About me
Daphne Vallas is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Lecturer in Academic Professional Development for Westminster’s Centre for Education & Teaching Innovation (CETI). A passionate educator, Daphne describes herself as “a linguist and an artist who thinks like an engineer and thrives on pedagogic-problem solving”.
She is the PRESTige (Professional Recognition & Enhancement Scheme for Teaching) portfolio Lead.
In this role, she manages the AdvanceHE-accredited and university-wide programme which offers all Westminster colleagues who teach and support learning the chance to reward and recognise their talent by achieving the Fellowship or Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy. She oversees the development of the HEA Fellowship Advising and Reviewing processes and manages the Recognition panels. In addition to providing expert support and guidance to AdvanceHE Fellowship applicants, advisers and reviewers, Daphne designs and delivers a range of Academic Professional Development (APD) events and opportunities which are available to all Schools. Please visit the PRESTige SharePoint page to find out more about her APD activities.
Teaching
Daphne has a longstanding commitment to fostering excellence and innovation in Modern Language education and Academic Professional Development (APD). She started her career at Westminster in 1995 as a Lecturer in French Language & Culture on Westminster’s Polylang programme and gained recognition as an inspiring Learning and Teaching materials developer when she led the complete redesign of French Learning and Teaching materials across 5 levels, which she modelled on Task-based pedagogy. She helped shape Polylang’s engagement in designing bespoke materials to reflect students’ contexts, needs and ambitions. Her teaching and assessment materials have been widely adapted and used across languages on the Polylang programme.
An experienced and dedicated mentor and mentoring educator, she has designed and delivered a wide range of bespoke Academic Professional Development programmes for the Polylang and BA in Modern Languages teams on a variety of subjects such as the Intercultural Dimension in Language Teaching, Task-Based Learning & Teaching, Authentic Assessment and Professional training for Languages educators.
Prior to joining CETI, Daphne was a Lecturer in French Language & Culture at King’s College London and a Teaching Fellow in French at Queen Mary University of London.
She also led and designed the Modern Language and French Teacher training and Trainer training programmes at International House London.
Throughout her career, she used her extensive experience in Language education for Professional Purposes across a wide range of domains such as the financial sector, the advertising and entertainment industries, non-governmental organisations, pharmaceutical companies and the medical profession to significantly contribute to the Employability and Authentic Assessment agenda at Westminster and other HE institutions.
Research
Daphne has a keen interest in multiculturalism in the classroom and has centred her Action Research on Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in Higher Education. Her particular focus is on the design and implementation of Culturally Responsive materials as a means to root out exclusionary education practices and empower learners and educators operating in a multicultural learning environment.
Her current scholarly activity focusses on the use of critical reflection to enhance Academic Professional Development through active and experiential learning in Higher Education.