Before you feel pressure, watch this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S9E0MVteEc




This is a very interesting presentation which I feel may resonate.


I decided not to go to study Music at the Royal Academy when I was 17. I was very competent at music, I was accepted onto the course after many auditions, interviews, theory testing etc., but I didn't love the subject enough to do it for the rest of my life. I needed a plan B. That was working in a bank. Can you imagine? That lasted less than 2 years so I went to Australia for a couple of years.


At that point I applied to University and graduated with a First Class Degree when I was 26.


I had no idea that I would become the youngest lecturer at Napier University and thereafter the youngest Programme Leader because the 'timeline' as it were hadn't been mapped out. I'm glad it wasn't.


The person who handed me a no pressure lectureship contract in 1995 had a lot of faith in me, to pursue a career I had given NO thought to at any point in my life.


Time? It is right when it is right. I hope you enjoy the video, I know I did. Seize the moment when it is right for you. That is the essence of Further Education after all.


Mark

Why thinking you're ugly is bad for you by Meaghan Ramsey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXlIAS-rI4E

Here is the link should you wish to view the talk again and this will be helpful for those students not in today.


All the best,


Mark

Welcome to the Dove Self-Esteem Project

https://www.dove.com/uk/dove-self-esteem-project.html


I have located the website (above) and might be worth a wee look sometime.


Thanks for your comments this morning, they were all really insightful.

A recipe for Easter - hot cross buns recipe

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/mar/20/hot-cross-buns-recipe-masterclass-felicity-cloake




Alternatively you could just buy some if you like them and can't be bothered making any!




Have a lovely holiday and I will see you all on Monday 16th April.




I wish you a restful break, you have all deserved it. I shall be indulging in plenty golf wearing some interesting 'fashion slacks' and plan to over indulge in Pinot Grigio and Absolut vodka, the perfect tonic for the holidays I would say!




Cheers, Mark

Food for thought?

One of my Nursing students sent me this.


So what do you think?

Now we're getting blue passports back, what else can Britain restore?

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/dec/22/uk-blue-passports-britain-restore


This is a curious article that I was discussing with a colleague today.


There are some interesting observations, so as always, let me know what you think in the comments section below.


Mark

It's International Happiness Day Today

Public Health England has warned that obesity is becoming "the norm" because some of our children are eating the equivalent of an extra meal a day.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05x7zb4


Above is a link to a BBC Radio programme which might be of interest to you given the subject is on the subject of obesity, the topic explored in Jamie Oliver's TED talk.


All the best,


Mark

3 words - oral presentation assessment reflections

At the end of today's reflective feedback session on oral presentation, I asked you to jot down three words to describe the oral presentation experience. The results are noted below.

• quick
• informative
• 'not that bad'
• fun
• educational
• stressful
• nerves
• grounded
• achievement
• glad
• knowledge
• happy
• relief
• 'oh dear'
• confident
• fun
• enlightening
• optimistic (about future presentations)
• nerves
• proud
• more knowledgeable now
• enlightening
• challenge
• positive
• informative
• confidence boosting
• learning curve
• buzzing
• relieved
• proud
• fine
• over-thought
• knowledgeable
• good
• confident
• knowledgeable
• breeze
• easy going
• fun
• surprising
• diverse
• interesting
• 70s
• PMA!
• pets
• food

Thank you to all the contributors.


Mark

Jamie Oliver TED Talk

Hi all,


This is the Jamie Oliver TED talk that we looked at in class today.


I think this provides lots of talking points in terms of content, visuals, delivery, vocabulary and much more.


https://www.ted.com/talks/jamie_oliver

I enjoyed listening to everybody's opinion in the class, all valid, but don't forget to detach from the person, the presenter, as it is the info that is being presented and how which is the trick for the Listening assessment.

For what it's worth, although not a particular fan of Oliver personally, or his restaurants, I think this is a truly powerful delivery with tons of merit. He is passionate, articulate, humorous, integrates a wheen of effective visual imagery and is heartfelt. He impressed me with this delivery, and the amount of hits on TED, You Tube and other platforms is astonishing.

