Introduce yourself!!

[Ramone Al Bishawi]

Hi Everyone

Thanks for joining us :D

Please introduce yourself, say a little bit about why you're taking part and some of your hopes, fears and expectations. I'll go first........

I'm Ramone, I'm the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate for the North Alliance and University of Aberdeen, I'm working on an eighteen month action research project exploring the capabilities of online learning for community workers within the seven North Alliance areas. This is our first ever MOOC (Massive Open Online Cousre) in Supporting Community Empowerment and therefore our pilot program into online learning. Over the past eight months I've been exploring different technologies with our KTP team and I've been interviewing CLD workers to find out what they think would be a suitable online environment for their Continuing Professional Development. 

I'm starting a blog about my hopes, fears and expectations for the project and my associate development in the KTP project....I'll provide a link soon.

I hope to meet you all online very soon.

[Kevin McDermott]

My name is Kevin McDermott, and I'm a strategy development officer with Aberdeenshire Council and a member of the North Alliance Steering Group

 

I'm signing up for the MOOC after attending the workshop at the North Alliance conference. I'd class myself as a bit of a technological Luddite, but I think it's about time I embraced the whole on-line learning / social media thing.

 

My main task for the next week or so will be to speak to our IT department to make sure it is easy for council staff in Aberdeenshire to take part and that firewalls don't get in the way.

 

Cheers

 

Kevin

[Lada Copic]

Hi Ramone,

 I am working as Training and Development Officer for Aberdeenshire Literacies Partnership at present, and will be going back to Community work at some point. For the moment, I am also honorary Teaching Fellow in the School of Education supporting PG CLD as a practice tutor.

 

Titles aside, in this post main focus was on supporting CLD workers across Aberdeenshire to deliver and assess SQA Core Skills, designing and delivering Training for Trainers for ESOL in CLD Practice, delivering training sessions for ITALL and Special Learning Difficulties /Differences training.

 

I am looking forward to see how this Mini MOOC works, hope it is a success.

[Brian Robertson]

Hi Folks

My name's Brian Robertson I work in Economic Development (Access to Employment) for Edinburgh council.  I've been exploring e-learning on and off for a few years now and recently started to look at more aspects of it in terms of staff training and upskilling.  I have a background in Community Education (youth work and community development) prior to employability but I still see the skillset as quite generic although specific knowledge is required.

Ramone
I'm quite interested in your research as I've tried to encourage use (amongst our partner employability and other organisations' staff) of a free to use suite of rapid e-learning courses but had very little uptake.  A few issues I've idetified (anecdotally not formally) are:

1. people not wanting to use e-learning and simply against it
2. management and staff not rating or valuing e-learning
   
3. courses need to be improved and more stimulating
4. technical difficulties with logging in, pop-up blockers
5. lack of familiarity with the concept of learning online
6. people say they have no time to commit to e-learning but can usually find the time for a face to face course

Some of these may be phantom and some real.  For example, I'm reasonably IT and web literate but I'm yet unsure if I've signed up to the MOOC or just to North Alliance, or did the North Alliance sign up automatically enroll me in the MOOC?  I guess I'll find out soon enough but this illustrates one of the difficulties I've been having with getting people interested in e-learning: if the doors don't open very well then people are less likely to enter, and learn.  The google group here was also a bit awkward as captcha (a great tool to avoid unwanted scamming) isn't always clear for people and it can mean several attempts.

Anyway, I look forward to meeting you online.

Cheers

Brian

On Sunday, 4 November 2012 14:49:29 UTC, Ramone Al Bishawi wrote:

[Jacinta]

Hi

My name is Jacinta Birchley and am teacher for looked after children for Aberdeen City Council.  I am interested in joining to "keep up with technolology" and to see "how the community works for sharing knowledge and what is involved".

Regards

Jacinta

[Julie Milne]

Hi Everyone

I'm Julie I am currently working as Enterprise Innovation and Funding Officer with Aberdeen City Council Communities Team.  My background has been in Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning.  Like Brian I am currently trying to increase use of online and digital learning tools and resources for both staff and learners and similarly have experienced the same barriers.  I am very interested in supporting community groups and members to explore how they can benefit from the use of online and digital tools, for example a group of young people are developing a phone app about harm reduction and drugs. I am looking forward to sharing experiences and practical solutions that have worked or not as the case may be for colleagues. 

It will be great to see where we get to with this.

