Friday, 10 March 2023

Jisc Digifest 2023 summary

In the format of my last in-person visit in 2020.  I attended Day 1 of Jisc Digifest on 7 March 2023.  Here’s a brief summary of what I experienced to share with colleagues:

Me – “Here at @Jisc #Digifest23, excited to catch up with people and absorb all things #edtech. If you see me do say hello.”

  • Welcome:
    • Good reminders about how innovation is in all of us; we all have the ability to be innovators.  Though with my digital innovation hat on that depends on what kind of digital person you are.
    • A good point on how small changes in policy and practice can make positive differences towards innovation.
  • Key note on Artificial Intelligence (AI):
  • Demonstration: Wales Virtual Hospital – an "educator first" immersive teaching platform:
    • A platform for deploying immersive simulations, developed in-house and in partnership with Welsh NHS.
    • Looks like Oxford Medical Simulations, a demo that I had previously arranged and in process of setting up a trial and generating use/business case.
    • Challenges and principles:
      • Educator focused: content experts creating content; fits with teaching practices. Creating content that fits in with teaching practices.  Should be all about how people want to teach and not be restricted by the technology.
      • Flexible: update easily as guidelines change; duplicate and adjust difficulty.
      • Collaborative: co-create scenarios, share across departments, IPE/MDT scenarios.
      • Accessible: lightweight for low-spec devices, multiple delivery methods.
      • Sustainable: LMS integrations; user group; roadmap.
      • Scalable: deploy scenarios to large numbers of students; facilitated/unfacilitated.
      • Scenarios used:
        • Image-based – patient journey, shift.
        • Video-based – 360 video, standard (flat) video.
      • Positive feedback:
        • Staff: easy and quick; aligned to learning outcomes; repeat practice of complex/rare scenarios; helps with variability of placements; cross-institutional.
        • Students: realism; intensity - adrenaline running; visualise a scenarios actually happening; engaging, interactive and useful; improved confidence before in-person session.
  • Demonstration: Using virtual reality in teaching and learning practical skills:
    • FE tutor – not always teaching through VR, Second Life, just for the added value elements.
    • Active learning and tutor led but creating opportunities for students to engage in.
    • RPG game-type approach: brief; exploring environments and finding objects; finding and communicating with people.
    • During pandemic the tutor relied on Second Life to teach their students practical forensic skills; crime scene investigations.  Which looks a bit like Unity scenes.
    • Has plans to take from VR to make more immersive.
    • Students had training before going in Second Life.
  • Panel discussion: Generative AI – embrace or shut down? a debate:
    • General consensus is there's clear benefits, concerns and challenges of AI.  It is here to stay, just like social media, calculator etc.  Building positive use with students is a good way forward.  Agree approaching slowly and gently until positive approaches are worked out.

Overall, a great day experiencing current discussions and practice taking place across sectors and specialisms.  There was nothing in particular that stood out as new or game changing – not that was my aim.  But I am sure that future conferences will feature interesting sessions through the experimentation of AI, now that is widely accessible.  The VR demonstrations have allowed me to reflect on our technology enabled department, provision and my approach to our VR wall; what further digital leadership, clarity, support and resources are required.  E.g. communication of my digital strategy/operational plan, digital curriculum service, VR wall roadmap and wider collaborations with our clinical skills technicians and partners.  In particular, building better connections and collaborations with our technicians, to progress our VR and immersive learning environments.

I had some great conversations with external colleagues whom I’ve not seen in-person for a while, and some met for the first time.  Phil Whitehead, Chris Melia and I decided to re-create a picture from our last in-person meet up – a new tradition.


I also continued a conversation with our Jisc account manager on the use of university’s subscription to the Building Digital Capabilities tools, for our small-scale nursing digital literacies project.  The event was also an opportunity to reaffirm my knowledge and practice, and that I am on the right track with other digital developments.
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Monday, 6 March 2023

Learning technology manager - a celebration

As I said on my personal social medias on 31 December 2022;

"Deep gratitude for what is, has and yet to be.  🌱💫".

This includes this momentous blog post, where I am empowered to silence my modesty and take the time, and take it in, to unapologetically celebrate some outstanding personal and professional achievement.  Spring draws closer and new growth is emerging...

Opportunity

Following on from where I started out in my Digital Curriculum Support and Developer role, introduced in my blog post Roots and beyond.  A promotional opportunity had arisen within my current place of work; a permanent Digital Curriculum Manager role within in the Institute of Health and Allied Professions (IHAP).  First advertised on a cold and dark December evening before Christmas break - a shudder in my heart of the realisation that this is it, my career is about to change and progress once again, but this time with lots of growth, responsibility and accountability.  I absolutely went for it wholeheartedly, went on to getting it and here's why this promotion is important to me.

