Category: Lecturer

A shrub garden bounded by logs.

Taking to the woods for Forest School Level 1

Lee Fallin Leave a comment

I had the great pleasure of undertaking my level 1 Forest School training last week. It’s something I’ve had on my wish list for some time, and I finally carved out a day to commit to this. Forest School aims to deliver a long-term, learner-centred experience that supports exploration and scaffolded risk taking in a natural outdoor wooded area. In undertaking the training, I aim to be able to deliver such sessions in the future – but that is something a few levels away yet!

The training was delivered by Dr Jo Traunter and Kerrie Lee, both colleagues in the School of Education at the University of Hull. The training itself was also hosted in the beautiful grounds of Thwaite Hall Botanic Gardens in Cottingham. Forest School training at the University is currently only available to staff/students – so a good reason to study at Hull ????

So what did we get up to at Forest School?

I had no idea the Thwaite Hall Botanic Gardens has a fully-equipped classroom. It was a brilliant setting, and we were introduced to the concept of Forest School and where it originated. The ethos of ‘everyone helps’ hit straight at the start, as everyone helped to set up desks, boil kettles and sort out the chairs. The session was brief – giving us chance to get outside and cover the essentials of level 1. Forest School is based on six principles: long term, nature, community, risk, hollistic learning and leadership. More can be found out on the Forest School Association website.

Site safety walk

We started by walking the site, highlighting any potential dangers and identifying the boundaries. As Forest School aims to give learners freedom (and bounded risks), the ability for them to navigate freely is important – within the identified boundaries.

We also played some games to help ensure no-one gets lost. Everyone was given a number, and as a register, we’d each shout our numbers in turn. The Leaders were 1 and 15, ensuring they started and ended the roll call. This was a much quicker way of ensuring everyone stayed together. We also played the 1-2-3 where are you hide and seek safety game.

A grass field with some trees - identifying the boundaries of the Forest School.

With all the safety covered, we were able to work together to carry all the tools and other required items into the outdoor area for the Forest School session.

Den building

Yes! We got to build outdoor shelters. We were given access to some tarpaulin, pegs, strings and scissors. Other than that, we had our creativity and whatever materials we could find. One of the rules of Forest School is to leave no mark, so we were not to pull down any branches or damage the natural environment. An important part of the end of the day was also to disband the shelters! Building the shelter was a brilliant team-based activity, and we really got into it! I mean… I would have happily done this all day.

A shelter based between three tree trunks
Me - holding a stick we used to pass the string/rope around the tree
The shelter was also protected by canopy.

Lighting a fire

Before starting with the fire, there was lots of focus on how to keep safe. A rope was used to set boundaries, ensuring no one gets near to the fire – a useful reminder for when working with children (and also in the ethos of safe and managed risks!).

I’ve never used flint and steel before, so was absolutely thrilled at the opportunity to give this a go! We all were given a bull dog clip to bury in the ground, and a cotton wool ball to hold with it. We were able to practice setting the cotton wool ball on fire, before throwing the whole thing into the fire pit. As the fire began to take, we all gathered dry wood to build it up. Once fully blazing, we then had marshmallows and crumpets to toast. DELICIOUS! (Also a big thanks to Kerrie and Jo for bringing along gluten-free snacks too, which helped me feel super included!).

A toasted marshmallow. Very much in the spirit of Forest School.

Tool talks

As part of Forest School level 1, we had to learn the use of at least three tools. The key message on the use of tools was focused around safe usage! We learned to use knives to whittle and shears and saws to cut. When utilising any tool, we stool in a plastic hoop to indicate the safety zone. This is a useful way to help children keep a safe distance from each other. Part of the fun here was to state we are ‘Activating the Blood Zone’ – a useful phrase to help kids remember. For each tool, we had to wear a safety glove, wear a high-vis vest and stand in the hoop. This all helped to focus on safety first.

Doing all this felt a little silly for an all-adult group. But it wasn’t. It was a good reminder of how to keep safety to the fore, allowing young people to experiment as part of their Forest School experience, but to do so safely.

Identifying foliage

An ongoing part of our day was to identify different plants and trees. While this session was run in Spring, there was more leaf litter than leaves of the trees so we used Autumnal identification sheets. It was actually harder than I expected, but at this point in the season the leaves were pretty degraded. I also had some fun experiment with AI identification – but that felt a little out of the spirit of Forest School.

Leaf litter and shrubs
A leaf on the floor
A leaf on a Forest School identification sheet
A brown leaf on a notice board
A green leaf on a Forest School identification sheet.

