Happy Holidays

Just a quick word to wish you all a restful break, whatever you are doing. 

Well done to every student in the class who have now passed all 5 assessments.

Don't forget that there will be time in the first class back after Easter to complete the second Listening assessment. I would like to think that our IT people will have that 'BOB problem' fixed shortly.

I have been impressed with the quality of work from the submissions thus far, so well done, the amount of industry you all put in should not be underestimated. I shall be at Carnoustie for a few days over the weekend, playing and relaxing with friends. Much needed. And yes, they ARE pineapples, ha ha. Pina colada anybody?

Try and get some 'you time' and I will let you know, when I know, when the Listening Link is back up and running again. I didn't sabotage things, I promise you!

Mark

Highlands woman with rare gene mutation feels no pain!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-47719718

This is a curious and indeed excellent article about Jo Cameron, who only realises her skin is burning when she smells singed flesh. She often burns her arms on the oven, but feels no pain to warn her.

That's because she is one of only two people in the world known to have a rare genetic mutation.

It means she feels virtually no pain, and never feels anxious or afraid. 

That is truly astonishing, on a number of levels.

Let me know of any thoughts that you may have on this story below as always!

Mark

Weekly schedule of work until the end of term

Hello all,

This is how I envisage the rest of the Communication classes going until the end of the academic session.

I am mindful that some of you are going to Malta for two weeks too.

18/4 - work on second Listening Assessment in class. Submission date Friday 26th April 2019. 

25/4 - look at Reading analysis outcome, helpnotes, discussion on a formative text.

2/5 - look at questions, sample answers and second text to work on outwith class and cross check against my sample answers. We will use a similar strategy to how we worked on the formative Listening assessments. 

9/5 and 16/5 - Reading assessment One done in class. I will mark the scripts for the following week with feedback for you. 

23/5 and 30/5 - Reading assessment Two done in class. I will mark the scripts for the following week with feedback for you. 

6/6 - final reflection session (whole class) in first part of class and remediation second hour as necessary.

13/6 - remediation for reading as necessary.

Impressively, at time of typing, all 23 learners in the class have passed the first 5 assessments.

* IF necessary, I will permit time in some of my other classes should anybody need further time to work on the reading assessments. They need to be done with me in attendance, so can't be worked on outside of college sadly. 

6000 views on our blog, wow!

New brain cells made throughout life

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-47692495

People keep making new brain cells throughout their lives (well at least until the age of 97), according to a study on human brains.

The idea has been fiercely debated, and it used to be thought we were born with all the brain cells we will ever have.

The researchers at the University of Madrid also showed that the number of new brain cells tailed off with age.

And it falls dramatically in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease - giving new ideas for treating the dementia. 

Another fascinating article surrounding the brain. This is becoming a theme!

BBC announce new Louis Theroux documentary which explores post-natal mental health

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/tv/louis-theroux-bbc-post-natal-16007712

I came across this article which is likely to be a very interesting watch on a number of levels.

The award-winning filmmaker's latest project will see him spend time in two specialist psychiatric units which treat mothers experiencing serious mental illness whilst allowing them to live alongside their babies.

I have long been an admirer of Theroux's work and this should be no exception, in fact, it could be ground-breaking in many respects.

Second Listening Assessment Link

https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/ondemand/index.php/clip/114704


This is the link to the second Listening summative assessment which we would have watched in class for the first time today (28th March 2019), had the College network not been experiencing the gremlins today. I am sorry about that, nothing that I could do and no possible plan B on this occasion.

What should happen is that you click the link, type in New College Lanarkshire and then a) either the link is there or b) you have to log in using your normal NCLAN e mail details. I had hoped to do a dry run today regarding how you login, but alas, it wasn't possible.

Please do not make any comment on this particular post as it is an assessment.

If you need to ask any questions about the assessment, please e mail me tomorrow (29th March) or when we come back (15th April).

When the link is up and running again I will e mail some members of the class to let everybody know.

Submission date is: Friday 26th April 2019. 

Mug morale!

Thank you James for replying to a previous post. Below is what he wrote. I think we can all engage with this idea. Cheers.


Rather peculiar that the day I read this post "The Wife" comes home telling me she got "mugged" at work. 

Not to worry she wasn't mugged in the Glasgow sense of the word haha, it's a new idea her ward is trying to show appreciation, a little recognition for the effort a nurse makes in the HDU ward. 

The idea begun by presenting someone with a mug full of goodies and when the goodies were gone, that person had to pick someone else they thought was deserving of a little recognition, fill the mug with some more goodies and pass it on. 

I thought that was a nice touch to keep morale high, just an individual looking to make someone’s day a little more special. 

Scientists sniff out Parkinson's disease smell

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-42252411

Many thanks to Lorraine R who sent me the link to this fascinating story this morning, which ties in rather nicely with our recent Parkinson's theme.

