Plugging and planting positivity

Well, it's been a while since I made a post!  Things have been really busy, both physically and mentally!  All positive, as always!

Since my last post, I've had a revelation of sorts.  It's been mad I tell you!

As a result these revelations, I'm plugging and planting positivtiy as I have never before.  Watch this space!

In summary of the last few weeks:

Next Level 4 Certificate in Technology in Learning Delivery
On Tuesday 17 December 2013, I had a meeting to discuss my plans/ideas for the next (second) course of the Level 4 Certificate in Technology in Learning Delivery with an assessor mentor/new Head of Department.  They are really pleased with my ideas and revised Scheme of Work!  I just need to put some finishing touches and actually get things in place now for a January 2014 start.

Distance learning pilot
This is an idea that was first suggested in 2011 with the Business and Management Department to pilot distance leanring with a level 1 access accounting course.  But it never really took off.  Discussions came about again, so I decided to do a sample distance learning course.  Not a major exmaple, but a clear sample of what could be done.  I had a meeting to discuss the sample with the Head of Department and the teacher who is going to be facilitating it.  They really liked my ideas and it is something that they want to run for next year!  It would provide an excellent model template for other departments to use.

New sharing group
I recently made a post on a mailing list asking if people would like to share what and how people are using learning technologies.  I want it to be a small proactive group to communicate learning activities that is being done with the technology. So, in this group we should share, discuss and gather proactive, inventive and creative use of ILT in subjects/courses. And hopefully build an amazing resource!

Technology should not be the focus, but be invisible when learning activities are concerned. Just like every day life when we personally encounter technology.

Something I am seeing a lot of recently is the same tech and same ideas of use. So it's important that we share and work out new learning activities with technology.

Again, it is the old age question of teacher creativity. But as Learning Technologists, we should provide sound and clear ideas.

 

New training sessions
I have just put out new training sessions for the New Year.  I'm trying something different this time.  I've created sessions on drawing ideas from teachers and sharing using some group methods I have come across.  I think it's important to draw as much out of teachers as possible, as they are key to providing ideas of uses.  Then I am doing some sessions on creating eLearning resources; generic walkthrough package and games based ones.  The titles are:

• Grade 1 in ILT
• Making ILT Ideas
• Learning through games
• Independent learning

Further giving
I have also registered to become a Samaritans volunteer.  It's one of my life's goals, to help and give back more than I borrowed. This is the start of something.  I wanted to do it to help people and develop myself and process too.  People just need to talk more, communication is everything.  It's understanding.  Hopefully I can become a Samaritan and help people.  I will keep you posted.

I'll take this opportunity to wish you all a magical Christmas and a brilliant New Year!

I may do a video next time!  It's been a while!

My first EQA experience

I prepared as much as I could, making sure everything was available to the External Quality Assurer (EQA).  So I could do nothing more at this stage.

I produced some documents prior to the EQA visit, just so that they had something developmental from me:

• Produced a SWOT analysis of the course. To show that I had reflected on the course as well as my self.
• Prodcued a Scheme of Work for the next cohort. Just to show them my future plans.

The EQA arrived well before their arrival time.  I had not even opened up the ePortfolios and copied over documents of the learners feedback at this point!

I met the EQA at reception to collect them. Then took them to our training room which I had booked out.  We had an informal chat and got to know each other and plans for the day.  It was nice that we shared our career journeys (but maybe this was so that she could explore who I am as a person).  I learned quite a bit about some of their work and other business.

The EQA told me about how other organisations are delivering and offering the course.  Which I found useful.  Plus, it was a question I was going to ask them anyway.  The EQA asked me some general questions about the course, such as how the course went for me, how it was delivered and assessed.  I also told them about any things that I felt they should know about, in terms of learners work and any assessment decisions.

The EQA then needed to look at some of the learners work.  So I left at this point and was called in a couple of times to clarify some things.

Midway, my Internal Quality Assurer (IQA) went in to meet and chat with the EQA and discussed their IQA process and my work, which was very positive.

