This ePortfolio really is started during the L2L Joint Digital Badge course which started a few weeks ago. We are already in week 3 of the 6 weeks course and I have to say: it’s fantastic!
Ok, some difficulties perhaps with getting all the “homework” done on time, but as you can see from my “about me” page: that’s usually not a problem.
What is the L2L Joint Digital Badge Course?
As explained in the introduction video of the course: a collaboration between the National Forum of Teaching & Learning and the Library Association Ireland.
The overall learning outcomes:
- LO 1: Reflect on what is involved in making a commitment to your own Professional Development (PD) as a teaching librarian
- LO 2: Explore and demonstrate familiarity with the National PD framework
- LO 3: Create an ePortfolio to record and reflect on Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities (yes: this one!)
- LO 4: Be informed by other librarians who have already used the PD Framework and identify key actions from these conversations for your own PD practice
- LO 5: Identify ‘next steps’ – moving from reflecting on PD to undertaking it
So what have we learned so far?
Week 1:
Goal: Reflection on some Professional Development activities earlier done and get an overall familiarity with the National PD Framework.
Quite a bit of reading and getting familiar with what the course will be about. The National Framework is extensive and there is a lot I would love to look at with more time.
Week 2:
Goal: Getting to know my Triad and using ePortfolio’s
For the first time meeting my Triad-buddies. Each Triad has the name of a famous library. We are the Vatican Library.
(wouldn’t you just love to go there? I think it should be a mandatory aspect of this course! ;-))
The members of this Triad are:
- Ben Williamson
- Niamh O’Brien
- Julianne O’Callaghan
- and myself
We have decided that communicating via WhatsApp or email will be the easiest. Time-wise we all seem to struggle with quite a bit on our plate, but it’s fabulous to work finally with some colleague librarians on something so important.
Week 3:
Goal: To explore domains and their elements and reflective practice.
Our Triad had their first official meeting via Zoom. We talked about the ePortfolios and shared our thoughts about the course. We also talked about our places of work and what we hope to achieve these weeks.
Not sure yet where this all will bring me, other than that for the first time I really started to take time to look at my own strengths and weaknesses. I listed (helped by my CV and up-to-date LinkedIn account) what I have done to date, and – not to forget – what I still might want to do in the coming years. I might have been around for a while, but no time yet to sit and fall asleep!
Week 4:
Goal: To focus on the cycle of evidence based reflection and learning types.
During our weekly webinar we looked at the various learning types: new learning; consolidated learning; mentoring and leadership.
Very interesting to see that most of us are focusing really on new and consolidated learning, but not so much on mentoring and leadership. Note to self: put that into practice!
Week 5:
Goal: To explore domains and their elements and reflective practice.
After having focussed on the National PD Framework from different angles, this week we “focus on our reflection what is involved in making a (serious) commitment to our own Personal Development as teaching librarians”.
Serious indeed, but like this course: so many times there is just too much distraction, not enough time and a lack of keeping my eyes on that (PD) ball. The intention is there, but time will tell if I will be able to keep up to speed with this amazing initiative. The importance is clear, without a shadow of a doubt. But so is the need to get a lot of work done in not always sufficient time. I will need to start to make choices, and deep inside I do know which one are the most important for my own professional development.
Week 6:
Goal: To present our poster.
The last week of this course has already arrived. Time goes too fast, especially when you are really keen to get as much as possible out of this course. We have loads of Forum input and the one is even better than the other. What a great bunch of “colleagues” and what do I actually miss to be the only librarian in my college.
We present our posters and although all very different, there is quite a lot of the same message: the course is fabulous, but how we would have liked to have more time. Especially when you try to read, interact and put into practice (or better said: decide that in the near future you will put it into practice) everything from the course but you have your professional tasks in asking 100% of your attention and time.
Week 7: Facilitator Webinar
Goal: “The facilitator course is for those who would like to roll out the national professional development framework in their own institution or Library network and who would like to be able to issue the PACT short course digital badges.”
For the facilitator badge we were put together in different groups. With Niamh O’Brien and Saoirse DePaor I am the new Dewey Triad. Saoirse I know from my MLIS studies, and Niamh from the 6 week Vatican Triad.
A number of outstanding activities for this week we actually do online with the entire group. The Dewey Triad meets up twice: once to work on the new contract and to get to know each other a bit better, and the second time we focus on how we think we will be able to put this PACT course out there. Our situations are quite different: Niamh not working in a library environment at the moment, Saoirse being part of a team of librarians and myself working in a college, but really doing any library related work on my own.
The aspects you can learn from others is simply fantastic. It really lets you think about your own situation and what others have thought of might be very valid in your own work situation as well.
The weeks of this PACT/L2L course are finished, but that’s definitely not to say about CPD and professional growth. A new adventure is about to start!
Activity Footprints - Why this course is important - by Manon van Alphen, November 2021