6 September 2007

Learning technologist of the year

*** Embargoed for use until 01.00 am, September 6th 2007 ***

Hannah Whaley of the University of Dundee has been named winner of the inaugural Learning Technologist of the Year award.

Hannah, a learning technologist within the University’s Learning Centre, was recognised for a range of achievements including the creation of a new online self- and peer-assessment system which is due to be made available by a commercial vendor to over 3,600 educational institutions worldwide.

The award effectively acknowledges the University of Dundee’s wider successes in learning technology. Academic staff throughout the institution make widespread and advanced use of eLearning methods to support and enhance their teaching, giving the University one of the most advanced and busiest online learning environments in the country.

Virtually all of the students modules are supported online, and many utilise techniques such as online discussions, e-assessment, video clips and podcasts to enhance student learning.

The University’s online learning environment represents the busiest classroom on campus with frequently 400 to 500 people utilising it at the same time. It also operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

"I am delighted at the success of projects that I have worked on which have led to receiving this award," said Hannah, who received her award from Peter Norvig, Google's Director of Research, at the Association for Learning Technology conference in Nottingham.

"Today’s students really challenge universities to provide them with effective means of online working and our role as learning technologists is to provide this for them. At Dundee we have developed systems which support both students and academic staff."

The award has been made by the Association for Learning Technology (ALT) for the first time this year, to celebrate and reward excellent practice and outstanding achievement in the application of technology to teaching and learning.

Seb Schmoller, Chief Executive of ALT, said: "Learning technologists play a crucial role in modern learning, teaching, and assessment, throughout the education system. They run college and university virtual learning environments. They develop e-learning content. Their research underpins good practice. But their achievements tend to be unsung. By celebrating and rewarding excellent practice and outstanding achievement in the field, the Learning Technologist of the Year Award will go some way towards giving learning technologists the public recognition that they deserve."

Learning Technologists are a relatively new vocation. Hannah’s award recognises how a successful learning technologist must work across the University and wider community to successfully integrate online systems to operate in a natural, efficient manner. Her work in peer assessment has created a system that educates students about how marking criteria are used in assessments, and engages them this process. The University of Dundee has entered into an international partnership with Blackboard (USA), a leading course management software provider, to make the peer assessment innovation available to their worldwide clients.

NOTES TO EDITORS

Full details of the Learning Technologist of the Year Award, including judges' comments on the winning entrants, are available at: www.alt.ac.uk/docs/learning_technologist_of_the_year_award_2007.pdf

Learning technology is the broad range of communication, information and related technologies that can be used to support learning, teaching, and assessment. The Association for Learning Technology (ALT) is the leading UK body bringing together practitioners, researchers, and policy makers in learning technology. Learning technologists are people who are actively involved in managing, researching, supporting or enabling learning with the use of learning technology. For further information about ALT, see: www.alt.ac.uk/

Media enquiries to Seb Schmoller, ALT Chief Executive, on +44(0)775 332 4503

For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk