Outstanding Performance in Early Career Teaching
Prof Johnathan HARRINGTON
Assistant Professor
Academy of Language and Culture
Prof. Johnathan Harrington began teaching at the Academy of Language and Culture in 2022, swiftly emerging as an exemplary faculty member with his innovative teaching methods integrating the art of storytelling with necessary digital skills. He displays steadfast dedication to student engagement and makes significant contributions to the development of an interdisciplinary curriculum.
In a demonstration of his strong commitment to catering to student needs in their future careers, Prof. Harrington employs a “code-as-you-learn” approach in his course “Virtual Storytelling: Narration across Dimensions”. Students are encouraged to apply coding skills to their creative storytelling tasks, which hones their technical skills and builds confidence in content creation in the ever-changing digital landscape. This approach has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with students describing the course as “interesting and creative”, “interactive”, and “fun to participate in”.
Noting the fundamental importance of virtual storytelling in modern humanities education, Prof. Harrington further bridges the gap between traditional literary studies and digital media by equipping students with the skills to create and analyse digital narratives. Through his unique approach, which blends visual, audio, and literary elements within coding and user interface capabilities, Prof. Harrington ensures that students are well-versed in the technical and creative aspects of digital storytelling.
In turn, this method enhances the students’ employability and career development, as proficiency in digital storytelling, coding, and game design is highly sought after in a variety of industries, including media, entertainment, education, and technology. His emphasis on integrating digital media tools into the curriculum further aligns with industry trends and demands, ensuring that students have cutting-edge knowledge and capabilities.
In a prominent display of his commitment to learner-centred teaching, Prof. Harrington takes the initiative to revise the course structure of “Virtual Storytelling: Narration across Dimensions” to tailor it to the expectations of both students of English as well as Art Technology concentrations, respectively. These changes enhance student learning experiences and ensure that his courses remain at the forefront of educational innovation.
To enhance his teaching skills, Prof. Harrington actively participates in professional development activities. He has attended multiple sessions on the use of generative AI tools in higher education and authentic assessment in entrepreneurship education, proof of his dedication to staying abreast of the latest teaching methodologies and integrating them into his courses.
Prof. Harrington’s contributions extend far beyond his classroom teaching. While serving on a task force to establish the curriculum for the upcoming Digital Humanities degree, he has shown promising potential in a leadership role in shaping the University’s new transdisciplinary programmes. His involvement in this task force highlights his ability to integrate digital media and literature, positioning him as a key figure in developing future-facing educational programmes.
With his comprehensive ability to combine rigorous academic content with engaging and interactive teaching approaches, his potential leadership role in shaping transdisciplinary programmes, and the relevance to industry of the skills he teaches, Prof. Johnathan Harrington has set himself apart as an outstanding educator. The Selection Panel has found him to be a well-deserving candidate for the President’s Award for Outstanding Performance in Early-Career Teaching.