Heading back to the city

As a group, we had an absolutely amazing day in the Forest School. However, sadly, the day had to come an end. In the spirit of Forest School, we worked to clear up all our mess, take down our shelters and ensure we left no trace – just footprints. I really can’t wait to start level 2 – though have to wait for a new season (as it has to be in a different season to level 1).

Growth

My First 6 Months as a Lecturer: A Journey of Growth and Connection

Lee Fallin Leave a comment

As I look back on my first trimester as a Lecturer in Education Studies, I am filled with a deep sense of gratitude. After working for a decade in Higher Education in various capacities, transitioning to an academic role has been a refreshing and rewarding experience. In this blog post, I would like to share my reflections on the first six months of my journey as a lecturer. I’ll delve into my interactions with students, my growth as an educator, and my anticipation for the future. This long overdue post continues the blog series I’ve written reflecting on my new career.

While I am not new to the University or education, in moving from Learning Development to Education Studies, I am joining a new community of practice (Wenger, 1998). I still feel I have a lot to learn in this broader field, and I have supplemented my academic memberships to include the British Educational Research Association. I’m also renewing my efforts to get involved with the Society for Research into Higher Education, as well as retaining my scholarship of learning development via ALDinHE.

The student community

One of the most significant highlights of my teaching experience has been the connection with my students. I’ve commented on this multiple times before, but their enthusiasm, curiosity, and dedication have been genuinely inspiring, and it represents something I didn’t get as a Learning Developer – at least not in a sustained way. As a lecturer, I have thoroughly enjoyed witnessing my students’ creativity, especially during workshops and from marking written assessments. Reading their reflections has not only allowed me to observe their growth but, thanks to the international nature of my students, it has also provided me with valuable insights into other places on the planet. As I further integrate into the School of Education, my interactions with students have fostered my understanding of their needs, which I can now better address in the planning and delivery of my teaching. This is refreshing also – as I speak to a consistent audience, education. No need to wear multiple hats as a Learning Developer.

Supervision

Personal and research supervision have been very new aspects of my role. While I encountered pastoral issues in Learning Development, it was not part of the remit and so I would always refer the student to student support services and personal supervisors. As a Learning Developer, I actively supported research but never had the deciding role. As a Learning Developer, I would muse on ethical issues with students; I am now signing off applications as an academic. This was the kind of challenge I needed. Teaching has been a staple of my career as a Learning Developer, but there are new things to learn and do as a supervisor.

I have found personal supervision to be a surprisingly fulfilling aspect of my new role. Engaging in one-on-one discussions with my students has allowed me to establish a deeper connection with them and provide targeted guidance tailored to their individual needs (Knowles et al., 2014). Personal supervision sessions have led to many meaningful conversations, enabling me to better understand the challenges and aspirations of each student.

Research supervision has been really rewarding with my undergraduates. Although I am only supervising three students, it’s been a great way to start before heading towards PGT supervision later this month. I am genuinely looking forward to supervising master’s research projects. Though I know it will be hard work, I am excited to see the innovative and ground-breaking research our students will produce. These projects allow students to delve deep into a topic of their choice, and I am honoured to guide them through this process. I plan to attend a training session with the Teaching Excellence Academy to help develop my supervision practice. I’m also looking forward to further experimenting with OneNote as a means to manage supervision.

Internationalisation of my practice

Working with international students has been an enriching and eye-opening aspect of my new position. I have gained a wealth of knowledge from their diverse perspectives and experiences, particularly concerning the different educational systems they have been exposed to. This has broadened my understanding of global educational practices and has given me the tools to incorporate these insights into my own teaching approach. As a result, I am now better equipped to support and guide students from various cultural backgrounds, enhancing the inclusivity of my teaching methods. This is, however, a long journey – and something I expect to vary as international students vary and we attract from different regions over time.

Curriculum

The opportunity to develop and shape the content of brand-new modules has been invigorating. Working on the third-year dissertation and research module has been great as nothing is written, giving freedom to develop something brand new. I’ve really been able to contribute to the support of literature-based dissertations and can’t wait to develop this further. Being able to draw upon my expertise and experience, I have been able to design courses that are relevant, engaging, and catered to the needs of my students. This process has been challenging and gratifying, pushing me to continuously expand my knowledge and skills. As I look forward to the year ahead, I am particularly excited to support the curriculum design process for the new master’s program. I am eager to contribute my insights and ideas to this innovative program, which promises to provide students with a comprehensive and cutting-edge education.

