National Teaching Fellowship Scheme - Higher Education Academy

National Teaching Fellows 2012
Professor Jon Scott
Professor of Bioscience Education and
Academic Director, College of Medicine,
Biological Sciences & Psychology
University of Leicester
A deep commitment to enhancing the experience of the student learning journey, at all stages,
characterises Professor Jon Scott’s approach to his work. This begins well before university entry
through engaging students from regional schools in practical classes and then supporting the processes
of transition through a mentor scheme that is now being adopted across his whole University.
Jon has led on a range of key projects at institutional level, including retention, assessment and
feedback, use of the virtual learning environment (VLE) and academic integrity, all of which are
underpinned by active contributions to current research in the areas and relate back to the
commitment to enhancing the student learning experience. As part of these developments, Jon also
works to support colleagues in improving their practice. This is achieved at School level through the
Pedagogical Research Group which he established and more widely, through an annual series of
focused staff-development workshops that he organises. Leading by example is also vital and he is
continually striving to ensure that his own teaching and assessment practice is always improving:
“Encyclopaedic knowledge of the subject, and presented in an easy to understand way. Couldn’t ask
for better.”
“I just want to say thank you very much for being such a good tutor. Your very prompt and
informative feedback was much appreciated. As a student I find such support very important and was
always grateful to receive it.”
Jon has actively promoted teaching and learning on the national stage through membership of the
education committees of learned societies. He was vice-chair of the Advisory Group for the HEA
Centre for Bioscience and is now leading on the HEA’s Special Interest Group in pedagogical research
for the biosciences. Through these he has organised and hosted a number of national workshops, for
example on qualitative methods in pedagogical research in the biosciences in June 2012. His national
contribution to bioscience education was recognised through being named ‘Bioscience Teacher of the
Year’ in 2011:
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‘An individual who genuinely puts student engagement at the heart of his academic practice.’