Dr Gemma Van Vuuren-Cassar

I trained and worked as a teacher in schools before moving into higher education. I read for a PhD (1996-2000) and a Master’s Degree in Education (1993-1995) at the Victoria University of Manchester; and for a B.Ed.(Hons.) (1987-1991) and a Diploma in Applied Social Studies (1986-1989) at the University of Malta.

I have been awarded a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK) (2014). I am a trained mentor and assessor for the portfolio route of “My Accredited Pathway to HE”, MAP:HE (ADVANCE HE: HEA (UK) Higher Education teaching qualification).

In 2008 I joined Canterbury Christ Church University (UK). I have contributed to the role of institutional lead for the Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework (TEF) (2016-2017) and Faculty Director of Learning and Teaching in two faculties (2014-2018; 2020-2022).

I am the Faculty Safeguarding Lead and the Senior Tutor for the School of Psychology and Life Sciences - Sport Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences. In my roles I lead and support staff ensure that all our students receive the best possible experience to complete their studies, achieve their goals, progress to graduate employment and get all the academic and personal support that they need.

Previously, I led undergraduate and postgraduate courses and modules at CCCU and at the University of Malta (1995-2008). I also led international and cross faculty funded research projects. I am also involved in teaching and supervising students on undergraduate, postgraduate and doctorate programmes.

I have been teaching in the Higher Education sector since 1995. I have contributed to a series of academic leadership roles: module and course director; Personal Academic Tutor; Senior Tutor; Faculty Director of Learning and Teaching and institutional strategic lead for the Teaching and Excellence Framework (TEF, 2018) Learning Gain for three years. The CCCU TEF statement of findings specified that:

“The Panel considered the University's submission in relation to the TEF criteria, showing strong learning gain in terms of long-term employment outcomes, and disadvantaged students achieving good degrees at the same rate as other students.”

Canterbury Christ Church University received a prestigious Silver award for teaching excellence, ‘exceeding’ national quality requirements for UK universities. In my roles I support course teams to develop action plans to champion closing the gaps of students with particular characteristics; teaching, learning and assessment excellence and innovation through continuous and periodic reviews; and annual learning and teaching conferences. I coach, mentor and support colleagues to gain qualifications for teaching in higher education.

The main areas of academic lecturing and specialisms include pedagogy, learning, teaching, assessments, examinations and accreditation, curricular issues, inclusion, physical education and health enhancing physical activity.

I am part of the team accredited with mentoring and verifying the ADVANCE HE Fellowship Awards at CCCU, which attest to teaching excellence as acclaimed by the United Kingdom Professional Standards Framework (UK PSF) for Higher Education.

Since 2008 I have developed and led the following modules. *Currently leading.

Undergraduate Programmes Module Leader

• *U12628: Introduction-to-Pedagogy (level 4)
• *U12634: Inclusive-Pedagogy (level 5)
• *U19106: Diversity-and-Inclusion (level 4)
• *U12600: Inclusion-and-adapted-Physical-Activities (level 5)
• *U12601: Assessments-in-Physical-Education-and-School-Sports (level 5)
• * U14567 Principles of Educational Assessment (level 6)
• MEFMD0NPE: Introduction to Physical-Education-and-Sport-and-Exercise-Science-(level 0)
• MPEMD1TLP: Teaching-and-Learning-in-Physical-Education (level 4)
• MPAIN1TCC: Teaching-and-Coaching-across-the-Curriculum (level4)
• MPAIN1FMA: Fundamental-Movement-and-Activity-for-Physical-Development (level 4)
• MPAIN1FSH: Foundations-of-Sports-and-Physical-Activity-for-Health (level 4)
• MPAIN1LAM: Leading-and-Managing-Physical-Education-and-School-Sport (level 4)
• MPAIN1LPE: Learning-in-Physical-Education-and-School-Sport (level 4)
• MPEMD2APE: Assessment-and-Evaluation-in-Physical- Education (level5)
• MPEMD2PPE: Inclusive Practices in Physical Education (level 5)
• MHDM2PEM: Physical Development and Movement (level 5)
• MPEMD3LPE: Learning in Physical Education (level 6)
• MPEMD3PVB: Perspectives, Value and Beliefs in PE (level 6)
• MPEMD3PEP: Professional Experience in Physical Education and Sport (level 6)
• MPEMD3S20/40: individual Study (level 6)
• BA Primary- Physical Education (level 5 and 6)