I have enjoyed researching contemporary topics and incorporating them into the curriculum, ensuring that our students receive an education that prepares them for the ever-evolving world of education studies. My numerous posts on Artificial Intelligence and education are good examples of such learning and experimentation. This emerging technology presents countless possibilities for enhancing teaching and learning, from adaptive learning systems to AI-driven assessment tools. I am eager to integrate it into my practice further and observe how it transforms the educational landscape.

Final thoughts

In conclusion, my first trimester as a lecturer in Education Studies has been an incredible journey marked by growth, connection, and discovery. I am thankful for the relationships I have formed with my students and new colleagues, the personal growth I have experienced, and the opportunities that lie ahead. My increased understanding of global educational practices, the incorporation of my AI into my understanding of future learning environments, and the development of new curricula have all contributed to my growth as an educator.

As I move forward in my career, I am eager to continue expanding my horizons and making a lasting impact on the field of education. By staying current with the latest research and trends, engaging in meaningful collaborations, and fostering a genuine connection with my students, I hope to create a learning environment that empowers and inspires future educators and scholars.

Through my experiences thus far, I have developed a newfound appreciation for the immense responsibility and privilege of being a lecturer. As I continue to grow and evolve in this role, I am committed to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, fostering a spirit of curiosity and passion in my students, and contributing to advancing the field of education studies. With anticipation and determination, I look forward to the many opportunities and challenges in my journey as an educator.

Reference List:

Knowles, M. S., Holton III, E. F., & Swanson, R. A. (2014) The adult learner: The definitive classic in adult education and human resource development. Routledge.

Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge University Press.

Cup of tea

Cup of TEA podcast: My doctoral research & transition to academia

Lee Fallin Leave a comment

I’m delighted to be this week’s guest on Cup of TEA – the Teaching Excellence Academy’s official podcast, exploring learning, teaching and assessment at the University of Hull.

Season 1 – Episode 3: Lee Fallin

This week we’re speaking to Lee Fallin from the School of Education. We talked about a range of topics including his research on learning spaces and also his recent transition from professional services to academia. Lee is really passionate about education and learning development and we think this comes across brilliantly in this really interesting chat. Lee has also kindly provided a list of related links to topics we discuss which can be found below.

Listen to the episode below:

Core links for the podcast episode:

Background links about the posdcast guest:

Have a Cup of TEA

My contribution aside, I highly recommend you check out the Cup of TEA podcast and bookmark it in your favourite app. In week 1, my colleague Kelly Dockerty and student Jess Gleisinger discussed PBL and authentic experiences, with week 2 showcasing Liz Wells and her transition from clinical practice to academia. Both are a great listen!

The start of my academic career – one month in!

Lee Fallin Leave a comment

It’s now over a month since I left my ‘thirdspace‘ role working as a Learning Developer for the Brynmor Jones Library at the University of Hull to start my academic career. Being a Learning Developer, however, was a job I loved in a profession I adored. I had amazing colleagues, and we were so close we were like a family. I am happy to admit it was hard to walk away from all of that, but now that I am a month in, I am convinced it has been a great move.

The lead-in to my academic career in education

There was a time I would have thought I’d end up in a geography department. Yet – I’ve come to realise the School of Education has fit like a glove. I’ve done a Doctorate in Education; worked as a Learning Developer; worked as an Education, Research and Policy Co-ordinator; volunteered as a school governor, am currently the chair of governors at two schools; adopted three children with my husband, and am a trustee of a local community charity. How could I not see education as where I was meant to be?

More than anything, I am so thankful for working on a recent visit day with a local college. Speaking to those prospective students affirmed to me that I was in the right place and had the right experience to share. Everything I have worked towards led me down this career trajectory. Funnily enough, it was one of my new colleagues made this connection for me. I am, indeed, in the right place!

Teaching as an academic

The teaching has been everything I could have hoped. The master’s content is mostly pre-defined, and we’re delivering set content. This is great, as it ensures students get consistent provision, but our workshops provide enough flexibility to ensure we leave a mark and adapt to our students’ needs. The dissertation module has also been restructured, and it has given me some opportunities to get involved. I’ve covered some lectures for a colleague and have helped to develop the sessions around literature reviews. Alongside the level 7 content, I’ve been fortunate to be part of one of the new level 6 modules. As it is new, nothing is written – and it gives real freedom to write and teach content in the direction we like.

