Why thinking you're ugly is bad for you Meaghan Ramsey - please watch and bring your answers to class for next Monday again

Hello all.

This is the talk I would like you to watch for next Monday's Communication class, thank you.

Meaghan Ramsey TED talk - please click on that link.

All the best,

Mark

TED talk analysis - how do you watch yours?

Hello all, a quick note about how you might approach your listening exercise - both in the practise and actual assessment form. 

This is my strategy. I have to watch and listen to the talks too remember!

When I am putting sample answers together this is my strategy - it might work for you too?

1. Watch the talk in its entirety, take no physical notes, just mental ones.

2. Listen again, but this time taking lots of notes, observing the 5 questions which are the same generic ones that we will have used in class exercises.

3. Think about how helpful the transcript can be for you - I print that out as a reference point. I also use a highlighter pen to assist me, with words, phrases etc. Evidence is key to any analysis. 

4. Take notes, stop the talk often, make comments. Scribbles, whatever.

5. Write out my answers with the questions and PP helpnotes to hand, to ensure all bases are covered. 

We all process things differently, and I always like to reflect on the strategies and  approaches you will adopt / adapt for the two exemplar TED talks we look at in class and then the actual assessment. 

Let me know how you tackle things for this discipline in the comments section below. 

But as Fleetwood Mac might say, go your own way on this one!

Cheers,

Mark

Please watch this video and make notes for the class on Monday 29th January

Hello all,

Further to today's class, here is the link to Jamie Oliver's TED talk.

Please use the question sheet I e mailed you (also on Moodle).

Bring your answers to class next week and we can discuss. I would advise that you consult the PP helpnotes I went over today. It is vital that you have some answers prepared for next week, and I will supply sample answers after the class on Monday 29th January.

All the best,

Mark

Your thoughts on your learning progress

Today’s reflective session to start off 2024 was broken into two parts: your thoughts by way of answering four distinct questions to share on the blog (in this post), and a secondary please let me REintroduce myself task.

I asked you to provide short responses to the four questions which will follow, and your answers are noted below:

1. What were your biggest concerns about coming to college?

Finding the time with being a mum too. Finding a job and managing my time to study.

Losing money. Not getting on with people. Struggling to understand course work.

Passing tests, keeping up with work and time management, writing reports.

I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to juggle all the coursework as well as working and having a personal life. I was also scared of failing.

Re-inserting myself into a learning environment after a big gap in time. Money was also a huge fear.

Finding time to study and childcare.

Money and making time to study and work.

My biggest concerns were not being good enough for this course; it was the unknown as I didn't know what to expect.

Writing reports.

Giving up my career and failing (not being smart enough) - financial worries.

My biggest concern was not being sure if I would juggle home life and college well, regarding having kids and being able to complete my studies.

Leaving the kids to come to college, while trying to fit studying in. I also had concerns about how difficult the course was going to be and if I could pass Maths!

Getting back into learning after being out of education for a long time. Also, giving up my job for this course was a big life change.

Fitting in, adapting to learning again, and my ability to keep up.

Being able to integrate with my classmates for the fact that I am a mature student.

My age and how long it had been since I was last in education. I worried that I wouldn't be able to cope or keep up. I also worried that I would look old and stand out. 

2. What do you feel has been your greatest educational achievement over the last 17 academic weeks?

Going to a Maths class and passing. I never thought I would get that far. Standing up in front of people and talking.

Passing Maths test / actually sticking out the course.

Passing all reports with little to no remediation. Passing Maths first time. Passing Communication assessments with no negative feedback.

Passing my two Comms assessments - I was always bad at English in school and super proud of myself for passing. Not just this class, but passing all my assessments so far.

Passing Maths tests as I have always struggled with it. Writing reports in my own words, as I feel I have contributed part of myself to the process.

Being able to pass assessments at first attempt (except one).

Passing the first couple of assessments (reports), especially being nervous about submitting them.

Passing Values and Principles report, as it was a lot of information that I had to apply. Also, my PowerPoint for my talk in the Communication class.

Standing up and giving a presentation, passing Maths.

Passing my two Maths assessments with 100% mark.

Being able to do well in Numeracy, because I always thought I am not good at it.

Being able to adapt my brain to Mathematics and passing the assessments. Very proud!

Passing both Maths tests the first time sitting them. Also passing my presentation in Communication.

Passing the Communication report - gave me a big confidence boost.

Being able to stay on, because there were times that I felt like quitting.

Passing two Maths assessments. Maths was my biggest worry. I hated Maths at school and managed to make myself extremely anxious, but I have overcome this. 

3. Give me one word which describes how you’re feeling about the prospect of getting through the second semester…

Optimistic.

Positive.

Optimistic.

Hopeful.

Excited.

Prepared (mentally and emotionally).

Excited.

Eager.

Nervous.

Excited.

Stressed.

Nervous.

Curious.

Stressed.

Nervous, but also confident.

Enthusiastic.

