Developing Effective Educational Experiences through Learning Analytics

Collette Gavan is the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the computing department, Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for BSc Computing, Computing (Games Programming), and Computing (Systems and Software). She has led courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels in subjects such as programming and Project/IT Management. Before becoming a lecturer, Collette worked for a number of large organisations in roles which have enabled her to develop invaluable skills and experiences which are used to provide real world examples to students within her modules. Collette is currently working towards gaining her PhD at the University of Lancaster, with a thesis entitled “Using Robotics to explore computer programming: investigating student experiences and attainment”. The work directly feeds into her teaching and draws upon the innovative experiences that she has designed to engage students within the subject. Collette has introduced new concepts into the introductory programming modules, which are designed to engage and enthuse the students with what is often perceived to be a very challenging subject. This innovative approach builds upon the work within her research to use robotic technology as an enabling mechanism for teaching problem-solving to students. These practices also assist the students in developing critical employability skills within their coursework.