Gavin Heron
Biographic Data
| ID | 5822357 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Gavin Heron |
| GIVEN NAMES | Gavin |
| FAMILY NAME | Heron |
| SIGNATURE | HERON G |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Strathclyde |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-2238-1532 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 13 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 42 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 13 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2003 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
What do I not know? How does AI affect critical thinking
Effective and ethical risk assessment in criminal justice depends on practitioners’ critical thinking and professional curiosity, yet both are constrained by structural, relational and emotional pressures. The rapid proliferation of Large Language Models (LLMs) introduces new opportunities and challenges in probation practice. Drawing on data from 16 practitioners who participated in exploratory, interactive workshops, this study examined how pra…
Intervention Methods in Secure Care
Secure care is used for the most vulnerable and high-risk children in society; however, there is insufficient research examining the way intervention methods are used in this context. This study uses a qualitative approach to examine the use of intervention methods with children in secure care. Data is obtained from 21 meetings with 81 professionals who are involved with children in secure care. The findings suggest that considerable variation ex…
The Role of Deliberation in Correcting and Validating Intuition
The role of deliberation in correcting and validating the more error prone intuition is subject to much interest and debate across a range of professions and disciplines. For child-care professionals, the opportunity to correct errors in their reasoning is crucial, especially where serious consequences can arise from mistakes. This study examines the way deliberation corrects and validates intuition when professionals discuss vulnerable children …
Reconceptualizing protective factors in response to risk with vulnerable children
The quality and robustness of childcare professionals’ thinking about protective factors is crucial to interventions with vulnerable children. Yet, protective factors in childcare are under-conceptualized in policy and practice and have been overshadowed by the concept of risk. This study uses discourse analysis to examine how childcare professionals discuss protective factors in response to risk and in a way that demonstrates critical thinking. …
The Role of Uncertainty in Professionals’ Thinking about Children Who Harm Other People
Uncertainty in thinking and reasoning is crucial in allowing professionals to engage with the complexities of practice, yet the way it is expressed in childcare social work remains under-researched. This study examines the uncertainty expressed by professionals when discussing children who present a serious threat of harm to others. Discourse analysis is used to examine data from twenty meetings involving seventy-five professionals. The findings …
Examining Professionals’ Critical Thinking about Children Who Pose a Serious Threat to Others
Concerns have been raised about the quality of child-care professionals’ critical thinking and analytical skills. This study examines the critical thinking demonstrated by professionals when discussing risk in relation to vulnerable children. Data were collected from thirty consultation meetings, each of which focused on assessing the risks of a child who presented a serious threat of harm to others. Discourse analysis is used to examine the way …
Exploring the Influence of Feedback on Student Social Workers' Understanding of Childcare and Protection
Social work tutors and practice teachers are under increasing pressure to better prepare students for practice in the area of childcare and protection; however, little attention has been given to the role of feedback in this process. This study uses a content analysis of written feedback from tutors and interviews to examine students' experiences of feedback on a social work course. Findings suggest there is considerable variation in the extent, …
Re-engineering the multiple choice question exam for social work
The aim of this study is to devise a multiple choice question (MCQ) exam that provides students with opportunities to engage in a deep approach to learning. Multiple choice assessment is largely unused in social work degree courses in the UK because of associations with techniques such as guessing and rote learning, which do not correspond with deep approaches to learning. Strategies used to enhance opportunities for a deep approach to learning w…
Examining Principles of Formative and Summative Feedback
The assessment and feedback practices in social work qualifying courses have to include academic rigour and practice relevance. This study explored the way principles of feedback were evident in the formative and summative feedback given to social work students in relation to a case study that was submitted as part of a portfolio. The findings show that some variation exists in the way principles are evidenced, which suggests some tutors are more…
Examining the terminology of race issues in assessments for international exchange students
English This study examined assignments by students from a university in Scotland and a university in the USA. The findings suggest the terminology of race issues in assessments may be inappropriate for students because they allow racism to be marginalized from practice or presented in a way that conveys little analysis. French Cette étude a examiné les missions des étudiants d’une université en Ecosse et d’une université aux Etats-Unis. Les déco…
Evidence-based policies for residential childcare staff
