I am writing this right at the end of the month – I seem to have packed lots into the last few weeks as ever. I have been to London twice, once for a conference launching the final report of the Learning Landscapes research project, which has been an exciting research study looking at the ways in which academics work with colleagues in estates and other key stakeholders to develop and manage innovation in the design of teaching and learning spaces in Higher Education; the study has been led by colleagues at Lincoln and I have done a small part to support the work (i am even credited in the final report, which is nice). The second visit to London was for a meeting of the SEDA Scholarship, Research and Evaluation Committee. I did have a few days annual leave over the Easter period, which offered a welcome break. We didn’t go away, but enjoyed some day trips in beautiful sunshine. The book chapters continue to progress, and as I write this I am steeped in marking, which will keep me busy for some days yet!
If you have read my blog from last month, you will know that I was looking forward to delivery of a new car this month – and yes, I am now driving around it in – a shiny, red new toy – a pleasure to drive! Another busy month has flown by; I have been teaching and working with students at all levels, from undergraduate through to doctoral students, this month, which makes for many interesting sessions. I have also been supporting a number of colleagues and doctoral students in developing their confidence with qualitative data analysis software (NVivo8) – I am really only learning this myself, so working with others in this way offers learning for us all. Good news about the conference papers I mentioned in my last blog, as all of those submitted (3) have been accepted! So now have plenty of work to do, developing these for presentation and hopefully, later, publication. My book writing has also continued at some pace, this month. Overall a really good month, made even more enjoyable by some excellent family weekends – spring has definately sprung! 
Autumn at the aboretum in Lincoln
Autumn at the aboretum in Lincoln
‘Autumn, the year’s last, loveliest smile’ (attributed to William Cullen Bryant)
It really has been a beautiful autumn, but as I write this, the evenings are getting darker, it is getting colder and the clocks are about to be set back for winter! Still October has been a good month for me, it feels as though the new academic year has now fully got underway with the usual round of meetings and strategic planning. More excitingly I have been working with many new students having the early ‘taste’ of learning in higher education. This month I have also been able to find some space to make some serious ‘in-roads’ into the sole-authored book I am writing for Sage publications, on interprofessional collaborative practice in Social Work, there is alot more to do, but I feel that this is now moving on well. I am also working on developing some of my doctoral thesis for submission as journal articles, but this is a surprisingly time-consuming process.
During October, we went to see Bob Golding in the fantastic, new one-man play which celebrates the life and career of the legendary comedian Eric Morecambe – it was a great night out.
So, my plans for November? Well, more writing, perhaps some updating to this website, there will be marking and more teaching and, of course, planning for the festive season!