In the afternoon, ultimately, all learners had passed!  There was no action plan for me, but an improvement on administration of assessment.  I was also given Direct Claim Status.  In which the EQA said that they wouldn't usually give this to first time people, but they said there were no problems.  I feel a sense of relief and accomplishment.  But surreal!  I have got a smile on my face though.

I'm feeling very proud, but teary as this means so much to me.  Just to go through the entire teaching, assessment and management process to result in this.

The EQA will be coming out to observe me on the next cohort, which I am looking forward to.  Here's to the next one!

A CPD session on feedback

Yesterday I attended the Business and Management department's CPD session on feedback.  The session was about sharing how we give feedback to learners.  We were asked to bring a good and bad example of what we had given to a learner.

I asked to attend it as it would be good for me to see what others do and use, to build confidence in my feedback skills.  Plus, it contributes to building my knowledge and skills for my assessing qualification.

It was a great little session and I really enjoyed participating in it.  We had a little introduction to the session, then we split into groups with people with similar delivery.  I found myself really excited and enthused in talking about what I had done and not done.  I found myself wanting to take over the group conversations and expressing my views.  Especially on my experiences with subjective and objective feedback.  I also discussed my feedback template that encourages giving a positive contribution, improvements and developments.  But the thing that I was most proud of was sharing something that I experimented with at the beginning of my Level 4 Certificate in Technology in Learning Delivery course.  I showed a screenshot I took of me giving feedback on a learner's ePortfolio through a screencast that included a video of me in the corner of it.  The group really liked that idea and started to talk about ways they could do it.

I like to drop seeds of inspiration wherever I go!

First EV visit

I'm approaching my first ever External Verifier (EV) visit for the Level 4 Certificate in Technology in Learning Delivery course I have been delivering, assessing and managing.

What can I say?!  I am really nervous and I feel sick at the thought of it!  As mentioned briefly in my video A Course Of Reflection, I have been going through a range of feelings and emotions.  These questions keep going around in my head:

• The quality of the learning and teaching.
• The quality of learners work.
• Have the learners done enough work for the required level (the Internal Verifier (IV) process has not been done yet, but they will determine this).
• Have my assessment processes been consistently strong and fair (at the time of designing, I thought what I did with the assignments were great, but throughout the course I found that they weren't that great.  But I couldnt change them too much as learners would be confused.
• How I have managed the course.

But ultimately, the whole course has been run by me and it's my first time doing so.  So I am accountable for pretty much what is about to come of it all.  Although some things have been out of my control, I still feel highly responsible for everything.  Probably more than I should.  But that's me being a perfectionist as well.  But I don't want anything to reflect badly on myself, as I feel I have done a great job of it all, given the circumstances I have experienced.

The worst that could happen, is that learners would have to do more work.  Which would be heartbreaking as I have made the assessment decision that their work has been sufficient.  Or, learners won't pass the course at all.  But this is one of the main reasons I am doing my assessors qualification.

All I can do is take it as it comes, evidence and discuss everything I have done and be preprared to back up anything that is questioned.

But I am looking forward to feedback and the action plan to see what improvements will be suggested to work on.  And hopefully from this, another cohort can start in January with a fully revised and standardised course!  Plus, removing the mistakes from this experience.  I know the errors done by person through reflection.  But I am going to do a SWOT analysis on the course itself to identify any other issues.

A circle of CPD

I really do love learning from other professionals! Taking their views and turning them into my own positive developments.

We all have a professional learning circle, where we check out what these people are saying and doing, to help move forward our thinking and creativity.

I have a close circle of professional people that I check on regularly to see what new things they are doing and sharing.  In checking out their updates, it helps inform me:

• What I am currently doing
• Why I am doing it?
• How could I do it better?
• Should I be exploring and doing what others' are doing?

It's a method of Continuous Professional Development (CPD); reviewing, contributing, collaborating and developing together, which is ideal to get real ideas and innovation!  Then I share with others.

