From Vision to Victory: Zoe Tierney’s ALT Awards Journey

For this month’s blog profile, we’re excited to feature Zoe Tierney, winner of the ALT Award for Use of Technology in Vocational Education, in partnership with Ufi VocTech Trust in 2024. Zoe shares her inspiring journey, highlighting her achievements and insights that led to her winning an ALT Award. By sharing her experiences, Zoe sheds light on the significance of the ALT Awards in adopting progress and acknowledging the visionaries driving change.

What do you find exciting about working with learning technology?

What excites me most about working with learning technology is how it can create meaningful, even emotional, learning experiences, particularly when the technology goes beyond screens and software. The CRDL (pronounced ‘cradle’) is a perfect example of this. It brings together innovation, human connection, and therapeutic engagement in a way I hadn’t seen before. Technology like this allows us to reimagine what learning looks and feels like, especially in areas like healthcare, where empathy and communication are just as important as knowledge and technical skill.

What inspired you to enter the ALT Awards 2024? 

We entered the ALT Awards to share our journey with the CRDL and celebrate how something so unique was having a significant impact in the classroom—and more importantly, in real-life care environments. The CRDL allowed learners in healthcare to experience and understand dementia care in a deeply human way, enhancing their empathy, confidence, and emotional intelligence. But it also sparked curiosity across other curriculum areas—sparking interest in creative arts, SEND provision, and pastoral support. We felt this cross-disciplinary potential, combined with its emotional and educational impact, made the story worth sharing.

What would be your best advice for someone considering entering the ALT Awards 2025, particularly from within further education like yourself? 

My advice would be: don’t underestimate the value of what you’re doing just because it’s different or specific to FE. The ALT Awards aren’t just about large-scale systems; they celebrate innovation that makes a difference. If you’re using technology in a way that connects with learners, improves practice, or starts new conversations—write it up. Let your context be your strength and don’t wait for perfection—impact happens in many forms.

Can you share any tips on how to effectively communicate and evidence the impact of your work in an ALT Award submission?

Tell a clear story. Start with the ‘why’—what gap were you trying to fill or what challenge were you addressing? With the CRDL, we focused on the lack of emotionally immersive learning in dementia education. We then demonstrated the difference it made, not just through anecdotal feedback, but also by showing how it influenced learner confidence, tutor delivery, and wider curriculum development. Use quotes, pictures, lesson observations, or reflections from learners—they bring the story to life and demonstrate real-world outcomes.

How has winning the ALT Award impacted your career or professional journey?

Winning the ALT Award has brought wider recognition to the work we’re doing—not just for me personally, but for the team and college as a whole. It’s validated our belief that digital innovation isn’t just about devices or platforms—it’s about thoughtful implementation. The award has opened doors for new partnerships and encouraged others across the college to think creatively about how specialist tools like the CRDL could be adapted into their own teaching practice. For me, it’s reinforced the importance of continuing to lead and advocate for purposeful digital change.

What’s the best prize or award you’ve ever won, whether in your personal life or professional career?

Professionally, the ALT Award definitely tops the list, it was a moment that acknowledged not just a single project but the demonstration of commitment to improving digital learning in FE. Personally, I’d say any moment where a learner or colleague has thanked me for helping them see things differently – that’s always been the most meaningful reward.

If you were on a deserted island, what is the one thing you would take?

A solar-powered journal and audio recorder. I’d want a way to reflect, create, and record stories, because even on a deserted island, learning and connection still matter.

We hope you enjoyed hearing from the chair of the ALT Award winners from 2024, Zoe Tierney. You can learn more about her journey to winning the prestigious award in her blog post: My Journey with the CRDL and Winning the Ufi VocTech Award. If she has inspired you to enter this year’s Awards, make sure to submit by 14 July 2025. Learn more about the Awards and how to enter here. Future profiles will feature colleagues involved with Special Interest and Members Groups, CMALT holders, ALT Members, Trustees, assessors, apprentices and ALT staff. If you are a current member of ALT and would be interested in featuring in an upcoming post or want to recommend someone members would be interested in hearing from, please contact us at blog@alt.ac.uk.