Professor Susan Orr

National Teaching Fellow 2010 Susan has a Chair in the Pedagogy in Creative Practice and is one of a small number of UK teacher/researchers who are innovating and leading on assessment within art and design. As the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Arts "Susan has been at the vanguard of a quiet revolution in the Faculty to support the various programmes to enhance the teaching and learning experience in ways that are diverse (as appropriate to the needs of staff and students) and have led to Faculty members wanting to share, reflect and take pride in teaching and learning." (Lecturer, York St. John). In 2007 Susan was awarded a CETL Collaborating for Creativity fellowship to improve group work assessment. She produced a DVD, 'Fighting or collaborating for the marks: Student's experience of group work assessment'. "I've been looking for a second to tell you how much I appreciated your DVD on group work assessment. It is so well done. And the students are so insightful, fair-minded, honest . . . as they tend to be when someone thinks to ask them really good questions!" Dr. Ellen Margolis, Pacific University USA. In 2008, Susan was invited to Massachusetts Institute of Technology to share her group work assessment scholarship at an invitation-only international HE pedagogy conference. Susan is committed to improving studio-based feedback for art and design students (otherwise known as 'the crit'). As Susan points out: "Studio-based assessment and feedback is at the heart of learning for art and design students. With high student numbers and less studio space across the sector, effective feedback is a key challenge." In partnership with colleagues at the University of the Arts, London and Kingston University, Susan has developed a set of teaching and learning materials to enhance the crit. Susan regularly shares this work: "Your inspirational presentation motivated the staff and many left the session talking about how they would re-evaluate their crit sessions. All of them are in total agreement that you are one of the best speakers they have heard." Christine Goult, Head of HE, Cleveland College of Art and Design.