I have identified the following people that I get a lot from.  I find their contributions really valuable to myself and my work as well as the wider community.  I came across these people through natural networking at events, when I first started this role, and others I work with or have worked with.  Here they are:

• Cathy Wint
• EduKayte
• Gemma Holtam
• Kev Campbell-Wright
• Scott Hibberson
• teachnorthern

I will keep adding to this list, when I get aquainted to other people who beam positivity and inspiration at me.

In me identifying these people, you will check them out and maybe add to your circle or pass onto other people.  See how it works?  Social media at one of it's best!  Social media really does provide a platform for all to be inspired. Anytime, anywhere learning. What would we do without it?

The light of inspiration

To me, inspiration helps you see things in a different positive way.  It's what makes you a better person.  Inspiration can come in the form of anything, that you can take something positive from.

Not long after I finished school, I set a goal to make something of myself.  I feel I've achieved that (although I can't see it sometimes) after a lot of hard work.  But now I have to maintain it and take myself further.

It took a really long time for me to find out who I was as a person.  I was such a lost person and easily influenced.  I remember the days when I weren't sure what I stood for.  I believe my enthusiasm was born from this.  I think some people know themselves early in their life, midway or right at the very end.  But it doesn't matter when, as we all do find out who we are at some point in our life.  As this is what life is about on the earth plane.  I believe this is what my life purpose has all been about.  Once I knew myself and then my purpose, I found inspirations and passions and tuned into them.

In my video A Journey Of Employability I spoke about three inspirations.  I channelled these inspirations (along with many others) to take my career and being further.  I didn't want the enthusiasm and energy to end, so I made the best of it!  But it does come with the need of wanting to do more and be better.  It doesn't just happen.

Below are two popular inspirations I mentioned that have helped me become the person I am today.  But, there are many more that have been a scaffold in my journey.  Maybe I'll tell you over a nice cup of tea with biscuits!

Alecia Moore (P!nk)

P!nk is very much like me in personality.  We have madness, sadness and seriousness in one, as I once said!  P!nk is my love, relationships and being yourself inspiration, as well as a work inspiration.  She just speaks the truth and straight to the point.  Just like me haha.  She has been through many stages in her life, from personal struggles to the woman she always wanted to be.  This is the key thing we have in common.  I feel and understand every stage she has been through.  We have depth to our souls and share this throughout our journeys.  Some favourite motivational singles are Don't Let Me Get Me, Trouble and Stupid Girls, Dear Mr. President, Raise Your Glass and Perfect, along with many other album tracks.

Beyoncé Knowles

Beyoncé and I share the same career drive.  Bettering herself as a person through independence, drive and motivation in what she loves doing.  Beyoncé is my work inspiration.  Although most of her songs are aimed at women, I just turn them around in a universal way for me haha!  Some favourite motivational singles that get me fired up are Independent Women, Survivor, Listen, Run The World (Girls) and I Was Here, along with many other album tracks and the unreleased Grown Woman.

I sometimes watch tour performances, DVDs and documentaries of P!nk and Beyoncé to inspire me to do the best I can in my work.  I watch some specific performances that really fire me up!  I'll tell you those in person sometime.  I get so much from seeing my favourite artists live.  It gives me a sense of the hard work that has gone into the shows.  It makes me want to work even harder.  Like P!nk and Beyoncé, you could say I am a form of role model.  But not a singing or dancing one haha!  But a role model in developing people and careers that started off like mine.

I don't want to be the above people, as it is very important to be yourself, and I am myself at all times.  But these people give me a kick and keep me grounded when needed, as well as draw the best out of me.  I can't explain how much these people have given me over the years.  They have opened up the person I always wanted to be.

There is so much to say about these people, but I would need to write a book haha!

I just channel all of this positive energy into my own meaning, which I then project out to others.  See how it all works?  I do, and it's incredible!  Giving love to the world.

A Course Of Reflection

A chat about my reflection of leading my first course.

Advice and guidance?

Tonight I've had the duty of providing an information stall at the College parent information evening.  Although our department doesn't offer any courses, we do have a presence at these events to promote what we do.  We have done a lot in the past but we've not really benefited from them.  So we asked to not attend them.  But now we seem to be asked again.

