Institute of Education scores teaching hat-trick
26 June 2008
The Institute of Education (IOE) is delighted to announce that three of its academics have been awarded the prestigious National Teaching Fellowship from the Higher Education Academy.
The IOE is one of only two universities to have received three awards, the maximum that can be awarded to any university at any one time.
The recipients of the awards are Dr Penny Jane Burke, senior lecturer in education; Dr Catherine Walter, lecturer in education and faculty equal opportunities coordinator; and Professor Sir David Watson, historian and director of the IOE's MBA in Higher Education Management.
Catherine Walter enjoys a worldwide reputation as the author of award-winning English language books and as an active promoter of better global communications.
She commented: "I believe that teachers and learners with very different backgrounds, appearances, abilities and languages can learn to communicate with one another with respect, and that this communication enriches teaching and learning. I am delighted to have this belief validated by the HEA Fellowship."
She added: "I will use my grant to broaden my skills base, for example in British Sign Language, and to help colleagues enhance their skills in teaching to a diverse student body."
Sir David Watson has played a major role in the development of the higher education sector. He intends to use the £10,000 awarded as part of the fellowship, towards a new book, the working title of which is "Creating the Engaged University". He said: "I'm deeply grateful for the support of my students and colleagues at the Institute, and at all of my former institutions. Teaching is the most important activity of the university, and always has been. I'm humbled – and immensely proud
– that my own small contribution to our collective enterprise has been recognised in this way." Penny Jane Burke is a specialist in widening participation in higher education.
Professor Dylan Wiliam, acting director of the IOE added: "The IOE is well known for the quality of its research in education and related social sciences, but we've known all along that our teaching is also second to none. The award of these fellowships to all three of our entries is a ringing endorsement of this belief and a recognition of the value of the experience we offer our students."
Notes for editors
Further information from Helen Green, press officer, +44 (0)20 7612 6459, h.green@ioe.ac.uk
The National Teaching Fellowships, funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England, recognise and reward individual excellence in teaching in higher education in England and Northern Ireland. Each £10,000 award may be used for fellows' personal and/or professional development in teaching and learning and aspects of pedagogy. Go to http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/ourwork/professional/ntfs/individual
Dr Penny-Jane Burke is committed to challenging social exclusion in the sector, to developing inclusive teaching and learning practices and to influencing government policy and practice more widely. Her books include Reconceptualising Lifelong Learning: Feminist interventions (co-authored with Sue Jackson, Routledge 2007) and Accessing Education: Effectively widening participation (Trentham Books 2002). She is currently on sabbatical in the USA and therefore unable to comment.
Dr Catherine Walter is co-author, with Michael Swan, of award-winning English language books including The New Cambridge English Course and The Good Grammar Book, which, according to Professor Ron Carter of Nottingham University, "have influenced teachers throughout the world". An adviser to the British Council, she has promoted better global communication through greater access to good English teaching.
Professor Sir David Watson has written extensively in both the history of American ideas and higher education policy, and has played a major role in the development of the higher education sector; for example, he served on the Dearing Committee of Inquiry of Higher Education. His main commitment is to teaching and learning.
The Institute of Education is a college of the University of London, specialising in teaching, research and consultancy in education and related areas of social science and professional practice.