I’m yet to miss the materials I’ve previously delivered for the Skills Team – but given the modules I’m focused on, it’s been very similar content to what I’ve done before. I’ve also been able to retain support for the Postgraduate Training Scheme (PGTS), and I am still teaching on Modern Researcher 2. It’s been nice to keep something a little familiar and be able to continue this small piece.

One of the prime differences to this context of teaching from the Skills Team is that I am part of the team setting/marking the assessment. As such, when I give students assessment advice, I can do so in confidence – knowing it will link to the expectations of the course team.

I’m still awaiting my module allocations for trimester 2, and I look forward to seeing what that will bring. All in good time…

Students

Although students are at the heart of everything we do and permeate academic practice, it feels wrong not to draw specific attention to this. I’m really beginning to get to know some of the students, what motivates them and what their research interests are. As I’ve mentioned, we have a very international cohort, which has provided me with excellent opportunities to learn more about different educational systems. I’m so impressed with the passion and drive these students have, and I can’t wait to see what they do.

There is also some level of nerves. What will those mid-module reviews reveal? How will the summative module evaluation questionnaires reveal? At assessment – how will the students do? There are only some small nerves here, but I think this is important. It helps me keep student interest at the forefront of my mind.

Scholarly practice

Ironically, even though I have ‘left’ Learning Development, I’ve had more time for Learning Development scholarship this last few weeks than I have done in years. Don’t get me wrong – I’ve not got time to burn, but I have some scholarship time in my workload. That’s never happened explicitly before. I’ve been able to get a funding bid in with some colleagues, write a short journal article (brief communication) and serve as a guest editor of JLDHE, taking four articles through to completion. There is much more on the cards, and I have a book chapter to write for January, which I am looking forward to! Right now, however, my focus has to be the PCAP – and finishing my research project which focuses on analysing the Compendium of Innovative Practice: Learning Development in a Time of Disruption. More on that another time ?

All this scholarship fits in so well with my new role – and I look forward to seeing how it can impact student learning in my modules and programmes. I’ve also joined JLDHE as a permanent editor, and as I teach on the level 6 and level 7 research and dissertation modules, it’s a great fit with my teaching practice too. I’m learning a lot more about research and peer review as every week goes by – and great learning to pass on to my students.

Key reflections on my academic journey so far

The Wilberforce Building - the home of two academic departments including the School of Education -- and my office!
The Wilberforce Building – My new on-campus home!

As I have reflected upon over several of my previous blogs, this role is giving me the thing I wanted more than anything – the ability to scaffold learning and develop meaningful relationships with students. I’m now in my seventh week of teaching, which means I’ve seen some of my students for over 14 hours of contact time. We’ve got to know each other, connect and work on contemporary educational debates. I can’t wait to see what they focus on in their assessments. Marking and feedback will also be something I enjoy – yet another part of the academic cycle I’ve long been excluded from in my previous role.

Dr Lee Fallin holding a spider plant.
New plant for the office!

So far, I’ve blogged about:

  • One of my early reflections focused on teaching my first workshops. I focused on those initial connections with students, and the joy of my allocated modules.
  • Next up, I was able to think about some of the contractual changes and broader opportunities/responsibilities associated with my first (official) week as a lecturer.
  • For week 2, I focused on re-engaging with assessment & feedback. I was intentional in calling this ‘re-engagement’ as I have done assessment and feedback before – it has just been some time!
  • Finally, my last post drew attention to Personal Supervision and to what extent it was new or not.

As you can tell from the introduction, this was a huge move for me. Leaving a workplace and career after ten years was a risk, but it is something that is paying off very well.

Building blocks

The journey into Personal Supervision (week 3)

Lee Fallin Leave a comment

Personal supervision is inherently… personal. This makes it hard to reflect on, but I do want to use his week’s blog as an opportunity to think about it in the context of leaving the thirdspace. At first, personal supervision felt like something inherently distinct to academic roles – but the more I’ve reflected upon it, I don’t think it is.

In the context of my previous Learning Development role, there was no personal supervision of students – or similar responsibility. But that is not the case for other thirdspace professionals. I’ve even seen some non-academic (thirdspace) roles dedicated to supervision, although this may not be typical. Student Success roles often fall into this space. Another such example was even Learning Development-based, centred on a single discipline where the Learning Developer supported academic skills development and supervision for all first years. The more I think about it, there may be more exceptions to the rule – especially for some institutions that have wholesale moved supervision away from academic workload and towards professional services.

