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Category: books

In the library

I read a lot and going to my local library has been a big part of my life as a child, throughout my school and student years. I was lucky to have access to wonderful libraries first in London and later in Oxford, where I sat in the Radcliffe Camera as I finished writing my PhD. When I first moved to Cardiff in March 2020 however, libraries closed and it took me a long time…

Out now! Leading Virtual Teams

Today is an exciting day for me, as my book goes out into the world. It’s my first experience of this kind of publication, and feels quite different from anything I have published before. As an Open Access publication, the book is immediately and freely available to download and read online and I am really looking forward to celebrating the launch of the book this evening in conversation with ALT’s Chair, Professor Helen O’Sullivan. Thanks…

Book launch: Digital Learning in Higher Education

Today I was delighted to take part in the launch of a new book: Digital Learning in Higher Education COVID-19 and Beyond Edited by Matt Smith, Interim Head of Primary Education,University of Wolverhampton and John Traxler, Professor of Digital Learning, Education Observatory, University of Wolverhampton, UK and UNESCO Chair Publication Date: June 2022 ISBN: 978 1 80037 939 8 Extent: 176 pp Mapping the uncertain landscape of education in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Digital Learning in Higher Education…

Not counting books

For many people who inspire me, counting what they read is a thing on a personal or professional basis. Just like the ‘read 100 books in a year’ challenge, many of my friends and colleagues track, share, catalogue and analyse what they read. And I enjoy their reflections. I often find inspiration in what others read, and I have bought many books on the recommendation of a friend who loved it. I enjoy it when…

Crowns and cartographers: equality in the imagination

I have been reading a lot of stories recently and two of them in particular really inspired me: Frogkisser by Garth Nix and The Girl of Ink and Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave. Both are beautiful reads suitable for younger readers as well, but that shouldn’t put you off. Both books take you on adventures, in one case following the perilous journey of a cartographer’s daughter across an unexplored floating island, in the other the footsteps…

My #EdTechRations outtakes

I recently wrote a post about contributing to a new book edited by David Hopkins called Emergency Rations #EdTechRations . Not everything I wrote made it into the final version and I wrote quite a bit about how I work in addition to describing the things I can’t do without. So below is my contribution with additional comments and images that shows what it looks like as work in progress. When I wrote the intro I thought about…

Collaboration in practice: Contributing to Emergency Rations #EdTechRations

This week saw the publication of a new book edited by David Hopkins called Emergency Rations #EdTechRations. This is a volume of contributions from dozens of individuals across sectors and below is a short description of  what the book is about: “What’s so important we can’t leave it at home?” This book is a collection of 40 world leading teachers, academics, influencers, critics and practitioners who have answered the question “have you ever walked out the…

The Future of Education in the House of Stairs…

I am looking forward to participating in the OEB Midsummit in June. Speakers have been invited to provide a quote about the future of education and you can read what others have written already on the event’s website (click on a speaker’s name to see their quote). Whilst I was thinking about what I might say, I read through what the others have written and one quote from Audrey Watters is “I’m afraid that the future of…

Open CPD, Visual Thinkery, art school: my week made me think

This post is inspired by two things I did this week: first, taking part in Wednesday’s @LTHEchat on the topic of Open CPD with Chris Rowell and second, reading my weekly delivery of Visual Thinkery in Saturday’s newsletter. Both are highly enjoyable, interesting and rewarding so if you haven’t already I strongly recommend you take a look. Both of these activities made me think about being online and what I do when I am online.…

You are #neverweird – thanks for a wonderful listen @feliciaday

Having finished reading/listening to a new memoir by Felicia Day – You are never weird on the Internet (almost) – I wanted to note my thanks. So here goes: I’ve never met you, Felicia Day, but I am grateful to you for adding your voice to the story of the Internet, of gaming, of women working in tech-focused industries and for sharing your story of incredible achievement against many odds. It’s inspiring to read how…