The Lake District women empowering each other online

The Lake District women empowering each other online - BBC News 

I thought this article / short video was worth posting. What do you think? Please click the BBC link above.

Two women who became friends through Instagram are empowering others online through their outdoor adventures in the Lake District.

After moving to Cumbria, Freya Hodson, 30, and Louise Quinney, 42, formed a friendship through a love of the outdoors.

They have found some women in the outdoor community are often criticised on social media for how they dress and want to help others to be confident.

The women are encouraging people to embrace being themselves and wear what they feel comfortable in, as the "outdoors doesn't judge you for how you look".

Reminder that today's CDCC class (Wed. 23.2.22) is online

Morning folks,

I hope all is well with you all. I am feeling better each day, thankfully. Please keep the viewing recommendations coming via the blog or by e mail, I have appreciated them.

Today is online of course as I am still self-isolating; everybody's health and safety MUST come first. Although it is optional, it would be handy to see as many of you there today at 14:30 to keep the momentum going. And some smiley faces will also cheer me up for sure! It won't be a long session.

Georgie, Sophie and Jen have sent me their pitches, three very different but nevertheless interesting and very worthy topics and if you want to know more about that, log in at 2.30! I will provide feedback to them as I did the previous two weeks and they can provide attendees with a very brief overview of their respective topics, should you wish to ask them any questions. There will also be time to have a general catch-up and see how things are going, a wee impromptu what's in the news today section and whatever else comes up. 

If you are not going to attend today, that's fine and this gives you plenty of time to get your mock blog completed for next Wed and your choice of an existing blog when we reconvene in class next Wednesday, third time lucky, right? I would also recommend you use the time to think about how you will organise your questions for the podcast, maybe have a wee go at some of the podcast software etc. Use the time wisely. 

Here is a neat link which I found when I was putting together the template blog for you all (to be discussed next week when I go over the first assessment in detail): https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Good-Podcast

As always, please ensure that everybody knows about the Covid enforced change of plan today, with any group chats you might already have in place. 

Also, if you could use the Student Check-in function at 2.30, that would be ideal too; I hadn't realised that this was in play for online classes too.

This is the Zoom link for the online session this afternoon: 

Mark Hetherington's Personal Meeting Room

Join Zoom Meeting

https://nclan.zoom.us/j/9517778626?pwd=d0pVWU5kb01uUy83QytxZVc1SEp4UT09

Meeting ID: 951 777 8626

Password: 668398

All the best,

Mark

 

Did you know?

This appeals to me as a linguist and I love numbers too. We had something similar on the 2nd February if you recall?

Have a great day now.

Mark

Film and Netflix recommendations please!

Hello all, 

I hope you are all well and having a productive week so far. 

As I noted in the all class e mail, sadly I have finally succumbed to a positive Covid test at the weekend there, so I am looking to you, surely one of the finest constituent groups to recommend to me (and others) some good ideas for me to aid my recuperation!

Over the weekend I listened to lots of podcasts, read and watched plenty.

I watched the following and would recommend them all:

• Devil's Advocate (about the fraudulent lawyer whose claimed clients included Sadaam Hussein amongst others)
• Icarus - a docufilm about doping in sports, and much more, very powerful
• The Puppet Master - I could scarcely believe that was real by the way
• The Tinder Swindler - what on earth...
• Landscapers - amazing four-parter which was actually recommended by a friend and fellow student of Gary's who I taught way back in the day. It is good to be networked I always think!

I will be starting another recommendation later today, which is "Inventing Anna" which has been recommended to me by a lot of people. Anybody seen it?

I await your thoughts, so thank you in advance...

Four thousand weeks - time and how to use it review

Hello all,

If you remember, this was the book from the podcast we listened to in week 2. Most of you quite liked it as I recall. And in an act which was a little out of character for me, I bought the book directly on the back of listening to the interview with the author. 

This weekend I have had more time to relax and read, not by choice of course, but it is what it is!

I enjoyed this book. Time management is something I have a thing about. I’ve always seen it as being useful and I hope, is something I’m efficient at. Heaven challenged me to review this text, so I have!

Burkeman asserts that “nobody needs telling there isn’t enough time”, quite so! I would argue that many of us squander time. But it’s just my opinion. 

The author argues that with our lengthening to-do lists, the struggle against distraction (Erin is looking at that for her project for this module) and the sense that our attentions spans are diminishing. Are you still with me? 😉

The book challenges the reader. How do we best use our ridiculously short time on the planet, which if we live to 80, amounts to just 4.000 weeks.

