Institute of Criminal Justice Studies

Stephanie Bennett

Dr Stephanie Bennett

Learning Support Tutor (Quantitative Research Skills)

ICJS

6th Floor,
St Georges Building.

stephanie.bennett@port.ac.uk

Profile

Following a B.Sc. (Hons) in Psychology and M.Sc. in Psychological Research Methods at the University of Plymouth, I taught Research Methods and Statistics for 4 years also at the University of Plymouth. Again at Plymouth, I gained an ESRC Ph.D. CASE studentship, in the field of Developmental and Educational Psychology – thesis titled ‘The development of vocational interests and abilities in secondary school aged children’. I started work at Down Syndrome Education International (DSEI) as a research psychologist in 2008.  Linked to this I have been an honorary research fellow in Psychology at the University of Portsmouth since 2009. My main role is Learning Support Tutor in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences from September 2011. Read more about Learning Support in Quantitative Research Skills.

Research interests

Down syndrome, developmental disability, early communication, educational intervention, executive functioning, research methods and statistics, online-learning, problem solving, reasoning, working memory, vocational interests.

Projects

  • Evaluating memory training for children and adolescents with Down syndrome in collaboration with Professor Sue Buckley (DSEI), Dr. Joni Holmes & Professor Sue Gathercole (Cambridge).
  • Evaluating problem solving training for pre-school children with Down syndrome in collaboration with Professor Sue Buckley (DSEI) & Dr. Debbie Fidler (Colorado).
  • Memory profiles using the AWMA in typically developing children and in children with Down syndrome in collaboration with Professor Annette Sterr & Georgia Eleftheriou (Surrey).
  • Early communication in children with Down syndrome in collaboration with Dr. Allesandra Fasulo (Portsmouth).
  • Early developmental profiles in children with Down syndrome in collaboration with Professor Sue Buckley (DSEI).
  • Development of vocational interests and abilities in secondary school age children in collaboration with Professor Simon Handley & Dr. Ian Dennis (Plymouth) & Richard Daulton (Learning Skills Council).

Degrees

  • 2014: M.Sc. Crime Science Investigation and Intelligence, University of Portsmouth
  • 2012: Ph.D. Cognitive & Developmental Psychology,  University of Plymouth
  • 2001: M.Sc. Psychological Research Methods & Statistics, University of Plymouth
  • 1999: B.Sc. (Hons) + Certificate of Professional Experience. Psychology, University of Plymouth

Additional training (online courses)

  • Introduction to Statistics 2.1X: Descriptive Statistics, Berkeley X (completed)
  • Introduction to Statistics 2.2X:  Probability, Berkeley X (ongoing)
  • Justice : Harvard X (ongoing)
  • Technology Enhanced Learning (ocTEL), Association for Learning Technology (ongoing)

Academic posts

  • 2011-present: Learning Support Tutor, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
  • 2009-present: Honorary Research Fellow, University of Portsmouth 
  • 2008-present: Research Psychologist, Down Syndrome Education International 
  • 2001-2005: Scientific Officer (Research Methods and Statistics), University of Plymouth 
  • 2002-2005: Research Fellow, University of Plymouth 
  • 2001 & 2004: Research Associate, University of Plymouth 
  • 1999-2008: Associate Lecturer, University of Plymouth 
  • 1996-1997: Assistant Psychologist, Weston Area Health Trust

Teaching

All FHSS faculty:

  • Bespoke workshops and individual student support for quantitative research methods and analysis (SPSS & Excel).
  • Staff training in quantitative research methods and data analysis

ICJS

  • Research Methods (DL)
  • Research Methods and Research Management (Campus & DL)
  • Researching Criminology 1
  • Researching Criminology 2
  • Undergraduate study school (DL)
  • Postgraduate study school (DL)
  • Advanced Research Techniques workshops for DCrimJ students
  • Weekly Moodle support sessions for all DL students.

Education

  • Numeracy workshops for trainee teachers

Research grants

Funded:

  • 2013-2017 Cognitive Training in Fragile X Syndrome -  The John Merck Fund ($1M). D Hessl, Jule Schweitzer, Danh Nguyen (S Bennett, J Holmes Consultants)
  • 2011-2012 Early Development Study data analysis – Skaugens Family Foundation (£5k). S Buckley, SJ Bennett.
  • 2011-2011 Early Communication in Children with Down syndrome (£2k). University of Portsmouth small grants scheme. A Fasulo, SJ Bennett.
  • 2010-2011 Evaluating working memory training for children with Down syndrome. (£45k) Baily Thomas Charitable Trust. SJ Bennett, S Buckley, J Holmes, S Gathercole.
  • 2010-2010 Evaluating working memory training for children with Down syndrome, a pilot study. (£8K). Private Funder. SJ Bennett, S Buckley.