Optimistic.

4. In three words, describe your experience so far on the Programme you are on (keep it clean, please!) 

Snakes and ladders.

Unstructured, exciting, clarification.

Informative, stressful, rewarding.

Tough, overwhelming, exciting.

Helped realise potential.

Like the course.

Interesting, hectic, love.

It's been OK.

Informative, stressful, enjoyable.

Unorganised, educational, stressful.

Happy, proud, informative.

Bring it on!

Nervous, confident, stressful.

Reassuring, informative, confidence-busting.

Informative, educational, eye-opening.

Scary, stressful, positive.

Running order for the second semester - please read!

Hello all,

Here is how I plan to run out the remaining sessions for the Communication NC FA1W 12 unit.

There are two more assessments to go, which are Listening and Reading. They both involve similar skills, and are, in my opinion, best done in tandem, starting with Listening.

For the Listening assessment you will watch a couple of TED talks in your own time and we will discuss the possible analyses of those in small groups in class time. This is vital preparatory work and I will guide you through that and provide sample answers to help you.

All of the practise materials, teaching notes, sample answers etc. will be placed on the Moodle and WILL be available to you for the assessment.

The Reading assessment, tests your skills on an unseen text and is very similar to the Listening assessment, but rather than watch and listen, you are reading an article. This is a new assessment and like the Listening, follows a pattern. If you read the helpnotes and do the practise work, success should follow, right?

NB

The Listening assessment is done in your own time, information noted below.

The Reading assessment (although open book), is done in class time. There is no time limit for that assessment, and I have given you all sufficient time to complete.

Here is the proposed running order, including holidays...

22/1 - teaching around Listening, what the assessment entails and distribution of practise TED talk, with questions and transcript. You listen to the talk as many times as you wish and come to class next week to discuss your thoughts. I will provide full sample answers during and at completion of next week's session.

29/1 - discuss the questions and answers to the first practise TED talk - this is longer than the actual assessment, but really works well to prepare you all for the actual assessment. A second TED talk link given out for you to listen to and jot notes down for the actual assessment.

5/2 - discuss the answers to the second practise TED talk. 

12/2 - February holiday

19/2 - Listening assessment e mailed to you and link to talk posted on blog. You do not attend this class, but will work on this at home. No Comm. classes 26/2 or 4/3 - submission date of your answers no later than Monday 4th March. 

11/3 - I will have the Listening marked by this date, and you should have completed the assessment by this date. 

Reading analysis teaching. I will also go over the teaching for the final assessment, which is Reading a text and answering a series of questions. You will be given a practise text to look at and have answers ready for class next week. I will facilitate that session, in small groups, and provide sample answers at the end.

18/3 and 25/3 - second and third practise reading assessments to help you prep for the assessment.

1/4 and 8/4 - Spring break (holidays)

15/4, 22/4 and 29/4 - reading assessment done in class.

6/5 - May Day holiday

13/5 - final date to get the reading assessment completed.

20/5 - final recap class to reflect on your learning since August

27/5 - May long weekend

3/6 - final class - this is ONLY needed if you have not passed all the assessments by this stage. But you will, right?

All the best,

Mark

Have yourself a Merry Little Xmas

Hello everybody.

Just a final wee post of the year to wish you all a peaceful break. You’ve all earned it.

Take care and I’ll see you back in town on Monday 8th January, 2024, eek!

Rest up when the holidays finally arrive, have fun, some you time and look after each other, always. 

Here is a wee festive musical offering for you; don't worry, it isn't long! 

Mark x 

Running order until the end of 2023...

Hello all.

Please note, that I will not be in college on Monday 13th November, as I have a wee surgical procedure on that day, but will be back on the 20th. Thank you for your understanding.

This is how we will close out the rest of the sessions until the end of this year. Getting two assessments in the bag should be achievable for all of you. We will then complete the other two in 2024 - those are Listening and Reading analysis.

20/11 - addressing the success of the oral presentation deliveries, writing, research, referencing, assessment brief, exemplar reports - all of this will be on Moodle around that time for you - you need not do anything at the moment. 

27/11, 4/12, 11/12 - working on your reports in class, and as we did with the presentations, the onus is on clear structuring, and I will work with you one to one again. The more I see in class, the more I can help you with...

11/12 - this is the deadline for the completed draft, sent to me by e mail. My advice would be to get the completed draft in the can before this date though, but it is plenty of time.

18/12 - this is when the completed versions are uploaded to Turnitin. I will send an e mail out with instructions on Turnitin on Thursday 14th December for you to look at. You only should upload if I have checked your writing previously. 

8/1 - some light reflective writing exercises to get you back in the groove.

15/1 - catch-up week - no Communication class - everybody passed the presentation assessment, so this is a free week as far as Communication is concerned. You may have things to do in other classes, but that will be signposted to you individually I would imagine. 

22/1 - second semester starts - Listening analysis teaching and onto the final straight!

You take care now,

Mark