Meet the team
Julie Jones
Childcare lecturer Julie worked in childcare for 17 years before becoming a full-time lecturer in 2014. She's worked in day care, out of school care and in a school nursery.
Julie teaches on the NC, HNC and BA (Hons) Childhood Practice programmes. She is also an assessor and internal verifier on our SVQ programmes.
Julie is a graduate of the University of the Highlands and Islands with a postgraduate qualification from the University of Stirling.
"I loved working as a childcare practitioner as I knew I had the opportunity to help build the next generation. Watching a child learn something new, seeing their face light up, I knew I was in a wonderful career. Now, as a lecturer, I get to support people who want to make Scotland the best place to grow up and it's amazing."
Julie is learning to paddle board and hopes to carry out her Yoga moves whilst on the paddleboard one day!
Nina Gatt
I have been a lecturer at Inverness college since 2012 and I am currently employed in the Care Health and Wellbeing Team as an Early Years Lecturer. I have recently returned to UHI after a 3 year break in which I returned to Primary School Teaching in the Highlands and Islands. This break provided me with some amazing teaching experiences within 2 contrasting schools. One of which was a large inner city school and latterly a small 2 teacher village school teaching a composite 1-3 class. Quite simply I love teaching and my experiences of teaching across the early years up to adults continue to surprise me everyday!
Throughout my time with the Care, Health and Wellbeing team, I have worked across many different programme levels – from Level 4 introductory childcare up to the degree modules. This offers me amazing opportunities to share my teaching and learning experiences across a wide variety of programmes – using: online, face to face and blended learning delivery. Outside of work, I love reading, socialising with colleagues, walking my crazy Labrador and travelling with family to warmer climates. I am really looking forward to another exciting year ahead on the Early Years Programmes of study.
Kathleen Murray
Kathleen has a background in Early Years and started work in Inverness College Nursery in 1991. Kathleen decided to become a student herself (the same year she became a Nana) and became a full-time lecturer in 2008. She is a graduate of the University of the Highlands and islands and has a Postgraduate qualification from the university of Stirling.
Kathleen teaches on the BA Childhood Practice and the BA Child and Youth Studies programmes and her favourite role is that of Personal Academic Tutor where she supports, guides and advises students on their online learning journeys to their degrees.
Students may face many difficulties when undertaking a degree so being the person to help them through a challenging time and go on to succeed is the most rewarding part of the job. Kathleen says she will never forget the words on one student who said “What you have done for me has changed my life forever”
Kathleen is just delighted that her granddaughter is now a full time student at UHI and is following in her footsteps in working towards a career in education.
Dr Alice Mongiello
I am Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Childhood Practice, HNC Childhood Practice and GA Early Learning and Childcare based at Inverness College UHI since 2005. I am also Module Leader for two Level 9 Childhood Practice Modules: Develop a Childhood Practice Workplace Project and Lead Childhood Practice Workplace Project; Level 10 Childhood Practice Dissertation Module; Level 9 Child and Youth Studies Module: Comparative Childcare: A European Perspective; and Master’s Level Module: Theory and Practice of eLearning.
I have been employed in the Further Education sector since 1996, working in several Scottish Further Education Colleges as an Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Lecturer. Prior to this, I was employed as an Early Years Practitioner for 6 years in a number of private nursery settings in Arizona and Scotland. Between 1999-2000 I was also seconded on a part-time basis to the Scottish Council for Research in Education (SCRE) working on a research project investigating the role of classroom assistants. I have been involved in the Early Learning and Childcare for nearly 30 years - showing my age now!!
As part of my undergraduate studies, I specialized in biological studies, sociology and psychology. Realising I wanted to pursue a career in education, I completed a Masters of Education, several Master's level modules and one year post-graduate research focusing on aspects related to ELC between 1992-1996. I have a particular interest in how children learn and where adults position themselves during the learning process. The concept and practice of 'child-centredness' feature significantly in my academic and personal research.
