Virna Rossi BA PGCert MTeach PFHEA FSEDA NTF
Currently reading: Research
Biography
A passionate teacher since 1999, Virna has worked in all educational sectors and has been a teacher educator since 2009. Her research focuses around the challenges of implementing more inclusive learning design and the use of threshold concepts in learning design.
She has been awarded the prestigious National Teaching Fellowship by AdvanceHE, JLDHE Reviewer of the Year and has been added to the SEDA Roll of Honour.
Virna recently won Teacher of the year award and came runner up for the Change Maker academic award at Ravensbourne University London.
She is the author of an innovative book (by Routledge) on inclusive learning design.
Preview or order Virna Rossi's book 'Inclusive Learning Design in Higher Education - A Practical Guide to Creating Equitable Learning Experiences' from Routledge or from Amazon
Find out more about the inclusive learning design approach on the website inclusivelearningdesign.com
- Course Leader
- Central Academic Services
Research
With an MA in Teaching (IoE) and several awards, Virna has been active in research and knowledge exchange for many years, with a keen interest in:
- Curriculum design
- Inclusivity
- Threshold concepts
- Visual representation of assessment briefs
Here is a sample of her research and knowledge exchange activities.
Books
Books
V. Rossi (2023) Inclusive Learning Design - Inclusive Learning Design in Higher Education
A Practical Guide to Creating Equitable Learning Experiences. London: Routledge. Available here.
Companion website. Available here.
Rossi, V. (forthcoming) Designing better PGCert provisions – creating impactful staff development experiences – London: Routledge.
Articles
Articles
Rossi, V., Stevenson, C., Tilbury, A. (2024) “The power of three”. Educational Developments Spring 2024 issue, available at www.seda.ac.uk
Rossi, V. and ChatGPT (2023) Perspectives on the use of ChatGPT for PGCert courses [blog post]. thesedablog - Supporting and Leading Educational Change. SEDA, 13 February. Available here.
Rossi, V. (2023) Roots to shoots: a holistic approach to inclusive learning design. AdvanceHE. Available here.
Rossi, V. (2023) Root to shoots: A holistic route to designing high quality inclusive learning environments. QAA. Available here.
Rossi, V. (2021) “Just-in-time pandemic CPD using short screencast videos”, Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, (22). doi: 10.47408/jldhe.vi22.677
Rossi, V. (2020) Just-in-time CPD [blog post]. thesedablog - Supporting and Leading Educational Change. SEDA, 20 November. Available here.
Compton, M. and Rossi, V. (2019) Teaching observations, teaching quality and grading: ‘A huge can of worms’ [blog post]. thesedablog - Supporting and Leading Educational Change. SEDA, 4 Dec. Available here.
Knowledge transfer activity
Knowledge transfer activity
2022 to date active member of the SAGE Pedagogy Advisory Board (a special consultancy body)
2021 to date EE for BIMM - guest speaker on the PGCert/MA at BIMM and curriculum design advice
2020 to date ongoing collaboration/exchange with Aga Khan University
2019 staff development events for Morley College
Public speaking
A sample of recent public speaking
2024
May: The power of three, Island of Innovation (Liverpool University) presentation with A. Tilbury and C. Stevens; ‘Roots to shoots’ inclusive learning design workshop ICED conference Kenya.
Jun: ‘ Roots to shoots’ inclusive learning design’, Oxford Brookes International T&L Conference. Cross-pollination for innovation, keynote speaker at Solent University and South Wales University.
Jul: PGCert refresher, SE Academic Development Network - UoL session for PGCert students.
Sep: Can we deliver effective student engagement when learners dip in and out? QAA conference.
2023
Jan: Inclusive Learning Design, challenges and opportunities – Half day workshop for UoL Student success/CODE Fellows event. More information here.
Feb: Academic communities – QAA conference panel member
July: Inclusive Learning Design, Roots and Shoots with Virna Rossi - #MyFest23 More information here.
2022
Feb: How ‘contextual analysis’ helps us plan better, more personalised learning – Aga Khan University
Mar: Inclusive by design, A roots to shoots approach - EDI AdvanceHE conference
Apr: Inclusive Learning Design at TU Dublin - Staff development session - TU Dublin
Jul: Inclusive by design, opportunities and challenges - Centre for Distance Education, UoL
2021
Mar/Apr: Rear-view mirror, reflecting about practice through the lens of Universal Design for Learning principles and practices - Webinars: UoL Experiences in Digital Learning; INCLUDE
Jun: Roots to Shoots, Inclusive Course Design to support wellbeing - Greenwich University; UoL
Jul: Keynote, Intentionally Inclusive - University of Liverpool Learning and Teaching Conference. More information here.
July: The case for using Threshold Concepts for Learning Design in Creative Education - 2021 Threshold Concepts conference
Sep: Threshold Concepts in the context of curriculum design – Speakeasy event
2020
Apr/May: Global webinar series, Starters/Main activities/Closures - Ravensbourne University London
Sep: Inclusive feedback, Principles and practices - UEL Teaching & Learning Symposium
Nov: Keynote 360° inclusive feedback - University of the Highlands and Islands, Assessment & feedback symposium
Other outputs in the public domain
Other outputs in the public domain
Rossi, V. (n.d.) Educational Developer's Padlet Collection, EDTA. University of York (Canada). Available here.
Rossi, V. (n.d.) Quick Transition to E-Learning [video series], INCLUDE Collaboratory. Available here.