Who We Are

Quality Teaching | Meaningful Learning

Reach Us

Chris Powis

Chris Powis

Director of Library, Learning and Student Services

Email: Chris.Powis@northampton.ac.uk

Chris Powis is Director of Library, Learning and Student Services at the University of Northampton having previously worked for Oxford University and UWE. He is a Fellow of CILIP, a Principal Fellow of the HEA, a National Teaching Fellow and an author on teaching and learning and library spaces. He is currently interested in the iconography of learning spaces and especially the place of the library on a campus.

Emma Heron

Head of Learning and Teaching Enhancement

Find Us

Learning Hub, Waterside Campus, University Drive, Northampton NN1 5PH.

Phone

01604 735500

Academic Practice

Erica Morris

Head of Academic Practice

Email: Erica.Morris@northampton.ac.uk

Erica leads the strategic development of academic practice at the University of Northampton and is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA). She is on the Editorial Board for the International Journal for Educational Integrity, and has published in the fields of academic integrity and student plagiarism, assessment and feedback, learning technology research, and statistics education. She previously worked at Advance HE and the Higher Education Academy, where she led UK-wide initiatives, including the Academy JISC Academic Integrity Service, the Degree Standards project, the Grade Point Average (GPA) pilot project, and the Transforming Assessment in Higher Education programme. She has also worked at Anglia Ruskin University, The Open University, and the University of Sussex.

Marie Graham

Learning Support Administrator

Email: Marie.Graham@northampton.ac.uk

Our Learning Support Administrator provides guidance and administrative support to colleagues, mainly focussing on staff working on their academic development and/or gaining professional recognition.

Educational Linguistics

Bob Fisher

Principal Lecturer & Subject Leader

Email: Bob.Fisher@northampton.ac.uk

Bob is an English Language practitioner with over 27 years’ experience in a range of language teaching contexts, including General and Business English, Business Communications and Coaching and, for the last 16 years, as a Lecturer in English for Academic Purposes (EAP), working with International Students from a variety of linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

His specialist areas include key EAP skills – such as academic writing and speaking, materials and assessment design – Phonology, Data-driven Learning and Business Communications. In addition, Bob has worked abroad in the private sector for companies and institutions where English is the lingua franca in areas such as Coaching for Effective Presentations, Business Writing and Cross-cultural Awareness, primarily in Spain – where he has worked as a freelance teacher and trainer for 10 years.

Adam Luong

Lecturer

Email: Adam.Luong@northampton.ac.uk

Dr.Luong is an education developer, holding a Ph.D in English Language and Linguistics from the University of Southampton. Dr.Luong has enriched his experience in teaching and research significantly thanks to over 15 years working for a number of UK universities and other Higher Education providers.

Dr.Luong greatly focuses on research in the following areas: Translation Studies, EAP, Academic Skills, Bilingualism/multi-lingualism.

Dr.Luong was awarded the GOLD Prize for his research ‘Atomic Structure in Linguistics’ at the Postgraduate Research Showcase – University of Southampton 2013. In collaboration with Dr.Jonathan Evans (University of Glasgow), Dr.Luong was funded by the British Academy 2018 for research into Fan Translation.

Hazel McAllister

Senior Lecturer

Email: Hazel.McAllister@northampton.ac.uk

Hazel has over 10 years teaching English as a Foreign Language and English for Academic Purposes experience. She is currently programme lead for the University’s pre-sessional programme. As well as this, she teaches on a number of credit bearing modules on the University’s Undergraduate Top-up and Masters programmes and is also a module leader for several modules on these programmes. She is an accredited Fellow of BALEAP and a Fellow of the HEA. She also acts as an external examiner.

Catherine Mitsaki

Senior Lecturer

Email: Catherine.Mitsaki@northampton.ac.uk

Catherine has had more than 30 years of teaching experience in English as a Foreign Language, Business English and, for the past 13 years, English for Academic Purposes. She has worked in a variety of educational environments, both in the UK and abroad, and has taught students from diverse educational and cultural backgrounds. She is currently involved in the MA TESOL Programme and EAP Top Up Courses. She is a Fellow of the HEA.
Catherine’s current research focuses on Communities of Practice as a learning tool in Higher Education environments. Her research interests further involve teaching methodology, feedback processes, student autonomy, multimedia in education and speech and conversation analysis.

Qian Zhang

Senior Lecturer

Email: Qian.Zhang@northampton.ac.uk

Studied in China and UK as an applied linguist, Qian has more than 20 years’ experience of teaching and teacher education in various education contexts. She is the programme leader for BA International Education Top up and MA TESOL. As a researcher, she is interested in L2 motivation, EAP, L2 learners’ critical thinking development and technology-enhanced language learning. She welcomes prospective students who wish to undertake research related to her research interests at Masters and Doctoral level. In addition, she is a qualified Cambridge CELTA trainer.

Learning Design

Nicola Denning

Learning Designer

Email: Nicola.Denning@northampton.ac.uk

Nicola works with faculty programme and module teams to design and develop their curriculum. Through critical application of CAIeRO (Creating Aligned Interactive educational Resource Opportunities) Nicola supports faculty staff to create constructively aligned student experiences which focus on student and employment needs and comply with UON regulations and quality approval processes. Support ranges from 1:1 sessions looking at a particular aspect of the module or programme (for example, Learning Outcomes, assessment practices), through to a full collaborative design workshop. Nicola also draws on her teaching experience to contribute to UON’s academic staff development programme through the delivery of learning and teaching related workshops and resources.

