Contextual Statement

I have worked as a Learning Technologist at the University of Brighton for 8 years. Prior to that I worked for 3.5 years in a similar role in the USA. I work as part of a close-knit team including learning technologists, an information officer, a training specialist, and our manager. My role is to support academic staff to identify, use, and integrate technologies to enhance their teaching practice. I also support administrative staff with setup of assessment tools and processes. My role is primarily consultative, but I also support staff across the university through second tier referrals from the Information Services Service Desk.

I manage two electronic assessment systems (Turnitin, e-portfolios), as well as accessibility add-on Ally, as part of the Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). I co-own responsibility for accessibility within Information Services with my colleague Jill Shacklock. I advise at university-level and in the schools I support, the newly merged School of Humanities and Applied Social Sciences and also until recently School of Health Sciences, on quality assurance and student experience. I also advise on assessment workflows and accessibility. I train academic staff in the use of eLearning technologies, occasionally working directly with their students to model best practices when teaching with technology.

My goal is to empower staff to achieve technology self-sufficiency through a combination of tuition; on-request support and feedback; and also, data-informed reflection and iterative improvement. I devise unique learning opportunities to support continuing professional development (CPD) for university staff by tapping into technology trends and local interests. I refer to email lists, Twitter, research, and also standards produced by Jisc, Association for Learning Technology (ALT) and AdvanceHE to stay informed.

My professional values are based on inclusion, respect for all learners, and open education. I liaise with the Learning and Teaching Hub (department specialising in staff pedagogic support) on inclusive practice and volunteer on university staff equality networks to enhance my knowledge and exemplify these values.

Why I am pursuing a CMALT

I am pursuing my Certified Membership of ALT (CMALT) because I identified this as a high priority professional goal in my portfolio for Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA D2) which I was awarded in 2020. The CMALT provides evidence of my technical expertise and continuing professional development, my critical practice when evaluating, selecting and implementing technologies, as well as my involvement in the wider learning technology community. The CMALT is an important companion accreditation to the recognition of my teaching experience in the FHEA D2 and will enable me to pursue senior level and management opportunities.