Example 1. International staff resource with Chris Butcher (PFHEA) at The University of Leeds.
Chris was awarded an NTF and used his funding to develop a resource aimed at supporting international staff beginning life and academic and teaching roles in the UK. He commissioned me to write the materials giving guidance on teaching, learning and assessment.
Role –
- Discuss the overarching aims and focus of the project with Chris and agree on the scope of my involvement
- Draft and develop written guidance for International staff on different modes of teaching and assessment
- Research additional readings, information sources and web-links to provide extended information suggestions
- Update the materials in light of feedback and user data.
Evidence of success – the resource was widely used and was converted into an accessible e-book. It is now planned that this material will be incorporated into a new book for International academic staff in 2019.
Example 2. Contributing to the Promoting and Enhancing Student Learning (PESL) website resource at The University of Nottingham with Dr Rachel Scudamore. The resource was, in many ways ahead of its time – integrating video clips of practice, interviews and presentations. Its focus was to share practice and help teachers discuss and disseminate what they do.
Role-
- I wrote a report for the University recommending the development of the PESL web resource at its inception.
- I worked to support the PESL Director, Dr Rachel Scudamore, to produce video footage for the site
- I captured live teaching sessions and conducted filmed interviews with practitioners from across the University
- I edited and compiled ‘bite-sized’ clips to illustrate a variety of teaching themes for the website
Evidence of success – The web resource has received approximately 600,000 visitors and is spoken of very highly across the sector. I do not claim credit of the site, Rachel’s hard work drove the PESL project, but the video clips I helped to provide add much to its quality.
Example 3.Teaching as part of your professional development in The Research Students’ Companion (SAGE Press).
I was invited to contribute a chapter to this excellent resource for PhD students
“Kate was our first choice to contribute to Teaching as Part of Professional Development for our book aimed at supporting postgraduates. She is warmly regarded and highly respected. Her clarity of thought, vast experience and impressive national profile coupled with her accessible and practical style make her a gifted teacher and a clear authority on teaching and learning in HE today”.
Jo Longman
Editor, “The Research Postgraduate’s Companion”
Example 4. The University of Bath wished to revise and re-focus their collective approach to peer observation and asked me to write information and guidance materials for the re-launch.
The role –
- Agreeing on a project brief with Prof. Gwen van der Velden at The University
- Producing three sets of advisory and guidance material; General guidance on the new scheme, a set of case studies demonstrating the range of teaching-related activities that could be addressed using the approach and a set of implementation guidance for Heads of Department.
- Liaising with University staff to get feedback on the materials from teaching colleagues and senior staff
Evidence of success – “Kate was highly professional, hugely effective, clearly well informed on the topic and her writing style was exceptionally clear, crisp and engaging. The materials received rave reviews (at Bath) and there was an exceptional amount of interest for the specific project due to her engaging approach of writing”.
Prof Gwen van der Velden
Academic Director
Warwick University
Higher Education Assessment & Development 