Personal Blogs

The courses I've done with FutureLearn over the last 18 months.

1. World War 1: A history in 100 Stories: Monash University
2. Medicine and the Arts: The University of Cape Town 
3. The Mind is Flat: University of Warwick 
4. Understanding Drugs and Addiction. King’s College, London 
5. World War 1: Changing Faces of Heroism. University of Leeds 
6. Explore Filmmaking: National Film and Television School 
7. How to Read a Mind: The University of Nottingham
8. Start Writing Fiction: Fall 2014. The Open University
9. Word War 1: Trauma and Memory: The Open University 
10. World War 1: Aviation Comes of Age: University of Birmingham 
11. World War 1: Paris 1919 - A New World: University of Glasgow 
12. How to Succeed at: Writing Applications: The University of Sheffield 
13. Introduction to Forensic Science: University of Strathclyde, Glasgow 
14. Shakespeare’s Hamlet: University of Birmingham 
15. Climate Change: Challenges and Solution. University of Exeter
16. Managing my Money: The Open University
17. Community Journalism: Cardiff University
18. Developing Your Research Project: University of Southampton 

Those I'm on or have pending

1. World War 1: A 100 Stories: Monash University
2. Start Writing Fiction: Spring 2015: The Open University
3. Monitoring Climate From Space: European Space Agency
4. Behind the Scenes at the 21st Century Museum: University of Leicester
5. Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales:  The Hans Christian Andersen Centre

• Stuff found behind the sofa
• Mindstorms - Seymor Papert
• Seven Years in Tibet - Heinrich Harra
• The Future of Pharma - Brian Smith
• H809 EMA
• EPHMRA Conference 2013
• P.hD Research

The stuff that came out of the sofa means nothing to me. These got shoved down the back and sides of the thing nearly a decade ago and whilst I can relate these bits to a child and our dog I cannot see the moment where the stuffing took place ... or even how it could have occurred. Lego bits got constructed on the floor. The dog should have been on the floor. We never used 'soothers' with our children so I guess a parent visited, removed one from a baby and it was lost. In learning terms I liken these artifacts to the niche ideas of an author whose context I don't comprehend - given my recent multiple visits to various museums it is also like going to a museum and walking past exhibits for which you have no context.

Mindstorms is often quoted and I can see why. It draws a lot from Piaget and even mentions Claude Levi-Strauss. I need to investigate both further. It ties into the work of Montessori too and the lessons we gain from understanding how children, or infants in particular, learn.

Seven Years in Tibet and other books by Heinrich Harrer might be better books that a film. I enjoyed the film with Brad Pitt as a lesson, not just as entertainment. My wife couldn't handle his Austrian accent. I was intrigued by the Dalai Llama and the breaking of rules which allowed his tutor to get closer than court etiquette would have permitted. It says a lot about formal vs. informal learning. As well as the drive of the pupil to comprehend.

The pharmaceutical industry inevitably touches on any research into use of prescription drugs. This academic, business school authored book, without becoming popularist, provides a serious of invaluable insights that put adherence to drugs in the wider context of funding, government, longer life and big business.

I am pulling together the EMA for H809. This segues into first interviews with potential supervisors for P.hD research in e-learning in healthcare.

My wife baulked at the £2000 fee to attend a Pharma Conference - EPHMRA. She isn't attending and will skip these things unless she joins Big Pharma or agency. Her contacts on the phone will provide some insights. Already though I squirm at 'papers' presented for an by corporate players as I cannot help but find holes - critiques being the modus operandi of H809.