It is a type of role that I have always wanted to do and reflected in the title.  Not blended in as part of a support role and not acknowledged or paid properly for it, which had been my previous experience to this point.  In the past I have had a couple of near chances of being a learning technology manager when I worked in Further Education (FE).  I'm grateful for not getting that learning technology manager job now, as it would not have led me to where I am now, and all the opportunities and self-development and progression that came with that journey.  I would have been trapped and eventually suffocated as there was no room to grow.  Hence outgrowing that role in FE all of those years ago.  There were a few promised opportunities that failed to come to fruition and some were unsuccessful, even if I was an appointable candidate.  So it took a while for me to reach this in-built goal.  But these detours along my career journey were necessary to learn and grow to be the leader and manager that I am today.  I've been through the ranks of a learning technologist and can speak wholeheartedly from my experience.  More on my leadership and management and history in the section 'Origins of a leader/manager' in my 'Dared to lead' blog post.

As mentioned I've long been working at a senior level without any official title or status, so this role is a natural fit and progression for me.  Just because my senior abilities weren't in any previous job title doesn't mean I didn't do that level of work or wasn't capable.  For many years I have also generously dispensed my (wanted or unwanted) strategic thinking and ideas to other leaders/managers, and managed and developed others without the necessary credit.  As well as my proactivity and abilities being taken advantage of, for the manager/leader to take a back seat.  But I'm glad I saw the opportunity in this and excelled, all of which led to this moment.  I can now harvest all of that for this new role and our institute.  I define myself as a learning technologist that has a blend of strategic/operational, pedagogical and facilitative attributes, as I identified in the section 'What type of learning technologist am I?' of this blog post.  However, my previous positions either lacked opportunities to progress my talents in this space or I was not inclusively supported in developing them.

What attracted me to this leadership and management role, firstly, was that again like the Digital Curriculum Support and Developer role, it is a brand new role.  Meaning that I am not replacing a previous individual; a clean slate and consolidating more than 13 years learning technologist experience.  Timely as the department is still new and enables me to shape my role, landscape and start from the beginning.  As it’s harder to change what already was and is.  Secondly, allowing me to narrow down to a context and specific curriculum.  Once again I saw the opportunity and challenge before me to finally be in a role I was longing to do, and to utilise and develop my expertise and grow further - not be confined.  I've invested heavily in time and money on my Continuous Professional Development (CPD) in education over the years; information technology and computing (2011), teaching (2011, 2012, 2014), assessment (2014), lead internal verification (2015) and Technology Enhanced Learning MSc (2016), and more recently qualifying as a Chartered Management Institute (CMI) Level 5 Diploma in Management and Leadership (2021) and completing the Jisc Digital Leadership 2021 - so it would be pointless if I didn't use them.  I have devoted the first half of my life to my career to get me where I am now and heading next.  Mission done.  Weirdly I now seem to be taking more time to actually sit with myself and reflect on all of my milestones.  Including my prestigious award I won back in 2016; the Association for Learning Technology (ALT) Learning Technologist of the Year Award 2016 (individual award).  It feels some what unreal that I have done what I have done - I work hard, I really do.  I even came across this quote in another blog post from 2017 that pretty much sums up this blog post; "I have a lot of entrepreneurship in me and it would be a huge waste not to use this gift.  I'm still aspiring to be some sort of digital leader, may that be leading an organisation and supporting people for digital change or ensuring that an organisation's digital learning offering is industry leading.  I do know that I want to work to my strengths that consists of rationalising, strategising, analysing, structuring and designing for learning technology/eLearning implementation and supporting and developing others in the process and application."

I am keen to hold the Digital Curriculum Manager role as it enables me to continue what I have established, shaped and developed in my then current role.  Building on my natural and strong strategic, leadership and management disposition and skillset.  As well as allowing me to specialise in digital healthcare higher education (HE), whilst providing a progressive development opportunity for me to build on new challenges and opportunities.  Further to my recent PebblePad Region ownership and management (specific assessment workflows and functionality), new academic year process of our professional competency workbooks, coordinating digital developments and CPD on H5P and PebblePad skills workshops and devising a IHAP digital curriculum questionnaire.  Below are other pieces of evidence of what I have done in my then current role.  Great to see all milestones and influential pieces and going above and beyond.  All whilst a solo lead learning technologist, which is often unheard of for this type of role as we thrive on collaboration.  Imagine the potential with my future successor!

I therefore see this manager position to be a fitting and fulfilling opportunity to enhance and progress IHAP’s digital and online learning and teaching offer.  Including curriculum design, Virtual Reality (VR)/immersive learning, online asynchronous learning, Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) application, digital content and online teaching skills to progress our existing high standards.  Moreover, implement more of my ideas and plans in my digital strategy/operational plan I independently developed, which has guided me to now.  I endeavour to refine this as part of the main IHAP strategy which I am excited to take to our leadership team for review.  Overall, I am highly passionate about digital technology and online learning design and am confident my existing and transferrable knowledge, skills, abilities, enthusiasm and commitment required for this position.  I think that anyone that is passionate about their job and has these qualities will impact significantly on the organisation and it's colleagues and students.

