Leading Educator / Data Scientist/ Designer
TesAwards10 winner #Bima100 in 2019 & DOIT European Advocate for #2020 Horizon project on innovation & research. #GenderCharter Champion at GEC & Create Ambassador. I put Industry 4.0 tech into curriculums. I consult on UL / UX design for Edtech companies and publish education research. Part of the Interactive Design Foundation. Previously environmental engineer/ senior air hostess having worked outside the UK for over 10 years internationally.
Commonly nicknamed either Sparky or The Queen of MakerEd .... both of which I laugh at !
Projects
- Maker Education Working GroupThe MakerEd Working Group (MEWG) is an organisation focused on supporting self-led project based learning Members’ focus on establishing ‘maker education’ (MakerEd) activities for students, staff, businesses, and the public in the North West. We want to use MakerEd to champion university makerspaces by opening HEdSpaces, and introducing creative higher education modules that run alongside traditional didactic ones, such as ‘statistics done differently’ with LJMU , By mapping all making, arts, i
- Smart LearningSmart Learning – teaching and learning with smartphones and tablets in post compulsory education captures innovative practice in teaching and learning with smartphones and tablets. As with previous MELSIG publications, the approach is scholarly, thoughtful, practical and creative. An important dimension of the Smart Learning book is its dual interest in both formal teaching and learning, and in how smart technologies are changing the way we engage with our university life beyond the classroom as
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Work history
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Director of Spark MakerspaceSecondary Education
Warrington, United KingdomFull Time
I lead on the teaching of Physics again resulting in a 100% pass rate in 2018, as well as opening the first curriculum driven makerspace in a UK School. Publishing education research on maker education for over 8 years in secondary & higher education. I was awarded the National New Teacher of the year by the Times Education Supplement in July 2018
Our school makerspace now delivers the "digital upskilling pathway" to all students to provide diverse, rich learning environments in which the creativity of the student as a “maker” can flourish. We provide pupils with the opportunity to develop their ideas within the curriculum and outside the classroom with industry leaders and Makers in the community so that learning is no longer confined to our timetabled sessions. We are aspiring to move towards a more dynamic way of teaching and learning that has the potential to transform our curriculum delivery. Spark At Penketh. Current projects with Create Education Ultimaker, LJMU, EHU, Little Sandbox Does Liverpool, Code Club, Mirco:bits, Rasberrypi, Maker difference, Liverpool Library.
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FounderMakefest
United KingdomFreelance
In 2014 I co-founded the first #Makefest , Liverpool Makefest Liverpool’s Central Library Festival to promote the uses on technology for education and showcase innovate and developing practices. In 2018 the National libraries Taskforce plans to expand Makefest to all UK Libraries
The event is free for all young people to attend and working with, Denise Jones, at Liverpool Central Library Liverpool MakeFest attracted 6000 per year attending the festival. The festival after working on a national bid with the Library contains over 250 business, educators and educational establishments to promote technology and aims to facilitate hands-on learning with digital and electronic tools Serving a local and regional audience of attendees, the festival has attracted numerous exhibitors, some from outside the area demonstrating the wider National technology community and their effect on the wider economy. It is now part of the National Libraries Digital Offer.
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Skills
- Education Consulting
- UX
- Design Education
- Education Projects
- Product Development
- Product Design
- Content Design
- Research
- Data Insights
Awards
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Nexus Edtech Vlog of the yearNexus Education
Nexus Education is a hub for over 20000 UK teachers to share ideas, talk about best practice, and research the very best products and services.
I was award the stem/edtech vlog of the year in 2019Bima100BIMA
Bima celebrated 100 of the people who are leading the industry right now. We’re not talking about work and projects –We’re talking about the leaders, pioneers, entrepreneurs and changemakers.
I was delighted to commended at the event as well as within the BIMA100 exceptional grateful for my contributions to tech and education+ Show more