This month's interview is with Dr Keryn Pratt, Snr Lecturer in the University of Otago College of Education and Director, Centre for Distance Education and Learning Technologies

Each month the Distance Learning Campus Staff Newsletter provides a snapshot of the awesome work that University staff members provide from across the globe. It is an opportunity to learn more about the diversity of our distance staff work locations, pedagogical approaches and use of digital tools. Hopefully, we can provide you with inspiration about new ideas and ways of thinking about teaching in the distance environment.

This month we caught up with Dr Keryn Pratt. Keryn is a Snr Lecturer in the College of Education (CoE). She co-ordinates (and teaches into) the EdD programme and teaches a variety of distance postgraduate papers on using technologies for teaching, and on quantitative research methods. Keryn is also the Director of the Centre for Distance Education and Learning Technologies, which is a research centre based in the CoE.

So Keryn has many strings to her bow, with lots of research and practice knowledge to share about distance education! This is what she had to say in response to our questions.

What is the best thing about being involved in Distance Education at the University of Otago?

"The community - a group of teachers who are passionate about ensuring that students who cannot attend on-campus/in-person classes can still learn"

Share something interesting or surprising about teaching by distance, and working with distance students.

"the relationships that develop - while the relationships are different, they are deep and they are real; I still remember a student who not only brought multiple (more than 10) members of her family to graduation, but wanted them to meet me, who had worked with her in several classes. Our relationship was real, and it was important we celebrated her success together, and with her family - it was very humbling to realise the role I had played not only in her life, but in the life of her extended family."

Do you have some words of advice to anyone keen to take the plunge and explore Distance Teaching?

"Do it! But recognise that teaching at a distance is different from teaching in person - but that, in many ways, good distance teaching also equals good in person teaching - it's just that teaching at distance opens your mind up to a wide range of possibilities - and connects you to a very supportive community. Don't forget, too, that, just because it might be new in your particular content area, doesn't mean that there isn't a broad base of research that can help inform your practice. "

Provide us with one favourite technological tool/approach that has helped in engaging your students.

"To me it's not about the tool, but how I've used it . . . e.g. I've found instead of asking students to 'engage in online discussions', providing very explicit requirements about what I want them to do (which are derived from the learning objectives) had led to increased engagement as well as increased depth in these discussions."

Thanks for your time Keryn! 😀

If you would like to share your insights into Distance Teaching in one of our future Newsletters please don't hesitate to contact the Distance Learning Office.