Personal information
Employment overview
My skill-set, work and life experience, and work ethic demonstrate that I am a very capable person able to work efficiently and effectively in a range of disciplines, communicate and interact with a broad range of people in a diverse set of circumstances and add value to projects and tasks I am involved with.
I work well under pressure, easily multi-task, am analytical in nature and have excellent organisational skills. My management and leadership ethos means I tackle projects and day-to-day tasks and organisation with clear aims and objectives, clear timetabling and methodologies, and am able to effectively and efficiently fulfill predetermined objectives and achieve excellent outcomes.
Efficient – Imaginative – Creative - Resourceful
Work experience
My position with the Self Access Centre between June 2011 and January 2016 demostrated my ability to lead and direct a team, and also be the initiator of a number of e-learning, remedial, study skills and language advising programmes, as well as textbook ordering, library and study space planning and organization, and general administration of a busy SAC.
During my time at Nottingham I have been involved in various tri-campus initiatives and commitees, was heavily involved with the implementation of the new VLE Moodle, and have both led and been a member of a number of committees, focus groups and staff and student organisations, as well as leading staff training workshops and short courses for Moodle and various University of Nottingham media and teaching and learning technologies, e.g. Xerte, Workspace and Sharepoint.
Key Skills
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Excellent organizational skills
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Can make effective decisions and take appropriate risks
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Excellent interpersonal communication skills
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Can write and speak persuasively
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Can look at a set of data and draw important insights
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Willingness to learn new skills and approaches
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Able to work to and keep deadlines
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Can mobilize a team to accomplish a meaningful goal
Instructional Designer Experience
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RLO authoring and Moodle site design and implementation
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design of innovative, engaging e-learning activities
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understand key components of effective e-learning courses
Teaching Experience
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English language and study skills improvement and awareness lectures and workshops
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Academic English
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General English (all levels)
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Business English
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teacher training
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Communication Classes
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IELTS Examination Preparation
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Remedial and specific focus classes
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Public seminars and lectures
Moodle
Virtual Learning Environment across the three University of Nottingham campuses.
Key skills and experience
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named as a Moodle “champion” at UNNC
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site designer and developer
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“School Support” troubleshooting and staff training role
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innovative user of Moodle activities and resources
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creative use of HTML to maximise Moodle effectiveness and usability
Xerte Online Toolkits
UoN’s Reusable Learning Object (RLO) authoring platform
Key skills and experience
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innovative creator of projects for student’s English language and study skills improvement and practice, CELE modules
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innovative user of Xerte Bootstrap Template projects
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Competent HTML, Javascript, CSS user and developer
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Xerte toolkits trainer for CELE and other UNNC staff
Business Skills
• Effective relationship building
• Presentating information and ideas
• Decision making
• Employee management, training and supervision
• Business correspondence and communication
• Business etiquette
• Scheduling
• Bookkeeping and budgeting
• Computer literacy
I was first employed at UNNC as an English for Academic Purposes tutor. After a short period teaching the standard Reading and Writing, and Listening and Speaking modules, I was co-opted by the English Studies department to be the module convenor of ELFIS, a pre-departure programme for students completing their studies in the UK. I have also taught on Teacher Training short courses during the summer for primary and middle school teachers.
At the Australian Centre for Education and Training I was both a general English teacher and IELTS examination preparation trainer. I was also involved with teaching on specific skills short courses, for example, hospitality and business English, and with materials creation, and test writing and evaluation.
EFL Teacher ACET, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
2005 - 2009
Born:
Nationality:
Family:
EFL Teacher ILA, HCMC, Vietnam
2004 - 2005
During my year at ILA in Ho Chi Minh City, I taught general English to children, teenagers and adults and also taught several business English courses.
EFL Teacher International House, Jinan, Qingdao and Anshan, China
2001 - 2004
My first teaching experience was in Jinan with IH, and came about as both an excuse to visit China and because of a desire to become a teacher. During the three years I worked for IH, I worked in Jinan and Qingdao at their language schools and was seconded to Anshan to the No.3 Middle School for two six months periods, working as the sole native English speaker at a school of 1500. During this time I taught children, teenagers and adults, general English, business courses and other English for Specific Purposes courses.
CELE EAP Tutor (fractional contract) UNNC
April 2009 - June 2011
New Zealand, October 8, 1961
New Zealander and British
Married to Thuy, father of Dan and Henry
Online Materials Development Coordinator and CELE EAP Tutor University of Nottingham, Ningbo, China (UNNC)
January 2016 - December 2020
As Online Materials Development Coordinator, I have been tasked with designing, creating and implementing Reusable Learning Objects to support teaching and learning within the Centre for English Language Education and other departments at UNNC. I am responsible for the training, supervising and organising of the OMD staff members. Before I commenced in this position, there was no OMD department, and I feel it is testament to my knowledge and skills that this position was created specifically for me.
