The Teaching and Scholarship Podcast · The Teaching and Scholarship Podcast

Professor Niamh Stack

March 1, 2022·1 hr 38 min·5 clips

Niamh Stack chose psychology to spite a teacher who said she'd become one—and ended up a professor.

This episode features host Scott and guest Professor Niamh Stack from the University of Glasgow's School of Psychology. Professor Stack is the Deputy Head and Director of Teaching and Learning, recognized for her student-focused approach. She recently received a British Psychological Society award voted for by students for championing their needs and voice. Professor Stack discusses her career path, which began with a rebellious choice to study psychology in Belfast despite career advice to become a teacher. Her undergraduate degree at the University of Ulster included a third-year research placement at the University of Paisley, where she worked with mentors Sandy Hobbs and Jim McKechnie. These mentors treated her as a colleague and later offered her a PhD opportunity, significantly shaping her educational philosophy. She emphasizes that her career developed through seizing opportunities rather than a strict plan, leading to over 21 years in higher education. A key insight is her belief that education should involve "the pit of despair," where students are safely challenged to overcome cognitive struggles. She argues assessments are for learning, not endpoints, and that mistakes are more formative than successes. Professor Stack uses unscripted, enthusiastic lectures, moving around and using hand gestures to convey her passion for developmental psychology. She advocates for using psychological science, like cognitive principles of memory and learning, to inform teaching practices directly. The conversation highlights how her mentors' inclusive, non-hierarchical treatment influenced her own approach with students and colleagues. She shares that making short videos for students during isolation periods helped maintain human connection and convey sincerity. Professor Stack notes the improved quality and accessibility of contemporary pedagogical research, aided by specialists on teaching-focused academic tracks. The tone is conversational and reflective, blending personal anecdotes with educational philosophy. It is an informal interview between colleagues exploring teaching experiences and values. Listeners interested in teaching careers, educational psychology, or academic mentorship will find this episode engaging. Those seeking a highly structured debate or technical research discussion might prefer other content.

As heard by us

A thoughtful case for teaching that makes room for mistakes without lowering standards.

Professor Niamh Stack makes a clear, student-centered case for teaching that takes mistakes seriously without turning them into public punishment.

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Why you'd press play

Hear a psychology teaching leader make feedback feel less punishing and more useful.

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