Non Vaughan Williams, Senior Lecturer in Digital Media
“The experience of reading about members of staff across the university’s expertise and sharing opinions with other assessors from different disciplines means that I continue to learn and develop as a teacher”
I’m a senior lecturer in Digital Media in the department of Media and Communications, College of Arts and Humanities. I’ve worked in Swansea University since 2012. My background is in broadcasting; I’ve worked in the higher education sector as a lecturer for twenty years and have combined this with work in media production.
I’ve never been on a teacher training course and, unlike many of my colleagues, I haven’t got any experience in a research career. I was eager to formalise, what I believe comes naturally to me, sharing my experience, skills and expertise with others within the classroom. My intention was to apply for Fellowship, but my heads persuaded me to apply for the category of Senior Fellowship because of the initiative I’ve shown in the College such as, establish an Industries Panel within the Department of Media and Communication.
The process of preparing the application became apparent because what I was doing was natural in giving examples of good practice and offering examples of necessary evidence to strengthen the application. Despite my extensive experience, I realised whilst reading pedagogic research that I needed to challenge some of my teaching styles by adopting new methods.
The process has prompted me to question what I do objectively, by placing the student in the centre of the learning experience. I’ve become more confident sharing my teaching methods with students to encourage them to understand the learning process. Since completing my application and gaining Fellowship, I’ve also been more willing to adopt the attitude of refreshing my skills (I’ve always done so with the work within my subject) within the pedagogic area of my work.
The decision of investing time in developing myself as a teacher was a decision worthwhile and I received constructive support from a mentor within my college. The process of preparing the application was challenging as it was in the middle of a busy term and a lot of patience was needed to put the application onto the Pebblepad software.
Since finishing the application and certainly since gaining Senior Fellowship, I’ve had the confidence to share my teaching methods with colleagues within the department, for example blended learning and group assessment. I have since trained as an assessor and a mentor and have had the chance to lead a team whilst assessing internal applications for recognition of the Higher Education Academy. The experience of reading about members of staff across the university’s expertise and sharing opinions with other assessors from different disciplines means that I continue to learn and develop as a teacher. I look forward to mentoring members of staff and being able to offer support in Welsh and English.
Recognition as a Senior Fellow validates the guidance I’ve given to various initiatives and has inspired me to explore and reflect on different ways of leading colleagues and teams. I’ve recently been promoted from a Lecturer to a Senior Lecturer and I believe that being a Senior Fellow has contributed towards this.
I would encourage anyone to apply to gain recognition, as you are more than likely doing it day to day. It will enhance your practice and will benefit your students and yourself in terms of professional development and give you satisfaction in your everyday work.
Non Vaughan Williams, Uwch-ddarlithydd mewn Cyfryngau Digidol
“Mae’r profiad o ddarllen am arbenigedd aelodau eraill o staff ar draws y brifysgol, a rhannu barn gydag aseswyr o ddisgyblaethau gwahanol yn golygu fy mod yn parhau i ddysgu a datblygu fel athrawes.”
Rwy’n uwch-ddarlithydd mewn Cyfryngau Digidol yn yr adran Cyfryngau a Chyfathrebu o fewn Coleg y Celfyddydau a’r Dyniaethau, ac wedi gweithio ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe ers 2012. Mae fy nghefndir yn y byd darlledu, ac rwyf wedi gweithio yn y sector addysg uwch fel darlithydd ers ugain mlynedd, gan gyfuno hynny gyda gwaith fel cynhyrchydd cyfryngol.
