professionalMATTERS CASE STUDY DUNCAN CROSS & GILL WAUGH
Dr Duncan Cross, associate teaching professor, and Dr Gill Waugh, dean of the Faculty of Professional Studies, both at the University of Bolton, are leaders of
the Bolton Local Network Group. Gill has been a Fellow of SET (previously IfL) since 2007 and Duncan has been a Fellow for five years. The aim is to support colleagues’ professional development and to create a local community of practitioners. Together we co-ordinate and organise meetings. We also facilitate discussions and help to identify future themes for meetings. The LNG also helps us to ensure that trainee teachers on courses at the University of Bolton are closely connected with the sector. People who attend get the opportunity to discuss wider practice and network with colleagues that they might not usually encounter. For us it’s very rewarding to work with people across the
sector and hear about the issues that are arising and to develop professional networks for collaboration. We have themes for meetings. Previously we’ve discussed
promoting positive behaviours, gaining QTLS, educational leadership, and promoting the Professional Standards for Teachers and Trainers. Every year we have a session dedicated to what members want
Network groups keep you well supported
There are now a dozen Local Network Groups (LNGs) up and running across England, giving SET members the chance to connect to a community of further education practitioners, exchange ideas and support each other in their professional development. Each LNG is supported by SET, but each
also relies on volunteer SET Members or Fellows acting as local leaders of these practitioner-led communities of professional practice. inTuition spoke with some of the local LNG leaders to find out how they do things and how their activities benefit members and themselves in the role of local leaders. If you are interested in setting up a Local Network Group, or just want to find out a bit more about what’s involved, then contact Naomi Dixon at SET:
naomi.dixon@etfoundation.co.uk
26 ISSUE 36 • SUMMER 2019 inTUITION
from their LNG. These points are then collated and meetings organised around those points, as well as things that might be coming up in the sector. This year we hosted the largest ever LNG event, with 60 attendees. Meetings have been held at the University of Bolton and Bolton College – each provides its venue free of charge.
CASE STUDY JULIE WARDEN
Julie Warden is learner progress and cross college tutorial manager at Bradford College. She leads the Bradford Local Network Group. Julie is a Fellow of SET and a member of the SET Practitioner
Advisory Group.
I thought a Local Network Group would provide a great opportunity to get local SET members who teach/train across the breadth of the sector together to share practice. Attendees enjoy meeting other members from other parts of the
sector, often working in different types of organisations to theirs. They can network, and gain peer support and different insights. It is wonderful for me to be able to provide space and time for practitioners to meet and I benefit from mixing with a broad set of education practitioners. We generally have a table discussion to start and then we share updates. Two members will then facilitate a slot on a chosen topic and that will be followed by a discussion. We will round things off with a section on sharing practice/gaining support. In the past 12 months topics covered include well-being,
behaviour, learner characteristics, research, planning, digital learning and expectations for the sector. We have up to 35 attendees and Bradford College kindly allows us to use the venue for free.
Essential Teaching UK
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