Digital Learning Pariah to Digital Learning Princess

The Covid-19 Virus affects everyone no matter your age, gender, sex, religion or culture we are all united in this. What does this mean for education?

For four years I have worked as a Technology Enhanced Learning Coordinator a role that I came into from my experience from teaching online which in turn had been cultivated from teaching physically.

Most people know me from my background in fashion in fact many friends and family still attribute my skills to the fashion industry. I still ‘dabble’ in the industry. I teach several short courses online and physically for University of the Arts London – primarily Central Saint Martins and The London College of Fashion.  It is fascinating to watch how staff members who at best would resist engagement are now being forced to engage with digital teaching practices not from senior management or teaching practice policies but something far more ‘Powerful’ – The Universe – Covid-19.

Overnight I’ve gone from Digital Learning Pariah to in effect a ‘Digital Learning Princess’ so to speak. I resist the urge to say It told you so’ or ‘This could have been avoided’ as I believe that helps no one.  It is not lost on me that the title of my research dissertation questions if ‘digital inductions can help staff deliver better training ultimately in the long term offering better engagement with students and developing their practice’.

I am heartened to acknowledge that I’m not the only one that experienced this ‘treatment’. We have all been forced to work in ways that are uncomfortable or unusual within our professional practice. My example is having to document my process and now I am forced/encouraged to write about my experience. I am a private person and sharing my thoughts and ideas does seem alien to me. My hope is that by writing it will help inform my practice and my research. Here’s to blogging.