English Despite the well-publicised inadequacies of residential childcare social work in Britain, minimal progress has been made towards implementing an effective education and training policy for those staff who care for some of the most vulnerable children in society. This study focuses on the Scottish context and examines the effectiveness of a range of accredited and non-accredited education and training courses for residential childcare staf…
Using Students' Written Feedback on 'Race' Issues to Enhance Self-Regulated Learning
Encouraging students to self-regulate their learning in relation to 'race' issues would appear to be pertinent to a profession that promotes life-long learning and holds values of self-determination and respect for the individual at its core. This study examined the written feedback students received in relation to key assignments in years two and three of a social work degree programme. The findings suggest that feedback is seldom used in a way …
The Apartheid City and Beyond
The popular interpretation of the growth of squatter camps on the Witwatersrand is that it is the direct result of recent immigration from the rural areas of South Africa's 'homelands'. Evidence from surveys conducted in 1990 (Crankshaw 1990) does suggest that this road to 'Egoli' (the place of gold) is becoming an increasingly significant cause of squatting. However, up until very recently, squatting on the 'Witwatersrand has generally been the …
The Apartheid City and Beyond
The popular interpretation of the growth of squatter camps on the Witwatersrand is that it is the direct result of recent immigration from the rural areas of South Africa's 'homelands'. Evidence from surveys conducted in 1990 (Crankshaw 1990) does suggest that this road to 'Egoli' (the place of gold) is becoming an increasingly significant cause of squatting. However, up until very recently, squatting on the 'Witwatersrand has generally been the …
Examining the terminology of race issues in assessments for international exchange students
English This study examined assignments by students from a university in Scotland and a university in the USA. The findings suggest the terminology of race issues in assessments may be inappropriate for students because they allow racism to be marginalized from practice or presented in a way that conveys little analysis. French Cette étude a examiné les missions des étudiants d’une université en Ecosse et d’une université aux Etats-Unis. Les déco…
Using Students' Written Feedback on 'Race' Issues to Enhance Self-Regulated Learning
Encouraging students to self-regulate their learning in relation to 'race' issues would appear to be pertinent to a profession that promotes life-long learning and holds values of self-determination and respect for the individual at its core. This study examined the written feedback students received in relation to key assignments in years two and three of a social work degree programme. The findings suggest that feedback is seldom used in a way …
The Role of Deliberation in Correcting and Validating Intuition
The role of deliberation in correcting and validating the more error prone intuition is subject to much interest and debate across a range of professions and disciplines. For child-care professionals, the opportunity to correct errors in their reasoning is crucial, especially where serious consequences can arise from mistakes. This study examines the way deliberation corrects and validates intuition when professionals discuss vulnerable children …
The Role of Uncertainty in Professionals’ Thinking about Children Who Harm Other People
Uncertainty in thinking and reasoning is crucial in allowing professionals to engage with the complexities of practice, yet the way it is expressed in childcare social work remains under-researched. This study examines the uncertainty expressed by professionals when discussing children who present a serious threat of harm to others. Discourse analysis is used to examine data from twenty meetings involving seventy-five professionals. The findings …
Examining Professionals’ Critical Thinking about Children Who Pose a Serious Threat to Others
Concerns have been raised about the quality of child-care professionals’ critical thinking and analytical skills. This study examines the critical thinking demonstrated by professionals when discussing risk in relation to vulnerable children. Data were collected from thirty consultation meetings, each of which focused on assessing the risks of a child who presented a serious threat of harm to others. Discourse analysis is used to examine the way …
Examining Principles of Formative and Summative Feedback
The assessment and feedback practices in social work qualifying courses have to include academic rigour and practice relevance. This study explored the way principles of feedback were evident in the formative and summative feedback given to social work students in relation to a case study that was submitted as part of a portfolio. The findings show that some variation exists in the way principles are evidenced, which suggests some tutors are more…
The Apartheid City and Beyond
The popular interpretation of the growth of squatter camps on the Witwatersrand is that it is the direct result of recent immigration from the rural areas of South Africa's 'homelands'. Evidence from surveys conducted in 1990 (Crankshaw 1990) does suggest that this road to 'Egoli' (the place of gold) is becoming an increasingly significant cause of squatting. However, up until very recently, squatting on the 'Witwatersrand has generally been the …
Evidence-based policies for residential childcare staff
English Despite the well-publicised inadequacies of residential childcare social work in Britain, minimal progress has been made towards implementing an effective education and training policy for those staff who care for some of the most vulnerable children in society. This study focuses on the Scottish context and examines the effectiveness of a range of accredited and non-accredited education and training courses for residential childcare staf…
