ALDinHE conference

WOW... the ALDinHE conference was a tremendous experience. I got to meet some really inspiring learning developers/educators from around the country and hear about all of the exciting ways they are working to engage with students in higher education. It was great to meet some people that are like me, with a foot in both camps and to hear that they have the same uphill battles to fight in terms of getting academics to see that learning development isn't something hokey and irrelevant to teaching core subject material.

There was an awful lot of creativity going on during the sessions. It was so nice to see people unafraid of embracing creativity and truly thinking outside of the box. I really, really, really want to bring that into our marine bio classes. It could really make them that much more dynamic and engaging. I know that there will be tremendous resistance, but I am ready to take on the the unbelievers.

One of the last sessions was led by PALS leaders at Plymouth. Carolyn had asked me to email all of the 1st year students and invite any of them who still might be in town to come along to the session so that they may get a first hand taste of what it's like to be a PALS leader. Two of my students came along, which was FANTASTIC! One had already applied and the other was on the fence about applying. I have since found out she has now applied. :-) It was good to be able to get the students engaged, to see how PALS sessions can be run, and to be able to talk to other student leaders. It was great and I am so happy to have been given that opportunity for our marine students.