Wilson Waffling

Can we have a chat? As part of the student led sessions within the mathematics module, the students create and deliver a range of activities which show progression throughout a topic – e.g. mass, shape or multiplication. This week the topic was division and there were a range of activities being shared, including one using the Interactive Whiteboard (IWB). This added to series of events and discussion which have occurred throughout the week which have made me think that I might actually be failing in my use of technology… The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/IRne5D Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

I think I missed read an article this week, thinking that there was going to be a new curriculum by 2021. What I failed to read was that this was going to be in Wales…ooops. Throughout my practice I have survived several curriculums which have been brought in by new and existing governments. I remember when the science curriculum had 15 (?) attainment targets and when mathematics had data handling and shape rather than statistics and geometry. Seeing the start of the new curriculum in WALES I was interested to hear the phrases, ‘fit for the 21st century’, ‘creative’ and ‘driven by latest national and international thinking’. It got me thinking, if I was to create or suggest a new curriculum what would it be – hence the title of this week’s waffle. The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/IRne5D Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Faceboo

This weekend has been one of those weekends when everything seems to come at once. It was open day at university, the clocks have gone back an hour and the pump on my water cooled PC appears to be having problems and might need to be replaced. Although most of Saturday was taken up with work, I’m still trying to keep up to date with both my streaming schedule and my blogging. It was, however, at Open Day that the idea for this week’s waffle first started as a seed in the quagmire compost where my waffling ideas sprout. Do we learn because we are curious or because we have to? The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/IRne5D Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

I completed a course over the summer by Colin Gray on podcasting. As well as tackling the technical techniques (don’t you just love alliteration) it had a module on thinking about marketing strategies and your audience. The tagline for my blog has always been teaching, tech and twaddle, and I think this represents how my mind works when thinking about topics to waffle about. This week I want to return to teaching and how I use the application Padlet. The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/IRne5D Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

As you can imagine, I’m reading all the time about the positives and negatives of the use of technology in all aspects of life. There exists many articles in the news about how technology, mainly mobile, and how it impacts on education. It was when reading an article on this that I came across a statement that said – “Allowing mobile phones [in the classroom] would almost certainly increase cyberbullying”. After reading this I put it on the pile to waffle about and here it is…. The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/IRne5D Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

About five years ago I started to work in higher education on secondment. This meant that I could see if I enjoyed the job with the added security that if I didn’t I could still return to my class teacher job. It also meant that the university could see if I was worth it, and easily get rid of me if I didn’t meet expectations! I really liked the job and decided to stay, although looking back I do think that certain aspects of the job remained hidden to me, until my name was on the dotted line. One of these areas was the need to engage with research and, other the past few days, I have been considering whether I am a natural researcher or not… The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/IRne5D Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

I have many things in my life which I enjoy doing ranging from writing these waffles to streaming games and making YouTube videos. I am passionate about learning and how we can impact on this, and of course, the use of technology. But one area which I dabble my feet in now and again is task and time management and, since the semester has just begun, it seemed appropriate to do a waffle about this… The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/IRne5D Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

And we are off! Freshers are back and timetabled teaching starts next week. I’m a keen user of technology and, as I meet the new learners on the programme, I have started to wonder whether I am implementing too much technology within my teaching and whether, by actually keeping up with new technologies, I am actually using technology when they, as in the learners, are not really interested in its use. Welcome to this week’s waffle… The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/IRne5D Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the blogging-sphere – with a resounding boom! I have returned! In order to ease you back into the weekly waffles, this week’s is nothing hard hitting – just a bringing you up to date post! The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/IRne5D Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

There comes a time when you have to accept that the end is nigh and that things have to be drawn to a conclusion... The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/IRne5D Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