I've also a growing curiosity for healthcare higher education which is specialist in it's own right, and requires different approaches and resources.  Not many other subjects has extensive use of VR walls, immersive learning types, complex professional competency workbooks and non-traditional course structures.  It provides an excellent opportunity for me to develop my expertise in healthcare higher education and technology.

I applied and let the 'universe' do it's work...  As daft and cringe as it may be, ahead of the interview I reminded myself of that scene in Burlesque (2010) when Christina Aguilera's character is auditioning and Cher's character says the following.  Of which resonated with me and pushed my motivation even further all of those years ago.

"I can't tell you.  Nobody can tell you.  You gotta make me believe that you belong up there.  That you own that stage and nobody is going to take it away from you...You want to show me something, show me that."

This is my Ruth Wilder (GLOW from Netflix) moment.  If any readers know the TV show and the character's story arc, you know.

I got the job and am unashamedly proud!  I'm so grateful and elated.  It still feels quite surreal.  Thanks to my supportive Head for trusting in me to lead our digital journey, and enabling me to grow and carry out my long-term vision and fulfil my career goals.  I'm officially appointed as a Digital Curriculum Manager: digital - a strategic expert on digital pedagogy; leading our technology enhanced learning, teaching and assessment plans.  And ensuring they are appropriate for physical and digital learning environments, including digital literacies and capabilities of students and colleagues; curriculum - healthcare professions including nursing, paramedicine, public health and potentially occupational health; manager - management of our curriculum technologies and a small team, including digital and academic (online, physical and simulated learning environments) leadership and strategic focus for the institute.  Full details of my new role are on my LinkedIn profile.  Also a great milestone, as I have just past 5 and a half years at the university; quality in the incremental career progression, just the way I prefer it to be.  Like my last role, I may have been the only one interviewed, which shows that I am what they are looking for and clearly met the requirements and expectations - well I have been modelling the role.  Perhaps I embodied myself as an acting interim manager.  Plus my previous line manager before my Head, a Principle Lecturer, ended my last appraisal cycle with exceptional, where I had modestly put strong.  Though it was later to be confirmed strong from higher up.  The Principal Lecturer stating higher than strong justifies my work and going above and beyond.  I was offered it within an hour after the interview, and of course I accepted!  Though I'd have been extremely surprised and very possibly upset if I didn't get this, given I am doing most if not all the job currently and which it was heavily inspired on.  And would have been a trigger on similar situations in the past!  Where I had been doing the job and displaying those qualities, to then continue this and hand over my work to the successor.  Moreover, I wouldn't know how I could continue in a support role if I had been working at this level.  But fear not, this was not the case - so no room for negativity here now.  On the way home that day of the interview and outcome I saw the symbolic kingfisher on the side of a vehicle - a good sign of prosperity to come.  I'm glad I took the decision to work in the academy, as I wouldn't have had such opportunity.  I saw the potential in this role and what more it could be, as well as having a development opportunity to progress to.  It truly is a dream role for me, that has a great balance of learning technology and scholarship.

I am also my proud of astute strategic abilities and influential work I ostensively carried out, that enabled such opportunities (and now a department career pathway) to be created - this is my biggest personal career achievement to date, well along side winning the ALT Learning Technologist of the Year Award 2016 (individual award).  I can see why some may not want to go above their pay grade or beyond their job description, even if it comes naturally as it does for me.  But that is an opportunity in itself to shape and to lead your role/space and inspire/enable such roles like this to be realised.  Just like when I did my Digital Curriculum Support and Developer pre-arrival role planning that included: a two year roadmap to establish my role; what I want and don't want to be viewed/described as; RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed) to help understand and develop my remit/boundaries and how I engage with colleagues and wider department etc, IHAP stakeholder analysis and tasks and communications to do and confirm ahead of my start date.

I've definitely earned it and am so proud of myself of for finally getting a position of this type.  After everything I have fought for and challenged myself in.  I'm where I am meant to be, doing what I am meant to be.  I feel strongly validated of my expertise and skills, which I really needed given what I had experienced in my previous team.  Being recognised for these qualities and offered such promotion I find rare.  I've spent most of my career developing and proving.  The latter, I no longer need to do now.  I've put so much effort into my career and this speaks volumes, I thoroughly deserve it, and as my Head told me.  I guess that's the working class ex-mining town roots in me, I put the graft in.  Now I can concentrate on refining my learning technologist leadership and management abilities and focusing on achieving other professional missions in this space.

