National Teaching Fellow 2012 Institution at the time of the award: Bangor University.
Dr Charles Buckley works at Liverpool University as an Educational Developer and is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He has supported the Committee for the Academy of National Teaching Fellows for a number of years. His approach to learning and teaching has been influenced by his varied career background including being a police constable, holiday representative and primary school teacher. This has developed his knack for relating to people and he leads on developing inclusivity in all aspects of teaching.
Whilst at Bangor University, he worked closely with colleagues at Y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol to support staff at Bangor and other higher education institutions across Wales. A colleague from y Coleg remarked: "Charles' pioneering work at Bangor has been the catalyst for other universities to become similarly involved. Y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol is extremely grateful for his vision and perseverance." Charles has vast experience in working with international students and uses a number of approaches to integrating research with teaching. One international student at Bangor said: "Your teaching was truly inspirational and easy to follow. Although the concept of grounded theory previously seemed abstract to us, we now have a much clearer understanding of the subject." With a background in teaching and competing in sport, Charles understands the importance of working with teams and supported a unique collaborative model for the PGCertHE at Bangor which operated with four other universities across Wales.
He supports the work of the Staff and Educational Development Association and works with the Scholarship and Research Committee. He has delivered workshops on diverse aspects of learning and teaching in higher education in the UK and Saudi Arabia. He has extensive experience acting as an external examiner in many universities and has contributed to the validation of degrees and awards in the UK and Ireland. Charles has a range of research interests and has conducted phenomenographic research with children and students to develop and share an understanding of individual differences and how this can be used to inform educators. He has a particular interest in grounded theory, the use of diagrams in research and teaching, internationalisation, linking research with teaching, the use of technology in learning and teaching and the academic identities of staff in the university.