Deirdre

I am a Contemporary Art and ICT lecturer at UHI Perth since 2017. I lecture across all college levels, from level 4 all the way to final year degree. I completed my MFA in 2016 and the BA (Hons) Fine Art with a First Class from Cardiff Metropolitan University in 2015. I hold a number of teaching qualifications including the PgCert Teaching Qualification in Further Education completed in 2022. I am also a practicing artist.

I love both my roles as artist and lecturer as they often overlap. I also run a micro (128 Telephone Box Gallery) contemporary art gallery in my local community. In all my roles I work with people in a learning capacity. In my role as a lecturer, I am also a PAT Personal Academic Tutor, which involves student pastoral care and I am also a final year degree mentor so I am also used to working with students individually both face-to-face and online. I regularly receive good feedback from my students and have been nominated nearly every year for a teaching excellence award.
Prior to my return to education, I lived in Ireland where I had 7 years full time experience teaching IT (ECDL - Microsoft Office Package) and Business Skills including bookkeeping to a variety of age ranges both as a one-to-one tutor and in a large group environment. During this time, I had a diverse group of learners ranging from those who were learning for pleasure, to those who were hoping to improve their employment prospects or wanting to further their education.

I also have a lot of experience working with children from between the ages of 9 and 12 as I was a voluntary Cub Scout leader in Ireland, a volunteer facilitator for the Coder Dojo in Perth and have run art workshops with kids for the DD8 Music Charity in Scotland.

I am a friendly approachable person who enjoys the process learning as well as passing that learning on. I am after all an advocate of lifelong learning. One of my favourite things is seeing others achieve their goals and acquiring new ones along the way. This ethos migrates into all my roles including my own art practice where much of it also involves working with others.

Tutoring Experience

As above, I am a contemporary art lecturer at UHI Perth, I have been there since 2017. I lecture across all college levels from Back to College Level 4 to final year degree. Some of the subjects I deliver include:
• Public Art
• Three Dimensional practice
• Sculpture
• Mixed Media
• Professional Practice
• Contextual Studies/Art History
• Research Project (Degree)
• Exhibition and Curation
• Print
• Digital Media - 3D Projection Mapping, Arduino, Audio
• Adobe Software Packages (Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects etc)

As an artist I also run sustainable/eco art workshops such as:
• Papermaking
• Sustainable Print (wood cut, tetra pak relief, and monotype)

I also deliver ICT specific training for UHI Perth.
Core Skills ICT (Level 4 – 6)
• MS Word
• MS Excel
• MS PowerPoint
• MS Outlook (Email)
• File Management
• Internet and data security

I started my teaching career in 2005 delivering full-time IT and Work Experience training to groups of up to 20 learners per course. I then progressed to become an Assistant Training Coordinator in 2007 in a government funded training facility, delivering Office, Business and IT training to groups of 16 adults wishing to successfully progress into employment or further education. In 2009 I was employed as the Training Coordinator for the same programme and stayed in that position until 2012 when I decided to relocate to Wales to follow my dream to formally study art. Units delivered in this role include:

Major Award in Business and Secretarial FETAC Level 5
FETAC Level 5 is equivalent to:
- NVQ Level 3, Vocational Qualifications Level 3, GCSE, AS and A Level, Advanced Diplomas, Scotland: Higher, Modern Apprenticeship, NPA, NC

• ECDL (European Computer Drivers Licence) Microsoft Office Package: Word, Spreadsheet, Database, Presentation, File Management, Internet and Email, IT Theory and Security
• Manual and Computerised Bookkeeping (SAGE) FETAC L 5
• Work Experience FETAC L5
• Intercultural Studies FETAC L5
• Text Production FETAC L5
• Word Processing FETAC L5
• Drama and Art Workshops (No Examination)

Tutoring Approach

I take a holistic approach to teaching and consider each leaner as an individual with individual learning styles and needs. I tailor my lessons and exercises to the leaners likes, wants, needs and abilities.

Most importantly, I love both learning and I love sharing what I have learned. I am always so excited by my student’s triumphs and achievements, the small ones and the big ones. I look forward to hearing from you.