This post summarises a ‘think piece’ I wrote in 2021 for the QAA Scotland Enhancement Theme of Resilient Learning Communities on Understanding Micro-Credentials and Small Qualifications. The full paper examines micro-credentials from the perspective of students and is available here. You can read my earlier posts on the wider challenges of micro-credentials here and on … Read more
The Manifesto for Teaching Online highlights the perceived complicity of digital education in the neoliberalisation of higher education. You can see a recording of my presentation on this topic for the launch seminars of the book here. While digital education does not need to be complicit in a neoliberalisation of higher education, it can appear … Read more
As a follow-up to my earlier post on the difficulties of defining micro-credentials, this post outlines two key challenges of micro-credentials to the purposes of education. The claimed benefits of micro-credentials include enabling a closer linkage between education provision and labour market needs and workforce development. Such linkages both improve the employability of students while … Read more
I have a chapter in this new book on digital learning to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030. Good timing with COP26 starting in Glasgow shortly. As outlined in the abstract below, this chapter explores some of the issues raised in the Manifesto for Teaching Online in relation to attaining … Read more
I have been looking at teaching groups in relation to a broader project on enhancing institutional resilience in teaching and learning. As noted previously, resilience is about adaptability to thrive in fluidly changing contexts while maintaining the core purposes of the university – in this case, teaching. Strong teaching groups appear to be a particularly … Read more
This is my sketchnote taken during the Advance HE seminar on the theme of reshaping higher education for the future. The seminar was preceded by three provocation videos that I also captured in a sketchnote here:
This report from JISC is of FE college students’ experiences of digital education. The survey was conducted between October 2019 and May 2020 so covers the emergency shift to remote teaching. About two-thirds of the 19,137 responses are from the pre-pandemic and one-third form the pandemic periods. Learners and their technology Access to digital devices … Read more
This article on student perceptions of ‘useful’ digital technologies identifies the gap between the potential of digital technologies for teaching and learning in higher education and the realities seen to date. The study presents the findings of a survey of students at two research-intensive universities in Australia. I think there are some important insights here … Read more
A couple of fun hours pulling together lots of notes and ideas in taking a project forward. It’s easier to think in scribbles, doodles and sketches.
Its been a busy week with the start of the new academic year being in somewhat challenging circumstances. However, my teaching is all online and I’m ready to start teaching next week. It has also been the week of the launch of the Manifesto for Teaching Online including a programme of launch seminars. Otherwise, here … Read more