Edinburgh University Students' Association Teaching Awards - Centre for Open Learning Nominations

In the IFP programme, it is most necessary to feel welcomed.  Dr Drummound not only made us feel comfortable in this foreign environment, but she also took our opinions very seriously even though we were all beginners in Philosophy.

Today was our last class, she said ‘I wish you all the best. No, not the best. You deserve more than that'. (she even brought us boxes of Scottish chocolate as it is our last day.)

In the beginning of the course, there were some personalities I thought to myself are the quiet ones that I’ll rarely know what they think. With each day I noticed Drummond's patience to make time for each and every one of us in class. Today, quiet students became interactive students!

She has not only done her job in teaching the course material sufficiently. She brought confidence and strength to our personalities to continue our academic journey with our chins up. 

Martha copes exceptionally well with a class composed of mixed backgrounds, abilities, and first-languages. She has endless amounts of patience and never makes one feel bad about having to have something explained for the 10th (or more) time.

The class content is varied, relevant, up to date and interesting and the homework useful. She is patient and capable of finding many different ways of explaining things. I enjoy her class immensely!

Philip is a teacher extraordinaire with exceptional teaching methods and approaches for the class. Philip's class did not only build my general academic English writing and presentation skills but also, Critical reasoning which had been the watchword of the class.

Philip is super "ORGANIZED" and I never had to check the time for the end of the long English class because it is always interesting and engaging, most importantly, he ensures that everyone in the class leaves with a clear purpose of the topic for the day, hence, It is personally a life lesson for me as I clearly understand every topic.

I truly don't empathize with a teacher at the end of a course, however, after two terms in Philips class and he gave his last speech at the end of the last official class, there was a change of atmosphere in the class, I noticed that I am not the only one with a teary eyes because Philip's style of teaching is the best I have ever seen and I wish he would be my tutor for all other courses as he is just amazing.

Philip is also commendable for working with students mid-term feedback as we review all feedbacks in class and he further asks for suggestions to make the class experience better, therefore, his classes went from best to BEST.

Kindly share this testimony with Philip in a mail as I am forever grateful for such a wonderful learning experience of Foundation English for Academic Purposes (FEAP).

Anthea Coleman-Chan

James always replies to my e-mails and gives feedback really quickly, even on weekends at times!  He absolutely knows what he's talking about and his advice always comes from a place of experience and know-how (and is often coupled with his excellent sense of humour).  If I'm ever worried about anything with my studies, I can easily get in touch with James and he's very encouraging in his guidance.

James is clearly invested in his students.  For example, in my case, he has reached out and told me about events and activities that relate to my personal interests and future areas of study - that's not something he had to do but it's clear that he saw these things and thought "that will be good for so-and-so".

His support is a big part of the reason I chose to stay on the course. It would have been so easy for me to give up and I believe that is probably the route I would have taken if I had not received the support that I was given. I have since been offered a place to study psychology at degree level which even a year ago I would not have ever imagined happening. 

I can't thank James enough for the advice he gave me in regards to my studies and the power over my future it has provided me. I now know I can achieve my goals and work towards my dream career.

I am nominating Dr John Gordon as my personal tutor because he has gone above and beyond. I mean that. John has always talked to me as if I had as much right as anyone else who was willing to work hard, to go on to undergraduate study. That may not sound like a huge deal, but I can tell you that as a 46-year-old dyslexic woman who left high school education feeling small and embarrassed, it is. The Access Course at COL had been very supportive and prepared me well for my UCAS application. What it couldn't have prepared me for, however, was the cancellation of my chosen degree course, due to major restructuring. John had the grim job of informing me of this news. Let's just say I didn't take it very well. Having committed so much time and energy to the course, alongside work and family life, it felt like it was all going to the dogs. I took a few days to get accustomed to the news. In the meantime, John made himself available to meet or chat via phone (and it should be noted we were into the Christmas holidays by this point...).

The thing that really helped, which to me was over and above, was that he was on my side...he completely had my back and I didn't feel alone with the problem. I felt that I could be frank about my disappointment and it totally landed with him. He helped with who to contact, what to say, and importantly, not to quit. I was reassured that it was worth hanging tough. He was right. I spoke to a lovely person at Admissions and chose another course. I adapted my personal statement (again!) and John looked it over (again!) and we sent it off. I have no idea if I will receive an offer of a place at the University of Edinburgh, but I can tell you something - if I do, it will be with the gracious help from Dr John Gordon.

