Dr David McIlroy

National Teaching Fellow 2010 David has worked at Liverpool John Moores University for nine years since completing his PhD at the University of Ulster. David's extraordinary rapport and empathy with students creates a supportive environment that enables students to transform daunting obstacles into accessible challenges. The impact of this is beautifully epitomised in this statement from a recent graduate who uses a phrase from her culture (in Urdu): "Meri Kamyabi mayn Aap Ka Bhi Hissa Hain" which means "You also have a claim on my success" (Kamyabi = Success, Hissa = Part of/Claim). A defining feature of David's work is its' impact and reach far beyond his own teaching. His work with Psychology staff on peer review, personal development planning and personal tutoring has been highlighted as good practice across the university and disseminated widely. David's pedagogic practice is underpinned by collaborative international research on emotional intelligence, self-efficacy, test anxiety, personality and computers in education. His work on emotional intelligence has been taken up to support a university-wide implementation of the university's strategic employability initiative, a prime example of his ability to transform challenging concepts into useful practical solutions that impact positively on student learning and engagement. David's impact on the student experience has been recognised by his own institution with numerous curriculum design awards and he has led funded projects on emotional intelligence, personal development planning, employability, enterprise and computer anxiety. His most recent work is an employability project tracking successful alumni. His books, Exam Success and Studying at University have reached a wide audience in the UK and overseas. His reputation as a gifted teacher and communicator means that he is often asked to run sessions for the Postgraduates who Teach Network (PGwT) where he is seen as 'an inspiration to new psychology lecturers,' and he has been a keynote speaker at international HE conferences. David's work in higher education is characterised by his enjoyment of and enthusiasm for what he does and this provides the dynamics for rigorously interrogating personal practice and enhancing the student experience.