It's an exciting time for Barnsley College, as a new department is being created. Finally, a dedicated department for learning and teaching! It's about time! Learning and teaching can now get extended focus and development through this new department.
Our department, Learning Technologies Unit will now come under this. No major changes for us (yet), but just to be suitably aligned in the right area. But I'm sure some great changes will come soon.
The candidates for the post were tasked with deliveirng a session around 'practical strategies for achieving excellence in teaching and learning'. Yesterday and today, myself and a range of Advanced Practioners in teaching and ILT were invited to watch the sessions by the candidates.
These sessions were ideas and innovations to support learning and teaching at Barnsley College. After the sessions, we had a group chat on our feelings of the sessions delivery and such. Then we had to 'rate' them in relation to the interview process on various area such as knowledge, communication, content, innovation, credibility and motivation.
It was very interesting, I tell you. It was really good to see what and how others had planned for the task. I came out some of these sessions totally inspired. It was immense. I left with some new ideas and developments to think about! It was a surprise to feel the way I did from some of these sessions. I was a powerhouse of exploding ideas for changing my ways.
I am hoping for a particular candidate to get this post. Their session was absolutely incredible. They delivered a highly engaging and thoroughly interesting session. I was left thinking about new ways of improving and developing my teaching practices and with some resources too. This post is about having someone as excellent as this to lead, inpsire and develop learning and teaching with myself and the best Advanced Practioners to sail the ship that is education further, beyond the horizon.
One of the candidates drew me to Carol Dweck's mindset work. I have never heard about her till now. But I was really engaged in learning about this. It's like they were talking about how I developed my growth mindset. Which is what I have been doing over the years, without knowing. I will be doing further research on it!
Now, I have to compile the heavy notetaking I did and the resources I have gathered for my educational development absorbtion!