During 2020 I was a key staff member involved with putting all CELE courses online. This involved the use of Moodle and MS Teams in new ways by staff and students with a range of abilities and experience. I developed training materials, coordinated the introduction of online teaching & learning policy, and developed and managed an innovative online assessment system.
In the first half of 2020, I was a member of the UNNC Online Assessment group charged with setting assessment policy, investigating assessment options and alternatives, and assessing and piloting remote proctoring systems. I am currently a member of the UNNC Digital Strategy group developing a policy and strategy to help introduce online learning in its various forms across UNNC. I am also a member of a CELE group managing the standardization of the use of technology across all EAP and Content modules.
I have spent considerable time and effort learning about design, user interaction (UI), user experience (UX) and what motivates online learners, and endeavour to incorporate these practices into the projects I undertake. I am constantly striving to improve the quality of the materials OMD produces and consequently am now getting considerable recognition from colleagues throughout the university.
I work quickly and efficiently and produce high quality resources that are valued and appreciated by staff and students alike. While mostly using Xerte Online Toolkits and Moodle, I have experience with a wide variety of design, media and other tools for both Windows and Apple computers.
SAC Coordinator and CELE EAP Tutor UNNC
June 2011 - January 2016
2010 - present
2010 - present
Commercial Free Diver Seafresh Australia Pty, Cairns, Australia
2000 - 2001
Company Director, retail Vino Vaso, Kerikeri, New Zealand
1998 - 2000
Earth House Construction Northland and Auckland, New Zealand
1996 - 1999
Various positions in the horticultural production and construction industries Northland, New Zealand; Cardiff, Wales; Boston, USA; Morioka, Japan
1981 - 1996
Education and Qualifications
Gamification Coursera.org, (The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania)
2012
This course was a MOOC – Massive Open Online Course – which explored the field of gamification. This is the use of game elements and game design techniques in non-game contexts in order to engage users and make websites or other interactive experiences more interesting, useful, fun, etc.
IELTS Examiner British Council, HCMC, Vietnam
2008
In 2008 I studied for and became an IELTS examiner. Due to family and other commitments I have not been an active examiner while in China, but the training and experience gained from becoming an examiner has proved invaluable for my teaching career.
Cambridge/RSA CELTA Certificate International House, Cairns, Australia
2001
MA (History) Hons. University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
1994
My two year Master of Arts degree in history focused on Asia-Pacific history during the first year and included a 50,000 word thesis exploring how the apartheid system was able to be implemented in South Africa from the English-speaking population’s perspective.
BA (History) University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
1992
Committees and Organisations
UNNC Digital Strategy Group UNNC
July 2020 - December 2020
A multi-faculty group charged with developing a digital strategy that will include introductions to blended learning and other types of technology enhanced teaching and learning, justifications for the use of technology within various teaching and learning situations, and providing examples, templates and guidance to introduce various technologies and approaches.
UNNC Digital Assessment Committee UNNC
March 2020 - June 2020
A multi-faculty group that looked at online assessment, coordinated with the parallel committee in the UK, investigated and piloted remote proctoring systems, and wrote policy and guidance documents for staff.
CELE Digital Learning Officer UNNC
March 2018 - December 2020
The Digital Learning Officers work within their departments to lead the adoption of new technologies and provide support and training for staff and students. I have written a digital learning strategy document for CELE and been at the forefront of leading change within the department to increasing embrace edtech.
VLE Implementation Board UNNC representative, UNNC
November 2011 - December 2012
During my time as the China campus representative on the VLE Implementation Board, I was the link between the staff and students on the China campus and the IT and Moodle Implementation teams and University management in the UK. The Board members were all upper management of the university (apart from me) as were the people I reported to on campus, and meant I have been able to establish relationships across the university management and teaching hierarchy and also across the three campuses.
Information Services User Group Chairman, UNNC
2011 - 2013
The ISUG committee meets on a three-monthly basis to discuss and recommend action on issues to do with Information Services at UNNC. The committee is made up of representatives from the different divisions on campus, which has meant I have been able to establish relationships with a diverse group of people across the university and also contribute to the effectiveness of IS on campus.
Moodle Users Group Convenor, UNNC
2011 - 2013
The Moodle Users Group was an initiative of mine in 2011 in response to the imminent arrival of Moodle as the university’s new VLE. The group was formed with representatives from each of the divisions on campus and some other interested individuals. The focus of the group is learning about Moodle, encouraging enthusiasm for the new VLE, training in the use of Moodle and showcasing different applications of Moodle functionality.
e-learning Community Member, UNNC
2012 - December 2020
The e-learning Community is a tri-campus initiative that coordinates and promotes the use of technology in teaching and learning at UoN. As an inaugural member of the Community I have contributed considerable time and effort to promoting the use of technology, including giving presentations, attending meetings and joining online forums.
Interests & hobbies
Design
Technology
Sport
References