Diverse approaches to personal supervision

It is also important to acknowledge that the specific duties of personal supervisors might be split in different ways across different institutions. This can change in time too – and Hull even trialled an academic-focused approach to supervision before moving back to a more holistic personal supervision model. Looking at any given responsibility for personal supervisors, there is almost always overlap with the thirdspace. Often, most pastoral issues are usually better supported in the thirdspace. This can even apply to academic-related issues where Learning Developers, Librarians and other professionals may be best placed to support. Yet – while supervision-related duties may fall into the thirdspace at times, I do think there may be something different about that academic-based personal supervision.

I’ve reflected on the last few weeks, and I think there is something special about the academic-based approach to personal supervision. Academics might not be best placed to know everything about the support services available to students, but they are very in tune with the requirements of the course. They should have a feeling for the rigours of the course, based not just on personal experience, but on reflective practice from former course runs. There is also that shared passion for the discipline (hopefully) and an awareness of career options.

Learning Development and personal supervision

Personal supervision stands out as a very different duty from my work in the thirdspace as a Learning Developer. In my old role, I would support different students, disciplines and levels of study. As with my lectures and workshops, as a personal supervisor, I see the same students regularly. This is a sharp contrast to the whole university support focus of my previous role. Don’t get me wrong – I loved that variety at the time. But after a decade of that, I wanted more. I needed a change.

Supervision is a good metaphor for that change for me. That is because, above all, good supervision should be based on connection. Personal supervision works best when supervisors and supervisees know and trust one another. Supervisees need to feel confident they can discuss issues with their supervisor. For this reason, it helps to build that rapport from early on. You just don’t get the chance to engage like that as a Learning Developer, where you are dropping in when needed – then leaving.

My first few weeks as a supervisor

I’ve really enjoyed meeting my students both individually and as a group. It has been great to get to know their motivations and learn more about them. Given the diversity of my supervisees, there is a fair chance I’ll be the one learning from them! One thing that is very similar to being a Learning Developer is the no-shows – but I also recognise life happens, and those circumstances will happen. We will try to re-arrange, I am sure. I had my first group sessions with my supervisees last week, and I hope to meet all of them individually (that want to) in the coming weeks.

It’s been nice to build those connections – and offer some initial support. It’s very much what I expected it to be – which is great. For me, I always think back to the excellent supervision I received as a Geography undergraduate. I just hope I can live up to that example as I move forwards into this role myself.

Earlier this month I reflected on leaving the thirdspace. This post continues my reflections on the transition to my new job!

Love books - a heard in pages

Re-engaging with assessment and feedback – week 2 reflections

Lee Fallin Leave a comment

One of the defining characteristics of my time as a Learning Developer was that I did not get involved in assessment marking and feedback. There were a handful of exceptions, including some early work for the Business School and our contribution to the Postgraduate Training Scheme. Both of these opportunities were phased out early on in my career, and as such, I’ve not done marking in some time. I know many people who dislike marking – but it was always something I kind of missed. Marking assessments is an essential part of the academic cycle, and the provision of summative feedback helps students to develop moving forwards. I always missed not being part of that. It feels like one of the significant differences between many thirdspace professionals and academics.

While I didn’t do regular assessment marking and feedback, I was certainly up-to-date with the literature and theory in many places. Part of my role as a Learning Developer was helping students to understand their assessments – even if I didn’t set them. I think the vast majority of my appointments were with students focusing on an assessment. It was also a growing area for workshops, with many academics inviting us to run in-curricula sessions on specific assessments. These requests often focused on assessments that step away from essays and reports. I’ve run many sessions on posters, presentations, public communications and more. Yet… I didn’t actually mark the work or provide that summative feedback. That always made me feel like a fraud every time LTHE chat turned to assessment.

Re-engaging with assessment

That brings me back to my reflections on my new job as I finish my second official week as an academic. Assessment and feedback are very much within my remit now. In fact, we’ve just finished the first and second marking for all the postgraduate dissertations from the last year. Given my start date, I only had second marking to do – but it was so nice to get back into assessment. It’s made for quite an inspiring start to the academic year for me, reading about all the fantastic things our outgoing students did in their research over the last year. This has also energised me for the year ahead and the research supervision I will be doing in my own role.

Using assessment and feedback to reflect forwards

I should also note that assessment is exciting from a programme design perspective. The work that students produce gives us opportunities to reflect on how we can continue to improve assessment moving forwards. This could involve different support, new guidance, better clarification or fundamental change to assessment. As one academic year ends, another begins. With postgraduate courses, there is little gap in-between, but we must find the time to reflect on practice. I had the luxury of not being involved in the previous academic year, coming in fresh for 2022-23. Next year I will need to pay close attention to this transition and make sure I pen in time to reflect between the years.

