UAL : London College of Communication | Senior Lecturer
 
2013-14
 
Un-edited Student References: Bogdan C: The first time you meet somebody, all your senses and experience fight to place a label. With a tutor even more so, because you are trying to understand if he’s going to help you grow and develop. How is he going to be? What’s he like? All these questions swiftly find answers and all the boxes tick. But if you tick all the right ones, you’re in the hottest ride in town. “I never ask rhetorical questions, people!” Tick, and that’s how long it took me to like Frode, first day of Uni. “If you never fail, you never learn! We want you to fail!” Tick, that’s bold, wise and crazy! “I want you to be curious about everything guys!” Tick, as always, teach a man to fish, don’t just feed him. But none of this even matters if one does not have the desire to learn. And I think that one of the most important things that Frode managed to do for his students – for me at least – is awaking the need to learn, to perfect, to excel, to fail, to correct, get up and fail again. A tutor , a friend, an inspiration. Lucy S: Most teachers have taught me how to tick boxes in order to pass an exam. Frode, on the other hand, has inspired me to go above and beyond this by encouraging me to pursue my passions and look at the bigger picture. The word ‘no’ doesn’t exist in Frode’s vocabulary. To him everything is possible and he always seems to have a way of finding solutions to problems. Whilst teaching at LCC he has provided a series of thought-provoking lectures, always engaging the students and encouraging us to ask questions. Aside from these lectures, as a tutor Frode has a real talent in terms of being capable of catering to everybody’s individual needs. His patience and generosity with time enables him to acknowledge the skills and talents of his students and helps them build upon these. He also encourages his students to overcome their weaknesses and persistently pushes them to do this; he never gives up. He really knows how to give a student confidence and make them believe in themselves and he is excellent at giving direction and guidance. His enthusiasm for teaching and the effort, which comes through naturally, makes students want to make an equal effort in whatever task they are doing. I really don’t know how he manages to balance everybody so well, his gift is in dealing with people and he always shows a genuine interest in what his students are doing. As a tutor Frode has taught me a lot and I couldn’t be more grateful for this. Jack P: When Frode first came to our university (London College of Communication) it was to give a guest lecture, his knowledge in technology allowed him to introduce us to new ways of advertising. When Frode was invited back to teach on our course (BA Advertising) he was known as the ‘Apple guy’ although he swiftly became a teacher whose lectures – not always directly related to advertising – we were sure to attend. However, we always learnt about something new or interesting and, importantly to me, something which was always relevant in that point of time, an example being the week of the Super Bowl. I appreciate it when a teacher pays attention to pupils individually, and when Frode went out of his way to email me about an article he read which was relevant to my project, it shows his commitment to his students. Nirav A: It has been a pleasure having Frode Hegland as one of my tutors on the BA Advertising course. His guidance helped me all the time with my work, whether it was something to do with the Advertising course or anything else. I could not have imagined having a better advisor and mentor. Bronwyn M: As a new student to LCC I was understandably nervous, so to have a tutor I could go to in times of need was great. Any difficultly I had with the university or advertising in general, Frode was always the person I’d go to for advice. I enjoyed coming to university as many other students did when we knew Frode was there. He was honest and always told us how we could improve in our work and I found I valued his opinion more than other tutors as he would back up his reasoning and actually treat us like adults and not just students. Linda L: Frode is a tutor, who not only listens, but hears his students. He always has time for everyone, doing his best to help out and if there is something he can’t help with, he will find the best ways to solve any issue. Erica T: Frode’s most memorable quality was his up-to-date knowledge on any subject matter and being passionate about it. This was a brilliant advantage to have being a student of his, as he could relate to younger generations more than others could. Dragos M: Frode was the kind of lecturer that would always engage students into insightful conversations, sometimes not even on the lecture topic. I believe this is an essential skill for a tutor, in a world where conversation is a vital trait. Kasra V: Frode’s classes made me feel that I wanted to go to them not that I had to go them. Lisa S: Frode Hegland is one of the most inspirational and devoted tutors I’ve had the pleasure of being taught by. It makes a huge difference when you feel they truly care about us. He made sure I pushed to always better myself and of course my work, overcoming my own expectations and limits. A kind and generous teacher who always made time to help and go the extra mile no matter how busy he was. As well as many other positive things I could say, that for me, is what sets Frode apart from other teachers. Mariana d’O: One would expect a tutor to focus on the development of professional goals, but Frode has not only inspired me in terms of my skills and education but also in the direction of my life. He was the first person to tell me it was possible for me to go out into the world and change it for the better. He has a talent to create and maintain an environment where creativity flows and constantly grows. He is dedicated to reforming teaching and the academic process into an art of its own, where the teacher/artist can directly change and influence the life of another. Frode understands the significance of this role, not interfering, limiting or restricting talent but nurturing and guiding it. Frode Hegland is the best tutor I have ever had the honour of studying under, and is also without a doubt one of the best people to ever have lived. Ingrid H: Frode has been an incredible tutor. Throughout the academic year, he has taken a genuine interest in knowing each student and has invited us to think more in-depth and aim higher, which a number of tutors have, sadly, failed to do.Today, I still consider Frode as my intellectual mentor. He has relentlessly pushed me beyond my limits, whether in class or through captivating conversations in the college cafeteria. Think twice before you hire him. He will revolutionise education, and you should make sure you are ready for it. Simon K: To refer to Frode Hegland as a tutor is one of the most severely limited things I could do. A tutor’s role is to establish a connection with an individual or small group and to impart knowledge, skills and data. Mr Hegland is truly unique in his demonstrable incomprehension of this definition. Instead of simply educating, he has imprinted the soul of education to this group of individuals, his students, in the form of curiosity. A lecture from Frode on photography will not feature ten ways to get the best price for a lens, or the best shade of blue to ‘Photoshop’ the sky. Rather it will encompass the mechanism of photons, the history of silver and the mathematical formula for calculating the best f-number. When educating on any subject, Frode will break it down to its purest and most basic form: removing most social bias if it is present, but also allowing for young, easily-led minds to form their own opinions. Frode Hegland does not teach: he shows us how to learn.
 
Winner 2014 University of the Arts (UAL) Teaching Award