My qualifications and experience

Qualifications Experience Personal Specialisms Management Teaching Consultancy Publications Interests

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS AND MEMBERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTIONS
· BTEC HND IT Applications     1999 to 2000  distinction
· BTEC HNC IT Applications   1998 to 1999  distinction
· European Computer Driving Licence    1998 to 1999  doesn't have grades
· Certificate in Education (CNAA)     1986 to 1988  doesn't have grades
· M. Sc. (CNAA) Advanced Experimental Physics   1980 to 1984   (with commendation)
· B. Sc. (CNAA) Physical Electronics    1975 to 1980  (with distinction)
· City and Guilds of London  F. T. C. ( 281 )     1972 to 1974  (with distinction)
  in Electronics 

· Member of the Institute of Physics (MInstP)and a Chartered Physicist (C Phys) 
· Member of the BCS  Object-Oriented Programmers Society

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
  Post  Employer   Period
· Senior Lecturer (FT & PT) University of Northumbria  1989 to date
· Lecturer   University of Northumbria  1985 to 1989
· Chief Technician Newcastle Polytechnic   1979 to 1985
· Technician  Rutherford College of Technology   1968 to 1975
· Junior Technician  Newcastle University   1967 to 1968

PERSONAL INFORMATION
Marital status:  Married (2 children)
Nationality:  British
Date of birth:  17 December 1946 

AREAS OF SPECIALISM
Development, organisation, and presentation of high quality teaching materials.   Appraisal and assessment; Microcomputer programming in assembly language, Pascal and C/C++; Applications of IT; Microcontrollers and Instrumentation; Computer aided learning and distance learning; Networking, Web design and implementation.

MANAGERIAL ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
I was Route Leader for the University's Higher National Diploma programmes in Electrical Engineering and in Mechanical Engineering, having been promoted to this responsibility after serving as admissions tutor, year tutor and common skills co-ordinator.  During this time I successfully initiated and managed a franchised course at Carlisle College, which involved co-ordination of course management teams at both sites, and certification of comparability of standards.  I completed documentation to support a successful application for the course to be accredited by the IEEIE.
I was chosen to be a member of the University's register of auditors and assessors, and was involved with the validation of courses from HND level to MSc level.
Prior to my engagement as a lecturer I progressed from technician to chief technician, in charge of three technicians, and responsible for the operation of the Departments microcomputer teaching resources.  This included management of the section budget for consumable equipment, involving setting stocking levels, stock auditing and ordering components.  I also studied part-time for my City & Guilds Full Technological Certificate, Degree and MSc.
I took the opportunity of a reduced post to allow me to extend my expertise into new areas including use of the world wide web, and now run my own business as well as continuing my work at University.

TEACHING ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
As senior lecturer I have taught students at all levels within my fields of expertise from first year HND students, up to a final year unit of Microprocessor Systems in the MSc. Advanced Experimental Physics programme, and in most cases marks for my units exceed the year group average.  Quality auditing procedures require lecturers to gather feedback about their units, both by peer appraisal and by questionnaires to the students.  I was very pleased with the response from students in Electronics 2, who showed a satisfaction level better than 75% across all questions.  I also received very complimentary peer reviews.
I taught BTEC Common Skills, and Information Technology, and have developed a real interest in training, which has led me to publish in these areas.

In addition to my teaching commitments I have a continuing interest in distance learning systems, and produced the University's first hypertext materials to support learning in Microprocessor systems in 1992, using GUIDE.  I also produced a hypertext tutorial package and series of notes about effective distance learning. These were forwarded to our Education support unit (EDS) for general use throughout the University.  In 1995 for my work in these areas I was awarded a prize for innovative teaching and assessment.  I review submissions in this area for ezines and journals.

CONSULTANCY AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Abrahams & Co.,  Brama-Teams Glassworks: Design and installation of computer control and interface equipment for electroplating plant.
Track 2 Computers: Design and prototype evaluation of a system to allow a Winchester disk drive to be used by a mainframe computer, using a SCSI interface.
Feasibility study of strategies for making precise measurements on steel rollers during machining. (1998-99)
SITG:  (Working under requirements of ISO 9001) Short courses on:
PC-based Instrumentation (for Northern Electrical Industries)
Microcomputer fault-finding for Engineers  (for Searle Pharmaceuticals)
Procedural C and C++ for Engineers

PUBLICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SINCE SEPT 1996
Attended UNN Assessment Conference at Longhirst September 3 - 6 '96
Attended IOP Network conference at Leeds September 26 '96
Attended & presented paper (Portfolios & self-assessment of Common Skills... ) at
Engineering Skills Gap Conference at Hatfield 20 November  '96
1997:
Presented staff development seminar for Education Development Service
(Portfolios & self-assessment ... ) 19 February 1997
Attended Netskills training course at Newcastle U. 26 June 1997
Poster presentation "A model for the development of IT skills in Engineering ..."
presented at IDATER conference at Loughborough in Sept 1997
1998-99 Attended HNC IT Applications and ECDL courses at Newcastle College
1999-2000 Attended HND IT Applications course at Newcastle College

HOBBIES AND INTERESTS
I enjoy looking after my twins John and Megan who were born in 1993. Keeping three horses and maintaining a smallholding of 2.5 acres with my 1953 Ferguson tractor take up most of my remaining spare time, and I also enjoy gardening.  I play squash and enjoy walking.   A student project on a bat detector led me to develop a keen interest in bats, and I am now a member of the Durham bat group, and maintain a web site providing information about their activities.  I also continue to teach at University on a part-time basis.

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