Julie

On Sunday, 4 November 2012 14:49:29 UTC, Ramone Al Bishawi wrote:

[Dave Valentine]

Hi folks,

I've retired from local authority community development work but still keeping an interest especially in community capacity building. I've done some work with CLD at the University of Aberdeen including some of the preparatory work for the KTP. I'm currently doing p/t work with the new Footprints Connect project which aims to support older people to access on-line technology through a website that will provide forums to pursue relevant issues, social networks, access to trusted services, news and info and a link to the Granite City Silver Surfers. We hope the website will go live in the new year.

I think on-line tools have a lot to offer in support of community development and look forward to participating in this ground breaking MOOC.

Dave

On Sunday, 4 November 2012 14:49:29 UTC, Ramone Al Bishawi wrote:

[Rachel Shanks]

Hi everyone,

 

I am joining this MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) because I've not done one before and I'd like to see how it works. I am involved in CLD teaching and research at the University of Aberdeen. I have taught an online course to teachers using Blackboard Collaborate software and I have used Collaborate sessions on CLD courses with students at the university but only when the students have already met face-to-face so I'm interested to see things from the other side as a student on an online course.

 

Bye for now,

Rachel.

[Christine]

Christine Robson

I am a community learning and development worker based at Meldrum Academy.  My main responsiblities are - the local adult learner programme, I line manage the ESOL & litereacies programme, I tutor confidence building, victims of domestic and SQA Core skills.

I use technology through my work and at home but I am not the best at IT but am looking forward to being part of miniMOOC.

On Sunday, 4 November 2012 14:49:29 UTC, Ramone Al Bishawi wrote:

[Diane Miller]

Hi

 

My name is Diane Miller and I am the Training & Development Co-ordinator with Aberdeenshire CVS Training Initiative.  I am also the support and development person for Aberdeenshire Social Enterprise Network.  I'm interested in the whole concept of the MOOC and online learning as a form of CPD.  I also hope to personally improve my skills in technology - given that it took me about twenty minutes to fathom out how to sign up to this page - that's probably needed.

 

I've worked in community development for over twenty years and so have a keen interest in 'supporting community empowerment'.

 

Looking forward to this.

 

Regards

Diane

On Sunday, 4 November 2012 14:49:29 UTC, Ramone Al Bishawi wrote:

[Ramone Al Bishawi]

Hi Diane and Everyone

Please don't worry about your technological skills...the course is still a little confusing and I'm trying my best to resolve that just now. If we'd had a course homepage before we started this discussion forum it would have all been a lot clearer for you all so sorry about that.

but ...

I'd like to announce that we do now have that homepage and it is http://minimooc.wikispaces.com. You will find all course information on there including a week by week course structure, joining instructions, more information about MOOC's and the homepage will develop as the course progresses

Many thanks

Ramone

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[Kate James]

Hi Ramone.  I'm a CLD Worker based in Banff, Aberdeenshire.   I thought I'd give this a go as I'm interested in how we can use online learning/networking better. I attended your workshop at the North Alliance Conference and thought this sounded interesting.  I am not sure how it will work as I joined an online community of practise a couple of years ago, where we tried to use similar technology and it failed miserably.  I don't think that's a reason to give up though :)  I am already a little concerned in that when I first joined this group, I was told that i am using a version of internet explorer which will soon be unsupported, but as this is a computer at work, I don't think I'll be able to ugrade to a more modern browser - but perhaps I can.  The other concern i have is that i am already finding things creeping into my diary at the times of the online course so time-management will probably be an issue for me.  I'm very hopeful though, and interested to see how it goes :)

On Sunday, 4 November 2012 14:49:29 UTC, Ramone Al Bishawi wrote:

[Brian Robertson]

Hi Folks

 

I'm afraid it looks as though I'm goiong to miss the start on Monday.  I see that most stuff is on the wiki and i should be able to get into that part.  Are we needing to allocate certain times over the next few weeks (e.g. Monday afternoons)?  if so I'll try to get that one firm in the diary.

Sorry and hope you have a good time and I'll catch up with you in the hangout and elsewhere soon.

 

Cheers

 

brian

[Ramone Al Bishawi]

Hi Brian

Sorry you can't make the induction. If you can try to familiarise yourself with Google Hangout prior to Monday 19th that will help you a lot when you want to participate in the event at 2pm. All course dates and times are now in the Wiki course homepage.

Look forward to meeting you online soon :)

[Brian Robertson]

Doh!!!

 

I'm way ahead of myself.  It's the 19th I can't make the tutorial not 12th Nov.

 

Hope this is ok.