It took me a long time to realise this, but I do feel it was my destiny to be in this role at this time.  I have a reaffirmed belief and trust in myself, and confidence in my leadership and authority where I had previously been inhibited/suppressed due to toxic workplace manipulation.  Perhaps I posed a threat to others; how capable I am of such things.  Luckily I'm strongly motivated by personal success which is also my sword and shield.  Getting this role defeats those dark-minded critic's opinions and tactics.  This type of success is what happens when you take the decision to carry on pursuing your goals and leaving an environment that practices toxic workplace manipulation.  My imposter syndrome is still present but has somewhat reduced in capacity since moving to this my previous role and institute.  More on all of this in the 'Roots and Beyond' blog post.

I can genuinely say I didn't go for the job for the elevation in pay.  But to do the role itself and continue in this place of work and context.  It is a natural role I have been doing for years, I just haven't held such official opportunity.  The role means more to me than the pay scale; the passion of the role and personal achievement.  But yes it's great to be officially on the pay scale for the work I actually do and have been for many years.  Salary and title chasing really doesn't bring happiness - it's one of those capitalistic things that's indoctrinated into us.  But I am now worth more in the weight of my expertise and experience and naturally want to progress to a higher role due to this.  Though if I want to progress in a similar role, then let's be real, it does help on the ol' résumé/CV with manager or leadership in the title.  But I won't be moving on for a very long time yet, I've much to do, achieve and enjoy here!

The day after the interview we had our department meeting, so in my standard agenda item to update on digital developments, I took the opportunity to say;

Me - "Biggest update, I am proud to update that I have accepted the offer of Digital Curriculum Manager.  Presently, service continues as normal, but in the long-term expect to see another person alongside me and increased excitement and improved service in all things digital curriculum.
Without sounding too cringe worthy.  As I said to Anne yesterday in the debrief, this is the best workplace I have worked in to date.  Yes the healthcare profession helps but the culture Anne and everyone creates makes feelings like this possible.  Thanks to everyone for their support and engagement with me – I have a vision, and everyone is included in our journey."

And because of this culture I have been able to fulfil my bestest potential in a nurturing and empowering environment.


I woke up with an excited feeling today, 6 March 2023, as I start my first day as an official manager.  A new chapter, and from here onwards I'll be a manager of some kind.  I'm fully energised and committed to bring further learning technologist expertise into our healthcare courses and profession.  In this role I will continue to have autonomy and remit for our institution's staff and students, and fulfil my ambitions for our institute, which I outlined in my digital strategy/operational plan.  There is so much more I/we can achieve with a small team.  It’s really exciting and I have lots of energy to put into it.  I really want to shape and progress our digital healthcare higher education.  Though because I am now in this higher role, it doesn't mean that I am now going to create external followship - that's for the more activist types.  I'm sticking to my original intentions;

EDIT:  January 2024 I developed my new professional online profile tag line: Making a local difference to UK healthcare HE by leading, enabling and improving our digital learning experiences.

Whilst it's a manager in title, I am also a leader in this role; setting direction and questioning and challenging assumptions and practices.  What kind of manager will I be?  The approachable, supportive and inclusive one I've been demonstrating for years that's for sure.  As for supporting and developing others, that's a conversation to be had and how others like to be managed.  But now I have the official platform to develop this professional aspect.  Bringing in a new sense of authority, responsibility and accountability in my role, as well as in the institution and wider university.  Whilst I'll have a redefined authority, but I will remain 'me' in my unique inclusive leadership and management approach.  I promise to be an inclusive leader, as I outlined in the section 'Lead wholeheartedly' in the 'Dared to lead' blog post.  I now need to reflect more deeply on what it means to be a manager and leader e.g. what values do I want to express etc.  I will be drawing on my CMI qualification and put that into better practice.  And flexing my leadership and management abilities even further, guided by 'NTU's competency framework', specifically focusing on "Levels 2, 3 and 4: Working with others: Team working; Customer focus; Communicating and influencing.  Delivering Results: Making informed decisions; Organisation and delivery; Adaptability.  Focusing on the future: Entrepreneurial and Commercial Focus; Creativity and Innovation; Leading and Coaching".

Once I have a small team in place I can focus on the more strategic, scholarship/educational developer and evaluation parts of my role - which I've serious plans to embed.  For my Senior Certified Membership of Association for Learning Technology (SCMALT) submission - which I am awaiting the outcome on, along with my Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA).  My Advanced Area is management, implementation and support of learning technology.  With specialist areas in online asynchronous learning design and VR and immersive learning.  So these will be my primary research/focus areas.

I'm going to enjoy further growth in this role and what it brings with having a small team.  I'm genuinely excited to have and grow my own team and be working with other like-minded learning technologist(s) on a day-to-day basis.  I've missed working closely with other learning technologists.  Workplace joy!  I'm also excited to be back supporting and developing people in a team - back to the days of line managing my digital learning design apprentices, and shaping, directing ideas etc.

