As a former/founding member of the ALDinHE steering group, I’d be surprised and disappointed if this community couldn’t come up with
a message of basic support for our colleagues.
Firstly, the LD community has always recognised the importance of mutual support, the strength in unity, particularly when so many
of our members are or have been in precarious or marginalised positions in their own workplaces. It has been the strength and generosity of this community that has succeeded in improving the recognition of LD professionals generally, and the sharing of job
descriptions and conditions of work that has helped isolated individuals to argue for fairer treatment.
Secondly as the various discussions on Twitter and elsewhere have made clear, this dispute is not just about lecturers, but about ensuring
a decent future for students, support workers and everybody involved in HE by fighting back against the forces that have undermined what universities used to stand for.
My own university is not currently one of those in dispute but I would not cross a picket line here or elsewhere. I am also fortunate
to be semi-retired now, having been able to take phased retirement through the TPA scheme (albeit on a very low pension due to years of part-time contracts before EU law won p/timers the right to enter the pension scheme). But I listen to the experiences of
my younger colleagues around the sector and am ashamed to be part of a system that treats its workers so badly.
I hope ALDinHE will decide to issue a statement that we can all endorse – but in any case we can each choose how best to support our
colleagues morally practically and financially.
Pauline Ridley
Centre for Learning & Teaching
University of Brighton
From: learning development in higher education network [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Gordon Asher
Sent: 07 March 2018 10:32
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Learning Development spaces
Hi Alex
I think that’s disappointing if that is the view of many folk in ALDinHE, but if it is, it the democratic thing to do, is to not issue a statement.
I do think it is worth saying, that what is being requested is not anything like a request for ‘a blanket endorsement’
It’s a request for a statement of solidarity that could be carefully worded
Interested to hear the views of others on this?
Hope all grand wi you man - thanks for the response
G
Work like you don't need money
Love like you've never been hurt
and dance like no-one's watching
"Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity
or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world." Paulo Freire (Pedagogy of the Oppressed)
"Education is the point at which we decide whether we love the world enough to assume responsibility for it, and by the same token save it from that
ruin which except for renewal, except for the coming of the new and the young, would be inevitable." Hannah Arendt (The Crisis of Education)
"it is impossible to imagine a future unless we have located ourselves in the present and its history; however, the reverse is also true in that we cannot locate ourselves in the present and its
history unless we imagine the future and commit to creating it" (Anna Stetsenko, 2015).
From: Alexander Cuthbert <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: 07 March 2018 10:21
To: 'Gordon Asher'; [log in to unmask]
Subject: RE: Learning Development spaces
Hi Gordon
Given the diversity of our roles, intuitional structures, union or professional affiliations, and political perspectives, I would find it hard to imagine that
ALDinHE (or the LDHEN list users) could, or indeed should attempt to, represent the views of its members by such a statement. Having spoken to members of UCU and UNISON at Strathclyde, Glasgow and elsewhere, there is a great deal of disquiet about the way
the strike has been handled by all parties involved. Personally, I would certainly not be happy to offer a blanket endorsement of any side in this dispute.
Alex
From: learning development in higher education
network [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Gordon Asher
Sent: 06 March 2018 21:02
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Learning Development spaces
Hi Ian
yes, let's see if we can
What do folk from the Steering Group on here think to this?
Would ALDinHE consider drafting a statement of support?
Indeed:
Outrageous behaviour by Kent, and a number of other unies -
https://ucustrike.wordpress.com/academic-boycott-list/comment-page-1/#comment-8
If folk on the list wish to register their feelings on that
and
https://platform.organise.org.uk/campaigns/open-letter-university-strikes
You spot on re the lecture recording – this at Edinburgh Uni
All best
Solidarity
G
Work like you don't need money
Love like you've never been hurt
and dance like no-one's watching
"Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity
or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world." Paulo Freire (Pedagogy of the Oppressed)
"Education is the point at which we decide whether we love the world enough to assume responsibility for it, and by the same token save it from that
ruin which except for renewal, except for the coming of the new and the young, would be inevitable." Hannah Arendt (The Crisis of Education)
"it is impossible to imagine a future unless we have located ourselves in the present and its history; however, the reverse is also true in that we cannot locate ourselves in the present and its
history unless we imagine the future and commit to creating it" (Anna Stetsenko, 2015).
