Cathy Dantec
Senior Lecturer in French

Profile

Biography

A qualified and highly experienced French language teacher, I have taught a variety of courses and a wide ability range of students. Through my experience as an open learning adviser, I have also acquired a sound understanding of the learning process. Combining these two experiences has enabled me to develop my expertise further in two key areas, independent learning and e-learning. I particularly enjoy the challenges of setting up innovative courses, from the initial concept through to the design of the learning materials and the eventual delivery to students with various learning needs. Through action research, I have been able to reflect on my own practice and promote best practice.

Honours

These prizes were awarded in recognition of the innovative aproach, excellence in teaching, and extremely positive feedback from students.

• Winner of the Best Teacher of the Year Award 2014 (YUSU Excellence in Teaching and Supervision Awards)
• University of York Vice Chancellor's Silver Award for outstanding achievement in promoting excellence 2013
• University of York Vice-Chancellor's Teaching Award (February 2008)
• University of Hull Vice-Chancellor's Prize (May 2005)
• University of Hull Teaching Fellowship Award (April 2005)

Career

• Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Brest, France
  Licence d’Anglais (B.A. Honours degree)
• Open University
  PGCE French secondary
• University of Hull
  M.A. in Applied Language and New Technologies (with Distinction)
• Sir John Nelthorpe School, Brigg
  Teacher of French
• University of Hull
  Open Language Learning Adviser, Academic Skills Adviser, Teaching Fellow in French
• University of York
  Lecturer
• University of York
  Senior Lecturer

Departmental roles

• Acting Director of LFA

Research

Overview

• September 2000 to June 2005
  Course developer for the creation of a distance learning course, delivered entirely via a VLE, the Online Postgraduate Certificate in Language Advising.  Worked as part of a team, to design the pathway of the virtual learning environment, wrote learning activities and ensured the effective delivery of the course by providing online learning support to students, facilitating and monitoring online discussions, updating the online resources centre and implementing assessment tasks.
• October 2004 to September 2005
  Member of the development group, course leader and main teacher for the French pilot extension course, a new initiative launched by the Teacher Training agency. Designed and wrote the teaching materials with an emphasis on the acquisition of “learning to learn” competences and the use of new technologies, in particular interactive whiteboards.  Highly praised by the external course evaluator, it was presented as a model to follow for the national roll-out in 2006, which followed the success of the pilot project.  Awarded the University of Hull Teaching Fellowship award on the strength of the work done for the Extension course.
• September 2004 to September 2005
  Course developer for a distance learning Advanced French language course delivered entirely through a VLE.  As part of a team, designed the overall conceptual framework, selected resources, and wrote learning activities, all linked to the European Framework. Awarded the Vice Chancellor’s prize in 2005 in recognition of the outstanding nature of contribution to the university’s work.
• February 2008
  Awarded the University of York Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching Award.  The panel was particularly impressed by the enthusiastic feedback received by students. Consequently, I was invited to join both the Steering and Development groups of the Forum for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching.

Publications

Selected publications

• Dantec, C.& Mozzon-McPherson, M. (2006)  “Supporting Independent Learning through Explicit Strategy-Based training”. In Supporting Independent Language Learning: Issues and Interventions, Lamb, T & Reinders, H. (eds.). Berlin: Peter Lang

Teaching

Undergraduate

• French language and society II (F03I)

External activities

Invited talks and conferences

• 7th CercleS International Conference University Language Centres
  Forging the Learning Environments of the future (Paris, France, 19-21 September 2002)
  Presentation of a co-authored paper: "Online learning communities: e-learning and e-tutoring. What has this got to do with community formation?"
• ELC 4th Conference
  The Role of Languages in the European Higher Education Area (Aarhus, Denmark, 26-28 June 2003)
  Participation as a respondent
• Independent Language Learning: New Research Directions
  The Open University (Milton Keynes, UK, 4-5 December 2003)
  Presentation of a co-authored paper: "Promoting learner autonomy through informed strategy-based programmes. Results from a research study of two accredited modules in management of Language Learning"
• Higher York e-Learning Conference: Learning Technologies in Practice: Innovation through Collaboration
  St John University (York, UK, 4 June 2013)
  Presentation of a co-authored paper: "Using technology to revisit assessment and feedback"
• Innovative Language Teaching and Learning at University: Enhancing the Learning Experience through Student Engagement
  University of Manchester, 28 June 2013
  Presentation of a co-authored paper: "Using technology to revisit assessment and feedback"
• E-learning Symposium
  University of Southampton, 23-24 January 2014
  Presentation of a paper: "Developing self-regulated learners through e-learning"
• Innovative Language Teaching and Learning at University: Enhancing student performance
  University of Leeds, 16 May 2014
  Presentation of a paper: "Learning to learn in Higher Education: an e-portfolio approach"
• Higher York e-Learning Conference: Enhancing the student experience through flexible learning solutions
  St John University (York, UK), 5 June 2014
  Presentation of a paper: "Facilitating transition to Higher Education through e-learning"
• Annual Learning and Teaching Conference
  University of York, 18 June 2014
  Poster presentation: "Facilitating transition to Higher Education through e-learning"

Teaching and learning collaboration

• October 2004 to September 2005: Teacher Training Agency
  Member of the development group, course leader and main teacher for the French pilot extension course, a new initiative launched by the Teacher Training agency. Designed and wrote the teaching materials with an emphasis on the acquisition of "learning to learn" competences and the use of new technologies, in particular interactive whiteboards.  Highly praised by the external course evaluator, it was presented as a model to follow for the national roll-out in 2006, which followed the success of the pilot project.
• June 2007 to April 2008: Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Areas Studies
  Trialling the Learning Object Creator, an authoring tool for teachers, developed by the LLAS Subject Centre, in collaboration with the University of Southampton eLanguages group.
• 10th February 2009: University of York St John
  Member of the panel for the validation of a Joint Honours in Languages.  Role: to comment and advice on new degree programme in relation to the teaching of languages in Higher Education.
• August 2012: Edexcel Examination Board
  Advising on the development of new A level qualifications