 

Cheers

 

Brian

[Annie McIntosh]

Hi Folks,

 

I'm Annie, I'm the project co-ordinator for the WEA Reach Out Project in Aberdeen. I'm taking part really to give myself a bit of a challenge and also to support such an interesting new initiative. I've been involved in distance/online learning before with various levels of success but am keen to see how things are progressing and hopefully becoming easier in this area. I admit I'm having problems already but will do my best to overcome my technical ineptitude. I'm also worried about having time to commit fully to the expereince, particulalry participating in the live events but thought I'd give it a bash and see how it goes.

I'm looking forward to  connecting with you all!

 

cheers

 

Annie

[rive...@hotmail.com]

Hi everyone.  My name is Donna, I am currently the development worker for a Community Flat. I have learned so much and in so many ways over the years in my posts within Aberdeen City Council.  I would like to be part of this new learning procedure which i am sure will expand rapidly. I took ages to get into this and im not sure if I have actually enrolled for the course Ramone? i shall attempt to join the class on Monday. 

best wishes everyone.  

On Sunday, 4 November 2012 14:49:29 UTC, Ramone Al Bishawi wrote:

[Cath Findlay]

Hi Everyone

 

My name is Cath Findlay and I an the WEA Women@Work project co-ordinator. The project is based in Inverness, but has a Highland wide remit.

 

I have used e-learning before and I am interested in the new technology and how we can use it to bring people together to learn.

 

Will write more later

Cath

 

On Sunday, 4 November 2012 14:49:29 UTC, Ramone Al Bishawi wrote:

[Shona Radojkovic]

Hi All

 

My name is Shona and I have 2 project posts - one is ESOL Development Officer with WEA Scotland in Inverness and the other is Migrant Worker Project Coordinator in Highland.  I'm interested in empowering communities and using technology in innovative ways to widen participation across communities and rural areas.  I have used a Moodle site for dissemination of a European project recently and found it an excellent way to involve people.  I think this MOOC looks a little more challenging but I'm looking forward to trying it out. 

 

Shona

On Sunday, 4 November 2012 14:49:29 UTC, Ramone Al Bishawi wrote:

[Ramone Al Bishawi]

Hi Donna

I tried to reply to you on Saturday but I don't know if you got it so I sent it through the North Alliance..hopefully you got that. There's no formal enrollment as such you've already done the second activity for the induction, the first is to go to Week 1 of the http://minimooc.wikispaces.com/Week+1+Induction and watch the broadcast.

See you there :)

[Matthew noble]

Hi I'm Matthew, Community Learning and development worker for Fraserburgh CLD. I'm signing up for the mooc mainly as im very interested in how we can incorporate technology into CPD and how it will work. 

As a bit if a geek im always looking to jump on any new thinking in relation to using technology at work, so this represents something quite exciting to me and im hoping to get a lot out of it as well as put any help in.

[Cath Findlay]

HI Shona

 

Good to see you have signed up also. I am on annual leave today, but I'm linking in to get things started.

Cath

[katemaclean2]

Hullo everyone! Kate Maclean CDO NHS Highland here - remit to develop services for Older People, but widening all the time. Two strands are major - Intergenerational work and Falls prevention. Glad to be here and looking forward to this afternoon's session

[Kate MacLean]

[Kate MacLean]

Hullo Cath - nice to know you are 'here'! Kx

[Kate MacLean]

Hullo Diane, hope things are going well for you!

Kate x

[Kate MacLean]

Hi Lada

Good to see some pals here!

Kate x

On Monday, November 5, 2012 10:34:27 AM UTC, Lada Copic wrote:

Hi Ramone,

 I am working as Training and Development Officer for Aberdeenshire Literacies Partnership at present, and will be going back to Community work at some point. For the moment, I am also honorary Teaching Fellow in the School of Education supporting PG CLD as a practice tutor.

 

Titles aside, in this post main focus was on supporting CLD workers across Aberdeenshire to deliver and assess SQA Core Skills, designing and delivering Training for Trainers for ESOL in CLD Practice, delivering training sessions for ITALL and Special Learning Difficulties /Differences training.

 

I am looking forward to see how this Mini MOOC works, hope it is a success.

[Kate MacLean]

[Kate MacLean]

Kate MacLean glad to be here, testing to see what works...

[Kate MacLean]

Hi Annie, glad to see you here, hope things are going well for you

Kate x

[Karen MacKinnon]

Hi,

 

My name is Karen MacKinnon and I work for the Volunteer Centre Western Isles.

I am based on the island of Barra in south of the Western Isles.

Technology here is limited as I do not have broadband via BT, so I am interrested to see if this works for me.

 

Looking forward to the course but not sure what to expect.

 

[Kate MacLean]

Kate Maclean here, CDO with NHS Highland. Hoping to learn about this new method, and to network with pals old and new on CD subjects!

