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!