Rachel Spearing MPhil, PGDip, MCSP, FHEA

September 2008 to September 2009: Awarded a Fellowship in Academic Practice by the Centre for Learning and Teaching which was used to undertake a study exploring students’ experiences of assessment and feedback at MMU.

2008-2009: Reviewer for ‘Physiotherapy’ (the journal of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy).

2013 onwards: Reviewer for ‘International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation’.

Contributed to commissioned report: Hamshire, H.C., Spearing, R., Wibberley, C. (2014) Student and newly qualified staff attrition. Scoping review. MMU: Report commissioned by HENW into attrition in nursing and midwifery

Postgraduate teaching

For the MSc (Pre-registration) Physiotherapy programme:

Responsibility for setting, marking and internal moderation of examination papers, assignments and practical examinations in the following areas of the curriculum:

• Study skills; roles / functions of professional, statutory and regulatory bodies; CPD; diversity; models of rehabilitation; health and social policy relevant to the delivery of physiotherapy services; evidence based practice;
• Structure and function of major systems of the body related to human movement, including biomechanics, histology and tissue repair and physiology;
• Project supervision.

For the MSc (Post-registration) Physiotherapy programme:

• Use of physical activity in the management of key diseases and promotion of health, including exercise prescription, risk management and exploration of the barriers to and facilitator of physical activity.

For the Masters in Medicine programme:

• Delivery of a unit entitled Education and Training in Practice, which supports clinicians in the development of teaching skills relevant to their practice, explores the underpinning pedagogical theory, and encourages critical evaluation of clinical educational and training theory and practice.

For the MSc (Pre-registration) Physiotherapy programme, recent project supervison has included:

• Use of graded motor imagery, mirror therapy and TENS in the management of phantom limb pain and chronic regional pain syndrome;
• Use of the Otago programme in the prevention of falls in older adults with dementia. 

Publications:

Spearing, R.M. (2003) ‘Formulation of a valid and reliable tool to measure attitudes towards mental health issues in undergraduate physiotherapy students (Abstract)’. Physiotherapy, 89(12), p.750.

Chatterton H.J., Spearing R.M. (2006) ‘Understanding fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis’. Physical Therapy Reviews, 11(4), pp.235-245

Spearing, R.; Bailey, J. (2012) ‘Depression and chronic physical illness: its prevalence and diagnosis, and implications for therapeutic practice’. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 19 (7), pp. 394-403

Spearing, R. (2013) ‘Facilitating the transition to postgraduate attainment: the experience of one postgraduate, pre-registration physiotherapy programme’.  Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, DOI: 10.1080/02602938.2013.795517

Presentations/ Posters:

May 2008:  ‘Addressing the interplay of physical and mental health: lessons from an undergraduate physiotherapy programme’.  Workshop presentation at ‘Let’s Get Physical’ conference, organised by the Mental Health in Higher Education group of the HEA at Middlesex University

July 2009: ‘A study to investigate student understanding and experiences of assessment and feedback at MMU’. Poster at ‘Assessment in HE’ conference, University of Cumbria, Carlisle.