The author quite rightly suggests we should step away from the notion we should get everything done, but instead, consider why we / society have allowed time to own us. Are we slaves to time? Possibly. 

This book is about realigning our relationships with time. 

For those who want it, there’s even a boxed out list of ten “tools for embracing your finitude” in the appendix – bolded tips to help you live well, now. This book is all the better for not having a great revelation at its core, for not having a single lightbulb moment. Instead, it reads as the natural product of years of thinking about how best to live life. And this, we surely must. 

At the very least reading it would be a good use of one of your four thousand weeks in my opinion! 

Heaven, if you would like to borrow this, you are more than welcome to read it first as you signposted it within the class in week two. 

3.5 out of 5 for me. 

Mark 

Have a great weekend - stay safe!

Morning all, looks like the weather is to be cold, wet, snowy, windy and more this weekend, almost summery you might say 😅

Stay safe out there and don’t go far unless you have to.

Apropos of nothing, my pal just sent me this joke. It may make you titter.

“I am advising people how to grow peas...

Should I make a podcast?” #groans 😊

See you all on Wednesday. 

Mark

Useful links - podcasts and blogs

 

Useful Links – podcasts and blogs

 

Podcasts

•      How to use audacity for podcasts (44 mins.) - Audacity: A walk through on the basics of editing audio using Audacity – YouTube

•      How to edit a podcast in audacity (16 mins.) - How to Edit a Podcast in Audacity [2020] – YouTube

•      How to start a Podcast in 2021 for FREE: A full Anchor tutorial (18 mins.) - How to start a Podcast in 2021 for FREE: A full Anchor tutorial - YouTube 

•      How to start a podcast using Anchor (10 mins.) - Anchor fm Tutorial 2020: How To Start A Podcast On Anchor fm Review | Podcasting For Beginners - YouTube

•      https://www.thepodcasthost.com/recording-skills/best-podcast-recording-software/

•      https://anchor.fm/

• Audacity ® | Free, open source, cross-platform audio software for multi-track recording and editing. (audacityteam.org)

Blogs

 

·   CHOOSING A PLATFORM

How to Start a Blog in 2022 - Easy Guide to Create a Blog for Beginners (theblogstarter.com)

·     WORDPRESS for BEGINNERS

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4MXA_yj8oI

 

 

·   WIX for BEGINNERS

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qboKD0vEslY

 

 

·      How to create a blog using Blogger

•   How To Create A Blog Using Blogger [An Ultimate and Step By Step Guide] - YouTube

 

·        How to make a wordpress blog - How To Make A WordPress Blog 2020 [For Beginners] - YouTube

Today's class (16/2/22) is online - please read

Good morning everybody,

I have been keeping an eye on the weather and I feel the correct, responsible and safe thing to do is run the class via Zoom this afternoon. I am aware that not all members of the class live in Edinburgh, some of you drive, take public transport, walk to campus and so forth. Storm Dudley really kicks in around 4, so I feel this is only correct we work online today for the session. 

We will still be able to generate great energy online though today, of that I am certain.

Those who didn't pitch last week will still be able to do so via Zoom in the second part of the class, no probs.

The link for today's session is as follows, and we will start at 2.30 as always.

I e mailed those of you who pitched last week on Monday there, to update the feedback post on the blog, so if you have not done so already, please attend to that before 2.30, thank you. Four of you are still to do so. This is important come the actual assessments, so please do not forget. 

Join Mark Hetherington's Zoom Meeting

https://nclan.zoom.us/j/9517778626?pwd=d0pVWU5kb01uUy83QytxZVc1SEp4UT09

Meeting ID: 951 777 8626

Password: 668398

See you all at 2.30, albeit not in person! If you could let everybody know about today being online via the group chat, texts etc. instead of being in Merky, I would be grateful. I will send the message out by e mail, Moodle and the blog, so there should be no problems. Apologies in advance if anybody makes the trip in though to find we are not in class. 

Best,

Mark

PS - it 'could' be a Boris free Wednesday news day for once for our daily update, but there's still time I guess...

A working / rough schedule of how we will run the remaining classes from 23rd Feb. to completion

Hello all,

Here is how I intend to run the remaining classes for the CDCC Module. Subject to change as always, but this should work well. 

23^rd Feb. - looking at the blog tasks, some more blog tasks to do for 9.3.22. Looking at assessment one in detail.

2^nd March - (reading week) – no class at Merchiston, but I will set up an optional Zoom link should anybody fancy a blether. Otherwise, get cracking on your podcasts / blogs.

9^th March - interviewing techniques, progress check, analysing the blog tasks, working on ideas for your projects.

16^th March - online videos, photography, creating your actual blog.