Parents and their children have been invited to choose potential courses and careers for when they leave secondary school next year.  Because we don't offer any courses and I just had information about our department.  I made myself useful by asking parents or their children if they had decided what course(s) they were looking for, or decided on a career to pursue.  Whilst I don't know a lot about some subjects, I felt proud and helpful that I had been signposting people into the right direction to the right courses.

Tonight reminded me of how important it is to choose the right courses and start to decide on a career.  I had a patchy start in deciding what I wanted to do for a career, and it took a while to find that out.  So I reckon with the right questioning and knowledge of subjects is essential to help others.

When I was speaking to some parents, they didn't know what their children wanted to do.  So I asked them what their children's interests and hobbies were.  If they didn't know, I asked them to try observing their children from now, so that they would get a better idea to help get them the right start come next September.  From my journey, it's important to try and not waste too much time in doing courses that aren't relevant to a career.  But in saying that, it did help me inform and develop my career.

Advice and guidance is important!

Creativity To Ideas Are Born

Me in my creative environment designing and planning for my next course.

Assessing - the last piece to the puzzle

I am now doing the Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement!  This course looks at assessing competence in the workplace and outside of it as well as knowing and understanding assessment principles and practices.

For me, this is the last piece to the learning and teaching puzzle, if you like.  It encapsulates the entire process.  It is at the assessment stage to know what has been actually learned and/or applied.  It's such a fascinating process learning and teaching!

I'm doing it as part of the qualification I am delivering, Level 4 Certificate in Technology in Learning Delivery.  As part of delivering this qualification I need to see learners (teachers) in the workplace.  Again, it's a fascinating thing to witness and experience and see real competence and growth.

I am so grateful to be doing this assessor qualification!  My manager, Robert Hutton has really invested in me as a person.  He's spent a lot of money and time in what I want to do over the years.  It's so rare these days and I never take it for granted.  He's such an understanding person and see things positively for what and how they should be.

I've learned so much from him since working with him.  I listen and take in a lot from him.  The main and best thing: challenge purposes and question thinking.  You wouldn't believe how much this has helped me.  He's allowed me to become a person that I always wanted to be. With his help, I'm achieving that and more.  It's been a long journey and glad he has been a major part of it.

So, I am a Lifelong Learner, teacher and now a developing assessor!  Right now, I'm feeling damn proud of the journey I am making and sharing.

Giving first aid

I've been given the opportunity to do first aid training at the College.  It's not the first time I've been asked, but I feel the time is right to do it now.

I'm not really good at dealing with anything medical; seeing and dealing with blood etc and talking about it haha!  I am interested in it all, but it does affect me shall I say.  But, after some thought, I have faced some medical challenges this year and was really brave of doing that.

So I have turned it all into one big positive!  First aid for me is a life skill.  Something we should all know.  But in the process it will help me overcome my fear of medical situations.  Doing first aid training will help me feel confident in helping others and allow me to help myself in situations too, inside and outside of work.

It's a three day training course, so there will be lots to learn and apply!  It may even spark interest in further medical and health related learning...

A Journey Of Employability

A little snippet about my journey through and becoming employability.

Evolutionary not revolutionary?

This is rather deep, more so than usual! I’m no scientist, but just going on observation of technology with human intervention.

Humans exist to succeed, that's why we are here today, as the dominant species on Earth. But to get where we are now, our ancestors have taken many learning processes that have had major influences.  Technology is proof of our evolutionary existence. Humans have developed this over many years. It really is evolutionary not revolutionary. From our ancestors to now, we have learned and shared our knowledge throughout generations. This has given rise to new ideas and thought processes.  So it was only a matter of time before humans came up with the concept of advancing with technology.

Using technology in education is now modern learning and teaching. We are surrounded by it everywhere in day to day life. It’s going to be interesting to see where technology will be taken in the future.  Plus, how learning and teaching will evolve with it.  Will it become all automated or will it go back slightly traditional?

