The next phase...

We had meetings last week to put together the final document. Clive went away on Friday saying he would have the document in place for Monday. Nigel also went away with things to do. The units that have to be written have been done and we are now waiting for the validation of the course itself which will take place in May.

We're excited about it. We've put it together using all of the elements we think we need and using expertise that we already have. We're looking at this expertise in a different way for this very different course which I hope will set a new trend. But for all of its newness and sense of innovation we can all see it has firm roots in what we've already done and are currently doing. Perhaps that's what makes it most exciting, that it has grown out of things that we have long held important. We are looking at ways of using the technology in a social context and not just a business or computing one.

I'm writing this blog in an 'exam'. But this is a different exam where the students are word processing their answers and have access to the internet. They are allowed to talk, ask advice, go for a coffee. But they are working to a time limit and to a template. The room is very quiet. The students thought that being able to talk in an exam would be fun but the reality is they just want to get their work done so it's very quiet; like an exam I guess. When they do speak, they speak quietly and there is a sense of industry. There will be two units to use this 'exam' format on the new course. We have avoided formal and tradition exams where we can and we hope to produce something that uses the technology not just to impart the knowledge but to assess it as well. Today is a strange experience for me. I have taught at 'O' level and 'A' and 'S' levels and at GCSE too. I have prepared and seen thousands of teenagers and adults sit traditional exams and to start with I have to admit I had to remind myself that this isn't like that. Now, with half of the exam done I know that this is one of the right ways to assess the new course. It feels right. The students aren't worried. They want to do well but they aren't nervous. They're excited about the conference we'll have when all the papers are written. The new course will take all of this excitement and write it large.

Thanks to everyone so far for all of the work. We've got some great new units and some great established units which will be modified by our tutorial system. It feels like we have a good course. We just need to do the validation and then prepare for the students. perhaps the hardest part is still ahead.