Brian McGrail 

As a lecturer of Social Sciences on the Access Programme at the Centre for Open Learning, Brian is one of the most approachable, encouraging and engaging teachers I’ve had the pleasure of knowing as a mature student at The University of Edinburgh. Not only is Brian’s knowledge and expertise unparalleled, his method of teaching across a vast area of interesting subject matter is always absorbing.

We never leave one of Brian’s classes without him having made us laugh at least once, so his uplifting attitude is always appreciated, no matter the serious topic of the day. All of this positivity translates directly through Brian’s assessment feedback: his ability to give concise, constructive criticism whilst also building our confidence is really something to be admired. A brilliant teacher and one who should be celebrated.

Deirdre Macleod

I think it is a testament to Deirdre’s teaching style the number of students from her term one class who opted to continue and do her term two class. I know I won’t be the only one also signing up for her term three class as well! In both classes I’ve taken with her she has managed to make everyone feel like they’ve learned, they’ve improved, they’ve understood, and they are supported. In such a critique-heavy field it’s hard to know if you are going down the right path or to quieten that anxiety about your work, I’ve been in classes before where my work was fine, but I couldn’t stop questioning myself and I didn’t feel comfortable enough to ask for help.

The class is very collaborative and supportive, and I think that’s down to how caring and supportive Deirdre is to each one of us. I’ve been able to create things I would NEVER have thought of before and touch on something that was very meaningful to me personally in a constructive and successful way. In each class, everyone’s work is so, so different which I think shows that the feedback we get in each class, never mind the formative assessment feedback which, is considered and personal. It never feels like a chore for her and you’re not led in one particular direction where everyone ends up at the same point without having to think for themselves too much. It’s inspiring and I really don’t want the term to end!

Phil Hermina

The feedback provided by the tutor is always very informative, greatly detailed, and provides suggestions for future improvement which are not only general but also specific ones personal to my own work in the specific areas which I need to improve. The tutor is aware of the students' own skills and interests and draws upon them in the students' work; highlighting that they have implemented them in great use, or recommends using such skills. In addition to this highly effective and detailed feedback, the tutor will then sit with each student one-to-one and take them through the main points of the feedback, what went excellent, what they should focus on in their next assignment and provides the how.

The tutor also leaves a chance for the student to express themselves on what they personally think went well and what they think they should work on, what they are worried about and the tutor would then advise further. The language used by the tutor is very supportive and constructive.

As a student on the first year of the new Access programme at the Centre for Open Learning, for which James is course Director, it has been very rewarding to provide feedback and have it acknowledged right away.

James has helped implement certain changes based on student feedback as we progress on the course. Not only is this to our benefit, but it is great to think we are contributing to positively shaping the course in some small way for future students.

Reena Sastri is a distinguished tutor in the way she displays the subject, we are international students so each one has a varied background and interests from the other, despite that, she manages to engage us all.

She gives precise and attentive feedback whether it is for future improvement in assignments or for my inquiries about a future coming assignment.

Alison Waite

For her professionalism, dedication and patience with her students. As a non-native English speaker, I might find it quite difficult to choose the best words to describe Alison. She is really amazing, friendly and honest. She gave us all of her best. Even in the hard times such as during the strike, she knew that we didn’t have time so she gave up her right to participate in the strike for us. She has the ability to deal with different students from different cultures.

She also had designed the course to be suitable for our personalities. I have never gotten bored with her class. She encouraged us to speak out about our opinions and express our views without being judged by anyone else. I really appreciate having her as my teacher and the valuable knowledge that we had been given by her.

Brian's enthusiasm, knowledge and a great sense of engagement has made him the perfect candidate for this award. As an adult returning to education it can be a very intimidating and daunting experience and Brian has made it nothing short of brilliant. I have thoroughly enjoyed my journey back into learning and a huge part of this has been due to Brian's incredibly high standard of teaching. He is not only very knowledgeable in a range of different fields, but he is also easy to talk to and makes everyone feel comfortable to ask questions and engage with his class. If I had been taught by a teacher with Brian's motivation when I was in High School, I would have had a completely different outlook on education and academia.

I have applied for an undergraduate degree at the University of Edinburgh and hope to be taught by more teachers of Brian’s calibre. Brian has a great sense of humour and has responded well to class feedback throughout the course. Brian explains complex issues and topics in a way that I find incredibly helpful and manageable. I look forward to his class every week, and I think that says it all!

