Tuesday 25th June by Grace Clark⤴

from @ Glowing Posts

This is just one post from St Benedict’s High School Malawi Visit June 2024. The posts are written by the pupils and give a great view of what is going on. The blog seems to be text only which doesn’t detract from it al all.

Not long afterward we all went to our first class, mine’s was maths. This class filled me with joy as we were learning about stuff that we learn back at home which for a short moment brought us all together and made me forget about the drastic differnce of our lifestyles. My second class was computing science where they where learning about all the keys on the keyboard which initially confused me as I thought it was common sense but then after deeper thought I felt a wave of sadness when I realised that the things that seem so normal to us are like aliens to some people since they aren’t as privileged as us and get access to all types of technology. 

from: Tuesday 25th June by Grace Clark | St Benedict’s High School Malawi Visit June 2024

After the mass we went on a 1 hour minivan ride on the bumpiest; rockiest; most unstable road I have ever been driven through which had mine and Aidans head hitting the roof every 3 minutes, but it’s probably fine and won’t have any noticeable side effects later in life. This road led to a lake which had many animal inhabitants such as monkeys, hippos and gazelle. I found the monkeys to be the best to see as they were the most active and were in larger numbers in comparison to the other animals. 

SUNDAY 23RD JUNE BY AARON RAI

#ALT-C24: presenting, and (re)connecting⤴

from

Last week I was lucky enough to attend and present at the annual ALT-C conference. I was only there for a day but, as always, it was such a tonic to catch up with lots of colleagues from across the sector. Thanks to everyone who came to our session on the Jisc Beyond Blended Resources.

The ALT-C conferences always do seem like the start of a new term (that’ll be the timing I hear you say), and have always provided that, imho, really important opportunity to catch up with people.

As ever, ALT did an amazing job of streaming sessions for those who couldn’t make it in person. Sadly, due to the current financial situation most universities are in just now, there seems to be more of those. Cutting staff and staff development are always the easy targets for cut backs . . .

However, one positive that I did take away was another re-connection. This time with social media. Like so many others, I left Twitter as it transitioned into X. There was a void for sure, sort of filled by Mastadon, not so much Threads (still can’t figure out the why of it!), and a lot more LinkedIn. The latter more for its focus and improved app experience – tho finding anything again is still a bit of “a mare”.

I have adjusted to less instant social media contact, but had joined Bluesky, oh quite a while ago. TBH I had kind of forgotten about it. But the week before ALT-C I did get a raft of new (legit and interesting) followers. Turns out I was part of a list circulating of people to follow. At the conference it really did seem to fill that Twitter void.

It kind of reminded me of when Twitter started. I couldn’t really see the point of it. I mean why would you want to tell everyone what you were doing? Why would anyone be interested? Wasn’t that a bit creepy ? But then I went to a conference and experienced a (small)conference back channel for the the fist time and realised how useful it could be. I saw the conversational aspect to it all, and was hooked. Lucky me to have been there when at the start – before all the adverts, influencers, haters . . . And being able to share my work on Twitter really did help with my professional development and expansion of my PLN.

It feels a bit more like those early days in Bluesky just now. A place for connecting and sharing without adverts, or (at this point) too much hate speak. So I will be there a bit more often now, you can find me there @sheilmcn.bsky.social.

This image was created with the Word press AI generator

Beware⤴

from @ lenabellina

I am a great advocate of being honest with children in an age-appropriate way. But my experience and position as an “elder” in this world tells me that many children now are exposed to way more information than their little minds and souls can cope with.

If you have a child, it is part of your job to manage what and how much information they receive. Choose carefully the news that they hear. Think hard about whether the adults with whom they spend time with know what you expect. Don’t sugar coat but also remember that there’s only so much that they need to know about.

A poem

Beware

If you care

For that fragile young mind

Of what it absorbs

And the stories it finds. 

Beware of the wireless

There in your car

Beware of the news

From close by

And afar.

Beware of the things  

That young children may say

When you aren’t around

To check they’re ok.

For that mind you have grown

And that heart deep inside

Need gentle exposure 

With you there beside

To things that can scare 

And deflate 

And upset

When childhood 

Should bring all

The joy they can get. 

So that when, later on

The monsters appear

They can face them with 

Courage 

And manage the fear. 

So beware

If you care

For that fragile young mind

Of what it absorbs

And the stories it finds. 

Listened to WordPress in Education⤴

from @ wwwd – John's World Wide Wall Display

Listened to Episode 85: WordPress in Education – WordPress News on the WordPress Briefing.

This episode covers some suggested uses of WordPress in Education. I was please to hear it was not concentrating on tertiary education. The host Josepha Haden Chomphosy (Executive Director of the WordPress project!) gave some good reasons for using WordPress in schools. She also talked about the learning resources in WordPress. I am certainly starting to link to and embed these more in the help for Glow Blogs.

The show notes point to the Uganda Website Projects Competition 2024 – Problem Solving with WordPress. I feel a little bit jealous. I wonder if something of the sort could be done in Scotland?

I, obviously, believe the blogs & WordPress have a lot of offer education. There are three main components of Glow, Google Workspaces, MS 365 & Glow Blogs. Google & MS have a lot of onboarding and help aimed at schools. I wonder if a project of this sort could exemplify the use of WordPress.

Health check⤴

from @ lenabellina

I have been struggling recently. Luckily I have a diagnosis of ADHD and lots of supports in place and people who know what that means to help me get through.

All this helps me when I feel desperate and as if there’s no hope.

I worry for all those who don’t have what I have.

A poem.

If you know me

And you love me

(Or you hate me)

Check yourself

For if it’s left 

Unchecked

AD

HD

Could harm your health.

We check our boobs 

We check our balls

We check our poo

And wee

But check your thoughts and feelings

If you have a bond with me.

They say it takes one 

To know one

And one and one makes two

But if we have a special thing 

I owe it now to you

To say that diagnosis 

Might help you to survive 

Cos living without knowing 

Won’t help you stay alive.