23^rd March - one to ones in class, working on your project, any universal questions, setting up a collegiate blog post where you can share ideas, issues, barriers etc. which are more than likely to affect everybody. Sharing is caring!

30^th March - effective and ineffective oral presentation delivery, using PP effectively, examples of slideshows from my college students. Looking at assessment two in detail.

6^th April - a final class to see how things are in preparation for the assessment submissions / deliveries.

13^th and 20^th April – Easter holidays.

27^th April - open surgery via Zoom as necessary (optional).

4^th and 11^th May – assessed presentations (venue to be allocated, class split in two). Luna will again do the honours, but you will be made aware of what session and the running order this time.

18^th May – everybody e mailed with final feedback and marks for both assessments (80/20 split).

 

M.Hetherington@napier.ac.uk

Valentine’s Day Funnies

These amused me! I hope you’re having a wonderful day. See you all on Wednesday for another jam-packed session. Cheers, Mark 

Pitches - a full house of 'accepts'

Hello folks,

Well, what a session that was, very well done to all attendees who pitched today with a full house of 'accepts'.

I hope you all learned a great deal about your own skills, where you excelled, where you can improve and everything in between.

I was impressed with the level of discourse in many of the pitches and I am sure that you will have learned from your peers too. It really was a valuable afternoon of dynamic communication, in every respect.

Here are the research topics from today which were accepted. And of course, by request, a photo of my tabby cat Luna, who was responsible for the running order today. Those who were unable to attend today will pitch next week.

I have paraphrased the topic titles, rather than expanding on what you discussed in the respective pitches. The trick today was to get up and deliver, in a structured way, looking at content, the primary and secondary target market(s) for the blogs and podcasts, what problems you might face, who potentially will be in the podcast interviews and standing up to scrutiny of questions from me and your peers. Members of the class demonstrated they were listening and asked some really good (and helpful to you) questions. I felt some of you came alive in the q and a session, once you had overcome any nerves. But that is natural and I would argue, helpful.

Please make any general comments about the session below, rather than on your own pitch, which almost all of you have done in the previous post. Thank you in advance.

Emily - spiking

Clare - gym (impacts on mental health)

Gregor - sports journalism

Lauren - spread of misinformation (fake news)

TJ - Texas abortion laws

Callan - football, the governing body and associated corruption

Alex - civilisations falling (the West)

Noor - what if WW3 started tomorrow?

Murray - rape culture (predominantly within football)

Hannah - VAR in football

Jack - effects of social media (mental health)

Sarah - sex education (uncensored)

Kian - Covid effects on music

Belo - representation of ethnic minorities (fashion)

Daniah - student fashion guide

Freya - social media (mental health)

Liv - should drugs be legalised?

Luke - NFT

Erin - the goldfish effect

16/2/22 pitches - again all accepted

Lucy - hospitality industry

Autumn - pronouns / gender

Aidan - media analysis

Samantha - impacts of social media on eating / body disorders

Aida - religion / spirituality

Halim - music - connections - expressionism

Olivia S - mobile devices - damage caused

Victor - cryptocurrency

Heaven - employment whilst studying full-time

Great stuff guys, I am impressed.

Mark

23/2/22 pitches (via audio files)

Georgie - equestrian industry (problems with)

Jen - racism (focusing on Hispanic men and women)

Sophie - drug addiction in Scotland (prevention)

All three pitches noted above were accepted, well done.

That takes us up to 31 research topics now accepted, well done, everybody.

Mark 

Reflecting on the pitches today

Hello everybody,

Once you have delivered your pitch today, please reflect on your own performance in the comments section. Please use the following prompts to do so:

1. State what your research topic was
2. What you thought you did well
3. How you think you handled the questions
4. What you thought of the pitching session - was it more difficult / not as bad as you thought it was going to be?
5. Anything else you think would be of assistance to your reflections

IF you have been unable to post on this post within class time after your pitch, please do your best to do so when you get home, so it is fresh in your mind.

All the best and well done to everybody (in advance) who delivered a pitch today.

Mark

Waitrose and Lidl have been named the UK's greenest supermarkets in a ranking of their greenhouse gas emissions and efforts to cut plastic and food waste

Waitrose and Lidl top Which? greenest supermarket ranking https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60257640

Sustainability, recycling, and all green issues might be a topic that comes up in the pitches on Wednesday potentially.

How ‘green’ are you? Are the issues in this article important to you?

Let me know in the comments section below.

Mark

1000 views on our blog!

Wow, I can scarcely believe that. Well done everybody and please continue to read, engage, click on the news and useful weblinks sections and crucially, place your thoughts in the comments section of the posts when you can. 

