PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The academic qualifications, occupational positions and conference presentations which Helen has undertaken have equipped her with a wide range of skills and broad knowledge base.  She has been able to build on these further through the University of Exeter's Graduate School Generic Skills Training Programme, the University of Bath's Learning and Teaching Enhancement Office workshops and the extensive training provided by the Open University.  The courses which she has undertaken as part of these programmes have enabled her to hone many skills which she has found to be invaluable as a student, researcher and lecturer.  Besides covering more general topics concerning teaching, researching and study skills, she has focused on areas such as archival research, research with electronic journals, time management, the use of reflexive diaries, teaching small groups and drafting research funding proposals. 

Helen is currently studying for a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching in Higher Education.  In addition, she completed the first stage of the Teaching Development Training Programme at the University of Bath.  These courses have required her to reflect in detail on her teaching practices and to attend a range of workshops, seminars and lectures to develop her teaching skills.  Prior to this, Helen undertook teacher training at the University of the West of England, the University of Exeter and The NOVA Institute in Osaka, Japan.  

Helen's experience as a performance poet has also given her the opportunity to develop skills in performance, writing and teaching, which have proved to be readily adaptable to an academic environment.  You can read more about her poetry performances and publications on the Poetry page of this website and on her MySpace page.