Ross Ward

Experience

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  Learning Technology Section, University of Edinburgh

  Mar 2004 - Dec 2014

  Lead developer for a series of projects in Malawi as part of the Scottish Government’s International Development Fund (IDF). The projects have focussed on the development of e-Learning approaches within the College of Medicine, Kamuzu College of Nursing, and College of Health Sciences.Responsible for the planning, project management and implementation of a variety of e-Learning technologies; such as Moodle, Articulate, and bespoke solutions to meet the project outcomes. Developing strong relationships with the stakeholders in the project has been vital to ensuring that the work can be delivered to schedule despite limited face to face collaboration.Development of bespoke Virtual Learning Environments that support both on-campus teaching and online distance learning. Many of these VLEs have required lecture capture technologies and online assessment; these have been managed and supported as part of my role. Delivery of project based website solutions for a number of University departments and external clients. These projects are managed from initial brief to final delivery to ensure the projects meet the clients functionality and budget requirements. I will often have sole responsibility for delivering a project, but will often manage a small team to deliver a project if the website is larger or has a shorter delivery time. Show less

  • e-Learning Systems Developer

    Sept 2008 - Dec 2014

  • Computer Support Officer / Systems Developer

    Mar 2004 - Sept 2008
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  University of Edinburgh Information Services Group

  Jan 2015 - Aug 2018

  Learning Technology Advisor

  Service lead for Blackboard Learn, the main Learning Environment used at the University of Edinburgh. Lead the consultancy and support across the schools and colleges, focussing on learning design, course design, technical support and guidance for a range of disciplines.Providing support and consultancy for a range of other centrally provided learning technologies: Moodle, QuestionMark Perception, PebblePad, Kaltura, Office365 and more.Developing a community of practice amongst academics, professional support staff, and students who are engaged in the use of technology to support teaching and learning at the University of Edinburgh.Delivery of training, roadshows, and a variety of programmes of engagement across Schools and Colleges within the University of Edinburgh in order to raise awareness of the benefits of learning technologies, and provide insight on how they can be implemented effectively in a range of use-cases. Show less

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  Input Learning Technologies

  Jun 2017 - now

  Learning Technology Specialist (Freelance)

  Freelance Learning Technology Specialist providing consultation and development solutions primarily in the Higher Education sector. Services include VLE management and administration, learning design, course & content development, website and web application development.Expertise in a range of Virtual Learning Environments, specifically Blackboard Learn, Moodle, and LearnDash. Broad experience of various learning technologies and content delivery platforms such as Articulate, Adobe Creative Suite. Web solutions generated using UX principles, theme designs using CSS, and web applications developed using WordPress.Recent projects include University of Law, Imperial College London, NHS Digital Academy, and Queen Margaret University. Priority is to work closely with the client to understand their goals and requirements, design solutions using the appropriate technologies in a way that is usable and engaging for the students who take their courses. Special focus on the design of the course and the interactions and workflows that go on in a course. Show less

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  School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh

  Apr 2020 - Jul 2021

  Learning Technologist

  Providing consultation, development and support to the School of Informatics during Covid-19 Pandemic. The role is to provide expert guidance and support to academic staff and students in areas that require additional resource due to the pandemic.Areas of focus are to design and deliver a mechanism for delivering end of year exams with a very short turnaround time; provide guidance on learning design and new approaches to support the Hybrid Teaching model for the new academic year; offer project management skills for managing the increase workload to prepare courses for new academic year; development of courses, activities and assessment. Show less

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  University of the Arts London

  Aug 2021 - now

  Learning Technology Specialist

  Review and recommendations for consolidating a range of online learning materials available to UAL students and graduates. Review of platforms and student experience in accessing careers support at the point of need. Recommendations on suitable platform, signposting, and marketing for a range of key tasks.Review of all existing learning content and recommendations for the development of new self-study resources. Learning design and development of the new materials using Articulate 360.Development of new Moodle course available to students and graduates. Course aims to promote services, events, and educational resources based on the findings of the content analysis and UX task research. Show less

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  FAO

  Mar 2022 - Dec 2023

  Learning Technologist & Instructional Designer

  Learning TechnologistMoodle System Administrator supporting day-to-day activities to deliver large-scale veterinary professional training. Directly supporting the operational leads for courses to provide technical assistance and guidance on using the virtual learning platform effectively. Working directly with third-party vendors to escalate and resolve any issues, and plan and long-term development goals.Instructional DesignerWork with EuFMD subject matter experts to develop and update a range of Articulate Storyline and RISE resources. Responsible for the planning developments and engaging with SMEs to develop interactive resources that meet the learning objectives. Show less