Postgraduate Programmes Module Leader

• MEDIN4BCT: Critical Theory and Evidence-informed Practice (level 7)
• MA Early Years (New-Leaders-in-Early-Years)-Physical Development (level 7)
• PGCE: Physical-Education (level 7)

My research interests and publications are on pedagogy, curricular innovation, assessments in higher education and education, Physical Education, Health Enhancing Physical Activities and Sport related domains. I participated in ERASMUS staff mobility programmes, and research and knowledge projects with various national and international stakeholders

Research projects

• Knowledge Exchange cross-university project (2017-2019) A case study of combined and single honours: insights of students’ experience on the Early Childhood Studies programme in the Faculty of Education: £ 2000
• Knowledge Exchange (2018-2019) Investigating the effect of module teaching activity design; and how this is constructively aligned to module assessment activity types (CCCU, 2017) in the Faculty of Education: £4000
• Horizon 2020 EU Funding: Erasmus + Sports Programme Funding Stream: SPEACH (Sport Physical Education and Coaching in Health)- Project (June 2014-Dec 2017): €494.420,70
• Physical Education and Higher Education: Curricular innovation, entrepreneurship and employment (2013): £4400
• Research on Entrepreneurial Learning (2012): £2500
• Employability in physical education, sport, exercise and coaching: The role of Higher Education institutions (2011): £2000
• Kent 20in12 Research project: Learning Programme: Using the Olympic and Paralympic Games to Inspire Study Support and Extended Schools
  Activity (2010): £500

Supervision

PhD/EdD supervisor to completion:

• Tracey Wornast: Student Wellbeing in Higher Education (2015-2018)

PhD/EdD supervision:

• Katerina Vackova: Working title: Fundamental British values in classroom practice of non-English teachers (2019-
• Mr Adam Rowlinson: Utilising visual methods to critically examine teachers' perceptions of school performance measures. (2021-
• Mr Luke Knightly-Jones: Research into the perceptions and impact of private tuition for the 11+ examinations in England. (2021-
• Suzanna Sedeno: Working title: Support for families of pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN) in non-specialised schools: personal perspectives(2019-

M.A. (Research) supervisor

• Luke Jones: 11+Examinations-The-Impact-of-the-Private-Tuition-[Industry]-on-Social-Mobility (2021)

M.Ed. supervisor

• Simon Mizzi (2010)
• Alfred Cachia (2009)

MA Creativity and Innovation supervisor

• Eman Pulis (2007)

External Examiner:

• University of Brighton: Masters in Research in Education (all Dissertations) (2019-2023)
• Newman University Birmingham: PGCE Secondary PE/School Direct Secondary PE (2014-2018)
• Edge Hill University PGCE (PE Secondary) (2010-2014)
• International Baccalaureate (2013 to date)
• University of Malta (Masters’ dissertations PE specialism) (2008 to 2015)

 

International and European Expert

• Executive Board Member of European Network for Sport Science Education and Employment/ European Network for Sport Education (ENSSEE / ENSE) (2011- 2017; 2021- ).
• Sport Physical Education and Coaching in Health (SPEACH) Project Partner (2015-2017) speach.hanze.nl
• Physical Education Group expert lead on the European Network of Sport Education and Employment (2011-2015)
• International Expert contributor for the UNESCO World-wide survey of school physical education: final report (2014)
• International Expert: Physical Education Pedagogist at the AIESEP (International Association for Physical Education in Higher Education) 29-31 March 2012 Birmingham 2012 AIESEP Position Statement on Sport Pedagogy
• Expertise and research on curricular innovation and assessment was instrumental to the introduction of the Secondary Education Certificate in PE (16+ qualification) in Malta in 2004, consequently I sat on the PE Syllabus panel of the MATSEC Exam Board of the University of Malta (1998-2008).
• Board member on the National Sports for All Committee - Malta (1998-1999).
• Board member on the National Sports Council - Malta (1995-1998).

