PGCert Higher Education student profiles
Stephanie and Agnieszka both completed the PGCHE in 2022. They talk about their experience of the course and how it has helped them develop in their professional roles.
Martyn and Jason are currrently on the PGCert HE Global course to support and develop their technician roles. They answer questions about their experience of the course so far.
Stephanie Manning
Stephanie works in the School of Health Sciences at the University of Nottingham as a Teaching Associate (Child Health).
Why did you decided to complete the PGCHE?
Coming from a clinical background in nursing, I felt it was important and vital for me to gain the full PGCHE qualification, with me now teaching both pre- and postgraduate nursing students.
How has the course helped with your role?
Undertaking and completing the full PGCHE qualification has enabled me to learn and engage with evidence-based teaching literature/knowledge frameworks, enabling me to consider the wider context of teaching, what’s involved and how to develop this into my existing teaching modules which I run or am involved with.
How will the course help with your future career?
This course has enabled me to progress to a development point, now being eligible to apply from a level four to a level five teaching and learning pathway role.
What are your interests and ambitions for the future after your engagement with the PGCHE course in relation to teaching and supporting learning?
I will be specifically looking at applying for the ‘Teaching and Learning’ pathway for level five, ensuring I have mapped my development to the expected level five criteria, evidencing a high level of contribution in this primary area.
What were the best aspects of your engagement with the PGCHE course?
The online engagement with the teachers and students from other specialist backgrounds.
How were you supported on the course?
Excellent tutorial support is offered throughout.
Why do you think others should choose the University of Nottingham to study the PGHCE Global course?
This course is taught to a high standard and the resources available are excellent, signposting students to various resources and literature which will enable them to achieve the assessment criteria of the course.
Do you have any advice for someone considering the PGCHE Global course?
Become familiar with the course content before each session and utilise the reading list provided.
Agnieszka Monika Zoltowska
Agnieszka is a Clinical Assistant Professor in Veterinary Education in the University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science.
Why did you decided to complete the PGCHE?
As a veterinary surgeon, I was always involved in teaching in practice. I love teaching and seeing others progress and develop. Once I started PGCHE, I realised that by knowing more about teaching and learning, I can be a better educator.
How has the course helped with your role?
The course helped me to improve my understanding of the learning and teaching process and implement this newly discovered knowledge into my everyday teaching. The sessions I prepare and teach are more mindful and have clearer objectives. I have a better understanding of what is achievable and how to maximise the learning outcomes.
How will the course help with your future career?
I used obtaining full PGCHE as the evidence of my academic progress in my recent promotion application.
What are your interests and ambitions for the future after your engagement with the PGCHE course in relation to teaching and supporting learning?
I became very interested in learning theory and its application to the veterinary degree. I am hoping to participate in research related to teaching, learning and assessment within veterinary profession (undergraduate and postgraduate formal education, as well as in-practice learning).
What were the best aspects of your engagement with the PGCHE course?
The best aspects of my engagement is interacting with other staff members from different departments and learning from their experience and being able to approach the problems utilising a different perspective.
How were you supported on the course?
As I completed a science-based degree, I struggled with being engaged with educational literature. The PGCHE lecturers helped me to find the applicability of the theory to my practical teaching. They helped me to learn how to find the important bits from the texts and not become overwhelmed with jargon.
Why do you think others should choose the University of Nottingham to study the PGHCE Global course?
Nottingham’s PGCHE Global course will help you to develop as an educator in your own discipline without trying to turn you into an excellent theorist on education. The applicability to my teaching was supported and encouraged. I felt the teaching was designed to support me and my progress.
Do you have any advice for someone considering the PGCHE Global course?
Use the excellent feedback from the students who are engaging with the sessions to develop your PGCHE knowledge.
Martyn Barrett
Martyn is a Senior Technician in the Faculty of Engineering at the Unviersity of Nottingham,
How has this course helped you in your day job?
I have gained an appreciation for different elements of course design and the importance of engaging with module convenors to develop taught content in a way that will best suit our diverse student audience. Having not been involved in writing module from scratch, I found it very interesting to engage with the PGCHE Global course design module and develop my understanding of local policies and factors to consider when developing content. In my daily work, I am now more critical of how I deliver content and continually engage students to ensure that they are getting the most from a session. I appreciate that every session is different and that each student and group of students must be considered in the delivery of a session and design of the content.
What has been the biggest ‘takeaway’ / lightbulb moment?
During the Teaching and Supporting Learning module, I was required to write a personal teaching philosophy statement. Having never been asked to consider what my philosophy is; this encouraged me to ask questions of my own practice and critically reflect on my practice to better understand my own approach to teaching and engage with a level of self-reflection that I had previously not considered. In our day-to-day roles we are not often asked questions that require this level of reflection, to take time to understand my own teaching narrative was a valuable exercise.
As a technician, why are learning and development opportunities like this so valuable?
As technical staff, we often lead taught sessions in practical settings. This places an obligation on technical staff to deliver module content to students and make links between theoretical knowledge and practical application. I believe that it is important to continually develop and enhance the skills that we have as teaching staff in order to teach in line with institutional policy and to meet the requirements of our students. As a teaching resource, technical staff have a huge amount to offer; without developing the teaching skills of the technical community we may not be delivering all we have to offer.
What would you say to another technician in a teaching role who has the opportunity to do the course?
This course allows an opportunity to develop many different aspects of your teaching practice. As with all higher level study, you only get out what you are willing to put in, with an emphasis on critical reflection and making study relevant to your individual role and the PGCHE Global has a lot to offer for those willing to invest the time. I am glad that I undertook the PGCHE and would recommend it to other technical staff in teaching roles.
Jason Young
Jason is a Technician in the Faculty of Engineering at the Unviersity of Nottingham
How has this course helped you in your day job?
I work as a teaching technician and the course has enlightened me, I think I’ve changed as an educator as I now have some understanding into how students learn. I now offer more resources and clarity in my practices.
What has been the biggest ‘takeaway’ / lightbulb moment?
My personal tutor and I had a tutorial regarding my teaching philosophy, and wow it was like I was in the matrix. My tutor's explanation made all of the reading lists and research somehow gel together. After the tutorial I couldn’t stop thinking and writing - I was inspired somewhat.
As a technician, why are learning and development opportunities like this so valuable?
For me as a student-facing technician, the PGCHE Global has really helped me empathise with the students' learning process. I have a new found understanding into the foundations of teaching and how core teaching principles are developed into learning outcomes and strategies for feedback.
What would you say to another technician in a teaching role who has the opportunity to do the course?
Be prepared to be inspired, if you have a passion for teaching, this course will make you explore your inner self and will open your mind to the brilliant architecture of teaching.