Professional biography
After completing my PhD in chemistry at the University of Bristol, I undertook postdoctoral research in synthetic organic chemistry at the University of Manchester.
I then spent many years teaching science and in particular chemistry to part-time students in the further and higher education sector in the North West. During that time I developed an interest in computer-based learning within science.
In 2002 I joined the Open University as a staff tutor, and a member of the Science Online team, a project to spread best practice in online/on-screen learning within science teaching at the Open University.
I am the qualification director for the BA/ BSc Open Honours, and a member of a team of academics and others that support students on the Open Programme.
Research interests
My professional research interests are focused on how students learn from on-screen teaching materials. Recently I've had a particular focus on the way that students take notes when learning from on-screen materials: what's effective and what's not! A brief description is given here: http://www.open.ac.uk/about/teaching-and-learning/esteem/projects/themes/onlineonscreen-stem-practice/evaluation-onscreen-notetaking-tools.
I also have a personal research interest investigating the links between folk song and Music Hall - you can find out more at http://folksongandmusichall.com/
Teaching interests
Modules I have played a major role in producing include:
- U316 The Environmental Web
- S250 Science in Context
- S104 Exploring Science
- S155 Scientific Investigations
- S176 Living without Oil
- S215 Chemistry Essential Concepts
- S201 Science and Society