On line and virtual learning for science and engineering careers
One of my roles is as a course moderator on an online, ten-week Open University course for people wanting to return to careers in science, engineering and technology. It’s a real pleasure to be moderating this course! I get to hear so many interesting life stories, and it’s lovely to see people’s confidence blossom.
The UKRC funded the original development of the course - T161: Return to Science, Engineering and Technology. Now, the UKRC offers bursaries for women who have taken career breaks from SET so the course is free for most of the women students.
For many, it’s their first experience of online learning. The students are helped in lots of practical ways to prepare for work. They reflect on their skills and experience, identify what they really want, research the job market and create an action plan. There’s support from moderators (like me) and from visiting experts, who answer questions about their own careers. Some recent students were so reluctant to let go of their new support network that I started a Facebook group with them. Hopefully that will grow each time the course runs. (The next course starts in October, with a deadline for bursary applications of 25 September.)
My own career started when I graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering. I had my son and chose to stay at home with him and then his brother for the first few years, but I wanted to exercise my brain too so I started correspondence teaching for the Engineering Council exams and got some very part-time teaching with my old university. The combined experience got me my first associate lecturer role with the Open University.
These days I run a successful business providing learning solutions to a variety of academic and commercial clients. About three years ago I got involved with Second Life, and much of the work I do now revolves around that. I developed the Open University presence there, and I’m working with them on their strategy for going forward in virtual worlds. I still have connections with engineering. I do some training for BAe Systems that I couldn’t do without the background that I have, and I am hoping to start developing some teaching resources in Second Life for the science team at the OU.
I could never have predicted where my path would lead, but I feel very lucky to work from my home in Devon on so many interesting projects. Long may it continue!
Anna Peachey is Director of Innovations at Eygus Ltd. She is an editorial board member of the International Journal for Advanced Corporate Learning, the International Journal of Virtual and Personal Learning Environments, and Impact, the Journal of Applied Research in Workplace E-Learning. Anna is currently researching identity and community in virtual worlds as a Teaching Fellow with the Centre for Open Learning in Maths, Science, Computing and Technology at the Open University. You are welcome to find her in Second Life as Elsa Dickins.
Comments
Ruth Wilson (UKRC moderator):
Hi Anna, Its great to have you join us. The T161 course for people wanting to return to careers in science, engineering and technology is a real asset - and through the UKRC bursaries it is free for most women. Its fascinating to hear of your unusual combination of skills, which make you an ideal course moderator for T161. I\'d love to hear your advice to people who have never entered Second Life. Why is it worth giving a go?
Anna:
Hi Ruth, There are lots of reasons for getting into Second Life, and different aspects of it appeal to different people. You can play games, learn, shop, build or dance the night away, depending on your inclination! My personal experience was to expect that it had nothing to offer me, and I continued to dismiss it as a game, and I don't play computer games until a good friend persuaded me to just give it a go. I logged in and saw an enormous potential for learning, especially learning by doing and learning by being, and was immediately hooked. I think it can be an intimidating experience if you try it the first time and don't know where to go or what to do - I was lucky as my friend was an experienced user and showed me the ropes - so would recommend having a purpose to your visit. There's a wiki of educational sites in SL at http://sleducation.wikispaces.com/educationaluses, and that has a bunch of SLURLs (Second Life URLs, which teleport you to a direct location once you are already 'inworld') to interesting places. For anyone who doesn't have an account and wants to get started, you could use the 'sign up' link from this page - http://slurl.com/secondlife/Open%20Life/97/48/25 - and then you'll arrive inworld directly on to one of the Open University islands, where you are more likely than not to find a friendly virtual face. At ths risk of sounding like this is a totally staged conversation (which it isn't, honest!), I know that the UKRC sometimes supports events in SL, and I think there is one coming up? That would be another good opportunity for being inworld with a mission :o)
Kaye Heyes:
Hi Anna. It\'s always really difficult returning to work after any career break - I found it very hard going back after only 10 months\' maternity leave - although ultimately it was the right thing for me. It\'s great that the T161 course can support people through that process. What do people go on to do when they have completed the course? Do they manage to get straight back to work or do they go on to further training?
Ruth Wilson (UKRC moderator):
Hi Anna Yes! We are going to run something in second life. This is the ideal opportunity for people who are new to give it a go. We are also beginners at UKRC, but there are always helpful people around. I recommend this as a great starting place: http://www.nature.com/secondnature/index.html The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is holding a discussion on role models in science and engineering, in Second Life on 7 September in the evening. We will be there - all welcome to join us. Booking and info here: http://bissecondlife.eventbrite.com We're going to do a photo exhibition in Second Life this autumn. More news to follow on that.
Anna:
Hi Kaye, I don\'t know any official statistics but by the end of the course there are usually quite a few people talking about having interviews, and my sense is that the majority are getting back to work rather than training. Having said that there are definitely a number who find that the course leads them to the realisation that they want to do something a bit different and that they need additional training in order to achieve that, whatever it might be. I find one of the most appealing things about this course is that people start it with quite different goals - some are very targeted towards getting back to a job/industry that they know they belong to and want practical help to do so, whereas others have taken some time out from a SET career and really aren\'t sure which path they want to pick up next - and the tools that the course offers seem to support everyone as individuals to get what they need out of it.
Clem Herman:
Hi Anna I agree it\'s wonderful seeing the changes that some of the students go through during the T161 Return to SET course and hear about their successes. We recently had an ex student come back as a virtual visiting expert to give advice to those currently on the course - she\'s now working as Production Control Manager. I wondered whether you had any thoughts about other technologies that could be of benefit for women returners? I\'m thinking of social networking tools for example.
Samantha Alsbury:
Hi Anna, Your blog is really inspirational. I think the open university is an amazing learning experience, I haven\'t actually taken a course myself but know quite a few people who have and have seen the terrific material they produce. I\'m a post-doc at the moment and so am only just beginning to gain some teaching experience, but have always thought it would be wonderful to be a lecturer at the OU. Between my PhD and starting my first post-doc I worked for a charity that offers an online learning environment for 11-16 year olds who have been excluded from school and that\'s when I realized just how much the virtual world can offer as an educational tool. I haven\'t tried out second life yet but have been tempted a couple of times - I\'ve just been looking for a reason to take the plunge so now maybe I will.
Anna:
@Clem Hi Clem, yes I think tools like Facebook are great for keeping in touch and developing a network once it is established, eg for T161 students to stay connected after the course has finished. Facebook is a bit of a one size fits all network, for fri
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