Dr Sue R Whittle

Profile

My research interests are broad, and include transitions, both between school and university and during undergraduate programmes, the development of students' transferable and subject-specific skills, both before entry to university and during undergraduate study, and the use of blended learning to support students' independent study and employability.  I have experience as an External Examiner on MBChB programmes. I am Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (Advance HE), an HEA Accreditor, and was awarded University Student Education Fellowships in 2010 and 2014.

Research interests

My research interests include:

• the support of students during transition between school and university, and between phases of undergraduate study.
• the development of students' transferable skills, both before entry to university and during undergraduate study. Projects have included studying the effect of first year courses on skills development, effects of changes to UK secondary education, and differences between the transferable skills of intakes to a range of UK and South African medical schools.
• the use of on-line resources and blended learning; recent projects have included the design, implementation and evaluation of on-line resources to support the development of students' laboratory skills (http://www.virtual-labs.leeds.ac.uk/), Career Planning (iDecide), and support of returning students (Year 2 support resource).
• the use of educational environment surveys to evaluate and enhance the student experience.
• the development of modules using 'flipped classroom' techniques which utilise REF case studies to enhance students' understanding of the impact of research outputs.

These projects have been supported through awards of University of Leeds Student Education Fellowships in 2010 and 2014.

Qualifications

• BSc, Leeds; PhD, Leeds; PGCLTHE

Professional memberships

• Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology
• Senior Fellow, AdvanceHE (HEA)