Regular readers will know I’ve been writing about what I think it is to be a Learning Technologist in a series of posts I’ve been calling ‘What is a Learning Technologist?’. Welcome to part 10 in that series.
- Read the previous part, part 9: ‘Ignorance is bliss?’
Part of my journey is the continuing exploration of the technology and of the role itself, and how it is received and perceived by people I come into contact with (academic, administrative, etc.). I made it clear in 2011, once I completed my PG Cert course, that I wanted to take my learning and teaching more seriously and gain a qualification that would reflect my abilities.
I have considered several Masters level courses since then but have finally settled on the MSc in Learning Innovation from the Institute of Learning Innovation here, at the University of Leicester.
Why this course and not one of the other very good ones available? I won’t ignore the fact that, as I work at the University, I will get subsidised financial help, which will greatly help, but the course has a lot to offer me and the direction I want to take:
- Comprehensive view of new technologies in supporting different types of learning.
- Foundations and key concepts from established eLearning research, of which the team at the Institute are well known for.
- Current and up to date exemplars of technology used to support pedagogical approach to learning.
- Development and critical understanding of the concept and potential of technological application in teaching and learning.
No doubt you will read more about this two year distance learning course, scheduled to start in October 2013. It’d be good to do the course with some friends so, if you’re interested, come and join me and let’s form some study-buddy support sessions!
Further details: MSc Learning Innovation – http://go.le.ac.uk/mscli
While I have high expectations of the course I am slightly worried about the time I’ll need to find (from somewhere: evenings, weekends, sleep, etc.) and that, being so open and public about it, there will be an expectation from you, my network. I will continue to investigate the role, and how I see it evolving through both my work and studies. Please please please keep talking to me about what you do and how you do it – all these tweets, comments, DMs, emails, updates, and blog posts I read help me understand the role, my part in it, and how a Learning Technologist is to work in the (changing) environment of higher education.
Image source: Tome Reader (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Related posts:
Learning Technology Assistant, University of Leicester.