In this Spotlight series we highlight experts in our team from across the globe. This week, the spotlight is on Paul Duvall, Head of Customer Success for UK&I.
What is your role at PebblePad and what is your background?
My role has changed a few times since I’ve been in the company, and the current role is a dual role. I am the manager of the customer success team in UK region of PebblePad and I’m also a learning consultant in my own right.
I’ve worked in higher education for over 20 years. Prior to PebblePad I had a variety of roles in different institutions, all related to technology and education in some way.
I’m passionate about helping people using technology, and always in an educational environment. Previously, I was at the University of Liverpool in the School of Medicine.
It was an academic role which led on the use of technology in the medical school. Alongside other technology, PebblePad was brought in to transform the way the curriculum was delivered.
What would you say you’re most passionate about in Higher Education?
When you think about PebblePad and what it’s trying to do as a platform, it’s very much engaged with formative learning centred experiences.
Technology can be of great practical benefit to medical students when it simulates activities that they wouldn’t typically experience during their studies or day to day life.
One project I led, which was hugely rewarding was developing a range of virtual reality content for students. It was powerful because it gave medical students the opportunity to practice responding to real-life scenarios that are difficult to prepare for in the classroom.
We used simulation to prepare medical students for their future clinical practice and help them to understand the human factors and decision making processes involved in the healthcare environment.
The idea behind it was to make it a meaningful learning experience in a way that engages students. In healthcare, its crucial students can experience navigating scenarios in the healthcare environment. This type of scenario-based learning prepares them for the working environment when they become a junior doctor and need to work with colleagues and patients.
The whole simulation experience is something that really interested me. PebblePad was involved and used to help students reflect on the scenario-based learning experiences.
Finally, what do you love most about PebblePad?
The flexibility. The reason why I came to it as a customer initially as a platform was that PebblePad filled the gaps that other technology can’t reach.
For example, we needed a flexible learning design in medicine because unlike other subjects it is not modular.
PebblePad’s learning design flexibility meant I could create a structure around the year progression model required for medicine. It was incredible, because I could design and structure the content in a way that suited the curriculum and the timetable. This flexibility is crucial for courses like medicine and quite rare in a technology platform.
The flexibility provided by PebblePad does require a planned approach. That’s where my team provide value to our customers. We all come from different universities and have a rich background in implementing technology to support learners across a variety of subjects, from medicine to teacher training as well as, institution-wide programmes such as personal academic tutoring and employability.
If you would like to know more about the simulation project click here.
