Mrs Rachel Barrell

Rachel Barrell is currently a Principal Lecturer at the University of Worcester and Course Leader for the Undergraduate Initial Teacher Education programme. The key elements of her approach are student engagement, interdisciplinary approaches to practice and values based teacher education. She believes that education has the power to liberate and empower all through the promotion of inclusive values and beliefs "that all students have the right to reach their full potential through a process of transformational change." The focus and strengths of her teaching support a student-centered approach based on creating and maintaining positive relationships, respecting and celebrating the diversity of students talents and experiences and creating learning communities where all feel confident to take risks and share their own professional identities. "You demonstrate a desire to evolve and improve, an ethos which is about sharing, learning and empowering. This shines through in your work with us." External Examiner (2016) Impact of work The key elements of her approach are student engagement, interdisciplinary approaches to practice and values based teacher education. Impact of her work can be evidenced by consistently high levels of student engagement in key Higher Education metrics, being jointly awarded the BERA/SAGE Research Award in 2013 for raising student confidence in academic writing skills. She was also shortlisted in 2015 for a Times Higher Award for Outstanding Support for Students for the introduction of the Working in Partnership (WiP) model which empowered students to be active participants in their educational decision making through the implementation of a number of student led initiatives. "[....]blogs to support and share, the brilliant 'Intuition' journal and the WiP initiative which has been acclaimed by everyone we have spoken to as revolutionising the student voice, ensuring better student/staff communication and relationships and ultimately impacting on trainee well-being and achievement." External Examiner 2014 Her model for student engagement has been presented at conferences, such as the HEA Surveys Conference 2016: Linking Enhancement and Excellence as well as shared with colleagues across other Institutes in the University. Plans for the future Rachel's plans for the future include further interdisciplinary work linked to mental health and wellbeing and working with course leaders, building collaborative networks which will lead to the sharing of good practice as well as building new learning communities of students across Institutes.