Dr Wendy Garnham

Dr Wendy Garnham, a senior Psychology lecturer, has recently been recognised by two leading educational bodies for her efforts to foster educational change and promote active learning.

In July, Dr Garnham – who is currently Director of Student Experience for the Foundation Year programme – became the first Sussex academic to be awarded Fellowship of SEDA (Staff and Educational Development Association). SEDA is the professional association for staff and educational developers in the UK and influences educational development both in the UK and overseas.

This month, Dr Garnham was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship by Advance HE in recognition of her "innovative, award-winning projects in collaboration with students that have resulted in accelerated achievement and increased creativity".

The scheme showcases the outstanding impact of individuals who support learning in UK higher education, recognising their success and providing a platform to share the learning from their practice. Advance HE is the higher education sector’s agency for equality and diversity, learning and teaching, and leadership and governance.

Examples of Dr Garnham’s work:

• Dr Garnham co-founded the Active Learning Network – a national initiative designed to showcase active learning projects. The Network is now in its fourth year, with ten satellite groups, and reaches over 121 countries worldwide.

• Her use of the Padlet Project in seminars sees students work in small groups to create a range of multimedia posts on a Padlet wall (online collaborative noticeboard). In doing so they develop digital skills and create imaginative resources that promote diversity and develop resources that support learning beyond the seminar room.

• Dr Garnham is working with the Widening Participation team at Sussex to explore the barriers that mature students experience in accessing higher education. She has hosted coffee mornings for mature students on the Foundation Year, enabling her to gain a greater understanding of potential barriers to higher education in this student group. Working with learning technologists and students at St Mary’s University, a local technology business run by an ex-Sussex graduate and our own Foundation Year students at Sussex, she has been exploring the possibility of developing a student wellbeing app, Uni-5.

• She implemented the Touching Base initiative at Sussex to reach out to students who may be finding the transition to university tough and may need support to help them achieve. At the end of each week, any student who has contacted her as Director of the Student Experience – to discuss issues such as mental health or feelings of isolation – is sent an email to “touch base”. This is an informal way of keeping in touch to ensure that the necessary support is having a positive effect and, where it isn’t, to review the support available.

Dr Garnham said: “I am absolutely delighted to achieve these fellowships, which represent a career dream for me. Such achievements are only possible with the collaboration and kindness of my colleagues though, both at Sussex and externally, and I am looking forward to continuing to contribute to the teaching community in the future.”