It’s funny that technology is our greatest invention and I think it will be our greatest killer, a killer both socially and in our work; jobs and careers. It seems to be replacing naturally given in-person communication, interactions and doing physical jobs. While this is good for some educational and work situations (which is what it should be used for, not a replacement), it does have a major impact on social and communication skills.  Or, will humans evolve alongside technology and our natural in-person social and communications will become secondary?  I think it has been proven to be happening now.  Technology needs to be used smartly and wisely.  I once said:

• Loud and clear, the message is - technology does assist learning and living.
• We as individuals (YOU) need to decide when to switch off technology and spend quality time with family, friends and the natural world. 
• Technology is not the enemy. But it is here to stay. So we need to manage ourselves better with it.

I love using technology, but it does come with some consequences.  I think humans will come full circle at some point. A benefit to Earth or not, it will be decided by the laws of nature as it always is.  As I've said many times, the end of world is humans imploding on themselves not just a dying planet.

EDIT: a new related blog post 'How is learning technology evolving?'.

EDIT:  August 2024.  A somewhat related conversation.  In one of mine and Gary's Sunday morning baths, where we tend to do deep dive conversations.  We talked about a video that I watched earlier that morning on the ancient rainforests of UK, mainly in Scotland.  In the video it mentioned about how the early formation of national parks were created through rulings of William the Conqueror.  Which led us to talking about our views of people owning land - which we don't agree with as that is how some people, often the 'born into the rich' due to stolen land from rural dwellers/Druids.  I also refer this to early adopter tactics where if someone is the first of creating/finding something and builds success around it.  Then depending on the type of person they are, they might ring fence it and establish inappropriate but potentially profitable means around it.  Gary later shared thoughts on how the generation before us will be better off than ours, e.g. pensions etc.  I said that life has become so complex, yes research and intelligence has increased and helped in many ways, but it causes more upheaval and I feel it is at the expense of our mental health, peace and freedom.  Perhaps Druids and other shamans had/have it right.  All this circles back to what I foresee in humans imploding on themselves due to the complexity and processes we've created - it's just not all sustainable and ethical and something is going to give, and that will be people's sanity.  In our lifetime I think we'll see a huge unrest movement, bigger than the riots we had recently.  Maybe this imploding will be linked to climate change and lack of food resources - we've seen how quickly that can change due to heat waves and flooding, and we can't fully rely on lab grown food.  Of which climate change can force people to move countries, and we know how this country (UK) has reacted and pre-empted with Brexit in preventing immigration here.  As we agreed, the worlds problems would be solved by the rich; sharing money to solve real-world problems - nobody needs that enormous amount of money, it should be capped. But greed and the desperation to be superior to others tends to win.  And these rich people are not always intelligent innovators they profess to be, but wealth passed down (born into the rich again) and business tactics.  I feel being in a bubble with close loved ones and contributing to society is best way forward for now.

New Year - 2013/2014

Well, it's the start of a new year tomorrow.  I'm excited of what this year will bring at Barnsley College!  As always, there will be changes and challenges, but that's what it is about.  it would be boring otherwise!  You have to embrace it and take the positives out of it all.  That's what I do.  You have to move with the changes.  There is no point in being upset and stubborn about it.

We have three new University placements starting with us, replacing the last three.  But we have a new third permanent member in our small department. One of the placements from last year.  They will mainly be looking after Moodle and bringing it in-house.   So there is lots going to be happening in our department.  Each University placement we have had so far have added a lot to the department and the College.  It's because each of them are unique in their own right and have different skill sets and knowledge they bring to their roles.  They're all usually have different career aspirations and directions, which again has proved to be a benefit, by contributing to department ideas and taking things into different directions.  Just like anybody does, as they come into the world.  This time, I may be taking more of a coaching and mentoring role and working with them more closely, but to my specialist area in learning and teaching.

For me, my role may evolve, but I shall see what happens.  Be great if it does or the College allows me to evolve.  I grow a lot every year and because of this new ideas, skills and knowledge come out of it.  So it's a benefit in disguise!

Let's go, bring it!

My Learning Is Your Learning

A little bit about me discovering my potential and purpose.

