National Teaching Fellowship award for Marcia

A University of Manchester Teaching and Learning Manager has been awarded a prestigious National Teaching Fellowship by the Higher Education Academy (HEA) today.

Marcia Ody was one of just 55 successful National Teaching Fellows (NTFs) chosen from more than 180 nominations submitted by higher education institutions across England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

Marcia is the driving force behind the highly successful and nationally and internationally acclaimed Peer Assisted Study Session (PASS) programme. She has led the ‘students as partners’ programme based in the Teaching and Learning Support Office and has developed extensive experience in student development and teaching and learning innovation in her 16 years of working within higher education.

Marcia has led the rapid expansion of PASS and peer mentoring and has taken a leadership role in establishing effective and sustainable structures to support the continued enhancement of this programme of work. She has been highly influential in moving PASS from the periphery to the mainstream of teaching and learning in the University.

The UK National Centre for PASS was established under Marcia’s leadership and she has been the national certified trainer for supplemental instruction/PASS since 2009.

Marcia has an excellent national and international reputation and has disseminated her work at a number of prestigious conferences and in publications. She is instrumental in creating partnerships between staff and students and in developing the notion of a community of learners.

Marcia has been highly influential in developing the student voice agenda at the University and beyond. She plays an active role in designing and delivering a range of opportunities for students to inform the development of the curriculum, institutional policy, strategy and practice. Her use of students as co-consultants is highly regarded across the higher education sector, as is her ability to build capacity for this work wherever possible through coaching, training and supporting colleagues.

The National Teaching Fellowships scheme is funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England, the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales and the Department for Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland. It is open to staff whose teaching or support roles enhance the student learning experience.

Successful nominees were nominated by their institutions and submissions had to show evidence of three criteria: individual excellence, raising the profile of excellence and developing excellence.

Marcia said: “I feel incredibly honoured to be awarded a National Teaching Fellow and I am pleased that professional support staff are rightly acknowledged for their contributions and significant impact that they have to teaching, learning and the student experience.

“I am fortunate to work with passionate and committed students and staff at The University of Manchester and beyond and I see the impact that they have on the student experience through peer support and student development and I believe that this award recognises the impact of the Peer Education community here at Manchester, nationally and internationally.”

Professor Clive Agnew, Vice President Teaching, Learning and Students, said: “Marcia's persistence and enthusiasm have been powerful drivers for ensuring that the student voice is at the heart of strategic developments in teaching and learning at Manchester. She is rightly recognised as an expert in student engagement at all levels from course representation to University-wide reviews, and her impact can be seen in the positive change in attitude to student voice at all levels and in all schools.

“In moving Manchester’s Peer Support programme from a peripheral activity to a nationally leading and internationally recognised programme with significant and sustained impact on the student experience she had faced many challenges which she has overcome through reflection and an unwavering belief in the transformative nature of Higher Education.”

Professor Stephanie Marshall, Chief Executive of the HEA, said: “The National Teaching Fellowship Scheme celebrates outstanding achievement in learning and teaching in higher education. Each year when I read about our new National Teaching Fellows what stands out for me are the comments made by their students, who describe them as innovative, engaging, entertaining, genuine, and passionate about teaching. This year is no exception. The new 2015 National Teaching Fellows we honour today are truly deserving of the award.

“Receiving a National Teaching Fellowship is just the beginning. They are an active community of passionate and enthusiastic professionals, working to enhance learning and teaching in their institutions and the sector. I’m delighted and honoured that the HEA manages such a valued, peer review-based scheme to recognise the very best in higher education teaching.”

Along with the National Teaching Fellowship Scheme, the HEA’s work in professional recognition of teaching includes the accreditation of institutions’ professional development programmes and individual recognition for staff who meet the criteria of the UK Professional Standards Framework.

The awards will be formally presented at a celebration event to be held at Liverpool Cathedral in October.