Matt

I’m an academic at the University of Manchester, with 25 years of previous industry experience as a surveyor and project manager in offshore surveying, exploration and construction.

My Bachelors degree was in Surveying and Mapping Sciences; my first Masters degree was in Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Management, and my second Masters degree was in Spatial Planning. I have also recently completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Power Networks (energy systems), though I am awaiting the arrival of the certificate for that one!

I can confidently teach and mentor (with lots of background professional experience) in all these subject areas, as well as many aspects of Human and Physical Geography.

As a professional surveyor, I’m happy to offer tuition and advice on many aspects of land or hydrographic surveying, including setting out, mapping, volumetric calculations, and more. Much of this is essential knowledge for civil engineers.

I’m also quite happy to take on tutees looking for support with their Extended Projects, or general study skills.

Currently I am helping with the teaching of university modules covering topics of sustainable development and environmental management. I also contribute study skills sessions for first-year undergraduate students, and offer bespoke training sessions on academic referencing and document management software.

Tutoring Experience

Six years working at University of Manchester as a Teaching Assistant and, more recently, as a junior lecturer. Fellow of the Higher Education Association.

In the last six years I have contributed to Undergraduate and Postgraduate modules in a wide range of topics, including GIS software, Neighbourhood Planning, Real Estate Development, Theory of Planning, Designing for Sustainable Futures, Planning for Environmental Change, Environmental Impact Assessment, Environmental Management Projects, and more.

I have also regularly been involved in the marking of undergraduate and postgraduate assignments, and am clear on the requirements of good university-grade assignments, and how to avoid the pitfalls so often encountered by inexperienced students.

Twenty-five years experience in land and hydrographic surveying, exploration and offshore construction, along with work on several environmental management projects around the world. During this time I led a lot of “on the job” training for newly joining staff members. I also organised and led various new-staff-intake skills and technical training courses for new joiners.

Tutoring Approach

Socratic: asking questions to answer questions. Breaking down questions into component parts, so that answers can be more easily found.

Hierarchical: looking at questions and using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to develop practical answers.

Mind-mapping approach: developing detailed answers through mind-mapping approaches.

Every student (and parent for under-18 year olds) will receive a password to a bespoke Padlet (online work-space), where we can share documents back and forth, as well as other pertinent questions.

I am happy to look over practice questions and mock exams, and will offer formative feedback to help students better understand the question they are addressing.