Dr Paul McMillan

Lecturer in Physical Education

Biography

Background

Paul worked for six years as a Physical Education teacher in primary and secondary schools (August 2003 – August 2009). While working as a teacher, he completed a Master’s Degree in Physical Education and Youth Sport on a part-time basis (University of Edinburgh, 2009). Paul was appointed as a teaching fellow (August 2009 – August 2017) then lecturer (August 2017 – present) at the Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh.

Paul's PhD (University of Edinburgh, 2016) was titled, 'Weaving a Pedagogical Web: A Qualitative Investigation of Secondary Physical Education Teachers' Practice'.  A related area of interest since PhD completion involves exploiting the potential of observation. Paul is currently researching 'Lesson Study' as a model of professional learning with teaching staff in secondary schools and with students across professional programmes at the Moray House School of Education and Sport. Paul is a co-founding member of the Lesson Study Scotland Network (LSSN), providing a forum to support the advancement and enactment of Lesson Study with colleagues from universities, local authorities and schools.

A further area of interest involves developing personal vision in initial teacher education. Paul is a co-founder of the 'Vision and Voices' project, which is a key feature of the MA Physical Education programme at the University of Edinburgh. This longitudinal research project, initiated in 2019, is tracking the vision-making experiences of student teachers, teacher educators and our alumni.   

Paul is currently Deputy Head of the Institute for Sport, Physical Education and Health Sciences. 

Responsibilities & affiliations

Paul is Deputy Head of the Institute for Sport, Physical Education and Health Sciences and a member of PCRE: www.ed.ac.uk/education/pcre

His expertise is used to review articles for the following academic journals: British Educational Research Journal; Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education; European Physical Education Review; Professional Development in Education; Humanities and Social Sciences Communications; Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice; International Journal for Lesson and Learning Studies; Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy.

Paul is President of the Scottish Educational Research Association (SERA) and has acted as a Trustee on the Executive Committee since 2018.

He serves as External Examiner for Primary ITE Physical Education at the University of Roehampton.

Undergraduate teaching

  • Education Studies 1A
  • Physical Education Curriculum and Pedagogy 1
  • Physical Education Curriculum and Pedagogy 2
  • Physical Education Curriculum and Pedagogy 4
  • Educational Studies 4

Postgraduate teaching

  • PGDE Physical Education (Secondary)
  • MSc Leadership and Learning
  • MSc Becoming a Teacher Educator
  • Doctor of Philosophy  (PhD) co-supervisor for Chenxi Yin – Draft thesis title 'Meaningfulness in Youth Sport - Stakeholder Perspectives ’?

Open to PhD supervision enquiries?

Yes

Areas of interest for supervision

Paul would welcome enquiries from students interested in pursuing MSc and PhD research in the areas of pedagogy, qualitative classroom research, and physical education.  

Research summary

  • Pedagogy
  • Classroom interaction
  • Lesson Study
  • Teacher vision 
  • Qualitative research methods

Project activity

  • Detangling Inclusion in Primary Physical Education (DIPPE) - Erasmus+ grant with partners from Luxembourg, Ireland, Slovakia, Spain and the Netherlands. 2019 - 2021
  • Meaningfulness in Youth Sport (MiYS) - Erasmus+ grant with partners from Ireland, Norway and Macedonia. 2021 - 2023
  • Lesson Study in Scottish Secondary Schools (LS-SSS) - Inovative Initiative (seedcorn) Funded Project. 2019 - 2021
  • Lesson Study in Initial Teacher Education (LS-ITE) - Principal's Teaching Award Scheme. 2020 - 2022. 
  • Making connections to the ‘real’ world: further developing teacher vision in Initial Teacher Education) - Principal's Teaching Award Scheme. 2023 - 2025. 
  • Physical Education is for Life (PEL) with colleagues from Leeds Beckett University and Canterbury Christchurch University. 2023 - ongoing. 

  • McMillan, P. and Jess, M. (2025) Challenging Simplistic Storylines: Diversity, Complexity Commonalities and the Artistry of Teaching. Presentation at the Scottish Educational Research Association (SERA) Conference, University of Aberdeen, 19-21 November.

  • McMillan, P, Anderson, C. and Jess, M. (2025) Teachers' perspectives on teacher-student relationships: creating a normative order and navigating an uncertain terrain. Presentation at the Scottish Educational Research Association (SERA) Conference, University of Aberdeen, 19-21 November.

