Programme Role: Induction/ Year 1 co-ordinator
How long have you worked at YSJU?
I qualified in 1988 as an occupational therapist from YSJ (formerly known as the College of Ripon and York St John).I started working here in 1997 as a practice -based educator, combining an academic role with a clinical role which I did until 2006.
What did you do before then?
My last clinical post was as a band 8A Clinical Specialist in Occupational Therapy (Lead for the Musculoskeletal team). I have mainly worked in the Yorkshire region and in the clinical areas of trauma, orthopaedics, rheumatology and hand therapy. I particularly enjoyed working with working- aged adults in an outpatient setting.
What are your professional and academic interests?
- Working with people with musculoskeletal conditions.
- Hand therapy and splinting
- Maintaining and enhancing occupational performance in the workplace
- Student engagement
- Using technology to enhance teaching and learning
What roles and responsibilities have you held (e.g. University/Academic/Professional)?
- Programme: year co-ordinator for level one.
- University: – member of the University Academic Board
- Professional: External examiner at Sheffield Hallam university
What topics do you mainly teach on?
I teach across all 3 levels of the programme I mainly teach on anatomy (especially passionate about hand anatomy), ergonomics, splinting, self-management of long-term conditions.
What are your research interests?
My main interest focus on student engagement and students as partners. I am currently involved with 2 Student as Researcher projects:
- An evaluation of the use of open badges within the curriculum. Does it promote student engagement?
- Use of social media to develop and promote the OT curriculum in Higher education
Outside work, what occupations do you enjoy participating in?
2010-2012, I completed 3 tandem skydives raising money for Out of Character and SPARK- which can be found here.
I attend weekly dance classes in tap and chasamba and participated in my first- ever dance show in October 2015 tap dancing to the classic song “Singing in the Rain.”
I can occasionally be found in the dining room on a Friday eating fish and chips.
Twitter: @KerrySorby
University Links: York St John Profile Page