I don’t feel like I can say much more on assessment at this point other than acknowledge that contrast to my previous role. Assessment and feedback are rarely in the remit of thirdspace professionals, and that is something worth unpicking in my reflections over the course of the year.

Reflecting beyond assessment

Before closing, I just wanted to note that other things beyond assessment happened this week as well. I got to deliver my first lecture for the MA programme, covering a lecturer who was away. I also got to see my supervisees for the first time and develop my understanding of personal supervision. Finally, all my weekly workshops took place, and I had the opportunity to get to know my students and their research interests further. More to unpack in a future blog.

Earlier this month I reflected on leaving the thirdspace. This post continues my reflections on the transition to my new job!

My first (official) week as a lecturer

Lee Fallin Leave a comment

A couple of weeks ago, I reflected on delivering my first workshops in my new role as a lecturer. This was, however, technically before my new contract started. Today I can now reflect on my first official week in post as a lecturer.

My first day was technically the 1st of October (the date stated on the contract). While it wasn’t a working day, I actually logged in on the 1st of the month to check my role had switched from ‘Academic and Library Specialist‘ to ‘Lecturer in Education Studies‘. It had. Phew! ?‍? My main reason for doing this was so I could renew my library books which were currently on recall due to the contract change. It was also reassuring to know I’d still get paid at some point too. ?

The system changes were more important than just Library access – they also gave me a route into the systems I’d need as an academic. I could finally see who my personal supervisees were – and access the data I needed to support them. Of course – this is all a strange aspect of my internal move and does not have so much to do with the roles themselves. It also represented the loss of access to the Library’s internal systems. In particular, I will very much miss using LibGuides and LibCal – part of the LibApps suite. These were excellent tools, although not something I will need day-to-day anymore. I’ve also lost access to (and responsibility for) the Library’s social media. Suffice it to say – my Twitter notifications have gone down significantly!

New role, new contact

This contract change to lecturer also represented my final step out of the thirdspace as I am now officially in an academic post. Having worked in the thirdspace for a decade, I know this is a significant change. In an academic role, I now have new opportunities for career development and progression. There are also clearer policies governing things like intellectual property and consultancy, which were always challenging in the thirdspace as there was an assumption no one in professional services would produce content in this scope. A lot of this doesn’t really matter right here and now, but it represents future opportunities. There is also much more freedom and control in the day-to-day work, more reflective of the duties than anything else.

My teaching workload is focused on educational research, and I couldn’t be happier. I am part of the teams working on the level 7 dissertation (60 credits) and research design and implementation (30 credits) modules. I am also supporting the level 6 extended research project module (60 credits). This essentially gives me the dissertation and research methods support at both levels 6 and 7, bringing foucs to my new role. These modules really fit in with my areas of expertise and I can’t wait to see that the students do with their research opportunity.

For me, the level 6 work is exciting as it is a brand new module, so we all have the opportunity to put our mark on it and shape the content. For the level 7 modules, the content is mostly developed so we can focus on delivery instead. This gives me time to prepare more thoroughly, and as we have a diverse and international cohort, I look forward to learning about educational concepts and theories beyond the UK.

In focus: My first week

Focusing on my first week in more detail, it was brilliant to deliver my second workshop for two of the modules I am part of. It was particularly nice to see the same group of students for a second week, something that is a novelty compared to my old role. As a Learning Developer, I would see a revolving door of students from every discipline and level of study. As a lecturer, I am supporting three modules and a number of personal supervisees. I will see the same students over and over again. We can learn names, get to know each other and build a relationship. This will allow us to build connections and trust, enabling higher levels of discussion and debate in workshops. I also hope it will allow honesty and candidness, which are enablers for topics like positionally and ethics. This will develop in time, but we were really able to hit the ground running this week after the groundwork set in the first session. I’ve already spoken with so many passionate students this last week; the whole experience has been totally energising.

With this role, there is also a lot of responsibility. Lecturers play a significant role in the student experience and are often the primary contact students have with the university. Given my module allocation, it is essential to acknowledge that supporting students with their dissertations is a significant undertaking as these assessments tend to have a high weighting. At level 6, the module is worth half of their final year. For level 7 students, the dissertation is the equivalent of one-third of their grade. These modules are essential for student success, and I will be doing everything in my power to make them a fantastic experience for my students.

