Pt. 1: Inception

Blog 1

I have been studying at UEA since 2001, when I started a degree in Computer Systems Engineering.  After dropping out after the first year I returned in 2006 to study on an Applied Computing degree, seeing it as better suited to both my learning style and engagement issues. 

After finishing my studies I returned to continue studying at Ph.D level, and immediately started teaching in computing science, and continued beyond my Ph.D: becoming a full time tutor in 2016, an being appointed lecturer in 2018.  

My Current teaching portfolio includes multiple modules at all levels within computing science (foundation year to masters year). Teaching on ten modules this academic year, I consider myself to be a generalist, rather than a specialist. However most of my teaching focus surrounds practical programming and systems development, with additions of electronics and modern embedded technologies.  Notably, my one specialism, Computer Vision (the context for my Ph.D) is a subject that I have very little interaction with.

The students I teach vary wildly in background and technical literacy. I regularly teach students with zero background in the topic, or even in the scientific field.  At the other end of the scale I teach students with a standing degrees in technological subjects. As an example of the scope of this, one of my students recently stated that their only previous experience of using a computer, was to watch YouTube; whilst another student in the same class had over a decades experience in software development.

Teaching on so many subjects, over so many academic years and backgrounds, I favour a strong constructivist approach (J. Biggs & Moore, 1993; Mezirow, 1991). With such scope of teaching this allows me to reference other key learning from a degree, as well as frame learning within the students' future studies.

In the last few years I have introduced Padlet on a number of modules in my portfolio.  This has shown significant benefit onto more advanced level modules, where the material is delivered at high pace, assuming a certain level of knowledge from previous study.  This has allowed students that have perhaps not absorbed materials in previous years, to ask questions of the lecturer in real time, and anonymously. This has had the knock on effect that students can query points between taught sessions, receiving feedback from the lecturer, ATs and their peers (Keppell, 2008).

References

Biggs, J., & Moore, P. (1993). The process of learning 3rd. ed. Australia: Prentice Hall.

Mezirow, J. (1991). Transformative dimensions of adult learning: ERIC.

Henning, J. M., Weidner, T. G., & Marty, M. C. (2008). Peer assisted learning in clinical education: Literature review. Athletic Training Education Journal, 3(3), 84-90.