Robert Pashley

My role as a Learning Technologist in the department is very wide in scope. I offer help guidance and advice regarding the use of technology in teaching, delivery and the practice of staff in the department. I research, analyse and recommend the adoption and inclusion of new technology / pedagogical practices when utilising technology in teaching. I offer staff training in the use and application of new technology and deliver workshop and guidance materials to students who need to interface with technology in the course of their learning.

I am also the departments Data Champion and serve and an ethics reviewer dealing with areas around data protection. I look after the departments Blackboard modules and development of online tools deployed here. I also work as a web developer and server admin for the departments WordPress websites used for front facing practical journalism during assessments.

The best part about my role is the variety and consistently evolving nature. Technology doesn't stand still and the department has always been at the fore of using it to engage students.

Robert Pashley

Learning Technologist in the Department of Journalism Studies

I worked in the arts and media for a number of years and after an eclectic selection of jobs, including youth worker, civil servant, and actor. After leaving my post as Deputy Production Manager at the University of Leeds, I retrained as a teacher and taught then Lectured Creative Media Production for a few years before moving to the University of Sheffield to join the creative media team.

I helped to grow the creative media teams reach and involvement in the development of practical and pedagogical tools to help departments use alternative forms of assessment. From here, I moved to my current position as Learning Technologist for the Journalism Studies department which has been a natural development, allowing me to utilise my past experiences to help develop pedagogical approaches, as well as staying practically involved in the use and development of technologies within the department.

The best part about my role is the variety and consistently evolving nature. Technology doesn't stand still and the department has always been at the fore of using it to engage students, to provide a quality learning and profession environment. I relish the role I can play in helping to develop practice and the research opportunities it provides me in looking at new and developing technologies.