The LSTM Professional Certificate in Supporting Learning is a short course designed to enhance the teaching skills of LSTM staff. Participants meet up for a weekly lunchtime session over seven weeks to learn about approaches to planning, delivering, assessing and evaluating teaching. The Certificate is externally recognised by the Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA), a leading organisation for promoting innovation and good practice in higher education, both in the UK and internationally.
There have been two courses this academic year –the February 2015 course culminated earlier this week with each participant delivering a short assessed micro teaching session to their colleagues on a topic of their choice. The sessions covered a wide range of topics, including extracting DNA from bananas; putting on a baby’s diaper, tasting red wines (at 9am!), making an origami bird, explaining the tree of life, seven habits of highly effective people, the difference between aperture and shutter speed and teaching economics with monopoly.
At a celebratory lunch to mark the end of the course, LSTM’s Director of Education, Dr Sue Assinder presented the ‘Sue Purnell Prize’ to Marty Richardson a graduate from the October 2014 course. Daniela Ferreira from the February 2015 cohort was also awarded the prize in her absence. This prize was set up to honour Sue Purnell, who designed and delivered the first course in June 2012 but sadly died later that year.
Dr Assinder said: “The values that Sue Purnell set and lived by were around the development of communities in which individuals learned from and supported each other and she was passionate about equality and diversity. Therefore, the prize is awarded to the participant from each course that, in the opinion of the tutors and fellow participants, has made the greatest contribution to the learning of their peers”.
The Director of Studies, Carol Maynard, added: “Marty was the stand out candidate for the 2014 Sue Purnell prize. One of her peers stated that he remembered Marty saying at the start of the course that she really wanted to boost her confidence on how to speak in front of others – there is no doubt that she did that. Although the prize is not for the highest achievement Marty’s micro teaching was outstanding. Marty was a collaborative member of the group and provided support and resources to others outside of the taught sessions. Marty made fantastic progress throughout the course and embodying its underpinning values.”
She continued: “Daniela is a worthy winner of the February 2015 Sue Purnell prize. Her colleagues commented on her insightful comments and her willingness to discuss and learn from her less successful teaching experiences. Another peer noted that she brought energy and enthusiasm to the group. Her collaborative approach to learning demonstrated Sue Purnell’s beliefs and values in practice. Daniela’s micro teaching was innovative and creative – it also challenged us all to review our time management habits!”
The previous recipients of the Sue Purnell award are:
Rachel Piggott her citation reads: Rachel was a thoughtful group member who really grasped things quickly. Each week we became aware of how she had implemented what she had learned. Rachel always had many ideas and contributed to all tasks in full. Rachel's knowledge and understanding of student diversity was enhanced throughout the course and she started to make changes to her practice in the light of this development. Rachel participated in all aspects of the course helping with the focus group and external examiner discussions. She was really skilful at giving constructive feedback to both participants and the course team. Her peers commented on the support Rachel had provided during the micro teaching activity. Rachel's insights into how to underpin her work with the SEDA values were a source of learning for us all.
Jacob Riveron whose citation reads: Jacob is a worthy winner of the Sue Purnell prize. He was a really collegiate course member providing support and help to others particularly during the micro teaching assessment. Throughout the course he demonstrated changes to practice as a result of engaging more with knowledge of diversity and inclusiveness in teaching and learning. Jacob's micro teaching was exemplary and a number of other participants commented on what they had learned from observing him
Naomi Dyer – her citation reads: Naomi was nominated for her thoughtful and insightful contributions during class discussions and for what others learned from her excellent micro teaching session. Naomi's session was very inclusive as it included a number of different presentational approaches. On the day of her micro teaching Naomi told us that she had been involved in an unpleasant experience on the bus - a man had been racially abusing the Big Issue seller. Naomi tackled the man which proved to be very uncomfortable for her and Naomi was upset at the start of the session (that's how the info came out otherwise Naomi probably wouldn't have said anything). This couldn't be a better testament to Sue Purnell who also fought for equality.
The next course will begin on 6th October 2015 and is open to all staff involved in delivering teaching in LSTM.