I am a Learning Technologist with over five years of experience working across multiple higher education institutions in Scotland. I hold an Associate Fellowship from Advanced HE (formerly Higher Education Academy) and have developed a wide expertise in various areas across Learning Technology. My journey as a Learning Technologist began immediately after graduating from the University of St Andrews, where I studied French and Art History, as I undertook a two-year intensive graduate programme in eLearning at the University of Aberdeen. I was drawn to Learning Technology as I taught English as a foreign language in France during my degree and found that technology had the power to greatly alter a student experience. This marked the beginning of an interest in designing, delivering and supporting the creation of accessible, inclusive and engaging online resources.
My career can be marked by a series of projects and initiatives that indicate my interest in improving teaching and learning experiences through technology. Amongst these is my development and facilitation of a Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) on FutureLearn for International FGM Awareness Day which involved a multi-organisation collaboration with medical and military professionals. This MOOC is still live and acts as a platform for global education and awareness around the topic.
I have also designed and delivered courses which function as part of a PGCert in Education, focusing on Designing and Tutoring Online Courses. This experience sparked a real interest in educational design and the creation of diverse learning assets using various authoring tools. This was furthered through my involvement in the design and creation of SCOTBIO, which was a comprehensive resource for secondary school Biology teachers across Scotland, where the content was used to enhance their knowledge of the SQA curriculum.[1] Throughout my career, I have skills in a variety of different course design principles, such as Gilly Salmon’s Carpe Diem method and UCL’s ABC method, which have significantly shaped the instructional strategies I develop and implement.
I am a creative person and have an interest in the creation of assets in the realm of Learning Technology. I have skills using creative suites such as Adobe CC and Articulate360, as well as experience undertaking video editing for projects involving organisations such as the UN. I also regularly create training resources for staff using these tools and enjoy seeing my skills improve in using them.
I have also been twice involved in a large-scale Virtual Learning Environment migration, moving from Anthology Learn Original to Ultra at the University of Aberdeen in 2019 and the University of Edinburgh in 2023. In terms of cross-platform content migrations, I coordinated with academics on the move of an online MBA from Moodle to Learn Ultra.
Currently, my role involves advising academics on integrating technology to enhance course quality. This also requires analysing data on student and staff use of the VLE, which improves the accessibility levels across the school. This is because the data, collated into reports, informs decisions made around content creation and management. I have also played a pivotal role in introducing, testing and refining peer review components in assessment processes, which have enriched student and staff experiences in a number of courses. In addition to this, I support the ongoing delivery and redesign of a series of Online MSc programmes and MOOCs on platforms such as Coursera. I am also taking an active role in a VLE Excellence project across the University where I act as part of the representation of our College. This project focuses on in-course submission and assessment, and my focus of research and insight has been in the sub-projects of UX design, and Communications and Engagement.
Pursuing CMALT certification represents my taking a step towards consolidating past experiences, critically evaluating my contributions to Higher Education and identifying future growth areas. Undertaking this certification will not just formalise my expertise but will also enable me to engage with others across different Schools and Colleges at the University, contributing to and learning from a shared pool of knowledge and innovative practices. Additionally, engaging with others should deepen my understanding of emerging trends and best practices, which should allow for interesting and thought-provoking conversation. This opportunity to reflect will be significant as I plan the next steps of my career, ensuring that I can continue to make effective contributions to Higher Education.
[1] Due to Blackboard CourseSites no longer existing, it is not possible to link to this resource.