Digital Learning Network

I’m about to start working on an online learning project in Northern Ireland. The resource for year 10 students(yr 9UK) will be based around the subject on the Home Rule crisis 1911 – 1914. The project will be drawing extensively on a UVF archive held by Mid Antrim project. We’re working closely with a consortium of schools in a Learning Partnership and I think it is going to be a fascinating experience.  I’d be really interested to hear from others you have worked on projects using sensitive material. I’m particularly interested to hear how to encourage or ensure students to get a balanced view of material which tells one side of the story. If anyone knows of examples of good online resources please pass them on.

What an interesting day we had at the LMA yesterday; a real diversity of people attending and I thought an excellent lunch! There were elements of all the talks I found useful especially as they focussed on really practical tips and lessons learnt. Rhiannon Looseley from the Museum of London gave me food for thought describing her “consensus” led approach to project management, with clear working group rules established from the outset. Clare Horrie from the TNA and Martin Bazley I thought presented really well emphasing the iterative process and also giving key tips on incentives for teachers to take part in classroom testing – money works quite well apparently!!! All in all a worthwhile day.

In 2007 I found myself so far out of my comfort zone, in Cornwall, by myself, in a tin mine museum, with a lap top and wonky internet connection and a project plan entitled ‘e-learning’. I didn’t know where to start, and I didn’t know who to talk to, and at times I felt very isolated and out of my depth. I had no option other then to jump in head first, and it was brilliant, it was hard work, and very difficult at times, but some wonderful people helped me along the way, and I am very grateful for that. I had a head full of ideas, and I was very excited about the task and it was fantastic to talk to people who had been in the same situation as me, had similar ideas, and most importantly loved everything about museums and digital learning.

Fast forward a couple of years, I have a successful digital learning project under my belt, I’m now a researcher in Digital humanities, and loving every minute of it. I am also on the committee for the Digital Learning Network. And its fantastic. I really appreciated talking to people who know what I was going through and we want DLNet to be able to help with that, by helping you to find similar people, similar situations to what I was in to find and meet up with others to share experiences and ideas with other people working in digital learning.

A couple of months ago I wrote a post about reigniting my passion for digital learning! This was mostly down to an DLNet committee meeting .What made it brilliant? Being able to bounce ideas around and talking to other people who just get it. Who are just as passionate about digital learning and what it has to offer. Talking to people matters.

Ive been looking around the DLNet site and its brilliant to see that there’s a Cornwall DLNet group! especially as Rebecca my old manager at Geevor Tine Mine Museum is on there too! its great to see new groups forming, and people starting to talk to each other. Thats what this is all about, getting people together to discuss all things digital learning!  I really hope everyone finds it useful.