Hello Medium readers,
Realising my identity as a learner and educator: A journey towards a better future
My name is Dr. Gulay Icoz and I am based in London. I am excited to be blogging on this platform about technology-enhanced learning, teaching, and pedagogical techniques.
In this introductory post, I would like to share with you my background, my reasons for being here, and my goals for this blog. I fell in love with the field of academia when I took a course with Professor Julia Buxton at Kingston University in 1999.
Before that, I had never considered a career in education. However, Professor Buxton’s lectures on Political Ideologies captivated me and I found myself taking detailed notes for every two-hour session. This was all before technology had such a pervasive presence in our lives.
Now, it can be challenging for both learners and educators to navigate the constant distractions of smartphones and laptops in the classroom. This is one of the reasons why I am passionate about exploring technology-enhanced learning models and innovative pedagogical techniques to enhance the learning experience.
Through this blog, I hope to share my insights and experiences in this field and to contribute to the ongoing conversation around education in the digital age.
Professor Buxton did not have many tools around her to support her teaching. She had a blackboard behind her with chalks. She may have had notes, but I don’t remember her standing close to a lectern and reading notes. I recall her energised, walking along the blackboard, passing on the knowledge clearly with a lot of eye-contact. She was always well-rehearsed, stimulating, and my list may go on.
What affected me most about her teaching and how it stayed with me until this moment was not what I learned during those lectures. It was the feelings she ignited in me: an ‘appetite for learning’.
Her clarity, dynamism and sincerity evaporated my challenges in studying for a degree in Politics, as someone who had only arrived in the UK 5 years ago with no English.
Not long later, I taught that I want to be like her and pursue a career in that direction — this was the beginning of my love affair with academia, specifically in the areas of teaching, learning, and research.
In addition to my academic pursuits, I also have experience in public service. I ran for Local Council elections in 2006 and served for two terms, dedicating eight years to the London Borough of Hackney’s Children and Young People’s services. My focus was on addressing the problems and difficulties faced by the most vulnerable children and young people in the area. I actively participated in the production of Scrutiny Reports and made recommendations for improving existing services and conditions, both as a member and later as the Chair of the Commission.
Here, I was inspired by a colleague and friend, the late Cllr Taylor. Together, we conducted reviews into various services for children, including support for young carers, services for children with disabilities and their parents, and more. As a result, we visited numerous Children’s Centers, Nurseries, Primary Schools, Secondary Schools/Academies, and held conversations with children, teachers, and support staff.
Visiting schools and speaking with children about their learning experiences, as well as observing their context, provides valuable insight into areas for improvement. As educators, it is important to actively engage with our students and gather their feedback through direct communication, whether it be face-to-face or online. This approach can often reveal valuable insights that might not be captured through more traditional forms of student feedback.
I completed my PhD in International Relations in 2013, with the help of my late mentor, Professor Chris Rumford. Despite my struggles, Chris believed in me and my abilities as a researcher and educator.
As an educator, it is essential to have faith in your learners and their potential. The purpose of being in this field is to improve the lives and environments of our students by passing on knowledge, stimulating their thoughts, and providing opportunities for them to exchange ideas with others.
After completing my PhD, I had the opportunity to work as a teaching assistant for a year at King’s College London. It was a valuable experience for me, and I learned a lot from it. However, I decided to take a career break and take some time to explore my interests and passions. During this time, I read widely and delved into subjects outside of my usual field of study, including personal development.
Eventually, I embarked on a new research project proposal, which led to an expansion of my research interests in Euroscepticism, the Rule of Law crisis in the European Union, and politics in Poland, Hungary, and Turkey. Through this work, I have met many inspiring and motivating people.
In February 2021, I began studying a module called ‘Technology-Enhanced Learning’ at the Open University; through which my life experiences as a student, Councillor, PhD student and as an educator, as explained above, have all come together and helped me realize the core identity of a learner and educator that I hold deep within me.
On this platform, I aim to collaborate with others to improve our shared learning and teaching experiences. By working together to improve education, we will benefit as a society in a mutually beneficial way. To accomplish this, I will share my observations, outcomes, and insights on learning, education, and research with you. I also encourage others to share their experiences in the comments section, as together, we can make a meaningful impact.
