Burnley College media tutor beats off rivals from across the globe to scoop top award

Media tutor Dave Easton received the accolade in the 2020 Pearson International BTEC Awards.

Dave, whose passion for his subject inspires students on vocational courses, is known for his energy, enthusiasm and constant stream of innovative ideas. The judges noted Dave’s ability to bring the subject of media alive, creating an incredibly engaging and diverse experience for his students, reflecting life in an ever-evolving industry.

Describing news of the award as 'fantastic and humbling' Dave said: " I am passionate about media – it’s a constantly-developing subject which demands a wide skillset and a great deal of creativity.

"But the rewards are immense, students are given opportunities to really grow in confidence, to develop their own style and to see their work on local, regional and national stages.

“At the heart of everything I do as a media tutor is a determination to instil in my students a real love of learning; to make them curious individuals with a thirst for discovery and to challenge them at every stage of their academic journey.

"Much of my teaching and learning therefore takes place outside the classroom on live projects – with real deadlines just like they will face in their careers – including collecting photography, videography and interviews at black-tie events, awards ceremonies, fashion shows, industry and news events.

"This amazing experience and the self-belief it brings helps them to build a portfolio of work which makes them truly stand head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to applying for places at top universities to take their studies to the next level or when starting their careers.”

The Pearson BTEC Awards are an annual celebration of exceptional teachers and recognise the life-

changing impact an inspirational teacher can have on those they teach. In addition to the BTEC Awards, Burnley College has achieved national success in the Pearson National Teaching Awards, dubbed the ducation 'Oscars’ with two tutors shortlisted in the national finals.

Mazar Iqbal, a successful A' level computer science tutor, is a finalist in the Further Education Lecturer of the Year category and Ben Whitaker, a leader in the College’s forward-thinking Division of Creative Industries and Computing, is shortlisted for the keenly-contested Digital Innovator of the Year award.