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Society Member Michael Cole, a Senior Lecturer in Sports Therapy at the University of East London (UEL) has been awarded a National Teaching Fellowship (NTF) by Advance HE.
This prestigious award recognises individuals who have made an outstanding impact on both student outcomes and the teaching profession in Higher Education (HE).
Michael’s contribution to excellence covers sustained innovation and impact made in a number of teaching areas. His work in technology enhanced learning and digital resources, with the Centre of Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) spans over half a decade. Case studies of his innovation in teaching and learning on the Sports Therapy programme have been highlighted by CELT, as has his work on inclusive teaching and anti-racist praxis in higher education, sport and healthcare.
Advance HE has the equivalent of a national kitemark – the Race Equality Charter, and universities are encouraged to apply for it. Michael has played a significant role from a pedagogical point of view, coordinating staff development and training across UEL, for inclusive anti-racist pedagogy teaching.
The selection and judging process for the Award was rigorous – a panel of judges from UEL, including National Teaching Fellows Dr Ian Pickup and Professor Gerry Czerniawski made the first selection. Michael’s nomination was then confirmed by Professor Charles Egbu, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education and Experience) and submitted to Advance HE for consideration.
For Michael, the award is particularly special. He said: ‘I am a very practical academic. I do the job to teach, whereas it is usually research and publications that are recognised more. Working in academia, there is often not a lot of recognition or reward for this type of work but I am so passionate about learning and teaching, I feel that it should be rewarded.’
A third area where Michael’s work has been recognised is through his inclusive teaching. Some Members may remember the interview we did back in 2018 (see link below) when we talked to Michael and some of his students about the ground-breaking ‘Body Equality in Athletic Therapies’ (BEAT) group. This student staff collective was created to facilitate more ‘equitable therapeutic practice in their teaching, learning and assessment’, and has provided an arena for staff and students to discuss issues of gender, sexuality, ethnicity, race and religion and how it can influence curricula and teaching style in Sports Therapy and beyond.
Michael is currently two years into his PhD and is combining key elements of his teaching philosophies in his work. He is looking at social justice in HE sports and healthcare; how does HE operate to reinforce structural injustices in areas such as awarding gaps and inequalities between white and BAME students? Also, why are BAME students considered in deficit rather than institutions and lecturers looking at how they operate to reinforce such thinking?
Michael said :
‘These are hard questions that we need to ask. The work has not really been researched in sport and healthcare before. Hopefully, it will shed light on how Higher Education can disrupt a system that ensures the gap remains.’
While Michael recognises that this is an institutional award he is keen to acknowledge the role his own Sports Therapy journey has played. He said:
‘In the early part of my career I was predominantly a practitioner working in private practice and in sport at all levels. I didn’t come into HE until my early thirties with that experience behind me.
‘So I really want to express my gratitude to Professor Graham Smith and The Society of Sports Therapists as an organisation. It is important to respect the support I have been given. The work I have done over the years to receive these accolades and the platform I have been given, all began at the University of North London (Now London Metropolitan University). I was in the second group of students to graduate on the Sports Therapy degree programme back in 2001 and was taught and inspired by Professor Graham Smith, Iain Littlejohn and Steve Smelt.’
Professor Graham Smith, Chair of The Society of Sports Therapists said:
From the first time I met Michael I knew that he had something special to offer Sports Therapy by his commitment to learning, his motivation to succeed and his never ending quest for knowledge. Since that time, I have felt privileged to consider him as both a colleague and friend and I am continually proud of his achievements. More importantly, as a Graduate Sports Therapist from the only Society accredited Sports Therapy degree programme at that time, Michael’s achievements both academically and professionally are inspirational.
As to the future Michael said: ‘The Award gives me confidence to continue what I am doing to try and make not just my teaching more inclusive, but to influence others in my institution and beyond.
The Society’s congratulations also go to Earl Abrahamson, Course Leader in Sports Therapy at UEL who also received a National Teaching Fellowship award. Earl was recognised for his innovative and student-centred SMILES mentoring project, which enables the co-creation of communities of practice for learning.
It is quite unusual for two Fellowship Awards to be made at the same time to one institution but even more so to two individuals teaching on the same programme.
Michael said:
‘Having not one but two National Teaching Fellows on our BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy Course is great recognition. It gives us confidence to keep improving and developing what is already an innovative programme for students whose goals are to have a career in Sport & Exercise Therapy and musculoskeletal health care.’
Professor Smith added:
‘Having two colleagues who lead and teach on our Society accredited programme at UEL has to be something that the students can only benefit from and feel proud of. Our congratulations to both Earl and Michael.
Read article on BEAT
https://thesst.org/news/uels-beat-strikes-a-chord-for-equality-and-gender-issues/[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]