Interview with Dr Helen Purchase
Helen Purchase
"My favourite feedback comment over the years was from one student who wrote that 'the lecturer should wear shoes.'" says Dr Helen Purchase, Senior Lecturer in the University's School of Computing Science.
Having been a university teacher for 19 years, Dr Purchase is a seasoned pro when it comes to getting the best out of a class of students, however, she is still not averse to rolling with the changes when it comes to teaching technique.
"My teaching approach has changed over the years, as I have become more confident. 19 years ago, as a newbie, it was most comfortable to hide behind the content and focus on rigid and highly formal assessment; as I mellowed, and got to know students better (and became less scared of them), I realised how much they each have to offer to the learning process."
Although over the course of her career her teaching methods have changed somewhat, she has always been a believer in peer-to-peer interaction. Opening the floor to discussion has been central to successful teaching as has building an atmosphere of trust and mutual support between teacher and students.
"I believe that students have a lot to offer in the learning process - and that acknowledging this makes for a more rewarding educational experience for us all. I am interested in 'Contributing Student Pedagogy', where students explicitly contribute to the learning of their peers: I don't think that all learning needs to come from me - students are very good at teaching and supporting their peers.
"The best part of my job is supervising the project students: I love watching their research, writing and management skills develop as the year progresses. Good project students inspire me; my three most favourite students of all time were project students that started off being insecure and nervous, and by the end of the process were transformed into inspiring research colleagues and friends."