International Staff Support (Heather Timm)

External link to International Staff Support Website

External link to YouTube Channel

Level of information

Basic information and advice based on personal experiences for new international staff accepting posts in the UK and moving from outside the UK to work in UK Higher Education.

Anticipated Audience

Any number of people depending on how the website is promoted.  Promotion aimed at national level with any amount of individuals viewing the site globally.

Description of the application of video

There are a total of 8 video clips on the site, each a maximum of a couple of minutes long.  They each have a theme depending on where they are located on the site.  Their intention is to provide additional advice and support in a different medium (ie. video) from people who have actually lived through the experience of moving to the UK for the first time and starting a new post in a UK Higher Education institution.  The original aim was to allow people who have accepted posts and who would be coming over to the UK to start work to see others who have done it before them.  As a result, their confidence could grow and they may be less anxious about change.

The clips are grouped as follows:-

• Pre-arrival essentials
• Your first few weeks
• Living in the UK
• Things to do in the UK
• Education in the UK
• Students in the UK
• Learning and teaching in the UK
• Personal tutorials

Reflections on the experience

Highlighting the use of video by other education professionals, helped to give live examples to participants in a group learning about the use of video in education. Students could see and reflect upon the use and impact of diffrent types of video, outlined in the 2002 publication from JISC: Video streaming publication.

This is a very successful and engaging task which generates discussion and active learning in the group. I evaluate my materials by ensuring that the activity meets its teaching aims and learning outcomes.

This activity results in a shift in thinking about potential uses of video. The participants move away from their initial interest in videoing their own lectures towards thinking about the wider range of ways in which video can have pedagogic value. It stimulates ideas, and every time, they ask me where these videos come from, so I am able to promote the collections.

Future plans

Market and promote the site further.  If this is successful the site will become more dynamic and video content could be edited and more uploaded as time goes on.