Tenacity

It was a tough 18 months+, doing the role I was employed for and effectively doing two jobs - well I do think I thrive a bit under a good amount of 'positive pressure'.  Very hectic as I was planting seeds in different places across the department and now I am seeing them grow, creating opportunities for them to flourish.  It's totally my fault for deliberately showcasing my personal and professional value and worth, and establishing new aspects of what I am able to offer; the wider remit of what is currently happening and possible in the digital healthcare higher education space (beyond any known preconceived ideas during the departments initiation), and the specific leadership and support required.  Promoting and influencing the bigger potential of digital and learning technology possibilities and efficiencies.  I had the imminent priority of PebblePad workbook preparation and deployment, but then wanted to prove my wider worth, especially as I was on a fixed-term contract.  It stretched me but was worth it as it eventually paved the way for this new role.  And I knew that I would be extremely busy in the shorter-term before it gets to being settled in the longer-term.  I went above and beyond the role I accepted, showing I was more than just a support person dealing with technical problems and queries - but a lead learning technologist.  Through my tact in taking ownership and management of our PebblePad Region and initiative to lead on our VR walls, and other pieces bulleted in the blog posts further above.  Which were noticeably absent from the original job specification, which shows how much I have shaped and evolved my role to where it is now - incrementally developing it further.  Therefore, VR  and immersive learning are now specialist to my role.  There is much overlap with my then current role to this new one, therefore some of it is what I had been doing now, and the new bits I independently integrated.  So nothing unfamiliar.  Yes I didn't have to go the extra mile and do this.  But this is naturally me and was a mix of enthusiasm, proactivity, ambition and priorities.  And yes I can prioritise and drop things that 'can wait', but let me be realistic, if I had to turn people away, whilst establishing my role/offer to the institute, and redirect elsewhere they will continue to seek support there and not via me.  The long-term impact on my role and additional work to re-build trust would be so much more - so I persevered as a short-term measure, showcasing my resilience.  I had to be very shrewd in how I deal with my remit and role.  This department is fortunate to have such roles, as many departments don't have these types of roles when I think they should.  However, some departments have lecturers with allocated time to focus on digital priorities.

At the forefront, I'm glad to see that my Head has invested in digital and a learning technologist for our specialism.  It took months of steady influence of my learning technologist role value and own ambitions through my digital strategy/operational plan and other pieces mentioned.  Injecting my quiet assertiveness, I helped her realise the wider value of my role - the digital leadership, operational management and scholarship/educational developer aspects.  Yes it does depend on how a senior responds to influence.  But influence is influence here.  It started with my independent leadership (natural ability to identify and work to opportunities and challenges) of the Clifton VR wall in November 2021 that led to my Head asking if I'd be happy to lead on other related aspects.  Later a honest conversation with my Head in February 2022, introducing my digital strategy/operational plan outlining (and thoughtful use of language within it) the wider and specific digital healthcare higher education work to be done, and about my future in the department; permanency and progressing into a higher position that reflects the role I am actually doing.  As well as adapting to the increasing demand; huge growth in our department of students (I'm also in a student-facing role), courses and lecturers.  Therefore there needed to be more than one learning technologist and to collaborate with.  Supported by the fact that the department was still in its infancy and we could propose what other resources we needed.  Bolstering myself with a small team to fulfil those wider digital healthcare higher education needs and in return purposeful progression.  The chat went really well and my early digital strategy/operational plan did it's job influencing and communicating my direction and intentions.  Both for describing the wider value/extent of my role and as a communication tool to share across the department.  Instilling what I am here to offer and express more of my talents.  The digital strategy/operational plan also ended up being a prominent new objective in the job description.  I'm also applying the things I have learned from the CMI qualification, though some of it I have practically gained from my previous position, but I now have the underpinning knowledge to support such initiatives.  Also, I find my non-politician type tone adds realness to the situation which allows others to reflect easily on their own practices.  I.e. not using flowery language but to describe as things are.  I also like to think that it's not just how I presented the information, but to my personable approach, honesty, straight-talking and organic vulnerability of my character.

I feel much of my success has been the way that I have profiled and communicated myself, to which I have committed a lot of energy to.  I utilised physical and digital spaces to articulate and communicate my role, including department and sub-course meetings, groups and committees, Microsoft Team spaces, IHAP newsletter and university role profile web page - which I placed on my email signature for internal communications.  I took the opportunity in meetings to communicate on what I am doing and working with who on what - even if I didn't feel I had anything to say.  Further showcasing value and worth, and often beyond digital, such as re-introducing Thinking Environments.

