Mr Steve Davis
Steve gained a BSc (Hons) in Biotechnology from the University of Reading (1991). Later he retrained, achieving a BSc (Hons) in Nutritional Therapy from the University of Westminster (2003). He then developed an interested in the pedagogy of the development of students in Higher Education and gained a Masters in Higher Education with the University of Westminster (2012). A BANT registered practitioner of Nutritional Therapy, and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Steve has wide experience in developing education and training programmes for Life Science students, Health Science Students, and Healthcare practitioner students.
As part of the Nutritional Therapy Teaching Team, and Teaching-Clinic Supervision Team, at the University of Westminster (2004-2014), Steve lectured/tutored in Physiology, Biochemistry & Phytochemisty, Therapeutic Relationships and Reflective Practice; he was also Supervisor for Dissertation students (academic side), and Clinic Supervisor for Student-Practitioners (clinic side). Steve was interested at this time in designing teaching programmes that brought together the best from traditional sources and from western science, integrating critical thinking about both these sources into CAM practice.
From 2014 onwards, Steve continued as part of the teaching team for Human Physiology, and lectured in various modules on Nutrition as a therapeutic approach to increase health and wellbeing. In 2015 Steve became Course Leader for the BSc(hons) Western Herbal Medicine. Working with student-practitioners (initially of Nutritional Therapy, later of Western Herbal Medicine), Steve focused on supporting these students to develop practices of embedding evidence-based theory into their therapeutic approaches, and supporting them to develop skills as reflectively self-developing professionals able to actively engage in collaborative practice between healthcare providers.
In 2021 Steve stepped away from the Herbal Medicine BSc(hons) course and became Senior Tutor for the School of Life Sciences supporting a team of Personal Tutors in their delivery of pastoral and academic support to a cohort of approx. 3000 students L3 to L7.
In that year Steve also became Course Leader for Foundation in Life Sciences; this course includes the Foundation years of the BSc (hons) courses: Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Human Nutrition, Pharmacology and Physiology. Steve has interest is in supporting student-practitioners of various kinds to integrate rigorous science and critical thinking into their holistic therapeutic practices, lab-based work, and research work. Also, to support students of these areas to engage in collaborative practice across specialist bioscience and health science areas, and between CAM and allopathic healthcare providers.
As an educator, Steve's current focus is around the provision of foundation courses that improve access to the undergraduate programmes at the University of Westminster; and wider if students choose to transfer onwards. As part of that focus, he is interested in grounding learning in lived experience, and in the transformational learning processes of mentoring, supervision, and preceptorship across a range of subject areas. Finally, Steve’s central approach to teaching and learning is in the value that reflective practice has in enabling the development of self-directed student-learners and professionals.
(Interests only - No current work-in-progress)
Teaching approaches and methods for engaging Life Science students, Health Science Students, and Healthcare practitioner students in science subjects.
Developmental process of reflective learning of students to practitioners – the value and place of tutoring / mentoring / supervision / preceptorship processes.
The use and effectiveness of various assessment methods in supporting the transformational development of students into practitioners.