Online tidying - a positive attitude

I'm actually really OCD about my online identities, accounts, profiles, subscriptions etc.  I'm really concious of the information I'm creating and how I present it.  I just see online information, or any informaton about me or what I present for that matter, that if it is:

• Not in use and/or being used
• Not relevant (what and why is the point of creating the account and/or information?)
• Not meaningful (depending on the purpose, if no one understands it, you've created a barrier.)
• Not impacting (depending on the purpose, but is it doing its purpose?)

Then the information is dead and needs to be removed or deleted.  There is a lot of 'dead information' out there that is just clutter.  It serves no purpose to you or anyone else.  Plus, people searching on you will come across this dead information and think, what?  So I always ensure I possess good 'online tidying skills' and cleaning up as I mean to go along.  I tie together all of my professional sites together, like within this blog.  They all flow into each other.

I've recently had a massive online clearout and deleted many unused accounts and email subscriptions.  I have this approach that if I am not getting anything from what I have registered to in an impactful way, then I will remove the accounts or information.  For me it's a positive online attitude and contribution to my information I am putting out there and what I am registering and subscribing to.  Plus, in time it will help the internet to not to be full of dead information.

I recently created an eLearning package about eSafety, which also touches on ensuring your online identity information is accurate.

In my opinion and through light research, learners of today don’t need to know all the technical aspects.  They need to know basic communication skills for proper use of collaborative technology and tools.  It’s not the technology they need to know about, they and we do that themselves.  It’s real and proper communication when using that matters.

And this is exactly what this new short but sharp 'object' will hopefully achieve.  It is a visual object with thoughtful statements for learners to think and answer for themselves, but in a happy way.  I don’t do doom and gloom, but maybe they need to see at least one bad example of incorrect communication for further impact.  Which I included!

It will be interesting to see how digital life and knowledge will impact everyone globally.

Just as traditional history is lifeblood to us now, I wonder how the internet will become the history for tomorrow? What about the quality, authenticity and longevity of it?

It begs a lot of thinking, questions and possibly worries!

Hello Daniel Scott

A rough and ready video of a little bit about me.

2012/2013 in summary

As this academic year draws to a close, I think it's a good time to summarise what I have done and achieved this year.

It's been another busy year, but they get busier each year for me, which is great!  It keeps me busy!  My work is my interest too, so it doesn't feel like work sometimes.  More like a big personal project.

I find that I grow in person every year too, which is what this career emphasises.  I seem to grow in confidence, skill and knowledge and my spiritual being as a whole.

Looking back from September 2012 to now, I've summarised the key things I have done that have had an impact on myself and my work:

DTLLS

I started doing DTLLS in October 2012.  This has been a really good experience and given me more teaching theory to put into practice.  I'm just finishing off the units, then it's just my teaching hours, reflective logs and sorting out my portfolio.  I talk a bit more about it here.

Inclusive technology

In October, I attended a training event in Liverpool on how technology can support individuals with severe and complex needs by Inclusive Technology.  It was my first visit to Liverpool and I found it a really nice place.  At the event, I learned so much but not just the abundance of technology for different needs, but the understanding of some of the conditions that indivduals have and experience.  The main thing I took away with me was the term cause and effect, specialist technologies for severe and complex needs and new thinking of how I could adapt resources.

Inspirational videos

At the beginning of the year I started to make short inspirational videos on how technology plays a part in learning and teaching.  I recorded them using our Lecture Capture System.  I kept them short and straight to the point, like all of my presentations.  I don't like to stand and give draining lectures that nobody really wants.  As I say; it is what it is and this is how it can be.  I and my audiences prefer to get into it, the hands-on approach!  This is how I introduce new technologies and innovations.  I have done many videos, but the ones that have real depth are:

• The Flipped Classroom
• eLearning Today
• ePortfolios
• Technology Enhanced Feedback and Assessment (eAssessment)

In July 2013 at the Barnsley College Teachers' Fair, on day 4 of it I did 4 back to back sessions on proactively using ActivInspire, a selection of online learning tools and showcasing some other available equipment we have in the department.