Scientists are close to establishing what causes a smell associated with sufferers of Parkinson's disease.

They hope it could lead to the first diagnostic test for the disease.

The breakthrough came after Joy Milne astonished doctors with her ability to detect the disease through smell under scientific conditions.

Happy International Day of Happiness!

People don't become 'adults' until their 30s, say scientists

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-47622059

This is an interesting article which perhaps raises more issues than the headline suggests on first glance.

Scientists who study the brain and nervous system say the age at which you become an adult is different for everyone.

Research suggests people aged 18 are still going through changes in the brain which can affect behaviour and make them more likely to develop mental health disorders.

Let me know what you think!

Strike on Thursday 21st March 2019 and assessment update / review

Hello all,

Just to let you know that a resolution could not be met at the latest negotiation meeting between our Union representatives and Colleges Scotland.

I will therefore not be in College this Thursday as I will be on strike and will not be able to reply to any e mails on 21st March at any point of the day I'm afraid. As per previous strike days where you don't have a Lecturer, it is my understanding that you will automatically all be given an authorised absence for my class that day.

So, the submission date for both the Essay (Writing) and Parkinson's (Listening) assessments is now extended by a day to Friday 22nd March, no later please.

The work submitted has been of very good quality and where remediation has been needed, this has been attended to quickly and efficiently, so well done to all members of the class who have passed both of the aforementioned assessments at this stage, bravo. The range and depth of the topics chosen for the essays has been impressive and I have genuinely enjoyed reading your thoughts on the respective subject matter.

With three days until submission, all but four members of the class have passed the essay already and eleven of the group have been successful with the Listening task to this point.

Well done all and I will turn around the marking within a week of receipt as always.

All the best and I will see you all as a full class on Thursday 28th March, where I will show the second Listening assessment for the first time.

Cheers,

Mark

Breakthrough for NHS as hundreds more men study nursing

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/feb/24/nhs-breakthrough-more-men-study-nursing


Numbers of males wanting to get on college courses are the highest in a decade.


This is a short article in which the headline provides all the clues as to the content. Definitely worth a wee look.


Whilst it concentrates on NHS England, I would 'think' this would be the same for NHS Scotland too? Even this year, in the SWAP Nursing classes I have taught over the last four years here at Motherwell, three is the highest number, so this might be an indicator to qualify the claims of the article linked at the top of this page.


All thoughts welcomed as always.


Mark

Cholesterol-lowering pill 'new option for statin users'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-47543985

A new type of drug - called bempedoic acid - could offer another weapon in the fight against bad cholesterol.

An international study suggests the pill lowers cholesterol in people who continue to have high levels despite taking other drugs such statins.


And scientists suggest the new therapy may also work as an alternative for people who are unable to take statins because of side-effects.


This is an article worth reading and I'm sure some of you will have some comments to make on the content.


So what do you think?


Mark

If we want NHS staff to care for us, we need to care for them

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/mar/15/if-we-want-nhs-staff-to-care-for-us-we-need-to-care-for-them


Healthcare staff worldwide are quitting due to stress and burnout. But small changes can make a big difference. This is a relevant article about care and stress, specifically within the NHS.


This is an important read and one that might resonate with you, family members, friends, colleagues and any working person for that matter, within or outwith the NHS.


This piece of writing centres around healthcare staff in the NHS – and globally – who are feeling undervalued, overworked and demoralised.


Sadly I am seeing this pattern all the time within the field of education too.


I look forward to your thoughts.


The final part of the article hits the proverbial nail for me - "instead of demotivating staff and haemorrhaging talent, a drive across the NHS is needed to bring joy back to the work. If we want them to care for us, we need to care for them".


All the best,


Mark

The Londonderry barber shop offering men head space

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/47494562/the-londonderry-barber-shop-offering-men-head-space


This is a link to a short clip about a barbershop in Derry is offering men the chance to open up about their mental health. The clip is just over a minute long.


It is hoped that special sessions run by the shop will help men share their problems and talk about their emotions.


What do you think about this innovation?

The joy of folding: how an everyday chore became an online, anxiety-busting sensation

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/mar/11/the-joy-of-folding-how-an-everyday-chore-became-an-online-anxiety-busting-sensation


This is a great article which follows rather 'neatly' on from the presentations you have been doing in Stress Management.


This is a wonderful piece from today's Guardian and there's even a short video tutorial should that be of any use to you!


YouTube folding tutorials have millions of views, and people such as Marie Kondo have become a global phenomenon. But do perfectly neat drawers lead to a perfectly neat life?


Well that, I feel, is a very pertinent question and I await your responses below!


