Mr Ian Bates

Professional biography

I am currently a Staff Tutor and Associate Lecturer with the Open University in the school of Engineering and Innovation with tuition manager responsibilities across a number of design and engineering modules. Prior to joining the OU full-time, I was a senior engineering lecturer and assistant principal in a secondary school / sixth form college (University Training College). I have worked in education for 30 years and in addition to this I have been a reserve army combat medic with the Royal Army Medical Corp and a Senior Analyst Programmer with Rolls Royce Aero Engines. 

Ian Bates | LinkedIn

Research and Teaching

I am interested in the delivery of formative feedback in reference to neurodivergent students experiencing rejection sensitivity dysphoria.

I am keen to explore the results of HE into FE programmes and I am also currently looking to explore the differences in civilian and military pedagogical and andragogical methodologies.

My engineering research is in lunar in-situ resource utilisation and lunar robotics, and I am the student co-ordinator for the Open University Lunar Robotics team. 

In teaching I am currently developing material for the fundementals of engineering, analogue and digital electronics, coding,  and the use of micro-controllers and sensors for robotics for an undergradute programme distance learning module. 

External collaborations

I have worked closely with Open University Validation Partnership on the Higher Education in to Further Education programme, validating  degree programmes nationally and internationaly and with the UK Armed Forces Millitary Aviation Academy.

I also have a keen interest in maths and engineering communication through sketching, animation, video and augmented reality.