Through his teaching, Dr Alexander Gillett aims to get students interested and provide them with ongoing skills. This is achieved through his enthusiasm, leading of discussions and the tools he uses in his teaching.

“Enthusiasm is contagious and helps students focus on the topics. I encourage this through active lectures and student-led discussions in tutorials and in online discussions. The latter has been particularly important this year given the circumstances with COVID-19,” says Alexander.

“Student-led discussions are key in getting students to engage with complex material and they also help to foster communities of enquiry. I support this by providing areas on iLearn to promote student-led study groups.

“I supply essay plans to provide feedback designed to help students develop arguments, in addition to extensive resources that help them begin to develop research and reading skills. Along with my colleagues, Jenny Duke-Yonge and Albert Atkin, we have implemented podcast discussions to supplement other means of delivering content. These discussions allow for a deeper connection with the material and have been enjoyed by the students.”