Hello, my name is Ross Parker and I am one of three new Web Developers in the Department for Learning Development. One of the main areas that I will be responsible for is supporting the development of distance learning courses at Teesside University. It’s a really exciting time to be joining Teesside and I hope to help shape its distance learning provision over the coming years.
With the wealth of online tools that we now have at out disposal, there’s never been a better time to embrace digital technology. We are perfectly equipped for creating interesting, engaging and interactive content for students choosing to study via distance learning. This is a great opportunity to establish a strong reputation for distance learning provision at Teesside University.
About Me
For those people who I haven’t yet had the chance to meet (and there will be a lot), I’ll start by telling you a little bit about who I am and what I hope to bring to Teesside.
I have worked in higher education for the past six and a half years, the majority of which has been in web development and graphic design roles.
Much in keeping with the developments in digital technology and the ever-changing landscape of higher education, my roles have always evolved somewhat over time. As a result, I have also been fortunate enough to work closely with marketing, recruitment and research departments and this has allowed me to develop additional expertise in these areas.
Lessons I have Learned from working in HE and What I Hope to Bring to Teesside
From my experience to date, I wanted to share a few key principles that I consider when creating any piece of content, whether it be for print, online or face-to-face delivery.
Keep it simple – I’m a firm believer in never overcomplicating something that doesn’t need to be complicated. Many pieces of software used in eLearning can appear complex at first glance, but presented in the right way can and should be simple to use. This is something that I’m very keen to influence in at Teesside.
“Simplicity always wins over complexity, especially on the web”
Jakob Nielsen, Designing Web Usability
Embrace Quality New Technology and Innovations – Do not fear new technological innovations. Believe it or not, almost all new technological developments are created out of necessity, to make your life easier and more productive. That’s not to say we should embrace all new technologies; it’s about quality, making informed decisions and having the right platforms to achieve the best possible outcome.
In the Department for Learning Development, we are continually researching the best new technologies available for E-Learning and reviewing the current platforms that we are using.
Assume Nothing – When creating for online delivery, always have the end user in mind. What might seem simple or logical to you won’t necessarily be simple or logical to anybody else. Good design and communication doesn’t rely on assumptions. This is particularly applicable to distance learning as it attracts a culturally diverse audience.
Be Sociable and Show Your Face – In my last job I accrued a key attribute that has formed the basis of my current skillset: I worked in a technical role, but not in technical team. This may or may not seem important, but this was definitely a blessing in disguise as it exposed me to students and academic staff on a daily basis. By keeping an ear to the ground so to speak, I was able to gain continual feedback, opinions, concerns and frustrations about digital technology within the university and help to make informed decisions about future developments. As a technical member of staff, I feel that it’s important to always be approachable and value the opinions of those experiencing the software first hand.
I will be posting regular updates on the TEL@Tees blog about new developments, ongoing projects that I’m involved in and any general musings that I think will be of interest.
In the meantime, if you want to get in touch, you can contact me on r.parker@tees.ac.uk