Rate My Professor Alice La Rooy

Alice La Rooy is the Programme Manager (Digital Learning Environment) in the Transformation and Improvement Division at the University of Otago. In this capacity, she leads efforts to implement and manage digital learning platforms and supports broader institutional transformation initiatives focused on innovation and improvement. Her professional expertise centers on educational technology, online learning environments, and enhancing teaching practices through digital tools. La Rooy earned her Bachelor of Arts, Postgraduate Certificate in Online and Distance Education, and Master of Arts in Online and Distance Education from The Open University, UK, providing a solid foundation in distance education pedagogies and learning technologies.

Prior to her current role, Alice La Rooy served as Head of Digital Education at Brunel University London, where she spearheaded the Digital Examinations Project, introducing Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) exams that improved assessment quality and student experience, earning a major award in recognition. At Abertay University, she worked as a Learning Technologist and IT Trainer in the Teaching and Learning Enhancement Unit from 2008 to 2010, focusing on student engagement with learning technologies and innovative applications such as Twitter for informal learning. Earlier, she was Team Leader at Dyno, a British Gas company. Notable publications include 'Teaching with Twitter: reflections on practices, opportunities and problems' (2015, co-authored with Stefano De Paoli), 'But what does it mean for ME? Students' engagement with learning technologies' (co-authored with Carol Maxwell, 2014), and 'Why bringing your own device to university exams should become the norm' (2018). She has contributed to conferences like EUNIS on mapping assessments to technology tools and collaborative educational leadership projects, influencing digital assessment adoption in higher education institutions.