Another area of responsibility is also personal supervision. As a personal supervisor, I will act as that first port of call for students in need. I have much to learn in this area, but there is also excellent support from the Faculty, so I feel very comfortable in this undertaking. I also have the benefit of my previous years working in the same institution, so I am very familiar with the services available. I’m looking forward to developing my role as a personal supervisor, and it will be great to get to know these students more in weeks to come.

Earlier this month I reflected on leaving the thirdspace. This post continues my reflections on the transition to my new job!

My decade working for the Library in 100 photos

Lee Fallin Leave a comment

Today was my final day working for the Library at the University of Hull (#NewJob). This draws to a close what has been a whole decade of my life. Since starting at the Library, I’ve met the love of my life, and we’ve married and adopted three children. I’ve completed a PG Cert in eLearning, a Doctorate in Education and almost finished my PG Cert in Academic Practice. I have worked with thousands of students, hundreds of colleagues and made friends for life. I’ve had three job titles and worked in three different offices. I’ve gained recognition with Advance HE, Microsoft and ALDinHE. Suffice it to say – I’m leaving as a very different person from when I started.

To mark the decade, I’ve selected 100 photos from my 10 years of work. These mark random little moments on the journey – and an awful lot of them include food. Looking back, it’s been great to see those little moments. It’s also been nice to recall some big milestones in the University’s history – looking back on when the Queen visited to open the Allam Medical Centre or all of the involvement with Hull City of Culture 2017. It’s nice to see some of these memories surface too.

The journey starts with a photograph of my first desk – and ends with the cleared-out space that marks my last desk. Hope you enjoy the 100 photos.

It will be interesting to see what photos I collect over the next decade (and what those roles involve!). Over the years, the volume of photos I have taken has certainly increased! It will be interesting to see if that trend continues. If so – it’s going to be a lot harder to sort the next 10 years out!

Earlier this month I reflected on leaving the thirdspace. This post continues my reflections on the transition to my new job!

Pre-sunset at the end of the day

The magic start date – plus or minus 2 days

Lee Fallin 1 Comment

Earlier this month I reflected on leaving the thirdspace. This post continues my reflections on this transition.

The start date for my new position is technically the 1st of October, in two days’ time. Despite that, I’ve already dipped my toe into the School of Education’s conference, moved office, spent whole days in my new building and attended meetings. This all took place thanks to my internal move, allowing me a smoother transition instead of dropping into the deep end. However, while that magic start date is coming up, it actually felt like the real start was two days ago as this was my first teaching. Hopefully, the +2 or -2 makes sense now ?. It still kind of feels weird blogging about the build-up to a starting point that has already kind of happened (in reality) – but hasn’t (contractually) at the same time.

Earlier this week I blogged ahead of my first teaching sessions. Today I have the benefit of reflecting on this experience.

Workshop time: A day without slides

My first two sessions this week were both workshops. This gave me a full two hours with my L7 workshop group and another two hours with my L6 students. These sessions were entirely activity-based, requiring me to teach through facilitation. There were no slides or detailed plans, just the knowledge in the room: both mine and my students. This felt novel. Refreshing even. It is fair to say, however, that as an outgoing Learning Developer, this shouldn’t be the case… What happened to my Learning Development practice and signature pedagogies?

Massification of Learning Development

A decade ago, when I first started as a Learning Developer, it was all about high-quality, one-to-one appointments and small group-based workshops to facilitate learning. Somewhere over the years, as demand for the service grew and as the resources in our team changed, this support model changed. Appointments were still important, but those small workshops had rapidly turned into lecture-like sessions. While it was never by design, this model kind of crept up on us.

The development of Learning Development

For my old role, the Learning Development workshops were 90 minutes long and delivered in two parts. First, we used to intentionally ‘lecture’ students for 30 minutes, and then our volunteers facilitated activities for the following 60 minutes. This model was based on Peer-Assisted Study Sessions (PASS), and it worked really well. This approach helped us to support large levels of demand and maintain high-quality provision. Statistically speaking, the impact of this on reach was HUGE – but, unfortunately, this model failed when we struggled to recruit volunteers. This needed to be addressed and to maintain the service level and include more students, much of our provision moved online (well before Covid-19).

With the move online, we also recognised that 90-minute online sessions were unattractive – and so reduced the sessions to 60 minutes. In parallel to this, the most significant area of our service rapidly became in-curriculum teaching. With guaranteed reach and high capacity, this model also favoured lectures (all be it interactive). Again, from a reach, supply and demand perspective, this was a no-brainer. However, it also reflects the transition from workshop to lecture. Although this transition in pedagogy was never intentional, it worked – and still remains the best approach to meet demand.

