Ms Fran Richards 

Learning Technologist

After obtaining a BA in Drama and Media Arts, Fran worked at ITV as a Production Co-ordinator. She has experience working on observational documentaries, live studio shows, location and award shows and dramatic reconstructions. On these complex shoots she organised everything from location sourcing and permits, to booking crew and equipment. Industry highlights included working on The South Bank Show Awards Ceremony at the Savoy Hotel in London and supporting international guests in a live studio environment.

Fran has worked at the University of Southampton for over a decade in 3 key areas: the Faculty of Medicine, Strategy, Planning and Analytics and iSolutions. During this time, she developed a strong network of expert colleagues across the institution and a solid understanding of the university environment. While working in the Faculty of Medicine, she was fortunate enough to work with the academics and clinicians who engaged with the NIHR funded, Research Design Service.

Her first introduction to Blackboard was when she worked alongside the Director of Strategy, Planning analytics who taught the Strategy and War module.

Fran joined the Digital Team in January 2023 because of her passion for enhancing learning and making learning accessible for all. She is particularly interested in Universal Design for Learning and Spaced Repetition. She brings strong project management skills and is an experienced user of Word and Excel, including obtaining a Microsoft Office Specialist Excel qualification. While working for an iSolutions CIO, she project managed an event which included a welcome segment from Microsoft’s Bill Gates. She aims to provide expertise and skills in the design and creation of content to enhance the student experience. Specifically, she is excited by the idea of immersive education and tools, such as ThingLink.