Out from the shadows - My first year in HE

I remember the moment as if it was yesterday. Sitting in a makeshift boardroom, the bombshell was dropped. Due to continuing and growing financial challenges to the FE sector there would be another batch of redundancies but on an unprecedented scale. Millions needed to be saved if the newly formed group of colleges were to have a sustainable future. Fortunately, I had avoided previous cutbacks having established myself as an essential employer. Leading on institution-wide projects, strategy design and staff CPD, I’d worked through the ranks from a Library-based Information Advisor, Learning Technologist and for a considerable time, acting Learning Centre Manager, to become a Quality Lead and seconded Computing lecturer.

There was a positive start for me in the immediate aftermath of the first merge, leading on the implementation of a Blended Learning strategy and transition to an aligned VLE. I proposed the development of a digital induction and investigated how the student journey from touch point to enrolment could be enriched. All were multi-site projects that had the potential to make a huge contribution in establishing a culture of high quality, modern teaching and learning, whilst enhancing the student experience. I had many key attributes to assist the new organisation find its feet, working with colleagues across all sites, supporting users, influencing decisions, managing projects and driving change. There were numerous challenges as you might expect, from differences in organisation culture, identifying instrumental colleagues and building new relationships, having to prove your worth continuously to new audiences. Some of these challenges were to prove fatal.

In truth I knew that my time at the college had run its cause and I had been looking for that next opportunity for some time, but you want it to arrive on your own terms. Late in 2014 I'd come within a fraction of being appointed as Digital Learning Manager at RCAT, a role I know I would have thrived in at the time and sadly one that was removed from the organisation a few months later post merge, reducing opportunities for me to progress. I knew change was imminent, in one form or another. I was delivered the news just a few days after the governors meeting. My post was at risk and I was the only one in the role. There was to be no consultation. I was devastated. 10 years of effort, passion, development, support and commitment dismissed.

I interviewed at BGU on a Friday morning in May 2017, before heading back to the college for a meeting to continue discussions about my future. BGU was the plan B on the day as I was to present a business case in support of my position, highlighting all I had achieved and the impact I could make if I was able in the hope that I could showcase my value and change mindsets. However, despite having a firm grasp as to how learning technologies were redefining the sector, I'd struggled for years to make the required inroads with SLT to prompt them to act. Even before I had returned from the interview, BGU had become plan A. I was delighted to receive the call later that evening and it was positive news.

I felt it was something of a leap of faith moving up into HE, but one I was confident that I could succeed. I'd had the desire to make the step up for a number of years, since first stepping foot onto the University of Leeds campus for the 2011 Blackboard TLC. My HE qualifications were gained as a distance learner and via FE institutions. I was ambitious and eager to progress and sought suitable opportunities, achieving a selection of interviews and call backs before landing my reward on a hot bank holiday weekend. BGU would be my next destination.

I started my new chapter on the 1st August 2017 and haven't looked back since (perhaps until now). I promptly established myself within the new team, forged early relationships with key influences and began to use my experiences to grasp the lead on a number of significant projects, such as the evaluating of and transitioning to a new VLE that had commenced before my tenure. I was surprised just how quickly I settled and how valued my input was. A month in post and I'd streamlined a number of the workflows inherited in the management of key systems whilst by Christmas I'd supported in the development of a new Digital Strategy we were set to introduce across the University.

Most recently I've been almost entirely focussed on the rollout of the new Blackboard Ultra system, leading on the training and development of academic colleagues, implementing a range of new features, facilitating collaborative activities which have led to the development of a new course template and aspiration-evoking VLE strategy. This combined is aimed at establishing a new culture of active blended learning across the institution and the signs thus far have been encouraging.

In the past 12 months I’ve received great encouragement to engage with key sector networks, from ALT, JISC and Blackboard; refreshing as opportunities to do same at the college became restricted. Furthermore, we were able to utilise these communities to present on the work we are doing. In March we launched our Digital Framework at JISC’s Digifest event in Birmingham together with some new concepts in the field of VLE design. The latter was then presented at the Blackboard conference in Manchester in April, which have since been followed up with further events online to a community of interested followers that has derived.

When my time at BGU commenced I had a significant dent in my confidence, understandable following 2 extremely difficult years, and so I was keen to ensure the move was positive for both me and the University. I threw myself into the role, seeking every opportunity to understand the new world I had entered into, and any ways to further enhance my skill set. Not only through the various external events but in between finding my feet at the University and balancing a hectic home life, I managed to squeeze in a vast range of additional CPD, as below: ​

• Blended Learning Essentials: Developing Digital Skills MOOC
• BGU Level 3 Specialist Industry Educator Award
• Associate Fellowship of the HEA
• ETF Applying your digital skills online course
• Achieved CMALT accreditation
• Creating Effective Blended & Online Learning, Stanford University
• Flipped Learning Certification Level 1 online course

All of these awards have combined to significantly boost my own confidence and ability to support and inspire colleagues. I’m excited for my future at BGU and encouraged by the progress made so far. The relationships formed with academic and support staff is pleasing and it feels the support I offer is valued once more. There are phenomenal opportunities ahead for me to make the difference I am passionate about. I’m involved in the first pilot of developing distance learning provision at the institution, I can look forward to presenting on our recent work relating to the VLE transition at the ALT conference in September – work that has already been extremely well praised by colleagues at other providers including internationally. Witnessing the many excellent practices across the University has been a great adventure so far; redefining future best practices promises to be an even greater one.