Academic learning advisor ready to assist with assignment writing, and dissertations etc

Christina's CV

Curriculum Vitae

Name: Christina Mary GERA

Contact details: Cell phone: (concealed information) Email: (concealed information)


Tertiary qualifications

• 1997: CELTA (Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults)
• 2003: BA (English), University of Waikato – English, education, history, maths papers.
• 2005: PG Dip (Teaching English as a Second Language) Grade: Distinction
• 2008: MA (Applied Linguistics) Grade: First Class Honours
• 2010 – 2011: IELTS writing and speaking examiner
• 2013: Leadership and Communication Module with e-grad School (Australia)
• 2017: PhD (Education): Topic area: Academic writing

Professional qualifications
• IELTS speaking and writing examiner

Awards
• 2004: Member of Golden Key Honour Society – top 15% of the University are invited to join this organisation.
• 2005: English Speakers Union Prize, University of Waikato - awarded to the top graduating Post Graduate Diploma student (in teaching English as an Additional Language [EAL])
• 2010: University of Waikato Faculty of Education Teaching Excellence Award - team award
• 2014: Wintec staff awards - nominated for Outstanding Team Award.
• 2016: Wintec staff awards - nominated for Outstanding Team Award.
• 2016: Wintec staff awards - nominated for Wintec’s People’s Choice Award
• 2018: Jinhua, China: Foreign Teachers Award for contribution to Sino-foreign Cooperation in Education
• 2018: Jinhua Polytechnic: The Star of the Foreign Teacher award (for excellence in teaching)
• 2019: Jinhua Polytechnic, The Star of Foreign Staff award (for contribution to international relationships)

Tertiary employment history (2001 to 2018)
• University of Waikato, New Zealand: 2001 – 2012
2001 – 2008: Waikato Pathways College (Senior teacher and programme coordinator)
Duties included: Coordinator of General English Programme, curriculum and material design and development, responsible for up to 20 staff and their professional development (including teaching observations), pastoral care of students, taught General English, IELTS, EAP elementary level to advanced students, facilitated standardization sessions on writing and speaking assessments. Spent much of my time teaching students who were entering Bachelors Degree, and Postgraduate study
2008 -2012: Student Learning Services (Academic Learning Advisor)
Duties included: teaching and working with students (both domestic and international) on their academic writing, and study skills to students from undergraduate level to doctoral level. Developed courses, workshops and materials.

• Wintec, New Zealand: 2012 to 2017 (Student Learning Services, Team Leader Academic, Employed as PASM which is similar to Associate Professor)
Duties included: working with students on their literacy skills, teaching academic writing, and study skills, mainly through one-to-one sessions (both face-to-face and online) and workshops, to students from foundation to Masters level. Developed courses and materials. Facilitated and organised staff professional development in unit and at times across Wintec. Worked with staff across Wintec to assist with course and assessment development.

• Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, New Zealand January 2017- January 2018 (left because during the institutions restructure due to a polytechnic merger I was made redundant).
Coordinator of staff professional development across 4 campuses. Line management responsibility for the e-learning team, academic advisers (they assist staff with course and assessment development). Undertook a series of teaching observations for all new staff plus others identified as needing teaching professional development. I worked closely with staff in other programmes such as the Certificate of Tertiary Teaching and Literacy and Numeracy Qualifications. I assisted in development of Institutional strategies for cohort groups such as Pacifica and Maori.

• Wintec: Manager Jinhua, China Feb 2018 – July 2019
For the first 6 months I taught English and was the Coordinator of the English programme. I was then promoted to overall Manager. I am responsible for 14 staff teaching over 900 students, in the areas of English, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering and IT. The job involves pastoral care of staff, teaching observations, assisting staff with course development, assessments, staff professional development, and teaching development, liaising between New Zealand staff and Jinhua Chinese staff.

• British Council: Beijing, China, July 2019 to March 2020 (resigned and returned to NZ because of Covid)
Employed as English Language Assessment Consultant which involved mainly IELTS examining in different locations in China.

• IDP (International Development Programme) (Onscreen marker of IELTS writing scripts) March 2019 – current employment
I am employed to mark IELTS writing scripts online from my home.


Voluntary positions
• 2006 – 2012: University of Waikato Faculty of Education Health and Safety Representative
• 2009 – 2012: University of Waikato International Student Support Group committee member
• 2009 – 2010: University of Waikato student enrolment committee
• 2013: Wintec SLS and Disability Health and Safety representative
• 2016 President of Doctoral Student Association, University of Waikato
• 2016 Doctoral Student Representative on the University of Waikato Postgraduate Committee

Membership of professional bodies
• Since 2004: Member of Golden Key Honour Society (top 15% of University of Waikato students are invited to join this)
• Since 2008: ATLAANZ (Association of Tertiary Learning Advisors Association of New Zealand) executive member
• 2012 & 2013: ATLAANZ Executive member & Secretary
• 2014 – 2017: NZARE (New Zealand Association for Research in Education)

Contribution to research community

• 2013 & 2014: ATLAANZ Executive member & Publications Coordinator (Chief Editor)
• 2013 to 2017: Executive member of the University of Waikato Postgraduate Students Association
• April 2015: Organised and facilitated a one-day workshop day on behalf of NZARE for doctoral students and Wintec staff.
• April 2015 – April 2016: President of the University of Waikato Postgraduate Students Association (consists mainly of doctoral students)
• April 2015 - April 2016. Doctoral Student Representative on University of Waikato Postgraduate Research Committee
• 2015 & 2016: Peer reviewer for National Teaching and Learning Conference Proceedings

Selected publications and Conference Presentations available on request

Referees available on request