Harriet has now left CARET, and is putting her talent for writing and her love of plants to good use at Science and Plants for Schools, based at the Botanic Gardens.
Both before and during her many years at CARET, Harriet explored the outer reaches of the teaching technology landscape.
She taught English to senior ranks of the Ukrainian army, in an era when a photocopier was only rumoured to exist somewhere on the other side of Kiev; ran the day to day management for a company which developed state-of-the-art teaching software for primary schools; and reorganized technology-based teaching in a number of large, complex organizations.
At CARET, Harriet developed web-based computer software, but has also printed books using a press little changed from those used by Gutenberg and Caxton.
Her Masters thesis focused on attitudes to the physical embodiment of texts in the pre-print world, drawing parallels to a post-print future.
Harriet’s wide ranging experience in teaching technologies left her with a subtle and careful grasp of the potential role of technology in teaching. More than a simple matter of degree, or of merely choosing one medium over another, Harriet keenly observes the interaction between technologies and the classroom, lecture theatre, or laboratory.
Another focus of Harriet’s work at CARET concerned people’s expectations of technologies: where they can intervene to help improve their teaching and learning, and where they may be more of a hindrance than a help.
Harriet took the role of creative lead at CARET, combining keen design and writing skills with a person-centered outlook, and an aptitude for programming and software development. However, she feels success is most easily achieved by bringing experts on board early within a project. In Lent 2010, Harriet was awarded an Arcadia Fellowship at the University Library and Wolfson College, Cambridge.
Harriet is a keen gardener, and when not designing her own contemporary-style garden, volunteers for the National Trust restoring historic gardens.
Contact Details
harriet @ caret.cam.ac.uk
01223 (7)65383
CARET
1st Floor, 16 Mill Lane
Cambridge
CB2 1SB
Awards
- UK winner, Best eLearning Resouce of 2005, eLearning Europa (for Personal Demons)
- Bronze winner in European finals, Best eLearning Resouce of 2005, eLearning Europa (for Personal Demons)