Esra has been teaching me through various levels of Turkish since 2016. Throughout that time, she has shown great care for her students' learning, both of the Turkish language and culture. Keeping everyone's energy levels up after they've come from a day's work can't be an easy task, but Esra manages it. Her lessons are structured to make sure that everyone is involved, and that there is a variety of styles of task. She gets to know her students, and this helps her to ask relevant questions in Turkish so that we learn meaningful vocabulary, responses etc. The class feels like both a social and a learning environment, and it is a real pleasure to be part of it.

Finally, she must be doing something right, as every time I meet with my wife's family in Turkey now, they tell me how much my language has improved since the last visit!

Considering that this is a broad introductory course to psychology for foundation students, Marketa really did provide a high level of knowledge and a lot of details into the covered topic. The tutor encourages healthy academic challenge amongst students. The tutor is very accurate in using the correct scientific terminology and pays close attention to expressing our thoughts and ideas accurately in a Psychologically-suitable terminology. The tutor provides very interesting information and is very well-knowledgeable. Marketa was always willing to stay later after class and chat with students about a wide range of psychology topics and share her knowledge, but also listens to her students, in addition to recommending further sources and suggestions on enhancing our knowledge. Also, she provided great real-life implications during the course but also in the advice she gives us as students are always linked to what we studied in psychology (implications of psychology in the real world).

Marketa was very supportive in teaching the student techniques on how to write an excellent academic essay. Also, she provided great practising opportunities through homework, and the feedback was always very detailed and constructive. She acknowledges the strengths and highlights the areas of improvement supported by suggestions for how to improve it and take it to the next level. There is always room for improvement and the tutor demonstrated belief in the student's abilities.

I have been taking evening classes in Scottish Gaelic for two and a half years at the Centre for Open Studies.

Rona is a great tutor; she is clearly very passionate about the language and clearly enjoys and values teaching new learners. The passion she has for the topic has made it an easy decision to return each term and more than justifies the cost of the course.

She is always keen to contextualise and explain the language by providing the historical and cultural context of the language which makes learning easier and more interesting. It provides students with a fuller understanding of the language beyond simply understanding the grammar and knowing the vocabulary. I feel like I have a greater understanding not only of the language itself but the role it has played in Scottish society through her teaching. To provide an example, Rona will often explain the anomalies of the language in the context of its development from the Irish language. Many irregularities have their roots in Irish and providing short explanations of this helps memorisation as well as making the course more interesting. The Gaelic language also has a strong musical tradition, Rona has been able to highlight this and incorporate it into the course but has done so in a way that does not alienate people who do not have a particular interest or knowledge of traditional music (such as myself). However, this can help open the language up beyond just what is contained in the textbook.

Rona also provides detail of dialectical differences in Gaelic. While the course teaches standard Gaelic, having this context makes the course much more useful as a living language which is the stated aim of the course. Rona is able to convey complex aspects of the language in simple terms which are accessible to learners who may not be familiar with formal linguistic or grammatical terms. She also manages to keep the class engaged despite the students coming from a wide variety of abilities and backgrounds. Terms such as ‘the habitual tense’ often aren’t meaningful to people who have never studied languages before. Rona introduces these terms and concepts with clear, practical examples instead of assuming prior knowledge but avoids being patronising in doing so. There are regular opportunities to provide feedback during the course and Rona has always responded to this which has improved the course as time goes on. It is clear that she makes an effort to give the best possible learning experiences. Rona has regularly gone above and beyond what is required and is always keen to help her students wherever possible. She has helped her students engage with the Gaelic speaking community in Edinburgh if they are interested in doing so. This has allowed us to practice and develop our language skills in a way that compliments what we are taught on the course. Rona has arranged nights out for our class to meet other Gaelic learners which not only helps our learning but also builds a sense of community. This really encourages students to keep learning and progressing from term to term. I think Rona would be a very deserving candidate for the teaching award as she has her passion for the Gaelic language has been passed on to her students through her hard work and keenness not only to teach the language in a clinical way but also to engage her student's interests in the language in a meaningful way.

This course ran for the first time in autumn 2018. Sharon is Head of Creative Learning with the Lyceum Theatre and she has extensive experience in theatre and arts education.  The course introduced students to all aspects of behind-the-scenes work in theatre including set and costume design, stage management, directing, programming, production and marketing. 

