The following is a list of CPD activities since my original SCMALT portfolio submission and a summary of dissemination activities that have had the most impact on my practice. Three case studies with reflection are provided separately.
Formal development and training
- 4 October 2020 – Agile Project Management. University of York (self-paced online).
- December 2020 – Transforming Digital Learning: Learning Design Meets Service Design, Deakin University.
- June 2021 – Managing Remote Teams. ODPL, University of Leeds.
- July 2021 – Inclusive Leadership. Thrive/ODPL, University of Leeds.
- July 2021 – Crucial Conversations (Management Feedback). ODPL, University of Leeds.
- July/August 2022 – Leading Transformational Change. ODPL, University of Leeds.
- December 2022 – Role-Based Competencies for Managers for Working with Issues of Stress and Mental Health at Work. ODPL, University of Leeds.
- May 2023 – Empathy Mapping for Continuous Improvement. University of Leeds.
Event attendance
- 17 June 2020 – Webinar: The choice, use and impact of metrics in learning and teaching: recommendations for future policy and practice.
- 30 July 2020 – Digital platforms, digital labour, and the future of employability. SRHE.
- 15/16 December 2020 – ALT Winter Conference.
- 22 January 2021 – Hope, social mobility and personal emancipation: what does the future hold for mature students in English Higher Education? SRHE.
- 1 Februrary 2021 – Developing a Sense of Belonging: Building Communities in Online Teaching. ALT CPD Webinar.
- 8/9 March 2022 – Jisc DigiFest.
- 14 July 2022 – FutureLearn Partners’ Forum.
- 6-8 September 2022 – ALT Annual Conference.
- 13 October 2022 – FutureLearn Authoring & Administration Group.
- 17-20 April 2023 – Digital Universities UK.
- 26 April 2023 – Landscapes Of Learning For Unknown Futures – Symposium 1: Networks. SRHE.
Networks
- ALT Assembly (2018-ongoing)
- ALT SCMALT Assessor (2019-ongoing)
- ALT CMALT Assessor (2010-ongoing)
- Learning Design Managers Network (2021-ongoing)
- Society for Research in Higher Education (2019-ongoing)
Reviewing sector trends
In 2021 I compared findings from the Jisc, ALT and EDUCAUSE surveys and reports. This provided a valuable insight as I returned to the higher education sector. My key learning from this activity was around the need to continue to support learners without making assumptions about their technical access, online learning skills and time they have to learn, to continue to promote accessibility through inclusive teaching and learning, and the importance of collaboration in uncertain times. My analysis is captured in two blog posts:
- Accessibility, balance and confidence: three areas of development for higher education.
- Behind the trend lines: the digital university in 2021.
CPD through dissemination activities
Due to a significant change of role and working environment, my substantive conference dissemination activities have reduced in priority since 2021. However, I am increasing the number of speaking opportunities and have submitted for upcoming conference presentations as a way to reflect on my practice. Below I have selected key activities from the last three years that in developing dissemination outputs allowed me to further my own understanding and practice. I have a number of open reflections and articles on my personal blog.
Understanding open access learners
- Cornock, M. (2019). Enabling professional development by letting go of the pedagogical paradigms. ALT-C conference, 3-5 September, Edinburgh. Abstract. Video recording [YouTube]. Written article (July 2020).
This presentation was the culmination of work over an extended period that explored the dichotomies of open access learning, such as addressing personal learning goals vs. structured curriculum, individual timelines vs. socialisation for social learning, and openness of learning vs. dependency on self-efficacy of learners. One of my main arguments was to let go of retention as a metric and instead focus on outcomes, which is more relevant to open access professional learning. Though this doesn’t sit well with funding stakeholders, a shift in the narrative on impact demonstrates what can be achieved through open access education. This is evidenced through the STEM Learning Online CPD Impact Report which shows 91% self-reported impact immediately after course and 76% sustained after 6 months for the portfolio of courses I managed and developed with colleagues.
Supporting new learning technologists
- Huskinson, S. and Cornock, M. (2020). Learning technologists as learning designers: reflections, roles and modes of learning. ALT Winter Conference, 15 December 2020.
Adopting a workshop approach, this session aimed to support other learning technologists set their development goals and placed a focus on learning design as a core competency for learning technologists. Further details in the related blog post: Learning technologists as learning designers: towards sustainable online education. Between 2021-22, I also sustained prompts within a LinkedIn Group for Early Career Learning Technologists set up in collaboration with Sandra Huskinson and Daniel Scott-Purdy with interest of over 250 professionals to further discussion on the link between learning technology and learning design.
Bridging communities of practice
- Cornock, M. (2019). Evidencing personal and professional development on FutureLearn. FutureLearn Academic Network, 18 November 2019, York. Slides [PDF].
I hosted this event, for the first time in a non HEI setting. The feedback received was overwhelmingly positive about the opportunities to consider how HE and professional learning settings complement and differ, and to explore open learning across these two sectors. My work for this presentation delved deep into the positioning of MOOCs for professional learners, using quantitative data analysis to explore online learner patterns and assumptions over how open access learners engage. I’ve carried my learning from this activity into advising how to change the start of open access courses at Leeds.