From: Ian Bride <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: 06 March 2018 20:23
To: Gordon Asher; [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Learning Development spaces
Great idea Gordon..
A text in support of the action that we can all add to the bottom of our LDHEN emails.......
Kent management has been saying it will dock pay for the strike day and then half a day's pay if we refuse to replace the cancelled lectures! Of course, when all our lectures
have been recorded and archived this will no longer be problem.....
From: Gordon Asher <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: 06 March 2018 19:00
To: [log in to unmask]; Ian Bride
Subject: Re: Learning Development spaces
Ian – mayhaps you could do wee bit of research and know the contexts and realities of what is happening – which might help in winning this, and much else
besides?
Quite clearly, and I suggest legitimately, some of us are seriously unimpressed, to use your language:
The strike applies to 61 universities in the UK, out of a total of roughly 130 HE institutions in the UK.
That means many of your colleagues in LD are at universities, where despite being in UCU, they are not on strike.
As such, many of us finding our own ways of showing solidarity with folk striking, picketing, engaging in teach ins/outs and occupations; from donations
to strike funds to contributions to teach ins/outs, sharing stuff for colleagues on social media, doing research for them for their talks and events and generally trying to provide support where can. To the extent we can be, we are involved??
Something that might be helpful would be a statement of support from ALDinHE???
Thoughts on that folks?
All best
G
Work like you don't need money
Love like you've never been hurt
and dance like no-one's watching
"Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system
and bring about conformity or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world." Paulo Freire (Pedagogy of the Oppressed)
"Education is the point at which we decide whether we love the world enough to assume responsibility for it, and by the same token
save it from that ruin which except for renewal, except for the coming of the new and the young, would be inevitable." Hannah Arendt (The Crisis of Education)
"it is impossible to imagine a future unless we have located ourselves in the present and its history; however, the reverse is also true in that we cannot locate ourselves
in the present and its history unless we imagine the future and commit to creating it"
(Anna Stetsenko, 2015).
From: learning development in higher education
network <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Ian Bride <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: 06 March 2018 16:58
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Learning Development spaces
I am very impressed by the number of LDHEN members who are not involved in the UCU strike or ASOS.............
Dr. Ian Bride
Monday-Wednesday Thursday-Friday
Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) Associate Artist
School of Anthropology and Conservation (SAC) Open School East
University of Kent, CT2 7NR 50 Athelstan Road
01227-(82)7872
[log in to unmask] Margate
CT9 2BH
From: learning development in higher education
network <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Allett, Nicola <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: 06 March 2018 14:56
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Learning Development spaces
Dear all,
The Learning Development Centre at Aston University is currently situated in our Library building, although we are not part of the Library team.
The space includes three workshop rooms with AV equipment and an open area of group tables for 1:1 appointments with our learning advisers, student writing mentors and for drop-ins with our Maths team (from which we often need to remove students who stray
into our space from the library!). We provide skype and email tutorials to distance learners (usually from our desks or any quiet space we can find!).
In the coming year we will be moving location (which, as you can guess, is a mix of good and bad). Starting with a blank canvas, we have the
opportunity to redesign the Learning Development space and reconsider the way in which the space is used.
We would be interested to hear your recommendations:
·
What physical spaces have worked particularly well?
·
What would be your ideal learning development space? Why?
We would, also, be interested to hear of any research carried out on learning development spaces.
Thank you!
Nicola
Dr Nicola Allett
Teaching Fellow
Learning Development Centre
Aston Triangle
Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK
Tel: 0121 204 4955 |
Email: [log in to unmask]
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