About us

Manuel Frutos-Perez

Leader, Technology Enhanced Learning Development Unit

(0117) 32 86357
Details about Manuel's publications

Manuel started his academic career teaching Spanish Culture at the Johannes Kepler University of Linz in Austria after completing his first degree in Spanish and German Philology at the University of Salamanca in Spain. He moved to London in 1997 where he held different academic posts teaching Spanish language and culture at several institutions (University of Greenwich, London Business School, Goldsmiths College, Open University and Tower Hamlets College). After completing his MA in Management of Language Learning at the University of Greenwich he went on to work as an E-learning Academic Consultant for the Open University of Catalonia (UOC) in Spain from 2000 until joining UWE in 2003. The UOC is Europe's first completely virtual university. Since his time in Linz he has always been interested in the use of ICT for teaching and learning and he has participated in the production of interactive CD-ROMs with the Open University and WIDA Software. He has also written and contributed to numerous textbooks and e-learning interactive materials.

Dr Olivia Billingham

E-Learning Research Fellow

(0117) 32 86399
Details about Olivia's publications

Olivia began her academic career studying molecular biology and genetics at the University of East Anglia in Norwich before moving to the University of Bristol to complete a PhD also in molecular biology and genetics. Olivia joined the University of the West of England initially as a postgraduate law student and joined the E-learning development unit in September 2005 as a research associate on the Research Observatory project. Her main role on the research observatory project was as instructional designer and author, a role which she maintains to date. Olivia has also been involved in a number of e-learning initiatives and projects over the years.

Olivia was awarded an early career researcher starter grant from the University of the West of England in 2010 to investigate student engagement with electronically delivered simulations of professional practise. Olivia’s research interests include student perceptions and experiences of technology enhanced learning.

Mark Shand

E-learning Development Officer

(0117) 32 86359

Mark joined the E-Learning Development Unit in September 2008. His main role is to help support various e-learning initiatives and systems used across the university and to help promote the use of e-learning in general. He works with other academics to facilitate the best use of technology enhanced learning in their research and teaching. From September Mark will assist in the running of the Education in Virtual Worlds MA.

He's particularly interested in new and interesting methods of assessment and the use of narrative in education (both linear and non-linear).

Dr Julian Green

E-learning Development Officer

(0117) 32 86437

Julian began his academic career studying psychology and music at Keele University, continuing on to read for a master’s degree in musicology at the University of Southampton. After teaching psychology for several years, Julian completed his PhD at Cardiff University in 2008 - examining the aesthetic relationships between painting, music and a listener, and drawing on various critical theoretical models, including metaphor, phenomenology and reader-response theory.

Alongside these studies, Julian also gained employment as a study skills and assistive software tutor for the Disability and Dyslexia Unit at Cardiff University, developing skills and knowledge in many aspects of e-learning. More recently, Julian worked as a learning technologist at University of Wales, Newport, and in September 2009 he joined the E-learning Development Unit at UWE as a learning technologist for the Faculty of Business and Law.

His research interests include explorations of the processes and mechanisms which lie behind our immersive learning experiences in 3D virtual worlds, such as Second Life.

Glenn Duckworth

E-learning Development Officer

(0117) 32 86436

As a first degree Glenn studied Behavioural Sciences – a combination of Psychology, Sociology and Research Methods. Since then he has worked as Researcher, Lecturer and Technical Manager for Psychology at the University of Huddersfield.

Glenn joined the TELDU at UWE in September 2009 as e-Learning Development Officer for the Faculty of Business and Law. His interests include the production of multimedia based interactive tutorials, video production and more generally, the use of technology to support learning and teaching in Higher Education.

Clare Denholm

E-learning Development Officer

(0117) 32 87022

Clare has had a varied career in education, including science teaching and careers advice, before discovering the opportunity to indulge both her passion for education and interest in technology as a Learning Technologist.

Developing experience in supporting e-learning at Southampton Solent University since 2008 Clare has been involved in many projects including researching best in practice blended learning, supporting the use of Second Life and developing staff training.

She also had the opportunity to undertake a MA in Online & Distance Education with the Open University, involving both researching on-line learning and experiencing the process as a student.

Clare joined the E-Learning Development Unit at UWE in August 2011 as a Learning Technologist for the Faculty of Business and Law. Her specialist interests include pedagogy of blended learning, staff development, collaboration tools and augmented reality.

Dr Mari Carmen Gil Ortega

Senior Lecturer in Virtual Worlds

(0117) 328 2361

Mari Carmen originally became interested in the use of technologies as a way to enhance the teaching and learning of foreign languages. Her PhD thesis provided the basics for her work in this area, researching the impact that emerging technologies could play in minimizing the academic writing challenges faced by non-native students of English.

Mari Carmen had the opportunity to explore further this impact in the academic positions where she has worked over the years as a Spanish lecturer, such as the University of Brighton and the University of St Andrews, and also at companies where she has worked as a consultant such as Worth Media ltd. and Toniks Languages.

It was in February 2009, that Maika Giordano (Mari Carmen's avatar) was born in Second Life. Fascinated by the opportunities that this, and other Virtual Worlds, had to offer to enhance the educational experiences of students and to provide valid and innovative alternative solutions to some of the challenges encountered in traditional educational practices, Mari Carmen has, since, been using VWs to introduce herself and her students to instructional experiences that would have been difficult to recreate in other environments.