I will do anything for change (but I won’t do that)

In 1993, Meat Loaf released I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That). That song was number one for 7 weeks. I will now use Meatloaf’s achievement to clumsily talk about organisational change and a worrying trend I see repeated at many UK HE institutions. Why not take a moment to enjoy this […]

Exam like somebody’s watching

Today, I completed my first proctored online exam. This exam was my first direct experience of online proctoring. This blog is a reflection on my experience. If you read this blog and think, what’s the big deal about proctoring, please do some reading. I won’t repeat what many of my far more learned peers say […]

A little less suspicion, a little more trust

I recently attended a disabled student-led panel session, organised by Warwick Enable and Autism at Warwick, where students shared their experiences and challenges studying at Warwick. I also attended an Echo360 Webinar in which Dr Emily Nordmann shared evidence from research around student attendance when lectures were recorded. In particular, disproving the myth that students […]

It’s very well intentioned, but…

“[I]t’s all very well intentioned, but” are words that haunt me. These are the words of one of our students with accessibility needs reflecting the support they have been given by our University. The words have haunted me ever since because I am one of a few people trying to champion accessibility and I am […]

#OpenBlog19 Are we the baddies?

I’ve been thinking a lot about critical digital literacies and how I, as a supplier and ‘evangelist’, balance my professional role and my personal views. It has lead me to ask “are we the baddies?”. Before you read on, watch this brilliant Mitchell and Webb sketch: Who’s we? Well, I suppose I’m talking about those […]

You don’t have to be mad to work here, but it helps

There is a knack to applying for jobs in Higher Education. I’ve been involved in several vacancies this year from short listing and interviewing, so I thought it might be helpful to write down some of the pitfalls applicants fall in to. This is also a cathartic exercise. There is something incredibly frustrating about a […]

“Good central location”

This is my fourth role in a central department and every single one has been an experience. I don’t consider myself an expert and I’m still trying to ‘do it right’. So I thought I’d write down some tips for developing a successful working relationship. A bit of context I am the manager of the […]

Reconciling VLE Minimum Standards

I am torn by VLE standards. On the one hand, I see their purpose and utility and on the other, I see a tool of management implemented primarily for the purpose of compliance. It is with this in mind that I titled this post ‘Reconciling VLE Minimum Standards’. Yesterday, I took part in a UCISA […]

Defining digital leadership: a debate

I am currently participating in a debate at Digifest 2018 in Birmingham. This post is details my thoughts on what makes a good digital leader. I don’t know what questions we are going to be asked or what conversation will naturally arise from the panel, so these are my initial thoughts. These are the traits […]

Immiscible Learning

Here’s some stuff I said at ALT West Midlands meeting at the University of Birmingham. The theme was “It’s all in the mix: new blended learning opportunities for educators”. So, I thought I’d reflect on a blended learning programme that I was a student on. You can find the slides below. I explain what I […]