This was a really good session that I am proud of.  I will post about this session soon.

Lambeth College visit

Staff from Lambeth College came to visit Barnsley College to informally see what and how we do things as an outstanding College.  Lambeth College returned the favour and invited a number of our staff down to their College to further extend our support.  I was asked if I would like to go down, and so I did!

It was a great experience!  Not only visiting another College, which I love to do.  But to support their learning technologies department by sharing my experiences and knowledge and what we do as a department.

I had a good tour around and saw how they operated as College and their learning technologies team.  I gave clear advice, support and encouragement on how they could better their services.  On the day I even randomly got asked to do a impromptu short presentation of our VLE and various other bits and pieces I and our department do.  Brilliant day and left feeling high.

CMALT certified

I first started my Certified Membership of the Association for Learning Technology (CMALT) back in August 2012.  I first submitted my ePortfolio in December 2012.  Then resubmitted it after Christmas.  Then I achieved it in April 2013.  Doing this allows me to deeply reflect on my learning technology use and highlight any areas for further improvement and development. 

Taught and lead a full qualification

I designed, planned, delivered, assessed and managed a level 4 qualification on enhancing the learning and teaching process with technology.  This was a life defining period for me.  I never thought I would be doing this.  Everything I have learned in my full-time learning technologist role I was giving back to our own teachers through a respectable qualification.  It was a pilot doing this qualification with Barnsley College staff.  I have plans to extend this initiative further.  However, while it was a wonderful experience, as teachers will know, it brought me a lot of reflection!  All good material, but challenging.  Bring it!

I will become a full-time teacher, but just not sure when.  I'm not done in my learning technologist role yet.

Jisc Summer Conference 2013

Since being a learning technologist from 2010, I have attended these Summer Jisc events.  Each year I have done something different and challenged myself.  This year I did a discussion session on Colour Outside The Lines (A Bigger Picture).  It was simply about being creative in using technology and not sticking to the typical given black and white delivery.  It went really well and the delegates enjoyed it.

LearnPod13

I first started going to LearnPod when it first started in 2010.  But I couldn't make the 2012 one.  LearnPod is an unconference style event.  This was the first time I presented at LearnPod.  I decided to facilitate a discussion on what other's are proactively doing with social media.  Some great ides and discussion came out of this.  Everyone who participated enjoyed it.

In the afternoon, I dropped into a discussion about VLE's (Virtual Learning Environment).  I contributed deeply to this.  I talked about things that I didn't think I really knew, so this was interesting for me!

I have done so many other things, but these have to be the most memorable of this year.

It's been another great year with lots to think and learn about.  I love it!  But most importantly, I have discovered so much potential in my self, skills and work ethic.  I really have focussed on my drive, motivation and the willingness to push my boundaries and thinking.

I wonder what experiences next year will bring!

Exploring and learning employability

Well, I am learning lots about employability skills at the moment!

I chose to do the Delivering Employability Skills unit as one of my optional units for the Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector.

When I first saw it, I knew I had to do it!  As my entire career and learning has been based upon employability skills, it just had to be explored and learned further for myself.  It's like it's the part of my life puzzle.  It's the one subject that really fits well with me.

I am employability, because you will see from my career journey on LinkedIn that I have started from nearly nothing, to something.  That is a story in itself that I will share soon.

At the moment I am looking at the entire unit and deciding what I can really do with it.  I have been given creative control on all of my optional units.  With others I have done traditional assignment based work.  But I am thinking for this something different as employability will become my main subject when I eventually go full-time teaching.  So, I want this work to be really proactive and really reflect on me as a person.  I'm thinking a mixture of an assignment but being a proactive case study with current employability research.  I have a few ideas at the moment, so I will see how they develop.

But as part of this unit, I have to deliver employability skills to learners.  I plan to do lessons with Barnsley College's Business, Management and Tourism, Skills for Jobs and possibly the Jobcentre Plus in Barnsley.  All of which deliver employability learning programmes.

This will give me a really good in-depth experience of different learner audiences and further build my teaching and employability skills.