Jim Harris

Learning Designer

Email: Jim.Harris@northampton.ac.uk

Facilitates the pedagogic shifts staff and students need to inspire change in behaviours supported by technology, in order to provide the best student learning experiences through the CAIeRO process and other Active Blended Learning Workshops. Jim contributes to institutional quality processes in curriculum design, and contextualising the institutional strategies and other UON initiatives into the learning environments and experiences of our students.

Learning Development

Helena Beeson

Learning Development Tutor

Email: Helena.Beeson@northampton.ac.uk

Helena is an experienced Learning Development tutor who works with students and staff to facilitate learners’ understanding of their course requirements. Research interests include groupwork and utilising the student voice to promote collaborative teaching with students.

Ivelina Cramphorn

Learning Development Tutor

Email: Ivelina.Cramphorn@northampton.ac.uk

Ivelina Cramphorn is a Learning Development Tutor who supports students in developing their academic potential and is dedicated to encourage them to overcome barriers around academic misconceptions and perceived stereotypes, which may affect students’ achievement. As a graduate from the University of Northampton, Ivelina is particularly interested in research topics which explore students’ community of practice and engagement with higher education and the wider academia. Furthermore, her background in teaching and education has inspired her interest within pedagogical research and development, aiming to improve students’ learning environment and experiences.

Emma Kimberley

Learning Development Tutor

Email: Emma.Kimberley@northampton.ac.uk

Emma Kimberley is a Learning Development tutor, working with students to develop their academic skills. Emma’s research interests are in emotional and affective responses to academic practices such as reading.

Samantha King

Learning Development Tutor

Email: Samantha.King@northampton.ac.uk

Sam King is a Learning Development Tutor, providing advice on academic and study skills to students both face-to-face and online. This includes working with students in both one-to-one tutorials and workshops; and contributing resources to the Skills Hub. She liaises with academic colleagues to embed workshops in the subject areas of Criminology; Professional Policing and Criminal and Corporate Investigations; and SELS. Her primary research interests are in developing academic writing skills.

Anne-Marie Langford

Learning Development Tutor

Email: Anne-Marie.Langford@northampton.ac.uk

Anne-Marie is a Learning Development Tutor with a wide range of professional skills and experience. Her role is to support students through tutorials and drop ins. She works with faculty staff and students to create and deliver workshops to support in the development of academic and professional skills. She has particular interests in communication, creativity and learning, English as a Foreign Language, enquiry-based learning and coaching.

Alison Loddick

Learning Development Tutor

Email: Alison.Loddick@northampton.ac.uk

Alison is a Learning Development tutor that specialises in teaching mathematics and statistics to all students on a one to one basis and in workshops. She has a specific belief that all students can be good at maths and enjoys helping students of all abilities develop their maths skills. Her current research includes examining why some students choose not to submit assignments to whether we can support the students experience in the future.

Sheryl Mansfield

Head of Learning Development

Email: Sheryl.Mansfield@northampton.ac.uk

Sheryl has over 20 years of experience teaching and leads the Learning Development Team which consists of Tutors and Student Mentors. Learning Development work with students to enhance and foster independence in academic, study and maths and statistical skills. Our tutorial provision cultivates an inclusive and encouraging environment, modelling skills for effective practice. The team offers guidance in tutorials and workshops in addition to developing resources on the Skills Hub. Sheryl is a Senior Fellow of the HEA and a qualified Teacher and has research interests in active pedagogy and inclusive learning and advocates that students need to be in the centre of the teaching experience in order to learn.

Paul Rice

Learning Development Tutor

Email: Paul.Rice@northampton.ac.uk

Paul Rice is a Learning Development Tutor at the University of Northampton. He joined the department in 2009 and his specialist area is mathematics and statistics (including SPSS).
Paul completed his masters in Education at the University of Northampton and his Statistics undergraduate studies at Reading University. His research interests are widespread and he often supports researchers with their data analysis. However, his own current research interests is in the area of using magic in education
Paul is currently serving on the ALDinHE conference committee for 2022 and is the programme lead for a GCSE maths course ran at the University of Northampton.

Marlies Shepperdson

Learning Development Support Assistant

Email: Marlies.Shepperdson@northampton.ac.uk

Marlies provides administrative support to the Learning Development Team and has worked on various web-related projects including the Skills Hub.

Anna Smith

Learning Development Tutor

Email: Anna.Smith@northampton.ac.uk

Anna has fifteen years of teaching experience, and a background in Arts Education, working alongside learners with a diverse range of educational abilities. Undertaking an MA in Theatre in Education and the Community at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, has led Anna to a particular interest in using creativity and performance to engage and diversify learning for all. In her role as Learning Development Tutor, Anna is passionate about supporting her students to ensure that their educational experience is supportive and inclusive.

Kate Swinton

Learning Development Tutor

Email: Kate.Swinton@northampton.ac.uk

Kate has worked in Learning Development for the past fifteen years in various roles. She is currently a Learning Development Tutor for FHES. She is an ALDinHE Certified Practitioner, a Fellow of the HEA with a MA in History. Her current research interests include collaboration on a Black Student working group, aiming to address the attainment and retention gap. She is also part of a funded research project that is creating a skills workbook for students to use throughout their studies.

Amy West

Learning Development Tutor

Email: Amy.West@northampton.ac.uk

Amy has been a Learning Development tutor at UON for five years, having previously had careers in primary education and in the arts. She has particular interest in active and inclusive learning, and in how we can use metaphors to support learning. Amy is an ALDinHE Certified Practitioner, has fellowship of the HEA, and has a PGCE and an MA in Education. She enjoys working collaboratively with colleagues in LLSS and within the faculties for both teaching and research.