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 for her work on the MSc.

Denny Colledge

As Information Skills Librarian for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, I have long-standing experience in library management, information technologies and information skills training, with particular interest in the support of distance learners, widening access and delivery to non-traditional user groups. The twin strands of my career have been in computer applications and face-to-face customer service. I am particularly interested in what used to be called the ‘man-machine interface’ – matching people and technology in a beneficial and intuitive way. And I also think that it’s really important to have fun learning and doing! denny.colledge@ed.ac.uk

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

Dr Rory Ewins

I’m Lecturer in E-learning and Managing Information 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

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

Professor Dai Hounsell

I am Professor of Higher Education in the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Assessment (TLA) at the School of Education. 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

Fiona Littleton

I’m the Second Life Support Officer for the MSc in E-learning programme, course leader on Introduction to Digital Game Based Learning and also a guest tutor on Introduction to Digital Environments for Learning. I am also currently working as the Second Life educational development adviser to various schools in the University of Edinburgh. Research interests include virtual worlds in education, videogame-based learning and student learning. fiona.littleton@ed.ac.uk

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 for his work on the programme.

Brian Martin

I am head of Higher and Community Education in the School of Education, and Director of Studies for the MSc in E-learning. brian.martin@ed.ac.uk

Dr Velda McCune

I am a Senior Lecturer in the Learning and Teaching Centre at Glasgow University, formerly with the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Assessment in the School of Education. For the last decade I’ve been investigating student learning in Higher Education with a focus on understanding students’ own perspectives on their learning experiences, particularly the development of students’ ways of learning and studying. I’ve recently been involved in the large-scale Enhancing Teaching-Learning Environments in Undergraduate Courses (ETL) Project looking at the impact of teaching-learning environments on students’ learning. More recently I’ve been interested in how academic staff see themselves as teachers and how this influences the teaching-learning environments they provide for students. My wider role also involves educational development work with academic staff. v.mccune@admin.gla.ac.uk

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 for her work on the programme.

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

Jen Ross

I am an Associate Lecturer in the School of Education, and I teach on the E-learning and Digital Cultures course, guest tutor on Introduction to Digital Environments for Learning, and lead the forthcoming Digital Futures for Learning course. I am also the programme’s technical co-ordinator, with a combined strategic and support role co-ordinating the MSc’s extensive use of web-based tools and environments, including blogs, wikis, social bookmarking, chat and discussion. My research interests include online learning, digital identity, reflective practices and cultural and educational institutions online. There is more about me on my web site. jen.ross@ed.ac.uk

Anna Warren

I work part time for the MSc programme as a co-tutor on Introduction to Digital Game Based Learning and also as a guest tutor on Introduction to Digital Environments for Learning. Research interests include game-based learning, massively multiplayer online role playing games, virtual worlds and online identity. s0793605@sms.ed.ac.ukk