An understanding of teaching, learning and/or assessment processes

Description

As a learning developer, the base of my practice was teaching, learning, and assessment. I delivered Library-based workshops, in-curriculum lectures, personal appointments, online self-paced learning, and online short courses. Now as a Lecturer in Education Studies, I am even more directly involved with teaching. I am on a teaching and scholarship contract, with the substantive part of my workload allocated to teaching.

For all my roles – past and present, technology has been an essential aspect of my teaching, learning and assessment practices. I took a leading role (promotion, training, and development) in my team on the appropriate use of technology in learning development, and this is a growing area of my practice in the School of Education as a lecturer. This area of my practice was a core aspect of my recognition as a Certified Leading Practitioner in learning development. I am also a certified Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert (2017-2023) and Microsoft Trainer Academy (2017-23) member. This recognises my leading role in supporting colleagues’ use of Microsoft technologies in teaching, learning, and assessment. The use of technology in teaching and learning can provide contextualised learning opportunities and greater inclusion amongst diverse learners, although this needs to be further realised (Mølster & Nes, 2018). A core part of my role is supporting other educators in developing their technological skills to use Microsoft products and applying appropriate pedagogies to make the use of technology effective. A large part of this is helping educators understand how learning can be enhanced with technology and how learners can apply it differently to help them achieve their learning goals.  

As a Microsoft Trainer, I support educators in their ongoing professional development using technology in education. I am equipped to run over 50 different training sessions based on Microsoft products and the latest research on learning with technology. I run sessions as a Microsoft Trainer, including an in-house programme for my colleagues in the Skills Team and several sessions for the wider library. I have also collaborated on a session focused on inclusion for the University Annual Learning and Teaching Conference, where I took the lead on showcasing the Microsoft accessibility tools. As a Learning Developer, my focus was always on technology in support of developing student learning, and supporting academic staff to integrate this into the curriculum. Now I am one of those academic staff, so I can take on a different role. I am a leading practitioner in the application of Microsoft technology in the curriculum and learning and teaching practice.

From being a Learning Developer, I also have experience being responsible for a number of systems and supporting others’ use of technology. This was always from the perspective of learning and teaching as that was the most substantive aspect of my role. On a weekly basis, I used to hold numerous student appointments, lead library-based workshops and deliver in-curriculum lectures. This has significantly developed in my new role. I am now a lecturer, so am more directly involved in assessment. For example, I spent most of trimester 1 supporting students with the use of Microsoft Word to meet the requirements of their portfolios. I also used Mentimeter to engage them in their learning, and provide me with updates on their progress. In my previous role, I also actively supported academics in developing assessments, mainly when linked to my areas of expertise and teaching (i.e. NVivo, bibliographic management, critical thinking, public communication, and academic integrity). I am now able to take leadership in such areas as an academic.

Evidence

Evidence of effective teaching practice

LinkedIn Recommendation: Ellie Carrick, PGT Education Studies student, University of Hull
Lee is an absolute superstar. Not only does he have a teaching style that keeps all students engaged, he is a genuinely kind soul who wants the best for everyone inside and outside of his classroom. To be taught and mentored during the first term of my Master’s degree by Lee was a true honour and his kindness will impact me for a long term.

He is a true inspiration, extremely smart, and one day I hope we can work together officially.

Anyone would be lucky to be in the same room as him, let alone taught by him.

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Leading practice in the Association of Learning Development in Higher Education

Due to my expertise in teaching, learning and assessment practices in Learning Development, I have undertaken substantive duties with the Association of Learning Development in Higher Education (ALDinHE). These roles have given me the opportunity to support the practice of others nationally.

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MIEE Trainer

Statement of support: Kat Sanders, Hull-York Medical School
Lee goes beyond simply telling us what we should be doing to make our resources accessible and inclusive. He takes the time to emphasise why it is important to do so, shows us step-by-step how we can do it, and what impact it can have on everyone’s experience interacting with our resources (including us!). My teaching practice, and that of my colleagues, has changed for the better because of the interactions with Lee!