Continuing my career in education, I completed a Teaching Qualification in Further Education in 2002 and in 2015 completed a Doctorate of Education. My doctoral research explored ways in which Childhood Practice graduate's lives were transformed as a result of completing a Degree in an online educational context. I have a particular interest in the transformative potential of education and ways in which online adult educators behave and interact in a way that 'humanises the machine'. I have written and presented numerous papers on the subject of online learning and teaching across the world.
I firmly believe that the key for delivering successfully online lies in an educator’s ability to build relationships and make connections: skills that lie at the heart of the learning and teaching process regardless of the context. It is human connections rather than the technology that promotes potential transformative learning experiences; the technology merely offers the platform in which these experiences take place. As one of our BA (Hons) Childhood Practice students notes: Throughout my 5 years completing the BA Childhood Practice part time online, Alice has always had the ability to 'connect' through her videos and emails. Through listening to her comments and reading her emails, inspired me to believe in myself and what I could achieve.
In 2016, I became a Senior Fellow with the Higher Education Academy. Education is lifelong; we never stop learning. I fully appreciate the demands of studying, working and juggling family life and the roller coaster ride of emotions students often encounter throughout their studies. I encourage students to embrace the 'highs' and find ways to manage the 'lows' – the world is your oyster!!
Contact Info
Email: Alice.mongiello.ic@uhi.ac.uk
Mobile: 07917217129
Angela Cameron
Lecturer for Care, Health and Wellbeing
SVQ Assessor and Co-ordinator
Programmes:
- SVQ (Social Services) III Children and Young People
- HNC Childhood Practice
- NC Childhood Practice
- GA Childhood Practice
- BA Childhood Practice
- Skills for Work Level 4
I have worked with children and their families for over 20 years. In that time, I realised that I wanted to support new generations to work effectively with children but also with those who have made the decisions to enhance their knowledge and understanding of the Early Years.
Email: angela.cameron.ic@uhi.ac.uk
Alastair Davidson
Alastair joined the team as an Early Years Lecturer in 2019 following over 15 years’ experience in various roles in outdoor education and learning. During this time he discovered a passion for the Early Years, setting up and managing two successful Outdoor Nurseries while training practitioners to take learning outdoors through respectful child-led practice.
“The early years is where all the action happens, children are discovering and learning so much through play. It’s very special to observe and be a part of this vital phase in a childs life.”
Alastair teaches on the NC and HNC Childhood Practice and NC Health and Social Care. Outdoor Play, environment, gender and participation are key themes of his teaching.
Outside of College Alastair can usually be found… outside. Walking, Climbing, Biking and playing in the woods.
Emma Sinclair
Childhood Practice lecturer Emma Sinclair has worked in Early Learning and Childcare for many years as Manager, Early Years Training Officer and SVQ Assessor in Children and Young People. Emma’s previous experience includes managing a successful Outdoor Nursery and is keen to promote the importance and benefits of outdoor play on learning, development and wellbeing of children and young people. Emma has a professional interest in promoting gender diversity and challenging common gender stereotypes from the early years.
“When lecturing in childhood practice it is important to promote gender diversity and emphasise the flexibility of skills and qualities held by both male and female early years practitioners. In this way we can continue to challenge common gender stereotypes in the early years and support children and young people to realise their full potential”
Emma teaches on various FE courses including the Level 5 Introduction to Childhood Practice and Level 6 Childhood Practice programmes. Emma teaches on the Foundation Apprenticeship in Children and Young People and supports students in the Senior Phase as part of the IC Schools programme. Emma supports HE students in her role as Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) for the HNC Childhood Practice and BA Child and Youth Studies degree programme.
Emma brings her passion for being active in the outdoors to her teaching role in childhood practice and the importance of children spending time in nature. When not teaching, Emma will be found outdoors, either running, walking, biking or open water swimming with family and friends.
Email: Emma.sinclair.ic@uhi.ac.uk