Peer-reviewed articles

  • Bennett, S.J., Holmes, J., Buckley, S.J. (2013) Computerized memory training leads to sustained improvement in visual-spatial short term memory skills in children with Down syndrome. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disability
  • Bennett, S.J., Eleftheriou, G., Holmes, J, Buckley, S.J. (in preparation). Working Memory profiles in Down syndrome, ADHD and typically developing children.
  • Dean, Z., Bennett, S.J., Lopez, B., Buckley, S.J. Improving problem solving and persistence in young children with Down syndrome (in preparation).
  • Evans, J.St. B.T., Handley, S.J.,Hadjchristidis, C., Thompson, V., Over, D., & Bennett, S.J. (2007). On the basis of belief in causal and diagnostic conditionals. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 60, No. 5. Pages 635-643.

Conferences

  • Bennett, S.J. Buckley, S, Holmes, J, Gathercole, S. Evaluating working memory training for children with Down syndrome. IASSID, Canada, July, 2012.
  • Fasulo, A., Bennett, S. Early Communication in children with Down syndrome. Language, Culture and Mind, Lisbon, 2012.
  • Buckley, S., & Bennett, S.J. A longitudinal study of the emergence of autistic profiles in young children with Down syndrome – what is the picture over 3 years?. Gatlinburg, Annapolis March, 2012.
  • Bennett, S.J. Buckley, S, Holmes, J, Gathercole, S. Evaluating working memory training for children with Down syndrome. Cogmed Annual Conference, Florida, February, 2012.
  • Bennett, S.J. Buckley, S, Holmes, J, Gathercole, S. Evaluating working memory training for children with Down syndrome. BPS Developmental Conference, Northumbria University, September, 2011.
  • Bennett, S.J., Handley, S.J., Dennis, I., Vocational Interests & Science/Spatial Aptitude: how are they related in U.K. Secondary School aged children? BPS Developmental Conference, Northumbria University, September, 2011.
  • Bennett, S.J. Buckley, S, Holmes, J, Gathercole, S. Evaluating working memory training for children with Down syndrome. Invited Research Seminar, University of Portsmouth, 24th November, 2010.
  • Bennett, S.J. Buckley, S, Holmes, J, Gathercole, S. Evaluating working memory training for children with Down syndrome. DownsEd UK and Europe Down syndrome research Forum, Portsmouth, 11th-12th November, 2010.
  • Bennett, S.J. Buckley, S, Fidler, D. Improving problem solving skills in toddlers with Down syndrome. DownsEd UK and Europe Down syndrome research Forum, Portsmouth, 11th-12th November, 2010.
  • Bennett, S.J. Buckley, S, Holmes, J, Gathercole, S. Evaluating working memory training for children with Down syndrome. IASSID Conference, Rome; 20th-23rd October, 2010.
  • Bennett, S.J. Buckley, S, Holmes, J, Gathercole, S. Evaluating working memory training for children with Down syndrome. Cogmed Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, 23rd-27th, September, 2010.
  • Bennett, S.J. Buckley, S, Holmes, J, Gathercole, S. Evaluating working memory training for children with Down syndrome. BPS Developmental Section, Goldsmiths, London, 12th-15th September 2010.
  • Bennett, S.J., Buckley, S. Early development in children with Down syndrome. BPS Developmental Section, Nottingham, 9th-11th September, 2009.
  • Bennett, S.J., Buckley, S. Early development in children with Down syndrome. Down syndrome World Congress, Dublin, 19th 22nd August 2009.
  • Bennett, S.J. The development of vocational interests and abilities in secondary school age children. BPS AGM, Dublin, 2nd-4th April 2008.
  • Bennett, S.J. The development of vocational interests and abilities in secondary school age children, Preliminary Findings from Phase 1, BPS Developmental Section, Plymouth, 29th-31st August, 2007.

Webinars

  • Bennett, S.J. Buckley, S, Holmes, J, Gathercole, S. Evaluating working memory training for children with Down syndrome. Hosted by DSEI, September 2011.
  • Bennett, S.J. Buckley, D. Fidler, Improving problem solving skills in toddlers with Down syndrome. Hosted by DSEI, July 2010.
  • Bennett, S.J. Buckley, S, Holmes, J, Gathercole, S. Evaluating working memory training for children with Down syndrome. Hosted by DSEI, June 2010.

Additional

  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
  • Southwest Representative, Postgraduates who teach Psychology Network (PGwT) 2008
  • Ph.D. Representative, School of Psychology, University of Plymouth 2005-2007