Reflection

I first started working in Higher Education within Student Unions in 2010, before I moved over to work for the University of Hull in 2012. This means I have been working in higher education for over a decade. I still can’t fully believe it has been so long. My first role worked with course representatives, trying to shape education systems for the better. On moving to work for the university, I myself became a teacher in higher education. As part of the move, I started my PG Certificate in eLearning – my first education-focused qualification. As I developed in my role, I took the next step and enrolled in the Doctor of Education Programme. Now, this is completed, I am ready for my next step and this September (2021) I will be undertaking my Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PCAP). While I feel very confident in my role, I have no desire to stop learning. Even though I already support other academics and have influenced practices beyond my own institution, I know the PCAP will be a valuable learning opportunity. Despite my position and accolades, the reason I keep learning is that education is forever changing. While I may feel confident with the current teaching, learning, and assessment processes, I might not tomorrow. For example, the University of Hull is moving towards a competency-based education. This is going to be a HUGE change for many of us and I am looking forward to rising to the challenge. I think the work I have already undertaken will help me get there, and I have no doubt this attitude will help me keep at the leading edge of my field. At least – I hope it will.

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Peer observations and reflection on teaching

I have benefited from working in Learning Development for a decade, and now as a Lecturer in Education Studies. This gives me the benefit of actively teaching – so I can demonstrate an understanding of teaching, learning and assessment through active practice. I realise not everyone completing a portfolio can draw on this experience, so while the first half of this page follows the traditional portfolio format, I wanted to take the opportunity to focus on my craft of teaching. To do this, I have taken the opportunity to present my peer feedback and reflect upon this for my future development. This section of my portfolio contains four peer observations done by colleagues outside my department. In addition to the content above, which shows it in an application, I hope this demonstrates a fuller understanding of learning, teaching and assessment.

Peer observation 1: September 15th 2021

Technology focus: Effective use of PowerPoint

Key comments from peer observation 1:
Key success points:
⚫ You are very comfortable in your role
⚫ Reassuringly confident both in delivery and content
⚫ Pace is excellent
⚫ Resources are clean and appropriate
⚫ Presence is excellent
⚫ Use of analogies is engaging and appropriate

It is very clear that you have fully prepared – this is vital and please continue to do so; a real pleasure to watch you at work. Many thanks Lee.

Reflection

I was a bit overwhelmed by the positivity of the feedback. While this is a session I have delivered many times and honed over the years, I was still surprised to see it so positively. One silly mistake I made in this session was forgetting to move the lectern screen so I could see my slides. As I stood to the side of the projector, it meant I had to look back a couple of times to see where I was up to. While I remedied this during the break – it was a valuable lesson to ensure I set things up before I started teaching.

This observation was also a critical reflection on my career progress. After the observation, I discussed the next steps with the academic. They were shocked to find I was on a professional services contract and, therefore, ineligible for academic promotion. It left me with two options – either I move to management (and therefore teach less), or I hope to an academic post. The colleague noted that if I were to do either, it would lock my teaching skills away, not for the benefit of the broader institution. This really was a pivotal moment as it was one of the driving forces in my recent career move.

As you will see from my contextual statement, I am now an academic – on an academic contract. As such, I have made that move from professional services / the third space, towards that of an academic career path. Revisiting this peer observation was somewhat sad – the inevitable happened, and I took my career in a different direction. That has, perhaps, locked my skills in one area – but I hope the portfolio demonstrates my wide reach, particularly in the area of learning technology.

Peer observation 2: November 16th 2021

Technology focus: A missed opportunity to use classroom response system

Key comments from peer observation 2
The lectures were very interactive and I like why you asked different daily life example to engage them. The exercise of designing survey questions was a good exercise to fully involve the student. This prove to be a great activity for achieving learning outcomes.

Although the participants very low in number but if you have higher number, using some tools (like mentimeter) will be really helpful for this course.

Reflection

Things I thought went well:	I was very happy with the new version of this workshop. I had rewritten it from scratch and felt the new structure was much more supportive of student learning. Given the number of students in attendance, I think the level of interaction was good. I always like to think of this session as more of a seminar, and I think I achieve that level of interaction.
Aspects of the activity that could be improved: How I could improve? Where could I seek support to help me improve my practice?	I like the observer’s comment about Mentimeter. I agree that a higher level of participants would require alternative means of interaction to conversation alone. I’ll ensure I work in some Mentimeter opportunities for any runs of this course with more students.
Any other thoughts:	I think it might have been difficult for the observer to see the second half in this instance. While I don’t think whole sessions must be observed, in this case, it might have been harder going for someone outside my subject area to join mid-way.