Mark

Britain's first medicinal cannabis clinic opens in Greater Manchester

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/mar/09/britains-first-medicinal-cannabis-clinic-opens


Above is the link to an article I stumbled across over the weekend.


The essence of the article surrounds the opening of a new private clinic in Greater Manchester, which has become the UK’s first specialist medicinal cannabis centre.


Patients at The Beeches, in Cheadle, will pay £200 for appointments with doctors and between £600 and £700 a month for a prescription.


So what do you think?

Can your DNA help you to make healthier food choices?

Can your DNA help you to make healthier food choices? Click here.


The NHS is trialling an app which claims to analyse people's DNA to help them eat more healthily.


Researchers at Imperial College London will study the effects of DNA-personalised food choices on pre-type 2 diabetes patients.


Some experts warn that the science the apps are based on is at "too early" a stage for individual risks to be predicted.


The Crowne-Spencer family have been trying out the app during their weekly shop.


This is worth a look for sure. What do you think? Would you use it yourself?


Mark

Listening Assessment 1 link (summative) - Simple hacks for life with Parkinson's

This is the link to the first Summative Listening Assessment which 

I showed you in today’s class. 

The submission date for this assessment is

Friday 22nd March 2019, either by e mail or handwritten format. 

Mileha Soneji is a trained strategic product designer, originally hailing from the city of Pune in India. She currently works in the Netherlands as a strategist. Her work entails combining the fuzzy front-end of the design process with emerging technologies to answer the question of what needs to be designed in the future.

In this instance, please don't comment on Mileha Soneji's presentation below,

as it is an assessment.

Unavailable until Thursday 7th March

Hi all,

Just a wee reminder that I’ll be on strike tomorrow.

I won’t be able to answer any e mails until 7th March regarding your essays, as I’m withdrawing all labour for the day.

See you all on Thursday for the first Listening assessment.

All the best,

Mark

Brain clue to 'broken heart' syndrome

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-47440622

Above is a link to an interesting BBC article where experts suggest your heart can be damaged after a sad event and it may be your brain's doing.

This is a fascinating piece of research which is sure to make us stop and think.

Let me know where you stand on the content of this article.

There are some interesting links to related stories such as 'can you die from a broken heart?' and 'when moments of joy can damage the heart'.

All the best,

Mark

Study Shows Students Learn Better When They Take Handwritten Notes

https://www.bhg.com/news/study-shows-students-learn-better-when-they-take-handwritten-notes/?fbclid=IwAR0U3RNGah5wDQfFcOmPw8dYPKCrhhF_HjfLeqa87rPW483Iit4hyxP6KYs


Above is a link to an article where 'Scientists make a case for good ol’ pen and paper'.


I found this article to be quite an interesting read, on a number of levels.


For me, yes, this is research. But we know that there is always the counter-argument. And we know that the brain performs differently for all of us.


The research suggests that using laptops in classes may be harming 'learning'. That is possibly quite so. But if I could use Jordan as a good working example to contest this line of thinking. He demonstrated just last Thursday in class, just how well he could use his laptop to put together an excellent summary of the Meghan Ramsay formative talk. I'm not sure that I could have done that on one hearing but it worked very well for him. But this helps to clarify the notion that we are all able to learn, think, visualise, hear and listen to things in different ways. And this, in my opinion, has to be a good thing.


This supposition was true for the assessed presentations you all put together. I oversaw a variety of different learning methodologies to get from A to B, and the results were nothing short of excellent. 23 well researched, structured, reasoned deliveries, demonstrating clear lines of thinking. You all tackled the assessment differently though, in terms of fact finding, preparing visuals, note taking, question asking and much more.


I myself am a verbal and visual learner, but that style doesn't suit everybody and is arguably a good thing to be different from each other in terms of learning practice.


Let me know what you think and here is an interesting supplementary link to learning styles which you might be interested in for future reading:


https://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/doctoralcollege/training/eresources/teaching/theories/honey-mumford




If you click on the photo below you will see it a little better. Which style suits you, and has this changed since August?


Feedback below as always please.


Mark

Radical Parkinson's treatment tested in patients

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-47370498


Above is a link to a news story through the week, surrounding a revolutionary treatment which delivers the drug directly to the brain.


Patients in the trial were either given the drug, which is administered via a "port" in the side of the head, or a dummy treatment (placebo). There are inevitably going to be counter arguments about the success of such trials of course.


I would be interested to hear your thoughts on this. This is a subject I know a great deal about sadly, as my Dad suffered from this from his early 40s. In fact, he may well have been the first person in Scotland to undergo the most innovative brain surgery techniques of the day in the 1970s.


I have series linked the two part documentary which is signposted at the end of the article and plan to watch that in the next week or so when I can find some time.


Let me know what you think about this article in the comments section below.


Have a great weekend.


Mark