I need to dismiss my modesty and toot my own horn and say that I am f***ing awesome!  I don't say it to myself enough and I shouldn't undersell the personal and professional achievement I have made here.  This is a testament to not only my achievement but the change I can bring.  Just look at what I did here; highly developed infectious influencing (persuasion), strategising, leadership, operational planning, decisiveness, keen observation for detail, entrepreneurship etc.  As well as my understanding to know the difference between relationship building (not always transactional, but relational), communicating, collaborating and achieving tasks.  And the dynamic capability to know what each needs (and individuals needs; empathy, intuition, business interest/ideas - perhaps related to my high levels of emotional intelligence) to cultivate the right environment to establish and nurture them.  This is not just luck or timing, but astute abilities, genuine talents and hard work.  These things didn't just happen, I made them happen.  No soft skills here, my: laser focus; steadfast nature; highly proactive; perpetually enthusiastic; responsive; dynamic; intuitive (assert and yield); ability to lead without instruction; reliable; pragmatic; meticulous and diligent work ethic - effective change communicator and customer service.  Complemented by my approachable and supportive personality, and the ability to be my authentic self, express organic vulnerability and perform/act when needed to.  I feel those that are enthusiastic and committed to their professions and roles, builds trust in that they will do an outstanding job and do it right to the best of their abilities.  Again, I do strongly feel that my Head and other seniors see this and trust in me, and value me as a digital leader, and that other colleagues see the value and positive change I have brought thus far.  I need to be proud and outspoken and say that I am talented.  I've consciously made my efforts a success.  I am passionate about my role and personal and professional development (lifelong learning) and put my heart and soul into it, with a dash of obsession maybe.  I'm also passionate about my career development given my educational history and ex-mining town upbringing and it's such a celebration to have got a role I have long been aspiring to fulfil.  Where the deep-rooted goal was to make something of myself work-wise - more of that in my blog post 'Growth - from roots to shoots'.  I eventually got here.  EDIT:  I really resonate with a quote from Leigh-Anne Pinnock, from a interview in June 2023; "I feel like I've already won...so anything that happens after now is a bonus."  That's how I feel now, even if I have ideas and plans beyond this role.

In the next 3 months, I will:


  • Re-write (completed) job description and specification for my previous Digital Curriculum Support and Development post in preparation for advertising.  Simultaneously produce a job description for an Associate (graduate/internship) of the same name, adapting the profile of the intern I had for 6 weeks in August-September 2022
  • Recruit my replacement and explore the Associate graduate/internship opportunity as part of the university internal graduate/internship programme
  • Form and communicate my new team purpose, structure, processes and project management approaches
  • Devise a team induction and planning day
  • Outline immediate priorities, to name a few; refresh PebblePad student and external's guidance and support resources for staff, PebblePocket set up, VR wall footage, H5P content production
  • Take my digital strategy/operational plan to the leadership team for comment and scrutiny, agreeing priorities for the coming year

I'll certainly be blogging more about the journey of growth I take in my new role, and as a team, in all things technology enhanced learning, teaching and assessment in IHAP.

Whilst I wouldn't call my efforts to date failures, but a journey with lots of challenges and learning I have navigated well, the quote below resonates somehow.  I didn't give up reaching my goal.

Barack Obama, Back-to-School Speech at Wakefield High School, 8 September 2009, Arlington, Virginia. - "...Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who've had the most failures.  J.K. Rowling's -- who wrote Harry Potter -- her first Harry Potter book was rejected 12 times before it was finally published.  Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team.  He lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career.  But he once said, "I have failed over and over and over again in my life.  And that's why I succeed."

EDIT:  Funny what a change in job title can do and affect the mindset.  I was excited over the weekend for it to become official and share the news widely, then on Monday morning I was really anxious - the imposter said hello.  Perhaps because I've transitioned from talking/fantasising about the job to actually being in it and doing it, and that there's no going go back - from hereon I will be in this type of role.  I also find that I don't intrinsically and extrinsically define myself as a leader.  When people describe me as one I am quite surprised.  Maybe because I don't believe that I am, but I literally am one and have been for years - again self-belief.  I need to trust and believe in myself, I've been doing a excellent job thus far, it only continues - that won't change.  On my Facebook memories, on this day in 2014, I was reminded of this status I wrote; "Proud is something that you can do, that you didn't think you were capable of.".  Quite fitting.  However, as the day passed I felt a sense of newfound personal power (not in a take advantage way) and authority.  Which I think is incredibly validating for someone with a background like mine.

