Hi all

 

Yes, I echo Kate’s words below. I’m relatively new to the field of learning development, and read with interest what people post, but haven’t taken the plunge to post anything myself – till now! The referencing discussion was quite heartening because it echoed the sorts of things I say here, i.e. it’s about the bigger picture (being able to write, evaluate information, know why it’s important to acknowledge other people’s intellectual property, etc.). The latter is one example of how I often feel affirmed in my views by other members of this community. The team I’m part of is based with OU Library Services, but my role is different, and I sometimes have to challenge people in their thinking. It therefore really helps to be connected to other people doing the sort of thing I do. The other posts alert me to the sort of thinking going on in this field and are still useful, even when they’re for events I can’t actually go to.

Agree the conference was excellent. I’d be interested in regular discussion of themes of common interest, and also webinars.

 

Thanks for prodding us into life John! And for being a good conference dinner party host!

 

Katharine

 

Katharine Reedy

Information Literacy Specialist

Open University Library Services

Walton Hall

Milton Keynes

MK7 6AA

 

Tel: 01908 659981

Email: [log in to unmask]

Twitter: http://twitter.com/KathR

 

 

 

 

Hello All,

 

I’m very new to the profession and attended the ALDinHE Conference in March (which was excellent!). I agree with David and Paul that the list is important. As a newbie I have lots of questions which I am hesitant to put on because I fear the “email eye rolling” when people read it! I don’t want to clog up people’s inboxes! However, from now on if I have a burning question I shall certainly start here.

 

Thanks

 

 

 

Hi John,

 

As a relative newcomer to this list and to the field (having moved in from other staff/student related support role) I value the list and even with the job adverts etc as I think its a good window on what’s going on nationally. Having been involved with a number of lists I think they will evolve naturally to suit the needs of the participants. Perhaps one way of raising more pedagogical issues is for us to post say, one theme a month for discussion to share ideas/resources and experiences? Also, I appreciate there is the annual conference but how about some more informal meetings during the year? Again, perhaps these could be focussed on particular themes and if a national meeting is too much (cost, travel etc) we could host regional meetings? We could even run webinars...?

 

Best wishes,

 

Paul

 

PS

Whilst there may not be regular ‘pithy’ topics, the January discussion about proofreading has prompted some good ideas for me and my team to take forward.

 

 

_______________________________________________

Paul Chin
Skills Team Leader, Skills Team

Library and Learning Innovation
University of Hull, HU6 7RX

 

Skills Team email: [log in to unmask]

Personal email: [log in to unmask]

Web: http://libguides.hull.ac.uk/skills

Tel 01482 465495

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi from sunny (but still a bit cool) Plymouth

 

I’ve been thinking on and off for a few months about this list and that it seems to me to have changed in character. My impression is that we don’t have as many discussion threads on LDHEN now than in previous years. It seems there are fewer discussions prompted by individual questions, and so what we are left with is posts about job vacancies, conference notifications and advertisements by consultants for their sessions.

 

I wonder if others have that impression. I also wonder why it might be. One hypothesis is that we are now just so busy we haven’t the time – and email, once a novel and diverting channel for valuable additional communications, has become oppressive because of the sheer volume of messages we all receive.  Another thought I have is that perhaps our worlds have become more insular, and we more introverted in respect of our institutions as the more competitive environment for HE has become pervasive (the ‘don’t go sharing your ideas with the competitor university down the road’ syndrome).  

 

I notice a similar trend with the SEDA list (and the ISL list has become moribund - but I suspect that relates to its overlap with SEDA); however, the EATAW list has been vibrant and active recently! So perhaps my hypotheses above are insufficient … perhaps there are issues to do with our community being less ‘new’ than it was in 2003 when we got this list going ... but that would seem to imply that there is less to say about LD or that it has all been said before (“ oh no, not another debate about referencing!”) but I don’t accept that – to my mind there is still plenty to say about Learning Development as a field of practice, as evidenced by the tremendous buzz around our recent conference and the fantastic range of workshops and presentations there – and in fact our membership is still growing (almost 700 subscribers to LDHEN now) so why are there not more live discussions on the list? Are we all simply too brow-beaten and overloaded with work to lift our heads and communicate with each other?  

 

I ponder and hand over to …

 

With best springtime wishes

 

John

 

 

John Hilsdon

Head of Learning Support and Wellbeing

Room 104, 4 Portland Mews

Plymouth University

Drake Circus

Plymouth

PL4 8AA

+44 (0)1752 587750

 

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http://bit.ly/12nSOBK

 

 

 

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