Nid fûm erioed ar gwrs ymarfer dysgu i hyfforddi fel athrawes, nid wyf ychwaith wedi cael profiad addysgu trwy lwybr gyrfa ymchwil fel nifer o fy nghyd-weithwyr, felly roeddwn yn awyddus i ffurfioli yr hyn a deimlwn oedd yn dod yn naturiol i mi, sef rhannu fy mhrofiad, sgiliau ac arbenigedd gydag eraill o fewn ystafell ddosbarth. Y bwriad oedd ymgeisio am gydnabyddiaeth fel Cymrawd, ond cafodd fy mhenaethiaid berswâd arnaf i roi cynnig am gategori Uwch Gymrawd, oherwydd y mentrau yr oeddwn wedi eu rhoi ar waith yn y Coleg, megis sefydlu Panel Diwydiant o fewn Adran y Cyfryngau a Chyfathrebu.
Amlygodd y broses o baratoi’r cais bod llawer o’r hyn a oeddwn yn ei wneud yn naturiol yn darparu enghreifftiau o arfer dda, ac yn cynnig esiamplau o dystiolaeth angenrheidiol er cyfoethogi’r cais. Ar y llaw arall, roeddwn yn sylweddoli wrth ddarllen ymchwil pedagogaidd bod angen i mi, er fy mhrofiad helaeth, herio rhai o fy nulliau addysgu gan agor fy meddwl i ddulliau newydd.
Mae’r profiad wedi fy annog i gwestiynu yr hyn rwy’n ei wneud mewn modd gwrthrychol, gan osod y myfyriwr/wraig ynghanol y profiad addysgol. Rwyf hefyd yn fwy hyderus i rannu gwybodaeth am fy nulliau addysgu gyda myfyrwyr er eu hannog i ddeall y broses ddysgu. Ers cwblhau y cais ac ennill y gydnabyddiaeth rwyf hefyd yn fwy parod i fabwysiadu yr agwedd o adnewyddu sgiliau (rwyf bob amser wedi ei rhoi ar waith o fewn fy mhwnc) i’r agwedd bedagogaidd o fy ngwaith.
Bu’r penderfyniad o fuddsoddi amser mewn datblygu fy nghrefft fel athrawes yn fuddsoddiad gwerth chweil a chefais gymorth adeiladol gan fentor o fewn fy ngholeg. Roedd y broses o baratoi’r cais yn heriol ynghanol tymor prysur, ac roedd angen tipyn o amynedd wrth osod y cais ar y meddalwedd Pebblepad.
Ers gorffen y cais, ac yn bendant ers llwyddo i gael y gydnabyddiaeth, yr wyf wedi cael hyder i rannu fy nulliau addysgu gyda chydweithwyr o fewn fy adran, er enghraifft ar ddulliau cyfunol ac asesu grŵp. Bellach rwyf wedi hyfforddi fel asesydd a mentor, ac wedi cael cyfle i arwain tîm wrth asesu ceisiadau mewnol am gydnabyddiaeth yr Academi Addysg Uwch. Mae’r profiad o ddarllen am arbenigedd aelodau eraill o staff ar draws y brifysgol, a rhannu barn gydag aseswyr o ddisgyblaethau gwahanol yn golygu fy mod yn parhau i ddysgu a datblygu fel athrawes. Edrychaf ymlaen i fentora aelodau o staff, gan fedru cynnig cefnogaeth trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg a Saesneg.
Mae cydnabyddiaeth fel Uwch Gymrawd yn dilysu yr arweiniad yr wyf wedi ei roi ar fentrau gwahanol, a fy ysbrydoli i archwilio, ac adlewyrchu ar ddulliau gwahanol o arwain cydweithwyr a thimau. Rwyf newydd gael dyrchafiad o ddarlithydd i uwch-ddarlithydd, a chredaf bod y gydnabyddiaeth fel Cymrawd Hŷn wedi cynorthwyo gyda hyn.
Buaswn yn annog unrhywun i roi cynnig arni, er mwyn ennill cydnabyddiaeth am yr hyn yr ydych mwy na thebyg yn ei wneud beth bynnag, ac i gyfoethogi eich ymarfer er budd eich myfyrwyr, a’ch budd eich hun – o safbwynt datblygiad personol a balchder yn eich gwaith o ddydd i ddydd.
That’s a very inspiring story, Non!