I am very touched by the reactions and comments received on LinkedIn, Twitter and personally:

  • Sue Beckingham - "Congratulations 👏 Daniel!"
  • Adrian Clark - "Congratulations Dan, you’ll smash it"
  • Dr Richard Nelson - "That is brilliant news. You deserve it. We'll have to catch up sometime."
  • Nicola Sparkes - "Congratulations Daniel Scott-Purdy"
  • Colette Fuller - "Excellent news Dan! I have been planning to get in touch for weeks, even more reason now! Congratulations! 👏"
    • Colette Fuller - "Many congratulations on your new role, I think from our last conversation that seemed well overdue so I’m glad you are getting the recognition you deserve! Now you have a promotion hopefully you will be able to recruit a team to help you with your work! 😊 That’s exciting!"
  • Rebecca Peat - "Congratulation Daniel Scott-Purdy that’s great news 🎉🎉"
  • James Littlehales - "Well done Dan. Great news!"
  • James Littlehales - "Congratulations on the new job!  I knew you would be great for that role."
  • Lliam Dickinson - "Great work, Dan 👏"
  • Stacey Hayes-Allen - "Congratulations Danny!"
  • Elaine Swift - "Congratulations!"
  • Maz Andrian - "Congrats Daniel Scott-Purdy ' Wishing you the best ! Great work Daniel."
  • Rachel Evans - "Congrats Dan that's great news."
  • Phil Whitehead - "Congrats my friend you at digifest ? We should catch up"
  • Ellie Stevens - "Congratulations!! 🥳"
  • Dr Chinenye Uchendu - "Congratulation Dan 🎉. All the best in your new role."
  • Jesrine Clarke-D - "Congratulations Daniel 🥳👏🏾"
  • Sue Pears - "Hi Scott-Purdy, Daniel  A slightly belated Congratulations on your promotion.  Great to see you flourish and thrive 🙂"
  • Alison Lewis - "Good luck 🍀You will crack it"
  • Alan Purdy - "Well done"
  • Emma Lousie Killkelly - "Congratulations Daniel -- really well done! I hope your first day goes well, and the rest of your career. x"
  • Louise Wollerton Scott - "Well done xxxx"
  • Terry Turnbull - "Good luck young Dan. Hard work pays off mate."
    • Me - "Aw thanks Tezza. How you have seen me grow eh!😄"
    • Terry - "Honeywell Apprentice to NYC maybe >>>"
  • Steve Athey - "Congratulations and good luck Daniel 🎉🥂"
  • Claire Taylor - "Good luck Daniel 🍀 not that you’ll need it xxx"
  • Jenna Galley - "Super proud of you 🤩🙌  Have the best day xx"
  • Judith Hunt - "Congratulations 👏🎉"
  • Kelly Stewart - "Yeah! 🥰😍"
  • Cheryl Key - "Congratulations!!! 🎉"
  • Roy Scott - "You’ve come along way son very well done"
  • Vicky Scott - "Well done Dan - you have worked hard for this - onward & upward xx"
    • Me - "I have, not gonna lie!"
    • Vicky Scott - "amazing the work you have put in x"
  • Denise Sedgwick - "Well done Dan"
  • Craig Morris - "You have come a long way and so deserve this. 😊🥂"
  • Jill Brown - "Good luck Dan 👏🥳"

Liaison

Since I moved into the school and institute from a central service department, I find a lot of colleagues reach out to me to learn about what I am doing.  I think this is because I am now in the day-to-day place where central teams are trying to reach.  I've now become a liaison to my contacts - a link to the faculty so to speak.  This includes people from central teams in Centre of Academic Development and Quality and Digital Technologies, whom I set up bi-monthly catch ups with that since I started up in my previous role.  However, it is important that I establish and maintain co-collaborative ways of working and that are not just one-sided - taking without reciprocating.  I've as much to gain from them as they do me.

On this topic, by my move into a school and institute, am I at risk of becoming too insular?  No.  I'm too connected and involved with other university-wide teams and projects to allow that.
Tim Fawns thread - "A worry for me about moving to a centralised faculty development role is the lack of disciplinary base to ground my ideas.  I spend a lot of time in the abstract but need ways of connecting to specific contexts.  How do other centralised educators deal with this?"

This was the opposite for me, I went from a central team to a school and institute.  So I resonate with the context aspect.  But do I miss the freedom and 'cross-pollinating' across different disciplines?  As I mentioned in my 'Roots and Beyond' blog post, there were always challenges in the central team to getting involved and lacked a strong academic remit.  So I wanted to be in a place where I was needed, wanted and valued, and could see direct student and colleague impact I was making.  And from my experience there is a stronger remit in being local than 'global'.  Central teams primarily lead on strategic organisational-wide principles, standards and policies that schools and institutes adhere to as part of the 'university way'.  This helps me to easily draw on, adapt and apply them in my role.  As well as creating our own department-specific strategies, policies and processes etc.

I do notice there's a kind of attitude present in central service departments/teams that it is better/superior to be there than in a department area, perhaps because they oversee the wider university.  Yes they set the standards and policies etc.  However, one noticeable thing being in an institute is that there is no cut off point, as there is with central teams, e.g. project-based.  People need a designated 'go to' in their departments for daily conversations and support, not as and when project-based.  I'm employed to the institute to lead and develop our contextualised digital curriculum, the remit I hold; overseeing all digital healthcare higher education developments.  I should be consulted and collaborated with by central teams.