[Colin Wright]

Hi everyone

I'm Colin. I work in the Communities Team of Aberdeen City Council. 

I'm really interested in empowerment as a means of giving communities genuine control but a little concerned that without adequate resources to support marginalised groups recent developments may simply serve to make those who are already empowered a little bit more empowered.

I'm also really looking forward to participating in a MOOC if a little aprehensive about the technical challenges involved.

look forward to meeting you all online.

Colin

[Lindsay Lumsden]

Hi Everyone - I'm Lindsay Lumsden, Community Learning & Development Worker in Aboyne (West Aberdeenshire) - we're a very rural area with some very active and self-sufficient communities.  I'm excited to be trying something new on the learning front, but missed almost the first 10 mins of the Intro before I managed to get it to work!  So if I can cope with the technology, I'll stay with you over the next few weeks. 

 

Katie - can you tell me more about how to log into Disqus using Facebook? 

 

Cheers
Lindsay

[Christin...@aberdeenshire.gov.uk]

Hi Everyone
I cannot assess Disqus, It is coming up - done, but with errors on page
So just wanted to say it was exciting being live and listening to Phil and
Ramore.
Think it will be a good experience using new technology for me, if I can
get it to work
yours
Christine Robson
Adult Education

Community Learning & Development Worker

Meldrum Academy
Colpy Road
Oldmeldrum
AB51 0NT
Tel: 01651 871323
Mobile: 07810655589


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[Christine Robson]

Hi Ramone

I am great trouble trying to register with most the sites you wish to use.  My computer pages keeps coming up with error on page.

I enjoyed the introduction broadcast. I think that Councils blocking most sites it is difficult.

regards Christine

[Ramone Al Bishawi]

Hi Christine

I will consult our Education Technology Consultant and Tech Stewards about this to see what can be done.

It is difficult when so many sites are blocked. Since this is an action research project we will be making  

recommendation to CLD partners regarding this issue.

I'm sorry you're not getting access to DISQUS it seems from the feedback you give in your previous message

that you were able to access You Tube to see the broadcast, is that right? You're also able to access this forum

so at least you can communicate with us. (I presume your issue is to do when you want to access links to weekly tasks)

I'll see what we can do I'll put this in the Tech Problems thread.

Many thanks

Ramone

[Irene Mackintosh]

Hello right back - my name is Irene Mackintosh, and I'm one of two job-sharin' project co-ordinators with Get IT Together in North West Sutherland - we're a digital inclusion project, teaching folks how to take their first steps online. This is my first MOOC, though. Exciting stuff.

[Ramone Al Bishawi]

Hi Irene

Great to have you here in our MOOC discussion forum, I hope you enjoy participating in the discussions. Also please take a look around the course homepage...you'll find lots of information about the course if you've not already seen it :)

Cheers

[Kate MacLean]

Hi Ramone

I'm not sure that I am doing 'Introduce yourself' correctly : I seem to have incoming email from the others, but not from myself, if you see what I mean!

Glad to recognise several folk I have already met (Annie, Lada, Diane, Cath and yourself) - and am looking forward to finding out how they are getting along, and in meeting others with an interest in this fabulous sector, and this fascinating communication tool that you are developing!

Happy weekend

Kate

[Helen Woodsford-Dean]

Hello
I am Helen and I work for a small charity in Orkney, I am also self-employed.  I am generally interested in community empowerment and would like to move into this area as I was previously a teacher.  I don't know if I will be able to get to all of the sessions but I shall try.
Helen

[Dehra]

Hi Ramone, better late than never? I had the start date of the 19th Nov in my diary so I'm off to a flying start being a week behind!

My name is Dehra Macdonald and I work for the literacies team in Inverclyde CLD. I'm really keen to participate in this course for 3 reasons - 

1. We are looking at ways to introduce more online learning to our service so I'm keen to see how this will work.

2. Community Capacity Building is fairly new to me and as we introduce more partnership working I'm trying to learn as much as I can.

3. Finally, I'm looking forward to meeting new CLD staff and hearing what's going on in the big bad world.

I'm going to try and join the live session on Monday - fingers crossed!

Dehra

[Jackie Thain]

Hi folks, I'm Jackie Thain, I work as a Development Manager for the Communities Team (part time) for Aberdeen City Council, working in adult learning with adults in recovery of mental health . I did manage to watch the intro session last week from home but have been struggling with access, especially through work but also at home. Finally managed to access everything this evening so apologies to all for the late intro.
Looking forward to tomorrows input and to participating in the MOOC as a whole.

