Gary is a Professor of Education in the Cardiff School of Education and Social Policy at Cardiff Metropolitan University. He was Associate Dean Research/ Director of Research from 2009 to 2020. He is also an Honorary Professor in the School of Education at Durham University.
Gary began his career in education as a primary school teacher, before moving into higher education at Swansea University. He has been Programme Director for Education Studies and Primary PGCE courses, as well as supervising and examining doctoral students. His innovative teaching with technology in higher education was recognised in 2015 with the award of National Teaching Fellow (NTF). His other work includes: Chair of the British Educational Studies Association (BESA) from 2014 to 2016; Vice-Chair of the National Digital Learning Council for two terms from 2016-18 and 2018-21; elected Member of Council of the British Educational Research Association (BERA) from 2018-2021; Convenor (Wales) for the ‘Teacher Education and Development’ Special Interest Group in BERA.
He has been external examiner at 11 universities: UG and PG programmes [BA(Hons), BA(Ed), MA (Education), PGCE (Primary), PGCE Primary (International), MEd/MPhil], at the universities of Cambridge, Edinburgh, Durham, Hull, UCL, Goldsmiths (London), Canterbury, Winchester, Gloucester, Southampton and Northumbria. He also has experience as an Additional Inspector for Estyn (Her Majesty’s Chief Inspectorate of Education and Training in Wales) in a range of educational settings.
Gary has published widely in international academic journals, curriculum publications, and books. His research focus is the use of interactive technologies in learning and teaching, although he has also published work on primary education, music education (the area in which he gained his Ph.D. in 1996) and primary school science education.
