News

Tuesday 25 October 2005

National teaching excellence award for Nottingham Trent University academic

Professor Mark Griffiths of Nottingham Trent University has won the 2006 British Psychological Society (BPS) “Excellence in Teaching Award”. The BPS Awards Committee was particularly impressed with his communication of psychology as a science and the commitment to student development. Professor Griffiths’ latest award follows on from last year’s Joseph Lister Prize awarded by the British Association for the Advancement of Science for being one of the UK ’s outstanding scientific communicators.

Professor Griffiths’ nomination for the award was based around evidence collected in three main areas. Firstly he demonstrated “Outstanding performance as a classroom teacher” by providing student feedback and testimonials relating to his teaching at Nottingham Trent University. This was also supplemented with other evidence of excellent dissemination skills such as his Joseph Lister Award and approximately 1300 radio and television appearances.

Secondly, he demonstrated “Outstanding performance in the development of students” by providing numerous scientific publications produced by undergraduate students under his supervision. Thirdly, he demonstrated “Outstanding contributions to the teaching literature” by providing a portfolio of research publications relating to his own teaching practice. This included his writings on the use of study packs in psychology options, the use of learning grids in small group teaching, attitudes towards psychology practicals, the use of student handouts in teaching, e-mentoring, the validity of student evaluations in higher education, essay assessment, oral vivas, small group teaching, productive writing, and Internet plagiarism.

Professor Griffiths said: “I am absolutely delighted to have won this award. It is an honour to have the work that I do recognised by my peers and by such a prestigious body as the BPS.”

Professor Griffiths will collect his award at the Annual BPS Conference in Cardiff in March 2006. In receiving his prize (which also includes free lifetime membership to the BPS), he has been asked to give a keynote lecture on any aspect of his psychology teaching.

Professor David Mason, Dean of the School of Social Sciences at Nottingham Trent University, said: “This award is testimony not only to Mark’s undoubted skills as a teacher and communicator but also demonstrates the inextricable connection between teaching and research that informs both his work and that of the School as a whole.”

   

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Dr. Griffiths is Europe ’s only Professor in Gambling Studies and is internationally known for his work into gambling and gaming addictions. He has also won three international research awards including the 1994 John Rosecrance Research Prize for “Outstanding scholarly contributions to the field of gambling research”; the 1998 CELEJ Prize for best research paper on gambling; and the 2003 International Excellence Award for “the extraordinary contribution made to problem gambling over many years”.

At 39, Griffiths is one of the youngest professors in the UK but has already published over 150 refereed research papers, numerous book chapters and over 400 other articles.

For any other information please contact:

Dave Rogers, Press Officer, on Tel: 0115 848 2650 or via email: dave.rogers@ntu.ac.uk

Or Therese Easom, Press and Media Relations Manager, on Tel: 0115 848 6589 or via email: therese.easom@ntu.ac.uk