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Mrs Marina Postlethwaite Bowler

Profile summary

  • Regional Academic Staff
  • Staff Tutor
  • Faculty of Wellbeing, Education & Language Studies
  • School of Education, Childhood, Youth & Sport
  • Regions & Nations (ECYS)
  • marina.postlethwaite-bowler

Web links

Professional biography

Marina joined the Open University in 2013 as an Associate Lecturer and has extended her role, becoming a Staff Tutor with a childhood, youth, and sports focus. Marina’s previous experience includes working in Secondary and Further Education in leadership and teaching roles whilst maintaining a key interest in external examining and quality assurance in vocational training (business, sport, and fitness). Marina is a fellow of the University and working towards her SFHEA . Marina holds a Masters in Mentoring and Coaching (education and leadership) 

As a qualified Master Trainer, Marina works for a leading awarding organisation delivering training to educators in the UK and globally. This involves her in; advising, designing, supporting through the approval process, delivering and evaluating training to embed a vocational curriculum. Recent examples include work for the Japanese Ministry of Sport, the Association of Indian Football, and for Southeast Asian schools and colleges.

Marina has worked with the UK Department for Education on vocational qualification development and policies and procedures around the quality assurance of vocational qualifications in Sports, Sports Exercise Science, Fitness, Outdoor Activities, and Business. This experience enhances her practice in improving the student experience and connection in maintaining connections with colleagues and students in an online space.

As an External Examiner, Marina works with colleagues and educators across the UK's four nations and in the international space, aimed at ensuring the student experience is a positive one. This expertise has been brought to the Open University in her work on modules E117 Introduction to Sport and Fitness and E119 Working with people in Sport and Fitness on the BSC (Honours) Sport, Fitness, and Coaching programme. Marina specialises in supporting and advising colleagues on how to support students studying in secure environments.

Marina is a qualified yoga teacher who works with colleagues and students to develop strategies,staff development sessions and practices that enhance wellbeing both physiologically and psychologically. Marina is a Mental Health first aider and a Student Minds Look after your Mate Trainer. Marina is an active member of Athena Swan and the ECYS EDIA champions groups.

 

 

Research interests

My academic career involves pedagogical approaches to teaching and training roles within the lifelong learning, education, and training sectors. These roles have engaged me in working with a wide range of ability levels and ages. My drivers include:

  • reflection on the quality, equity of opportunity and effectiveness of teaching and learning as a Manager and Associate Lecturer.
  • drawing on scholarship and research to understand the impact of teaching, knowledge exchange and wellbeing to ensure success for both students and colleagues working in an online space.
  • review and utilise relevant and current materials because of scholarship and research.
  • leading innovation of delivery of teaching and creating communities of practice with colleagues.
  • engagement in quality enhancement of AL practice- teaching learning and assessment.
  • engagement with internal and external stakeholders in the pursuit of continuos development opportunities.

 

Teaching interests

I am a true advocate of the importance and development of every individual’s transferrable skills and the impact of these skills on learning. Ensuring the primary goals of the curriculum and focus are not forgotten, my driver is to continue to teach and guide the understanding that the skills which make us uniquely human are the hardest to learn. Skills like creativity, critical reflection, originality, problem-solving and the recognition that we all learn in different ways.I always endeavour to provide a holistic approach via robust and inclusive pedagogy and learning
I constantly display a zeal for developing and shaping teaching and learning with the goal of providing and sharing ideas and practice to ensure the very best experience for students who may not have yet taken advantage of opportunities to learn develop and grow. I am passionate about measuring and celebrating achievement - in all its guises and at all levels of an organisation.
I believe in the implementation of a clear workable quality assurance process that ensures progression and success thus enabling robust outcomes for all stakeholders.
I am always open to new challenges and further possibilities.
"Let yourself be drawn to the strange pull of what you really love-it will not lead you astray " Rumi

External collaborations

Pearson -Global awarding organisation

NurtureUK-Educational charity

LFE-League Football Education

 I am also Panel chair rfor  undergraduate Sports Coaching  programmes  at local Further Education colleges in the North of England, working through OU Validation Programmes (OUVP).  

 

Pearson -Global awarding organisation