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Director, Access and Open, The Open University

After graduating in English & History I took an MA in Victorian Studies, followed by a PGCE in English. While working as a post-16 teacher, and then as a lecturer in ITE I gained a MA Education and a Doctorate in Education.

I have previously worked at the Universities of Derby and Northampton, and at University College Falmouth. I began my HE career in the Oxford region of the Open University, and before that taught and managed post-16 in Milton Keynes, Essex and Oxford.

I have supervised and examined a number of doctorates in Education, I have been External Examiner at a number of universities, and am currently a review coordinator for the QAA.

I am an active researcher. I have supervised nine doctorates to successful completion and I am currently supervising four doctorates in professional and academic development. I have gained funding for research projects in: "Part-time higher education in the UK" (HEA); "Employability and WBL in art, design and media" (ADM subject centre); “The Coordinator role in ITE” (TDA); "Bilingualism and Initial Teacher Education" (TTA); "Web portal for progression from foundation degrees in ADM" (NALN), and internal scholarship funding for projects on the assessment of reflection, and the language of assessment on Access modules.

I have published Developing Effective 16-19 Teaching Skills and co-edited Leading Professional Development in Education (both Routledge) and many journal articles, including those in: International Journal of Academic Development, Innovations in Education and Teaching International, The Curriculum Journal; Journal of Education for Teaching; Teacher Development; Research Papers in Education; Open Learning; Mentoring and Tutoring. I have externally examined at the universities of Winchester, Northampton, Canterbury Christchurch, Oxford Brookes and Newport.

I was the founding editor of the open access international journal Enhancing the Learner Experience in Higher Education, am on the Advisory Board of Journal for Further and Higher Education and Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning and regularly review for others. I am a Review Coordinator for the Quality Assurance Agency and am an experienced chair of internal panels.

Experience

  • –present
    Director, Access and Open, The Open University

Education

  • 2001 
    Open University, EdD