EDIT:

In August 2023 as part of my amended SFHEA application, I included the following:

Me - "I have gone above and beyond my original role.  Firstly, by adopting the VR walls to ensure positive adoption, configuration and integration into the curriculum, which was not part of my original role – leading to successful initiatives such as the trauma-informed art-based activity using the Mansfield VR wall.  Secondly, effectively articulating and communicating a digital learning vision or IHAP, which led to a successful promotion as Digital Curriculum Manager – the start of the Digital Curriculum Team with wider and specific responsibilities.  Demonstrating exceptional and highly-developed leadership and strategic abilities, simultaneously showcasing the wider value to meet the broader goals for our department.  This involved me working and balancing two positions; my former role and my new role, keeping business as usual going, but influencing and creating in-roads, and developing professional working relationships for the seeds I planted to flourish.  All of which was acknowledged by Anne Felton, Head of Department and my line manager, in our department away day on 5th July 2023.  Therefore, I define my energy, work, efforts and achievements as exceptional. This is reflected and complemented in this application."

Anne Felton went on to making this comment in my end of year appraisal for 2022/2023.  Showcasing the impact of my work, self-coordination and how she perceives my role and in the department and healthcare higher education moving forwards.  Which is a result of effective influence and coordination of my knowledge and skills.

"Dan has effectively lead the digital curriculum agenda at IHAP which is reflected in his successful appointment as Digital Curriculum Manager in March.  Dan has drafted a department digital plan which he has utilised to help drive some key achievements this year.

Dan has collaborated with academics to establish the digital literacies working group which will examine students confidence and competence with digital literacy and plan innovations in response to this.  Dan has put in significant work to quality assure and standardise the Igloo offer across both Clifton and Mansfield.  This has involved securing additional input from Igloo at no cost and liaising with DT to ensure technological mechanisms are working efficiently and to a high standard. He has working to enhance the reputation in this field by hosting several external visits to the VR facilities and building networks for knowledge exchange activities in VR education which is also reflected in his successful advocacy to establish a TILT specialist group.

Dan has collaborated with academic staff to conduct two pilots using the VR room which provide an important opportunity to demonstrate the breadth of VR use in education and support embedding this within programmes. He has also conducted, analysed and reported on a BSc student survey regarding digital resources which provides an important student centred baseline for course developments.

Alongside this Dan has continued to provide 1:1 support for staff and students on digital resources such as Pebblepad and NOW which are a frequent workload demand.

Congratulations Dan on some excellent work which leaves you in a solid position for growing these innovations further next year, particularly as your team expands."

In a separate communication - "The quality of your work is fantastic Dan and you are well thought of in the department."

EDIT:  

August 2022, Dr Kate Cuthbert - "You have always been a friendly and knowledge colleague."

December 2023, Andrew Kirke, Principal Lecturer, made the following comment when I reached out to address his departure - "Dan you have been brilliant and an absolute pleasure to work with."

July 2024, Anne Felton's end of year appraisal for 2023/2024 comment:

"There have been some really positive achievements this year Dan, you have developed a digital strategy which outlines the commitments and priorities for digital learning for IHAP over the next 3 years. You have undertaken line management and supported Godson to settle well in the department.  You have led work to define roles and responsibilities within the digital team which has worked with individual strengths and skills sets.

You have worked hard to develop the reliability and quality of the facilities in the VR room against some challenging hurdles. Your commitment to enabling the effective use of this digital strategy has been reflected in being shortlisted with colleagues for the student nursing times awards for teaching innovation.

There has been more opportunity to engage with the academic team and move forwards with developing high quality asynchronous learning which is a good foundation to continue to build.  This has been achieved whilst also supporting Pebblepad and staff to ensure NOW rooms are compliant with minimum expectations.  You have also played a pivotal role in keeping the staff newsletter at IHAP going.

You have several scholarship outputs including the contribution the TILT conference and poster presentation at a Nurse education conference.  You represent the department at school and university wide digital development groups and continue to be a supportive and collegiate presence in the department.  Well done Dan, thank you for all the hard work."

EDIT:  August 2024, in a private LinkedIn chat with Stephen Taylor when asked how's things going for me.  I said; "Yeh all is great thanks. Keeping very busy. Definitely found my home in this dept."  Stephen - "I'm really glad you have!  You're awesome and deserve to be recognised and have a job you enjoy!"  Me - "Aw, that's lovely thank you. Right back at ya."

October 2024 - Tim Buescher, Senior Lecturer - "It was a real pleasure to work with you.  You're a  positive creative presence and I'll miss that."

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