  • McMillan, P. (2025) Lesson Study in Physical Education: Experiences from an Initial Teacher Education programme in Scotland. Presentation as part of the 'Bridging Subject Pedagogy and General Pedagogy: The Significance of Subject Pedagogy' Symposium at the World Association of Lesson Study (WALS) Annual Conference, Hiroshima, Japan, 12 November.

  • McMillan, P. and Jess, M. (2024) Complexity leadership in unpredictable and unstable times: insights from senior leaders leading collaborative Lesson Study. Presentation at the Scottish Educational Research Association Conference, University of Dundee, 27-29 November.

  • McMillan, P., Anderson, C. and Jess, M. (2024) Grounding teacher-learner relationships in professional practice: striking a balance in a fragile world. Presentation at the Scottish Educational Research Association (SERA) Conference, University of Dundee, 27-29 November.

  • Carse, N., Howells, K., Cooke, D., McMillan, P., Jess, M. and Keay, J. (2024). Physical Education for Life: Preservice Teachers’ Lived Experiences of PE.  Presentation at International Association for Physical Education in Higher Education  (AIESEP), University of Jyväskylä, Finland, 13-17 May. 

  • Fletcher, T.,  Carse, N., Hordvik, M., Ní Chróinín, D., Bowles, R., Popeska, B., Mcmillan, P. and Solstad, B. (2024). Facilitating boundary crossing and professional learning through an international coach education project. Presentation at International Association for Physical Education in Higher Education  (AIESEP), University of Jyväskylä, Finland, 13-17 May. 

  • McMillan, P., Carse, N., Craig, M., Jess, M., McCall, J. and Munro, K. (2024). Developing Personal Vision in Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE): Where Diverse Pasts and Uncertain Futures Collide. Presentation at International Association for Physical Education in Higher Education  (AIESEP), University of Jyväskylä, Finland, 13-17 May. 

  • Meng, X., Horrell, A. and McMillan, P. (2024). Curriculum enactment in China: the legal system and its influence on teacher pedagogy. Presentation at International Association for Physical Education in Higher Education  (AIESEP), University of Jyväskylä, Finland, 13-17 May.  

  • McMillan, P., Munro, K., Carse, N., Jess, M. and Craig, M. (2023) Teacher Vision and Professional Practice in Schools: Negotiating Local & Global Challenges. Presentation at the Scottish Educational Research Association Conference, Queen Margaret University, 22-24 November.

  • McMillan, P., Carse, N., Jess, M., Craig, M. and Munro, K. (2023) Investigating the Role of Teacher Educators in the Development of Student Teachers’ Visions for Physical Education. Presentation at the European Educational Research Association Conference, University of Glasgow, 22-25 August.

  • McMillan, P., Mulholland, R., Jess, M., Carse, N., Mynott, J., Lunniss, J., Smedley,  B., Stepney, K., Docherty, J., McKay, J., Paris, G. and Kubo, K. (2022) Lesson Study as professional learning: supporting practitioners to embrace collaboration. Presentation at the Scottish Educational Research Association Conference, University of the West of Scotland, 23-25 November.

  • Jess, M., Carse, N., McMillan, P., Day, S., Darling-Mcquistan, K., Hopper, T., Rhodes, J. and Arnold, S. (2022) Embracing the Shift to Complexity Thinking in Education. Presentation at the Scottish Educational Research Association Conference, University of the West of Scotland, 23-25 November.

  • Carse, N., Gray, S., Jess, M., McMillan, P., Lamb, C., Johnston, T. and Watson, C. (2022) Moving Physical Education in Scotland Forward: A Research Agenda for the 21st Century. Presentation at the Scottish Educational Research Association Conference, University of the West of Scotland, 23-25 November.

  • Meng, Horrell, A. and McMillan, P. (2022) Health First’ as a guiding principle for education and Physical Education teachers’ experiences of curriculum reform. Presentation at the Scottish Educational Research Association Conference, University of the West of Scotland, 23-25 November.

  • Adams, P., Carse, N. and McMillan, P. (2021) Developing Pedagogy: The Curious Case of Scotland. Symposium at the Nordic Educational Research Association, University of Southern Denmark, 3-5 November 2021.

Short Communications 

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