didn't speak to me for the first four weeks’: Perceived unfairness experienced by nursing students in clinical practice settings.' Journal of Clinical Nursing, 27(5-6) pp. 929-938.
Hamshire, C., Barrett, N., Wibberley, C., Harris, W., Langan, A.M. (2017) 'Students’ perceptions of their learning experiences: A repeat regional survey of healthcare students.' Nurse Education Today, 49pp. 168-173.
Langan, A.M., Harris, W.E., Barrett, N., Hamshire, C.H., Wibberley, C. (2016) 'Benchmarking factor selection and sensitivity: a case study with nursing courses.' Studies in Higher Education, 43(9) pp. 1586-1596.
Langan, A.M., Whitton, N. (2016) 'Understanding Learner Disengagement: Why do students pay £9,000.' Learning and Teaching in Action, 12(1) pp. 56-70.
Langan, A.M., Scott, N., Partington, S., Oczujda, A. (2015) 'Coherence between text comments and the quantitative ratings in the UK’s National Student Survey.' Journal of Further and Higher Education, 41(1) pp. 16-29.
Langan, A.M., Dunleavy, P., Fielding, A. (2013) 'Applying Models to National Surveys of Undergraduate Science Students: What Affects Ratings of Satisfaction?.' Education Sciences, 3(2) pp. 193-207.
Langan, A.M. (2012) 'You can’t always get what you want.' Bioscience Education, 20(1) pp. 1-3.
Langan, M. (2012) 'Editorial: Quality street.' Bioscience Education, 19
Langan, A.M. (2012) 'Quality Street.' Bioscience Education, 19(1) pp. 1-2.
Langan, A.M. (2011) 'That’s Edutainment.' Bioscience Education, 17(1) pp. 1-3.
Langan, A.M. (2011) 'Editorial: Ok(ish) Computer ? the old and the new?.' Bioscience Education Electronic Journal, 18
Penney, D., Langan, A.M. (2010) 'Morphometric identification of fossil spiders: Comment.' Paleontological Journal, 44(6) pp. 644-648.
Langan, A.M. (2010) 'The Times They Are a-Changin’.' Bioscience Education, 16(1) pp. 1-3.
Fielding, A., Dunleavy, P., Langan, A.M. (2010) 'Interpreting context to the UK's National Student (Satisfaction) Survey data for science subjects.' Journal of Further and Higher Education, 34(3) pp. 347-368.
Penney, D., Marusik, Y., Wheater, C., Langan, A.M. (2009) 'First Gambian Ricinulei (Arachnida: Ricinoididae): northernmost African record for the order.' Zootaxa, (2021) pp. 66-68.
Langan, A.M., Shuker, D.M., Cullen, W., Penney, D., Preziosi, R., Wheater, P. (2008) 'Relationships between student characteristics and self-, peer and tutor evaluations of oral presentations.' Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 33(2) pp. 179-190.
Nicholson, D.T., Langan, A.M. (2007) 'Feedback and student retention.' Learning and Teaching in Action, 6(3) pp. 44-50.
Langan, A.M., Shaw, E. (2006) 'Responses of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris (L.) to iron phosphate and metaldehyde slug pellet formulations.' Applied Soil Ecology, 34(2-3) pp. 184-189.
Penney, D., Langan, A.M. (2006) 'Comparing amber fossil assemblages across the Cenozoic.' Biology Letters, 2(2) pp. 266-270.
Shaw, E.M., Waddicor, M., Langan, A.M. (2006) 'Impact of cypermethrin on feeding behaviour and mortality of the spider Pardosa amentata in arenas with artificial 'vegetation'..' Pest Manag Sci, 62(1) pp. 64-68.
Wheater, C.P., Langan, A.M., Dunleavy, P.J. (2005) 'Students assessing student: case studies on peer assessment.' Planet, 15(1) pp. 13-15.
Langan, A.M., Wheater, C.P., Shaw, E.M., Haines, B.J., Cullen, W.R., Boyle, J.C., Penney, D., Oldekop, J.A., Ashcroft, C., Lockey, L., Preziosi, R.F. (2005) 'Peer assessment of oral presentations: Effects of student gender, university affiliation and participation in the development of assessment criteria.' Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 30(1) pp. 21-34.
Langan, A.M., Taylor, A., Wheater, C.P. (2004) 'Effects of metaldehyde and methiocarb on feeding preferences and survival of a slug predator (Pterostichus melanarius (F.): Carabidae, Pterostichini).' Journal of Applied Entomology, 128(1) pp. 51-55.
Langan, A.M., Wheater, C.P., Dunleavy, P. (2004) 'Biogenic gradients of CO2 and H2O and oviposition by the small white butterfly (Pieris rapae L.) in cages.' Applied Entomology and Zoology, 39(1) pp. 55-59.
Langan, A.M., Wheater, C.P., Dunleavy, P.J. (2001) 'Does the small white butterfly (Pieris rapae L.) Aggregate eggs on plants with greater gas exchange activity?.' Journal of Insect Behavior, 14(4) pp. 459-468.
Pilkington, G., Langan, A.M., Wheater, C.P. (2001) 'Feeding preferences of a predatory beetle (Pterostichus madidus) for slugs exposed to lethal and sub-lethal dosages of metaldehyde.' Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 98(1) pp. 245-248.
Hamer, K.C., Hill, J.K., Lace, L.A., Langan, A.M. (1997) 'Ecological and biogeographical effects of forest disturbance on tropical butterflies of Sumba, Indonesia.' Journal of Biogeography, 24(1) pp. 67-75.
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Conference papers
Saunders, F., Langan, A.M. (2022) 'A tale of two communities of practice: building SoTL across a diverse science and engineering faculty.' In EuroSoTL 2022. Manchester, 15/6/2022 - 17/6/2022.
Whitton, N.J., Langan, A.M. (2017) 'Perceived value in classroom contact: rising to the challenge of learner disengagement.' In Society for Research in Higher Education (SRHE) International Annual Research Conference 2016. Newport, Wales, 6/12/2016 - 8/12/2017. SRHE,
Langan, A.M., Dunleavy, P.J., Wheater, C.P. (1996) 'Influence of plant genotype and physiological activity on the distribution of pests in Brassica crops.' In Brighton Crop Protection Conference on Pests and Diseases - 1996. BRIGHTON, ENGLAND, 18/11/1996 - 21/11/1996. BRITISH CROP PROTECTION COUNCIL, pp. 423-424.
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Presentations
Hamshire, C., Jack, K., Forsyth, R., Langan, A.M., Harris, E. (2020) Using wicked problem theory to reduce healthcare student attrition. [Presentation] NETNEP 2020, Barcelona, Spain,27/4/2020.