Dr Ian Shirley
Senior Lecturer in Music/Uni Learning & Teaching Fellow
Primary & Childhood Education
Profile
Biography
Dr Ian Shirley is a senior lecturer, specialising in Primary Music education in the Department of Primary and Childhood Education, at Edge Hill University, where he has worked since 2008. Ian holds a B.Ed degree in Primary Education, specialising in Music and an MA (Sheffield) in Psychology for Musicians. In 2017, Ian completed an Ed.D (Sheffield) exploring the discursive constitution of contemporary music education policy, and the lived experience of music education policy enactors.
Along with Anna Mariguddi, Ian co-leads the research strand for Initial Teacher Training and Professional Development. In addition, he is the programme leader iQTS which launches in 2026 and the department lead on academic integrity. Ian is one of the faculty Designated Safeguarding Officers
Research Interests
Ian’s research interests include music education and creativity across the curriculum. He is interested in critical discourse analysis and discursive constitution of educational policy. He is also keen to explore collaboartive research methodologies and teacher life-history research.
Teaching
Ian is a university Teaching and Learning Fellow at Edge Hill University. He has extensive experience in teaching Primary Music, as well as contemporary issues and eductional research modules.