[Brian Allan]

Hi Ramone, I replied to you via another route a few days ago and was expecting to find it listed here. I'm chair at a community centre in Aberdeen and this is all new to me. I'm looking forward to joining you tomorrow. Fingers crossed that I have done all that is needed.

Thanks, Brian

[Brian Allan]

Hi, me again. I've just uploaded a picture of me and my grandson to Facebook but I'm not sure about providing a link to this google group, or how to use the tag - #SCEminiMOOC  - but here's the link to see the picture I've uploaded   https://www.facebook.com/brian.allan.524  - thanks, Brian

[Fiona Heesen]

Hi everyone!

My name is Fiona Heesen and I am a PhD student based in Geography at the University of Aberdeen. My PhD focuses on how rural community resilience can be enhanced by the inclusion of next generation broadband and its associated digital services. I am particularly interested in how connectivity may empower communities during times of change (social, economic, political, environmental change). 

In doing this, I am developing a framework of resilience that includes many aspects of empowerment thinking. I have already been engaging with the literature, but believe I will benefit from taking part in this course, learning what you all, as current practitioners, are doing and new methods and approaches to the field.

I look forward to the first session today!

Fiona

[Rob Craig]

Morning Everyone,

I'm Rob Craig, a student at Aberdeen University and one of the contributors to this miniMOOC.  It's really great to have a place like this for learning about others' experiences and putting my own into perspective.  Looking forward to being part of it over the next few weeks.

Best wishes to all.

Rob

[Ramone Al Bishawi]

Hi Brian

have you got a Twitter account? If so I can tell you how to use the hashtag #SCEminiMOOC and add a photo. You can also create an account in Flickr if that's easier...I'll wait to hear form you :) I'll ask our Educational Technologist about linking to Facebook as well

Cheers 

[Kate James]

Hi Christine,  I downloaded Google Chrome and everything works much better using that (including cognisoft lol)...

Kate James (Banff CLD)

On Tuesday, 13 November 2012 11:35:33 UTC, Christine Robson wrote:

[Karen McArdle]

Hello Fiona, I am from UOA too and am interested in resilience in both adults and children.  Am interested particularly in Grotberg's model of I am, I have, I can as it applies to adults - have written a paper about it i if you are interested.

[Pauline Gerrard]

[Pauline Gerrard]

Hi Ramone

Really enjoyed linking in today. Sorry you were unable to read my comment. Hopefully now I am signed up there won't be a problem.

Pauline

[Ramone Al Bishawi]

Hi Pauline

I was just writing you an email saying please introduce yourself here but you've already done it so that's great! We've got two more live events for this MOOC and we're planning a get together for all the participants. I'll let you know about that and the MOOC we're planning to deliver in the New Year which might be on change management.

Cheers :)

[Heather Moncrieff]

[Heather Moncrieff]

Hi Aabody

Heather here,  I am the Community Work Team Leader for Shetland Islands Council. I am interested in the MOOC for several reasons: our obvious geographical disadvantages (possibly advantage sometimes :) My own CPD needs, The Teams CPD Needs and how as a service we can use technology as a learning and participatory tool.

I hope I can manage to even work the technology, fearful I make a absolute fool of myself and expect to learn a great deal along the way

look forward to hooking up with you all

Cheerio

HMM

x

[Ramone Al Bishawi]

Hi Heather

This is great and please don't worry about the technology, you'll see other people in the forum feeling the same. Just do what you can and go easy on yourself because there's a lot to learn, it took me awhile to understand Wiki's, Google Groups etc 

[evely...@aberdeenshire.gov.uk]

On Sunday, 4 November 2012 14:49:29 UTC, Ramone Al Bishawi wrote:

Hi Everyone

Thanks for joining us :D

Please introduce yourself, say a little bit about why you're taking part and some of your hopes, fears and expectations. I'll go first........

I'm Ramone, I'm the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate for the North Alliance and University of Aberdeen, I'm working on an eighteen month action research project exploring the capabilities of online learning for community workers within the seven North Alliance areas. This is our first ever MOOC (Massive Open Online Cousre) in Supporting Community Empowerment and therefore our pilot program into online learning. Over the past eight months I've been exploring different technologies with our KTP team and I've been interviewing CLD workers to find out what they think would be a suitable online environment for their Continuing Professional Development. 

I'm starting a blog about my hopes, fears and expectations for the project and my associate development in the KTP project....I'll provide a link soon.

I hope to meet you all online very soon.

 

My name is Evelyn Hart and I am a CLD worker in Aberdeenshire, was off sick when this originally started, and heard I can still take part, so going to try.  Interested in new ways of accessing quality CPD opportunities.