See you on Wednesday,

Mark

A dizzying week in politics for Boris Johnson

Every Wednesday when I have posed the question of “what are the news headlines today”, the Prime Minister’s name has cropped up. 

Below is a link to a short 60 seconds clip detailing some of the issues we have discussed. There have been police investigations, resignations and accusations aplenty, which are rather atypical, to say the least. 

Any thoughts are welcomed, as always, in the comments section. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-60270679

Social media and mental health

The rise of social media has meant that people are more connected than we have ever been in the history of time. But our reliance on social media can have a detrimental effect on our mental health, with the average Briton checking their phone as much as 28 times a day. 

There are of course, positives in relation to social media.

What are your thoughts, either on the content of the article, or in general terms?

Thoughts welcomed in the comments section below, as always. All opinions are valid.

Mark

Here is the link to the article: 

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/social-media-mental-health-anxiety-b1996486.html?amp

Facebook loses users as 18-year growth streak ends

https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/facebook-loses-users-18-year-growth-streak-ends/1739210

Facebook’s record of unbroken quarter-on-quarter daily user growth has finally ended, with Q4 2021 bringing a decrease of a million people.

Do you use Facebook less nowadays than you did previously?

Have you defected to other socials?

What do you think about Facebook?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below please.

Mark

Google Chrome, who knew?

Morning all,

Just a quick reminder that it would appear (this is news to me, and I’ve been using Blogspot for well over a decade!) that you need to be using Google Chrome to comment on the blog via the comments section. 

That was collegiate active learning right there yesterday. I think they’ve recently changed those settings, but it’s great intel to know.

Keep reflecting on the posts and I will respond to all comments as they come in. Remember to sign in to do so and I’m delighted we now have 20 followers. Could we get everybody to do so? I like to aim high…

All the best and have a wonderful week.

Mark

Research ideas - 2/2/22

Here is a list of all the ideas that you put together in your respective "thought showers" today. Thank you for your engagement on this, well done everybody.

 Luke, Callan and Murray 

Brexit, Scottish Independence, Social Media, Football, Boris Johnson’s Christmas Party, COVID, Cancel Culture, Music (Spotify), People’s attention spans shortening, Russia and Ukraine, Drink Spiking, the Metaverse, NFTs, Crypto in general.

• Natural Disasters
• Corruption in the Government 
• Impact of Influencer Culture  
• Gender Issue - Effects of pronouns in future documentation 
• Rape Culture in football
• Racism in sport
• The loss of Bangladesh to rising sea levels 
• Zero waste - Corporate responsibility vs individual responsibility
• Anti-vax as a movement  
• Work/life balance post pandemic 
• AI
• identity thief
• Salisbury Poisonings
• Fast fashion 
• Fad diets/ diet culture  

Autumn McClean - Erin Taylor - Alex Bloor - Lucy Crawford

Aidan - Men’s Mental Health, Corruption in the Media Industry, Music Reviews, Food review, photography

Daniah - Student Guide, Fashion Guide, Flower Guide, Cooking Guide, Halal Cooking Guide

Halim - Pop Culture news, film news/review

Samantha - Fashion Guide, Spirituality

Drug culture romanticized in popular TV shows

Celebrity drama

The impact of TikTok on small businesses

The impact of TikTok on music careers

Film or a book

Slow fashion / sustainability

Rise in thrift shopping

Will film ever die?

Hook-up culture

 

Emily, Noor, Belo and Sarah

• Self Reflection
• Drug Decriminalization/ Legalization
• Analyzing American Culture
• Comparing/Contrasting UK/US
• Body Standards
• Climate Change
• Short Films by Indie Creators
• E-sports and Covid
• Tourists and Exploring
• Sports Journals
• Albums/Bands
• Texas Abortion Laws

Contributors: Aida, Gregor, Kian, TJ

Joe Rogan: White House praises Spotify's new Covid disclaimers

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-60221522

Hello folks, this is a current and relevant post for you to look at. 

Joe Rogan has pledged to try harder to offer more balanced views on his podcast, after he was criticised by Neil Young and Joni Mitchell for helping to spread Covid misinformation.

The Canadian musicians asked to have their music pulled from the streaming platform as a result.

Spotify has since said it is working to add advisory warnings to any podcast discussing Covid-19.

I look forward to any comments you might have. We already know from discussions that we have Rogan podcast fans in the class.

All comments welcomed, as always.

Mark

And less than 24 hours later, this: https://news.sky.com/story/covid-latest-uk-news-coronavirus-omicron-subvariant-daily-cases-12507015