Programme team

Dr Siân Bayne

I’m Senior Lecturer in E-learning in the School of Education at Edinburgh University, and Programme Co-Director of the MSc. I’ve worked in the field of e-learning development and research for several years, not just at Edinburgh but also at Napier University and the University of Bristol. My research interests revolve around the changes undergoing learning and teaching as it shifts online – current particular interests are around the place of the virtual learning environment within a specifically visual culture, e-learning and cyberculture, digital literacies and the role of social media in higher and museums education. More about me from my home page. sian.bayne@ed.ac.uk

Sian was honoured with a Chancellor's Award for Teaching in 2008 and nominated for an Edinburgh University Student's Association Teaching Award for 2009-10 and 2010-11 for her work on the MSc.

Marshall Dozier

I am currently the Senior Liaison Librarian for the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, within the Information Services division of Edinburgh University. I have experience in all areas of reader services, and my favourite parts of my job are helping people with literature searches and finding elusive bits of information. I’m also particularly interested in web-based information skills tutoring, online learning and aspects of medical education like problem-based learning and evidence-based medicine. marshall.dozier@ed.ac.uk

Peter Evans

I am a Lecturer and Ph.D. student in the School of Education and Programme Director of its MSc in the Management of Training and Development. I previously worked in the community media and cultural sectors, especially in formal and non-formal learning initiatives. My research interests are in social media and workplace learning. peter.evans@ed.ac.uk

Dr Rory Ewins

I’m a Lecturer in E-learning at the School of Education, and also the school's Academic Co-ordinator in E-learning. Previously, I was Research Fellow in ICT Policy and Strategy at SCROLLA, Advisor on IT Policy to the Australian Vice Chancellor’s Committee, and support officer for the Australian government’s Higher Education IT Consultative Forum. My interests include online identity and its implications for academics, the effect of university and government IT policies on academic practice, e-learning and intellectual property, and e-learning in developing countries. I write about these and too many other subjects on my personal site, and was also behind the redesign of this one. rory.ewins@ed.ac.uk

Tim Fawns

Within the School of Education, I am a part-time PhD student and a tutor on Introduction to Digital Environments for Learning. Additionally, I am the e-learning coordinator for Clinical Psychology in the School of Health in Social Science. My research interest include the influence of technology on episodic memory, as well as in the dynamics of online collaboration. t.fawns@ed.ac.uk

Professor Jeff Haywood

I am Professor of Education and Technology in the School of Education, and Vice Principal of Knowledge Management and Chief Information Officer for the University. My research interests are in the evaluation of large national, international or institutional e-learning initiatives, and on learners’ attitudes towards, and experiences of, ICT in education, particularly in universities. I am Chair of the Coimbra Group Taskforce on E-learning, and international member of the board of the Open Source Portfolio Initiative in the US. jeff.haywood@ed.ac.uk

Jeff was nominated for an Edinburgh University Student's Association Teaching Award for 2009-10 for his work on the programme.

Professor Dai Hounsell

I am Professor of Higher Education in the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Assessment (TLA) at the School of Education, and Vice Principal for Academic Enhancement for the University. I'm course leader for Online Assessment, and also enjoy contributing in various ways to TLA's Postgraduate Certificate in University Teaching and supervising doctoral students. My research interests lie in investigating student and staff experiences of learning and teaching in higher education, and in the contribution of assessment to enhancing the quality of learning. dai.hounsell@ed.ac.uk

Dai was nominated for an Edinburgh University Student's Association Teaching Award for 2010-11 for his work on the programme.

Jeremy Knox

I am a PhD student with the School of Education and co-tutor on E-learning and Digital Cultures. My background is in teaching, Special Educational Needs and software design. Research interests include critical posthumanism and the implications of such thinking for education and educational research. I am also interested in the ways in which established epistemologies and methodologies in educational research relate to digitally mediated learning programmes, and more generally with emerging cultures online. j.k.knox@sms.ed.ac.uk

Fiona Littleton

I am an e-Learning Advisor, specialising in Virtual Worlds and Collaborative Online Media, in Information Services in the University of Edinburgh. I am also the Second Life Support Officer for the MSc in E-learning programme, course tutor on Introduction to Digital Game Based Learning and a guest tutor on Introduction to Digital Environments for Learning. My research interests include virtual worlds in education, videogame-based learning and student learning. fiona.littleton@ed.ac.uk

Fiona coordinates the biannual Virtual Graduation, winner of the Edublog Award 2009 for ‘Best Educational Use of a Virtual World’.

Dr Hamish Macleod

I am a Senior Lecturer within the department of Higher and Community Education, and Programme Co-Director of the MSc. My research and teaching interests are in the psychology of computer use, particularly the applications of information technology in teaching and learning. Part of my activities within TLA over recent years has been in support of the University’s IT Literacy Programme. I taught for many years in the University’s Department of Psychology and still retain close links with colleagues there. More about me from my personal home page. hamish.macleod@ed.ac.uk

Hamish was nominated for an Edinburgh University Student's Association Teaching Award for 2008-09 and 2010-11 for his work on the programme.

Clara O’Shea

I’m an Associate Lecturer in the School of Education. I’ve worked in a variety of disciplines developing curriculum in online and blended environments, initially as a way of encouraging, educating and sustaining a mentoring programme for the Australian National University. My latest work has involved research and analysis of vocational educational programmes across Scotland, focussing on curriculum design and delivery, teaching and learning processes, and academic-workplace relations. My research interests meet at the nexus of curriculum design, online learning and work-based learning. I am also interested in the role of online learning in developing professional identity and in facilitating the transition from further to higher education. clara.oshea@ed.ac.uk

Clara was nominated for an Edinburgh University Student's Association Teaching Award for 2008-09 and 2010-11 for her work on the programme.

Dr Christine Sinclair

I am a Lecturer in E-Learning. For several years, I've been interested in how students respond to higher education. I became a student on the MSc in E-Learning at Edinburgh University in 2006 to research the student experience of digital environments. By the time I graduated in 2010, I was hooked and when the post of Lecturer in E-Learning in the School of Education came up, I was quick to apply. My background is in Philosophy and Education, but an earlier piece of research into the student experience also gave me an HNC in Mechanical Engineering. My research particularly focuses on the effects of language in changing environments. christine.sinclair@ed.ac.uk

Ruby Rennie

Having started my career in teaching English language and literature, I moved into teaching English as a foreign language, travelling to various countries to work as a teacher, teacher trainer and consultant. In recent years the growth of the web has simultaneously brought languages and cultures together while revealing our diversities – how our communication is formed by our backgrounds, by the way language works, and by the cultural influences we experience and create. My studies in literary stylistics and discourse analysis have been fundamental to providing linguistic forms of analysis. I have brought these aspects together in my course for this programme, which will be an exciting path of discovery into how we communicate, in understanding each other (or revealing why we don’t!) and in challenging us to think more deeply about our own cultural influences. ruby.rennie@ed.ac.uk

Dr Jen Ross

I am an Associate Lecturer in the School of Education, and I teach on the I am an Associate Lecturer in the School of Education. On the E-learning programme I lead Digital Futures for Learning and Research Methods, and teach on the E-learning and Digital Cultures and Introduction to Digital Environments for Learning courses. I am also the programme’s academic technical director, co-ordinating the MSc’s extensive use of web-based tools and environments. My research interests include online learning, place and space, digital identity, reflective practices and cultural and educational institutions online. There is more about me on my web site. jen.ross@ed.ac.uk