As a Learning Development team, we long desired to bring back interactive workshops or introduce small-group teaching. However, it was a hard sell – even to ourselves. Given the pressure on our time and the demand for the service, it was hard to justify anything that might reduce capacity. I know this is not reflective of all Learning Developers and Learning Development Teams – but I also think it is common. It can be challenging to argue a different path when that can reduce capacity.

What does this all mean for this week..?

Back to this week’s teaching

It might feel like this post went a bit off-topic – but bare with me. As I alluded to above, the exciting thing about these first sessions I delivered as a lecturer is that the workshops were activity-based. Don’t get me wrong – I will also deliver lectures – but the most substantive part of my teaching will involve workshops similar to this. Obviously, this approach is not new to me, but it has been a while. I hadn’t realised how much I missed this approach until this week. It feels like I’ve left the thirdspace only to rediscover one of the signatures of my old practice. It’s been exhilarating to be facilitating once again. Delivering so much content without the structure of slides made this all intellectually stimulating.

Workshops in practice

My first workshop focused on supporting L7 students with understanding research. It was based on three questions, and I intentionally made no detailed plans as we were expecting late arrivals. This means that I had no idea if I would have three people in the room, or 30. The lack of detailed plans allowed me to be flexible with what I delivered, and I rocked up with flipcharts and marker pens as I think they allow a lot of options. After introductions, I asked students to share what they already knew about research and get it all down on flipchart paper. This was to reassure everyone that they had a starting point of pre-existing knowledge, and it also allowed everyone the opportunity to get to know each other. The two hours sped past and were over before we knew it. It felt dynamic, engaging and student centred. It feels like a while since I’ve been able to deliver content like this!

This opportunity continued into the afternoon with my L6 session. We were discussing research philosophy and positionality – which worked perfectly as a dynamic session. Everyone placed themselves on a spectrum of positivism to interpretivism and then mapped their own positionality. The discussion and debate in this session were outstanding, and I got some great feedback from the students. It was freeing to be delivering this type of session again, and I look forward to more of this next week.

Final thoughts

The best thing about both workshops is that I will see the same group of students next week. I mentioned this in my last post, but it remains nice to think that we can build upon what we started this week. I also believe that as we get to know each other more, the co-learning and knowledge construction will no doubt grow. I think this is important for educational research as we bring part of ourselves into research. This means discussing ourselves. Anyone undertaking such research needs to be a reflexive, self-aware and critical practitioner. Talking about ourselves is always easier with people we know.

…and so it begins

Lee Fallin 3 Comments

Tomorrow marks my first day of teaching in my new role as Lecturer in Education Studies, and I’m very much looking forward to meeting the students I’ll be working with over the next academic year. My classes include the research and dissertation modules at both L6 and L7, which form significant milestones at the end of the UG and PGT programmes. Research philosophy and support is one of my significant areas of expertise, having supported hundreds of students across diverse programmes during my time working as a Learning Developer. I couldn’t be happier with this allocation.

What I am looking forward to the most is the opportunity to work with the same group of students beyond a single session. As a Learning Developer, I would see students in personal appointments, centrally-bookable workshops and in-programme lectures across every discipline. While this diversity was always fun – I would see so many people that it was impossible to learn names, see progression or develop those positive learner-staff relationships that build community. As a lecturer, personal supervisor and research supervisor, there will be opportunities for this. I know it won’t all be perfect – not everyone will engage or turn up – but there will be those opportunities! I think this is, perhaps, one of the most significant changes from working as a Learning Developer in the third space to being an academic member of staff. Time will tell if I’m right!

At the L6 induction, it really struck me that these students will be graduating in a year’s time. Over this academic year, I’ll have the opportunity to watch and support them in engaging in some pretty cool research projects. At the end of the year, I’ll get to see them walk across that stage. I want them to feel proud of themselves and what they have achieved. That, too, is something I wouldn’t see in the third space – or at least not in the same way.

I’ll leave this post as a quick one! This is all technically four days before my start date, and the early teaching is part of the benefit of an internal move. It’s also made the move from one role to the other super blurry. I am, however, VERY glad about this. I can’t imagine a hard start next week without any of the meetings, preparation and logistics (read: office move) of the last few weeks. I’m very glad the Library has facilitated this transition so well.