Using Students' Written Feedback on 'Race' Issues to Enhance Self-Regulated Learning
Encouraging students to self-regulate their learning in relation to 'race' issues would appear to be pertinent to a profession that promotes life-long learning and holds values of self-determination and respect for the individual at its core. This study examined the written feedback students received in relation to key assignments in years two and three of a social work degree programme. The findings suggest that feedback is seldom used in a way …
Examining the terminology of race issues in assessments for international exchange students
English This study examined assignments by students from a university in Scotland and a university in the USA. The findings suggest the terminology of race issues in assessments may be inappropriate for students because they allow racism to be marginalized from practice or presented in a way that conveys little analysis. French Cette étude a examiné les missions des étudiants d’une université en Ecosse et d’une université aux Etats-Unis. Les déco…
Examining Principles of Formative and Summative Feedback
The assessment and feedback practices in social work qualifying courses have to include academic rigour and practice relevance. This study explored the way principles of feedback were evident in the formative and summative feedback given to social work students in relation to a case study that was submitted as part of a portfolio. The findings show that some variation exists in the way principles are evidenced, which suggests some tutors are more…
Re-engineering the multiple choice question exam for social work
The aim of this study is to devise a multiple choice question (MCQ) exam that provides students with opportunities to engage in a deep approach to learning. Multiple choice assessment is largely unused in social work degree courses in the UK because of associations with techniques such as guessing and rote learning, which do not correspond with deep approaches to learning. Strategies used to enhance opportunities for a deep approach to learning w…
Exploring the Influence of Feedback on Student Social Workers' Understanding of Childcare and Protection
Social work tutors and practice teachers are under increasing pressure to better prepare students for practice in the area of childcare and protection; however, little attention has been given to the role of feedback in this process. This study uses a content analysis of written feedback from tutors and interviews to examine students' experiences of feedback on a social work course. Findings suggest there is considerable variation in the extent, …
Examining Professionals’ Critical Thinking about Children Who Pose a Serious Threat to Others
Concerns have been raised about the quality of child-care professionals’ critical thinking and analytical skills. This study examines the critical thinking demonstrated by professionals when discussing risk in relation to vulnerable children. Data were collected from thirty consultation meetings, each of which focused on assessing the risks of a child who presented a serious threat of harm to others. Discourse analysis is used to examine the way …
Reconceptualizing protective factors in response to risk with vulnerable children
The quality and robustness of childcare professionals’ thinking about protective factors is crucial to interventions with vulnerable children. Yet, protective factors in childcare are under-conceptualized in policy and practice and have been overshadowed by the concept of risk. This study uses discourse analysis to examine how childcare professionals discuss protective factors in response to risk and in a way that demonstrates critical thinking. …
The Role of Uncertainty in Professionals’ Thinking about Children Who Harm Other People
Uncertainty in thinking and reasoning is crucial in allowing professionals to engage with the complexities of practice, yet the way it is expressed in childcare social work remains under-researched. This study examines the uncertainty expressed by professionals when discussing children who present a serious threat of harm to others. Discourse analysis is used to examine data from twenty meetings involving seventy-five professionals. The findings …
Intervention Methods in Secure Care
Secure care is used for the most vulnerable and high-risk children in society; however, there is insufficient research examining the way intervention methods are used in this context. This study uses a qualitative approach to examine the use of intervention methods with children in secure care. Data is obtained from 21 meetings with 81 professionals who are involved with children in secure care. The findings suggest that considerable variation ex…
The Role of Deliberation in Correcting and Validating Intuition
The role of deliberation in correcting and validating the more error prone intuition is subject to much interest and debate across a range of professions and disciplines. For child-care professionals, the opportunity to correct errors in their reasoning is crucial, especially where serious consequences can arise from mistakes. This study examines the way deliberation corrects and validates intuition when professionals discuss vulnerable children …
What do I not know? How does AI affect critical thinking
Effective and ethical risk assessment in criminal justice depends on practitioners’ critical thinking and professional curiosity, yet both are constrained by structural, relational and emotional pressures. The rapid proliferation of Large Language Models (LLMs) introduces new opportunities and challenges in probation practice. Drawing on data from 16 practitioners who participated in exploratory, interactive workshops, this study examined how pra…
Psychology (10 works) · Medicine (6 works) · Political science (6 works) · Social Work Education and Practice (6 works) · Engineering (4 works) · Harm (4 works) · Medical education (4 works) · Pedagogy (4 works) · Social Psychology (4 works) · Sociology (4 works)