This appears to be the time for conferences, as my twitter time line is awash with hashtags and images of powerpoint slides. Reading through the tweets I like to see and hear people’s views and practices. Tomorrow I will be attending our faculty away day at a local hotel with the theme of building bridges. Bridges, as you are aware, join two places together usually across some sort of barrier whether this be a river, chasm or transport system. Within universities there exists many faculties and although the chasm between these is limited to the confines of the university buildings, it is always beneficial to establish links between faculties in order to share not only resources but also practice. Last Tuesday I received a ‘bridge’ in the form of an email from the Dean of the Faculty of Arts to attend a session about Team Based Learning. Being keen on any form of learning, I quickly rearranged my calendar in order to attend – so what is my opinion about Team Based Learning (TBL)? Well, that is what this waffle

Friday was a very important day. Not as important as today being the longest day - downhill to winter from here on in! But important nevertheless because it was sign off day for the first years. Yes, they had finished their final placement and their first year at university with only assignment marks to be verified before, after the summer, they start on their second year. Soon, everyone will be finishing for summer and the cycle of education will be completed for this year and a new one started. As this happens I started to think about working within a cycle and how this impacts on both my teaching and my learning... The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/IRne5D Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

Every now and again, I feel that I would like to write more of a personal waffle. When I say personal, I mean that rather than sharing my views or thoughts about teaching, technology and twaddle, I want to tell you something about myself and how this impacts on my learning and, in some cases, my teaching. This is going to be one of those waffles and I am going to start with a confession... The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/IRne5D Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

Yesterday was quite a momentous day for me since my Teach 100 badge actually dropped below 500 for the first time. Of course, this didn't last long and it is back to over 500 now. I did take a screen shot of it and tweeted it as proof though! Your ranking on the site is basically calculated by engagement and that made me think about the ways and stages we engage with blogs, videos and tweets. So here are my very own levels of internet engagement!...So, be honest, which stage did you reach?... The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/IRne5D Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

Every now and again, we should all take the time to sit back and reflect on what we are going in the classroom and lecture theatres. It is important to think carefully about what we are doing and why we are doing it and, perhaps most importantly, is it being effective. It was while following a link on my twitter feed that I came across the term -‘unbundle’. So I decided to share my initial unbundling with you today… The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/IRne5D Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

I always think that if I have watched something or bought an item of technology then I will instantly be able to actually do what ever I have watched or, using the piece of equipment, make or produce something special. The classic examples of these are watching tutorial videos and buying digital cameras. Unfortunately, although in the hands of an expert it might be true, buying a really expensive camera does not make me a great photographer! Photography has changed throughout the years and now taking pictures/images has never been easier…but how are we engaging with this imagery and what do we actually use it for…time for a waffle! The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/IRne5D Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later! Remember you can follow Wil

Do you ever have those moment when you start to think about something and then actually get worried or befuddled (

I've en using Twitter almost since it poked its little blue beak from its own virtual egg. I first came across it while listening to the Paul Boagworld Podcast when I was in primary school and was super interested in web design and web 2.0 in general. Throughout the years, seems like centuries rather than decades, although the actual platform has not altered, the way it has been integrated and embedded into education has. Practitioners across the world now use Twitter effectively to support both teaching and learning. But how are students engaging with Twitter as an educational resource. Well, maybe Twitter has turned on its turbos! The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/IRne5D Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

Before I started to teach in higher education, I had never heard of the term/job title of Learning Technologist. It is a term that I have been considering for some time from the perspective of am I a learning technologist? do I want to be a learning technologist and, if I do, then how do I achieve this. I have also considered if it should or shouldn't have capital letters! What follows are my own personal views about the title and job role. The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/IRne5D Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

Time is always of the essence in our busy lives and as I try to squeeze every ounce of time from every second of the day, I try to think of efficient and effective ways to address traditional activities. One activity which I have been considering recently is the attendance and the presentation at conferences. I have seen on twitter, examples of people who have presented at conferences virtually and recently I have been attending webinars virtually as well as listening to keynotes online. Last week I waffled about using Twitter at conferences and this week I wanted to waffle about attending conferences virtually. There are a wealth of conferences happening both nationally and internationally all the time. In my current role, the majority of my time is taken up with teaching and the associate tasks that accompany this - e.g. preparation and marking - which means the time for either exploring possible conferences or even attending them is limited. But is attending a conference virtually the best way? I thought