Carolyn, 66, is a facilitator of educational programs from Australia. Here she shares her thanks to the British Library for introducing her to FutureLearn, her love for online, social learning and how FutureLearn improved her knowledge of UK Parliament.
“I was pleased to find out about the FutureLearn learning environment from the well- respected staff at the British Library. Their endorsement gave me the confidence to begin learning.
The University of Nottingham staff and British Library presenters did not disappoint. Their explanations and descriptions were clear. The discussion about the Bauhaus’s influence on middle-class interior design objects between the two world wars was of interest. Modern-day environmentalism as an ideology allowed me to discuss a leading-edge technology, the electric car. I am grateful for that opportunity on the social learning platform. I believe that the electric car as a modern-day object reflects the need for zero emissions technology. I have since found out that technology has been developed where the electric car's lithium-ion batteries can eventually be part of a super grid, as described in Al Gore’s book ’Our Choice’ 2009. This super grid will be connected to smart computers that can analyse the grid’s supply and demand peaks and troughs, making supply issues a thing of the past.
I have worked as a facilitator of environmental programs at a Recycling Education Centre since the nineties. Primary and Secondary students plus their teachers came as visitors from all over the State of Victoria. I was able to take my life-long interest in teaching and learning to the tertiary level with UNSW Sydney’s, Introduction to Learning and Teaching in Higher Education and was pleased to discover the awesome new software available to assess student achievement and gather student feedback. The design and enhancing teaching and learning UNSW course segments have combined known theory with new online technologies to suggest that higher-order thinking is possible with the redefining capabilities of the apps that are available. I am a primary teacher and find the development of education fascinating. I am also pleased that I can continue to get access to these free courses.
While I had enrolled in the UNSW learning and teaching segments another FutureLearn course was offered. My interest in the processes involved with passing Bills in the House of Commons and Lords became obvious once I started the UK Parliament course. I had managed to travel to the UK in May 2017. I booked a tour of parliament two days before departing Australia. The course included discussion about the different chambers and the grand committee room. There was plenty of advice on how to find out what was happening either by viewing parliament TV or visiting the website and navigating the toolbar. Getting involved by knowing when to write to an MP was also helpful.
As a dual-citizen (British/ Australian) I find the breadth of the learning experience on FutureLearn reflects the global reach of the online platform. I am not keen to see any discrimination towards dual citizens. We are broad-minded. The flexible learning mode is essential for me because I am a member of the sandwich generation. This means my time can be prone to disruption due to my dedication to family responsibilities. FutureLearn allows me the chance to find a way to follow an area of interest that I can research and then share my findings with other life-long learners and for Professional Development.
The sense of purpose while engaging in this online experience promotes a sense of self-worth and confidence through the feedback of other learners and staff and the increase in knowledge.”