Professor Briony Oates

National Teaching Fellow 2008 Institution at the time of award: Teesside University Professor Briony Oates was Professor of Inquiry Methods in the School of Computing, University of Teesside until she retired from that post in September 2016. She remains active in her learning and teaching and research interests and is always keen to hear about new opportunities. Her work is located at the centre of the teaching-research nexus: she is an active researcher, and also a teacher who is committed to helping others experience the thrills and spills of carrying out research. Briony has a passionate belief that we are all both learners and researchers, and her goal is to give students, colleagues and practitioners the confidence and tools so that all can participate in the processes of inquiry and knowledge creation. Frustrated by the lack of any textbook on research methods for computing students, Briony wrote her own (Researching Information Systems and Computing). Published in 2006, her book has been adopted at many universities in the UK, USA, and across the world. Briony is keen that her students do research, not just read about it. They undertake research in small groups and present their findings, experiencing peer review as fellow students critique the research and the presentation. This could be daunting for some, but her students find her teaching style supportive and encouraging. One student wrote: "Her interpersonal skills are superb, managing to work with students struggling to grasp key concepts and guiding them through difficult topics with patience and dedication. She enthuses students so that even the most introverted want to join in the discussions, and during the whole process an air of mutual respect and control is always maintained." Briony has given guest lectures and workshops to staff and students in the UK and abroad, and participated in various multinational pedagogical research groups. She welcomes further invitations and opportunities to continue her work.