What is a learning technologist and how can they help me?

The University employs a number of learning technologists, and all academic staff, and many professional services staff, have a nominated learning technologist who will work with them to help them make the best use of the various digital technologies provided by the University to support learning and teaching.

The main role of the learning technologists is best summed in the following mission statement:

While all learning technologists are highly competent technology users, they also have a background in teaching and/or training, so have good pedagogic knowledge as well as technical knowledge. In addition, learning technologists keep up-to-date with developments in learning technology by attending and presenting at learning technology conferences, attending online webinars, subscribing to learning technology-related mail lists, writing articles about learning technology for the LearnTech Blog, and reading research articles in publications such as Research in Learning Technology and the British Journal of Learning Technology. This means that as well as being able to offer technical training and support to staff with all of the NILE tools they can also provide sound advice on how best to deploy and use these tools to support teaching, learning and assessment.

Learning technologists can work with you in a variety of different ways. You can contact your learning technologist via email, schedule a one-to-one session with them (face-to-face or online), or organise a bespoke training session with them for you and your team. For advice, guidance, and training with NILE, or to chat more about how you can make effective use of technology to support teaching, learning and assessment, please feel free to get in touch with your learning technologist.