Dr Rachel Bassett-Dubsky

Rachel's background prior to Higher Education (HE) is in Secondary English teaching and Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (SEBD) (Heading up a new provision for girls with SEBD).

In HE, the core focus of teaching has been around Inclusion and SEN, Diversity (particularly discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, sex and sexuality and their intersection), Social Justice, and key issues that impact the lived experiences and opportunities of children and young people. Having taken time away from HE to work as a full time tennis coach, specialising in coaching women and girls as well as coaching young people and adults with a range of SEN and disabilities; this practical experience offers real opportunities to expand upon the issues of representation and inclusion in sport. Rachel also leads on research methods for the Childhood and Youth programme and enjoys supervising and supporting dissertations and undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Alongside teaching and programme leadership of the BA (Hons) Childhood and Youth, Rachel is also the Student Experience lead for the faculty of Health, Education and Society. Additional roles include that of academic integrity officer and membership of the steering group for the university learner analytics system.

Beyond the university, Rachel is External Examiner for the BA SENDI at Leeds Beckett.

Rachel's current and recent research all relates to Student Engagement and progression (into, through and out of university). She has developed a model of Student Engagement within a holistic system of integrated support, intended to empower students and generate phase-adequate engagement and this is her current focus.

Her latest article relates to the role of learner analytics, drawing on a hindsight evaluation to consider how effective such data and the timing of its availability may be to indicate and support student engagements.