International Conference Advisory Panel Member / Peer Reviewer

• 7th International Assessment in Higher Education Conference, 26-27 June 2019, Manchester (UK)
• 10th annual International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies EDULEARN, 2-4 July 2018: (Palma, Mallorca, Spain); Member of the International Scientific Advisory Board and Abstract reviewer.
• 9th Annual International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies EDULEARN, 3-5 2017: (Barcelona, Spain)
• 8th Annual International Conference on Education and New Learning EDULEARN, 4-6 July 2016: (Barcelona, Spain)
• 13th Forum of the European Network of Sport Science Education and Employment (ENSSEE) Rome, Italy (2015)
• 12th European Network for Sport Science Education and Employment (ENSSEE) Forum: Sporthorizon 2020: share qualities towards innovative sport education”, Groningen, The Netherlands

 

International Key notes and conferences

Van Vuuren-Cassar, G. and Harvey, C. (2022) Undergraduate students’ perspective of summative and audio feedback. International Network of Assessment in Higher Education Conference, Manchester, UK. 22 June 2022.

van Vuuren-Cassar, G. (2019) Insights into research-led interdisciplinary approach to teaching Sports related disciplines in Higher Education.3rd Faculty Annual Conference on Learning and Teaching Conference: Canterbury Christ Church University, 7th February 2019.

van Vuuren-Cassar, G. (2019) Combined Honours: Social inhibition and belonging. 3rd Faculty Annual Conference on Learning and Teaching: Canterbury Christ Church University, 7th February 2019.

van Vuuren Cassar, G. (2018) Higher Education in Sports related disciplines: insights into teaching and research. 2^nd Forum of the Sport Universities, University of Leiria, Portugal. 5^th November 2018.

van Vuuren-Cassar, G. (2018) The combined honours student experience survey data and the perceptions of staff and students, Advance HE Survey Conference, Leeds, UK. 9th May 2018.

van Vuuren Cassar, G. (2017) The Teaching Excellence Framework: using survey and other data to improve the “Assessment and Feedback” metric. High Impact Learning and Teaching Conference, Canterbury, 13^th Feb 2017.

van Vuuren-Cassar, G. (2016) Curricular innovation: a case study of module development in HIgher Education: wearable technology, Edulearn 16: Conference Proceedings: 8th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies, Barcelona, Spain. 4-6 July, 2016, 7th annual International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies. Barcelona.

Van Vuuren Cassar, G (2016) Curricular Innovation: A Case Study Of Developing Health Enhancing Physical Activity Modules In Physical Education - Coaches And Physical Education Teachers. 1^st Malta College of Arts Science and Technology (MCAST) Sports Conference, Poala, Malta, 15^th April 2016.

van Vuuren-Cassar, G. (2015) Curricular innovation: a case study of developing health enhancing physical activity modules in physical education, ICERI 2015 : conference proceedings: 8th International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation, Seville, Spain, 18-20 November, 2015.

Van Vuuren-Cassar, G. (2013) Curricular innovation in physical education sport and exercise sciences: entrepreneurship and employability. In: XII European Network for Sport Science Education and Employment (ENSSEE) Forum, 23-26th October 2013, Groningen, The Netherlands.

van Vuuren, W., Marian, I. and Van Vuuren-Cassar, G. (2013) The IBM Universities Business Challenge: a review of entrepreneurial learning and employability skills development. In: The Role of Business Competitions, Challenges and Simulations for Nurturing Graduate Entrepreneurs, Enterprise Educators UK; 23rd April 2013, Canterbury Christ Church University Salomons Campus, Tunbridge Wells.

Van Vuuren-Cassar, G. (2011) PE accreditation in higher education: channelling young people into sport related professions. In: 11th ENSSEE (European Network for Sport Science Education and Employment) Forum and 8th ICCE (Int Council for Coaching). INSEP: Institut National du Sport, de l'Expertise et de la Performance, Paris, 25-27 August 2011.

van Vuuren-Cassar, G. (2005) Higher education structures in physical education and sport, 1st Integration Meeting for the ten new EU member states on behalf of the European Network of Sport Science, Education and Employment (ENSSEE). Jozef Piłsudski Academy of Physical Education, Warsaw.