But what say you? Pop your valued thoughts in the comments box below please.

Next Monday we will have a look at the questions, possible solutions to the questions and I will hand out the transcript of the talk and the Listening assessment helpnotes too.

Always remember, like the reading texts, detach from any pre-conceived ideas you have, and evaluate as you see (and hear in this case). This is especially sage advice for the assessment with a political slant. You may be a fan of the presenter's politics, or you may not. But the evaluation and analysis should always be objective!

You all have the summary and evaluation skills in your lockers, so these two assessments I see no problems ahead for you.

I look forward to reading some observations.

Mark

Apostrophe catastrophe

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/emma-watson-addresses-the-huge-error-on-the-times-up-tattoo-she-showed-off-at-vanity-fair-oscars-party/ar-BBJUVJH?li=AAmiR2Z&ocid=ientp


This is a curious wee article that has been in the media for the last couple of days. One side of me thinks it could have been an error on purpose to highlight the issue of and raise awareness of Time's Up (which it has), but if not, the mistake is still there!


Whatever the reason, Emma Watson has dealt with it well with her Tweet to be fair where she wrote "Fake tattoo proofreading position available. Experience with apostrophes a must!"


Here are some more tattoo errors...

Schedule of work for next few weeks

Hi all,


Here is how the next three weeks will look for us in the Communication class.


12/3 - reflect on the oral presentation assessments, teaching around the Listening assessment (slides for you to keep as we did for the reading tasks), watch a TED presentation if we have time).


19/3 - analyse the TED talk in detail in small groups (with sample answers provided as we did for the reading).


26/3 - another practice talk, as above.


When we come back from the Easter break we will start the assessment for Listening.


There are two Listening assessments: one is an individual presentation and the other is a group discussion. One is political and one is from a Newsnight discussion. The assessments are both new for 2018 and I am sure that you will fare well with both.


Cheers,


Mark

Round 3 presentation success

Hello all,


Another round of successful talks today, where we had 8 presenters in the session.


Again, the topics of the presentations were varied and detailed and I trust all attendees learned something from the session.


Today's presentation subjects were: Psychology of Consumerism, Homelessness in Scotland, Growing up in the 1970s, Child Killers, Eating Disorders, Anthromorphism and Modern Husbandry, Prisoners' Rights in Scotland and Impact of Social Media on Society. Quite a diverse list I think you'll agree.


Please note some comments down in the section below about how you felt you got on, comments on some of your peers, what you learned etc. Your opinion counts, as always.


Well done,


Mark

Shocking moment a cop throws a Good Samaritan out of McDonald's because he bought a homeless man a meal to eat inside the restaurant

Thank you to one of my SWAP Nursing students for sending me this quite astonishing news story for blog discussion. This one is certain to produce a lot of comment, and quite rightly so.


A McDonald's customer posted a video to social media showing him and a homeless man being told to leave a Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, restaurant after he says he bought him food.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5452039/Homeless-man-customer-told-leave-McDonalds.html?ito=email_share_article-masthead


Wow.


Comments welcomed below as always.


Mark

Tips to care for your pet in the snow!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-43250025/tips-to-care-for-your-pet-in-the-snow


Something a wee bit different, but here's some handy advice from the RSPCA on how to look after your furry, and feathered, friends during the cold weather.


Stay safe, warm, stocked up on provisions and crucially, have a great weekend!


Mark

Snow Joke...

Hello all,


I hope you are all safe and warm. I thought I would lighten the mood by popping a few pics on the blog.


Any awful snow jokes are always welcome in the comments section! It's so cold here in the capital that I'm sure when I passed Starbucks earlier that they were serving coffee on a stick...


Anyway, here! The golfing pic was a couple of years ago, and yes, I made the putt! Well I hit it as hard as I could towards the hole and it dropped in.


Don't forget to note some feedback on the presentation assessment sessions if you have delivered yours already. The reflections have been super so far, as have the standards of the talks.