Teaching excellence

A dedicated Edge Hill University academic has received a national award for his excellence in teacher training.

Charles O'Brien, Assistant Head of Secondary Education with responsibility for creative and applied technologies, has been selected for a Design and Technology Association Excellence Award. It will be presented at the Annual Ceremony at the Institute of Engineering and Technology in London in March.

He will receive the Teacher Training Design and Technology Award for lecturers, advisors, inspectors, consultants or teachers for their service to training teachers. It rewards high quality work in this field over a significant period of time that has helped teachers' understanding and given them confidence over a significant period of time.

As well as teacher training, some of the most recent initiatives Charles has been involved with include three international projects which have brought together school pupils from across Europe at Summer schools. In one, multi-country groups work together on a design and build project, inspired by multinational and multi-agency schemes such as the European Airbus, or Large Hadron Collider. They meet and plan on campus, then return home to work on the task before returning to Edge Hill the following year - to see if the different sections fit together!

Charles, who has worked at Edge Hill for 20 years, said: "I was nominated by my team - it was a real surprise. When the letter arrived I thought they had a lot of information about me so realised it must have been an inside job!

"The award is for my contribution to teacher training in design and technology. I am delighted - it's nice to have the recognition that I have made a contribution to my subject. I've dedicated my life to it, rather than going in to general management, and I do feel this has been rewarded.

"I am most proud when I go into schools and see our former students who are now working as Heads of Departments, and the quality of teaching they are responsible for. That's the most rewarding thing for me."

Started in 1999 by the Design and Technology Association Trustees, the Excellence Awards aim to give professional recognition to individuals for their contribution to design and technology. The Association provides support, advice and subject leadership for all those involved in D&T education. It develops and presents a strategic vision for the subject, influencing national policy makers, together with other government agencies and partners.