I'm using Ann Gravells Delivering Employability Skills book to help me out with this.  But it's now outdated in some areas.  I'm hoping there is a second edition coming soon!

Learning in the Lifelong

I'm currently doing the Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector.  This is the last qualification in the suite.  I've previously done Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector and Certificate in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector.  So it was natural progression and a personal ambition to complete the entire suite of qualifications and gain all theory and practice from them.

I've learned so much  from these courses over the years.  I did the PTLLS in April 2011 and the CTLLS from October 2011.  The content in the qualifications for me is really engaging and interesting.  I have found the structure of them very learner friendly too.  I'm currently coming towards the end of doing the DTLLS.  This is like the last piece of the teacher training.  Everything I have learned in PTLLS and CTLLS comes back into DTLLS, but to explore deeper into it all for the full teaching qualification.  It's like I have come full circle now, applying everything I have learned throughout these qualifications.  They have made me a stronger and more confident person as a result and helped me realise my potential as a future teacher.

I do feel a bit unconfident at times as I forget some core teaching theory and practices.  But I just keep refreshing myself of the teacher training I have gone through and revisiting my reference books.  I hope I'm not alone in feeling this!  I am a perfectionist, but not where it's annoying, only for me!

I have recently been teaching fully on the Level 4 Certificate in Technology in Learning Delivery, which has been my main hours for the DTLLS.  Previously for CTLLS, my hours was a mix of my full-time training and dipping into odd lessons teaching on a IT qualification.  It was a great experience, but it wasn't a true reflection of teaching.  So doing the DTLLS has been the true experience for me as I have gone through the entire learning, teaching and assessment processes.

I do feel that in the new reform of these qualifications they should have kept the Lifelong Learning in the title.  Because now they have called them Education and Training, which sounds a bit dull.  For me, Lifelong Learning should have been kept as this is what it is all about and what we should enthuse to our learners.  It's what I am about as a person; a Lifelong Learner.  So I am glad to have taken these qualifications before the changes!

I do assist on these courses at Barnsley College.  From when I first started in my role at Barnsley College, I was asked to do short lessons on introducing technology in learning and teaching, on PTLLS and CTLLS courses.  I introduce online tools and in-classroom devices for learning activities and teaching delivery  To date, I am still being asked to do these short lessons and I love it!  It keeps me in these courses and more importantly, working my practices.

Sometime in my career, I would like to teach on these courses.  Giving back everything I have learned throughout my career for future generations.

My blog - the first post

Hey all!

Welcome to my blog! :-)  A professional and personal place to share and empty the contents of my head.  Sometimes it's cringe and uncomfortable, but it's me sharing my journey. :-P

Because my full-time role is a learning technologist, you would think it's given that I have a blog and many other technologies to use and promote for myself.  But I am different, I don't and won't write in a egotistic way and be consumed by commercialism like other educators.  My posts are all positive, not negative. I am simply expressing and sharing my thoughts and journey with you (and hoping I am not alone in this lovely challenging career), and my reflective self.  I aim to express. Not to impress.  A phrase I like to use. ;-)

I originally started up my first blog around March 2012 but deleted it as I weren't sure what to write and share.  So a year or so later, here is my blog - intended to be a human collection of my own words and videos, talking about my magical career in Lifelong Learning and Teaching.  I probably won't give away every unique secret about me here, that would be over a cup of tea and biscuits!

Chat
I use Twitter as my Personal Learning Network to keep up to date with new and upcoming learning, teaching and technology innovations.  I also use it to express thoughts that come to me, all of which are positive and meaningful.

Profile
For this I use LinkedIn to present a professional overview of my education and work experience.  Plus, it saves writing and linking up to multiple profiles that say the same thing.

Publications
A list of publications I have written or significantly contributed towards.

Videos
I record short video entries and will post them on my blog.  The videos will be within the same theme of my blog, about me, learning and teaching.

I hope you will get something from my blog, even if it is a smile.

Enjoy, Dan Scott.

P.S, I probably will edit my posts by adding and correcting things.  I'm a bit of a perfectionist.