Contact Details

See Contact Matthew Mobbs

Profile

Having worked for two departments at the University of Leicester, I have been involved in the research  and implementation of innovative and immerging technologies that enhance the learner experience and have supported and trained staff in the use of these technologies.

Education

Employment

Jan 07 – Present

Learning Technologist
Student Support and Development Service(SSDS) - University of Leicester
Role includes:

• Primary ICT support officer for  the seven SSDS services
• Project leading the new SSDS Website redesign in the Plone Content Management System.
• Evaluating the potential and introducing immerging technologies to support students in personal development
• Improving support materials for distance learning students
• Training SSDS staff to improve their ICT skills

May 06 – Feb 08

Learning Technologist
Beyond Distance Research Alliance – University of Leicester

Focused on e-learning research my role includes:

• Supporting Research Projects including ADELIE, ADDER, IMPALA, SEAL and WoLF 
• Website design and maintenance
• Writing support materials to help academics develop the skills required to write and design effective
• e-learning materials
• Support and tuition of academic staff as part of the Media Zoo on technologies including podcasting and Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment

Apr 05 – Apr 06

• Visiting America, Fiji, Thailand and 8 months working in Australia

Aug 04 – Apr 05

Secondary Science Teacher
Lodge Park Technology College – Corby, Northampton

• Teaching pupils age 12 – 16 in all science disciplines up to GCSE level
• Teaching students age 16 – 18 A-Level Physics

Freelance Work

Key Skills

IT Skills:

• Microsoft Office: Expert user of Word, Excel, Outlook, Publisher and Project
• Web design: Dreamweaver and have a good knowledge of the HTML markup language and creation of Cascading Style Sheets (CSS).
• Graphics Design: Adobe Photoshop and Flash
• Content Management Systems: Plone and Blackboard Content Collection
• Virtual Learning Environments: Blackboard and Moodle
• Presentation Packages: Adobe Presenter and PowerPoint
• Video Conferencing: Adobe Connect and Elluminate
• Audio and podcasting: Audacity, Garageband, iTunes and Juice
• Video Software: Windows Movie Maker,  Adobe Premier and DVDx
• Databases: Access include Visual Basic
• A good general knowledge of many Web 2.0 services including: Blogs, Wikis , Social Networks, RSS and many other services.
• Good understanding of legislation and standards associated with accessibility and usability

Communication and Presentation Skills

• Teaching and instruction skills developed in the classroom and one-to-one tuition
• Writing communication demonstrated by the production of many instructional documents distributed in workshops, at conferences and over the internet.

Project and Time Management

Experience managing projects throughout the whole life-cycle from initial client brief and requirements specification, through development to delivery within required time frame.

• Production and deliver of classroom teaching materials
• Development of websites

Team Working

• Much of my professional working life has involved collaboration with peers

Problem Solving

• Good understanding of innovative technologies has assisted in finding solutions to many colleague requirements

Other Interests and Experiences

• 45  Flight Hours. Trained in Florida (May 05) for Private Pilots Licence
• Eclectic taste in music
• Running a Formula 1 Fantasy league with 20 competitors in the 2007 season
• Keen cook always looking to improve my recipe repertoire
• Mind Mapping

Publications

Mobbs, M. (2008). How to create podcasts - practitioner's guide, in G. Salmon, P. Edirisingha, M.Mobbs, R.Mobbs, C.Dennett, How to Create Podcasts for Education. Open University Press, McGraw Hill Education  

Mobbs, M (2008).  Appendix A: Overview of Podcasting, in G.Salmon and P. Edirisingha (ed.) Podcasting for learning in universities. Open University Press, McGraw Hill Education

Mobbs, M. (2006). A Brief Introduction of how to use Audacity. Available at http://www.impala.ac.uk/outputs/CreatingaPodcast.html/  
Disseminated as part of IMPALA Project at conferences including:

• ALT-C 2006, Edinburgh
• Online Educa 2006, Berlin
• eLearning Africa conference 2007, Nairobi
• EDEN Conference 2007, Naples
• ALT-C 2007, Nottingham
• Online Educa 2007, Berlin

Websites

In employment and freelance work I have created and maintained the following example websites.
Beyond Distance Research Alliance, University of Leicester

• Department website  (May 06) – http://www.le.ac.uk/beyonddistance/    
• IMPALA project website (Jun 06) – http://www.impala.ac.uk/
• eAgenda 2007 event website (Jun 07) – http://www.le.ac.uk/eagenda/
• SEAL project website (Jul 07) - http://www.impala.ac.uk/
• LLAMA project website (Sept 07) - http://www.le.ac.uk/beyonddistance/llama/
  

Student Support and Development Service, University of Leicester

• Student Learning Centre service website (Aug 07) - http://www.le.ac.uk/slc/
• University of Leicester Chaplaincy – (Nov 07)  http://www.le.ac.uk/chaplaincy/
• Careers Service (Sept 08) - http://www.le.ac.uk/careers/
• Healthy Living (Sept 08) - http://www.le.ac.uk/healthyliving/
  
• Department website (Feb 09) - http://www.le.ac.uk/ssds/ 
• AccessAbility Centre (Jan 09) - http://www.le.ac.uk/accessability/
  

Freelance  

• Colleges-University of Leicester Network: Institute of Life Long Learning, University of Leicester - http://www.le.ac.uk/culn/ 
• Skills for Sustainable Communities Lifelong Learning Network: Institute of Life Long Learning, University of Leicester (Dec 07) - http://www.le.ac.uk/ssclln/

Conference Presentation

• Beyond Distance Conference ‘Learning Futures’ 2007: IMPALA Podcasting Workshop
• Beyond Distance Conference ‘Campus and Beyond’ 2008: IMPALA Podcasting Workshop
• Workshops and Presentation as part of the dissemination through the Media Zoo
• Centre for Recording Achievement Residential (Nov 08):  Personal Development Planning and e-portfolio: Supporting Learning and Development for the 21^st Century

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