This observation was particularly impactful for my practice as it did trigger me to revisit my use of Mentimeter – a key learning technology at the University of Hull. I’ve made an effort to use it throughout the last trimester:

This was particularly impactful for workshop participation. I was able to engage students in the discussion of sensitive issues (like their assessment progress). I found little traction discussing the issues in the workshop, but students were much more honest and candid via Mentimeter.

Peer Observation 3:November 4th 2021

Technology focus: Visual communication

Key comments from peer observation 3
I think all teaching staff should watch this lecture as it’s a really well-structured and clear foundation for expectations of students (as well as being good for students to attend).

You said that Bloom’s model was not intended to be hierarchical, but your figure suggests Analysis, synthesis and evaluation are more important, and you also presented it as a hierarchy.

Reflection

Things I thought went well:	I think I have good dialogue, conversational, engaging and approachable – whilst delivering what I hope was a large amount of high-quality content.
Aspects of the activity that could be improved: How I could make an improvement? Where could I seek support from to help me improve my practice?	I think some of the slides need to be adjusted to stagger the information presented as opposed to all at once. There are some examples I verbalise, but it could help to visualise them – or turn them into activities.
Any other thoughts:	Some aspects of this session are very one-way interaction of giving knowledge and not many opportunities for students to contemplate and think through the ideas. This also provides less opportunity for me to give students feedback, which I need to ensure for longer sessions.

This was a really valuable observation for me. I’d used an old hierarchical-style slide for Blooms – then told students it isn’t hierarchical. This observation gave me the kick to fix it. Below, you can see the slide before and after the peer observation. I think this is a powerful example of how important it is to ensure visuals support what has been said. This is an essential aspect of using PowerPoint or other presentation software. Based on peer feedback, I have revisualised this slide so it better aligns what I say with what I show – so I am really thankful this peer observation gave me a push in the right direction. Use the slide to explore before/after.

Peer Observation 4: December 14th 2021

Technology focus: Technology teaching

Key comments from peer observation 4
From the start the session felt relaxed and comfortable. You created a welcoming environment by being conscious of students needs and their safety and you also spoke positively about the content of the session (e.g. “I’m excited…”) which is important in setting the tone. You also stated session aims and outcomes at the start and gave a refresher of what they had previously learnt- this is all good practice. You then built on their previous knowledge in your instructions. Throughout the session, you had good eye contact and used students’ names which again contributed to the overall atmosphere.

You focussed on the ‘why’ as much as the ‘how’ (using phrases such as “this is why…” and “this means…”) which will really have helped students see how NVivo could work for them.

This was a really good session so I’m afraid I have no meaningful suggestions for improvement!

Reflection

Things I thought went well:	I felt a bit rusty getting back into this session – and it was easy to get back into the routine. I found this peer observation very reassuring! Particularly some of the nice practices the observer noted – like pointing out how and why – as well as repeating questions back. I think the latter is significant when everyone is wearing a face covering!
Aspects of the activity that could be improved: How I could make an improvement? Where could I seek support from to help me improve my practice?	I definitely intend to split this session up. Three hours is far far too long. In future, I think I will offer this as two individual two-hour workshops. This will allow me to pace the content more and will ensure students don’t get overloaded with content. I’m also happy that the longer timeslot will provide more opportunities for students to experiment with the software in class.
Any other thoughts:	The Computer Suite I was teaching in was awful. I will try to avoid using that space in the future. I was only there due to my existing room being unavailable.

References

Mølster, T. & Nes, K. (2018) To What Extent Does Information and Communication Technology Support Inclusion in Education of Students with Learning Difficulties? Universal Journal of Educational Research, 6(4) 598-612. 

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Revisions for reassessment:
This page has been dramatically revised in the scope of my resubmission and new role. Instead of focusing on existing forms of acknowledgement like SFHEA and CeLP, I’ve built a more substantial portfolio of evidence. This has included evidence of teaching practice, impact on issues of learning and techning externally and peer-observation. This latter addition is substantial. I’ve included the four peer observations I’ve had of my teaching practice in the last two years. As part of this, I’ve drawn upon core learning from these observations and the link to technology and my development. This has contributed substantive new reflections on this area of my portfolio – also evidencing my expanded use of Mentimeter and slide re-designs based upon peer feedback. Additional statements of support from a colleage and a student further support this aspect of my portfolio. Some minor grammar and style changes – including a recontextualisation of writing to reflect my current role.