Trading Places

Have just returned from the Easter Break. Nice to have a change to the normal routine and go at a slightly slower pace.
Prior to the holidays the subject network was approached about an idea of 'trading places' where a practitioner would exchange colleges with another practitioner just for a short period of time.

This seems to have caught on and I hope to arrange this with a few colleagues going to visit a different college for a day to start with before the end of the year. It was felt a day was best at this time of year, when I know we are all so busy.

We hope they will be able to share in each others good practice, network and realise they are not on their own as perhaps they discover their colleagues have similar problems!

If you would be intersted in being part of 'trading places' just get in touch.

Peggy

Sustainability Forum

Hi there

Sorry this is my first post since the start of Febraury..... don't know where the time goes.
Since then we have had asubject mentors meeting at Stirling, which is always informative and really good to meet up with your fellow subject mentors and hear what they have been busy with too.

Last week we had our first 'sustainability forum' again at Stirling and though there were only a few who braved the snowy weather to come, we had a many interesting and thought proving discussions. John Salter from Scotland's Colleges joined us and gave us an up-date on the Sustainable Development Project. Thanks go to John who was very helpful and able to give us some sound advice. Minutes of the meeting will be on the Practitioners Plus shortly, if you are interested in finding out more or if you wish to be involved then please contact me at peggy.morgan@scotlandscolleges.ac.uk

As always will try to keep you up to-date on what is happening within our network.

Peggy

We recently had our visit from Gerry to James Watt to help us look at blogging!

It went really well and by the time Gerry left we had all got our blogs up and running. On the day, I was wearing two hats, one as a subject mentor and of course my other as a James Watt lecturer!

The main thread is for us to use blogs with our new January start classes, but as with all things it takes time and therefore the blogging sessions will be carried out in each groups guidance time initially. This is to get the students up and running and help them with their individual reflective logs.

We created a team blog where lecturers involved can all comment.....worth a look, just for the video! Honest it was our one only break.......We even got homework from Gerry! The link is http://www.teamblogjwc.blogspot.com/

Will keep you posted on our journey.

Peggy

Happy New Year

Well, can you believe it is nearly half way through January.

It was great to have the break but now need to get into the full swing of things again.

Just before the Christmas break myself and Gerry Dougan managed to meet with one group of staff from a college who are very keen to push forward learner engagement through IT. Many exciting IT thoughts were bounced about, with decision making to be made in which direction the support SFEU could provide for this college. With a general idea of the way forward it was left that Gerry would return in January to follow on from this initial meeting.

We hope to increase these discussions with other interested parties over the next 6mths and at the end, find we have helped support learner engagement.

Looking to start a Hairdressing & Beauty forum to discuss environmental issues in our subject area and hope to hold our first get together soon. Will keep you posted.

Peggy