Teaching methods include lectures, group discussions, guest speakers, tours of relevant theatre depts, Q and A sessions.

A course such as this condenses so much into a 9-week framework (week 10 involving assessment) that it requires a tutor with a tremendous knowledge base and excellent communication skills to make it accessible, comprehensible, and engaging to the wide variety of community students who study with the COL.  Sharon has these qualities in abundance and presented a first-class educational course.

In terms of credit assignments, Sharon introduced a new format of assessment for COL courses such as this.  The assessment submission involved the compilation of a portfolio, which could comprise any or all of mood boards/realia, electronic PDF books, Pebble and/or Powerpoint submissions.  The assessment also included either a face-to-face oral presentation with the assessors or a written appraisal of the process involved in completing the assignment.  This flexible format for assessment makes the process much more accessible and engaging for students of varying backgrounds and capabilities. It is also commendable for aligning with and helping advance, the University’s Accessible and Inclusive Learning Policy.

As a pilot course, this succeeded on every level. The driving force behind this success was Sharon’s flair and imagination as a communicator and educator, her wide-ranging expertise in theatre and arts management, plus her approachability with all students.

I strongly feel that Sharon May’s achievements in organising and delivering this excellent course should be recognised, and I hope you will consider her for a Teaching Award this year.

Being an international student who has never lived away from home, I initially found the transition hard. However, having Anya as the senior tutor who has taken upon so many responsibilities on the International Foundation Program made dealing with everything so much easier. Not only does she offer helpful and effective advice on both academics and social life, but she is also always there when a student needs her. She always points us in the right direction and literally walks helps through the journey we are taking.

Counting on her for support has become so easy, and seeing her not just as a member of staff, but as someone there to ensure you get into university has become inevitable. Her dedication to both her job and students is remarkable. I honestly do not know whether we could have survived this first year without her support.

As a lecturer of Humanities on the Access Programme at the Centre for Open Learning, John’s knowledge and expertise are to be commended. His teaching covers a vast array of interesting and engrossing subjects. Through John’s Humanities course, I have discovered a love for ancient history, gotten over my fear of philosophy, and cemented my passion for literature and poetry.

His tutorials are engaging and well structured, while his assignments are both challenging and thought-provoking. John’s Humanities course has given me the opportunity to develop skills in new areas, as well as improve my academic reading and writing, creating a solid starting point for my journey into third-level undergraduate study. For that, I will be eternally grateful.

In the IFP we have the opportunity to choose among a range of courses; I had the chance to be taught by what I consider to be a very passionate teacher: Pasquale. My future degree does not have anything to do with Film Studies, nonetheless, I enjoyed every class I had in the term. It was not only because every time I entered that class I learned something different and new, but because I caught myself several times being excited about sharing an idea, opinion or a film.

The best thing was discussing in class our favourite movies, actors, actresses, directors; and realizing how those conversations could bring me closer to a person, because either we shared something in common, or we learned something from the other. At the end of the term, I (everyone) had a new film list; the difference: when watching those films we would be seeing them from a completely different perspective. I thought I would never say this but...analyzing is fun!!! Pasquale planned the course, the lectures, and the films for each week, in an excellent way. It gave us the opportunity to analyze, comment and learned a lot of aspects from a film in a short period of time. Another reason why I consider Beginning Film Studies to be an amazing course, is because Pasquale made sure to have a wide range of film selection: from all nationalities, women, men, from Mexico, to China, to Iran, from the past to the present, from English, to German...everybody could fit in that class, because each of us was represented in some way, or that is how I felt. Pasquale was always willing to discuss our comments and ideas, even when we were not experts on Film Studies, and regardless of our opinions being based on our experiences. 

After this course, everything summed up in: Watching a film can be just watching the film, or, watching a film can mean submerging yourself in the process of watching a film. Pasquale taught us with passion, you can tell he loves his subject.

A great course for lovers of Italian cinema and those unfamiliar with the genre. Pasquale's knowledge of is extensive and he shares this with his students willingly and enthusiastically, encouraging good feedback and debate.

The format of the course is ideal, with a comprehensive introduction to the film, the director and the genre followed by the film itself and finally with group discussion. The selection of films is wide and varied, with something for every taste. A real eye-opener of a course which encourages a wider pursuit of the subject.