Diane (she/her)

Rev Andi Phillips proposes Emergency Motion 1 (unitarianmeetings.com/wp-content/u...) at the #GAUK2025 #Unitarian annual meetings.

Exciting! #altc25 will be in Glasgow this year in October. We've listened to feedback and moved the conference back to avoid the busy period. We also know it's increasingly difficult to get funding and time to attend conferences so, for the first time, ALTC will be 2 days #altc #AmplifyFE

Could you be our next Editor-in-Chief? If you have a background in research and/or publications, we would like to hear from you. Guide the strategic direction of the journal and maintain its quality. Express your interest by 30 April. buff.ly/fwHBuYv #altc #AmplifyFE

Don’t miss your opportunity to attend OER25 - Speaking Truth to Power: Open Education and AI in the Age of Populism at a discounted rate. The early bird registration deadline is fast approaching on 12 May 2025, so act now to secure your spot. Learn more and register: buff.ly/tUWpIDS #altc #OER25

Rev Melda Grantham speaking in response to thanks for her work.

Marking the imminent retirement from her role as GA weddings lead, @lzsl.bsky.social thanks Melda Grantham for all her work (not quite finished!). #unitarian #ukunitarians #GAUK2025

The business for this year's UK #Unitarian annual meetings #GAUK2025 starts with passing Motion 19 in support of relief agencies working in Gaza (motions unitarianmeetings.com/documents-ga...).

Students are motivated to complete the essential digital skills module at King's by getting a higher education certification award/digital certificate (78%) and self identification of a need to develop specific skills (74%) #THEdigitalUK

Avoiding cottage industries in faculties. Institutional expertise and equipment, accessible to all, is key to enabling widespread innovation #altc #THEdigitalUK

Finally, Digital Capability: How well equipped are students for learning in a digital world with @julievoce.bsky.social @digisim.bsky.social @m-kimo.bsky.social Andy Jeffrey and Christine Percival #altc #THEdigitalUK

Great to hear digital skills are once again being taught, included in induction so valued, helping students know how to use the tools for study and beyond.

As ever, technology is forcing change in education. A shame that AI should is the driver for these changes, such as those to assessment, but necessity is the mother of invention. It feels energy would be better spent on getting education to actively change instead of react #altc #THEdigitalUK

Interesting perspectives from #THEDigitalUK keynote panel about the HE sector being behind the digital curve due to underinvestment and legacy architecture. plus outdated pedagogy. Need to lobby suppliers to improve the systems they provide, and we should look more at collaboration/shared services.

Panel on balancing AI innovation and ethics in our classrooms at #THEdigitalUK emphasising the importance of ensuring students understanding the ethical aspects, including around the labour force, and enabling students to choose not to use AI.

It tends to be the enthusiasts who are already far ahead of many others. I wonder what the Birmingham course looks like.

I have several, mainly in NW England. The Book Corner, Piece Hall, Halifax. The Book Case, Hebden Bridge. Lyall's Book Shop, Todmorden (2nd hand treasure trove). Carnforth Bookshop. And if 2nd hand is your thing, Barter Books in Alnwick is marvellous (then look at the castle and gardens)! Enjoy.

Climate and Nature Bill Campaign Ask your MP to back the CAN Bill

📢 The Climate and Nature Bill has its second reading this month (Friday 24 January).

117 MPs have pledged to attend and we need to ensure they show up.

👉 Head to action.zerohour.uk today and write to, email, call, tag on Bluesky, or meet your MP.

#CANBill 🐝 @zero-hour.bsky.social

Annual Meetings 12-14 April 2025, Bookings Now Open. Photo of Unitarian women laughing and clapping.

Something to beat the January blues - bookings are now open for the GA Annual Meetings! This year we are back at the Hilton Metropole in Birmingham from the 12-14 April. You can find out more about the meetings, including a link to the bookings page, on the dedicated website: unitarianmeetings.com

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Call for papers - Special Collection

Metaphors of AI in Higher Education: Discourses, Histories and Practices

account.jime.open.ac.uk/index.php/up...

Interesting to hear the different approaches taken by institutions to using the Jisc #digitaltransformation framework, one of the final workshops at #ALTC24.

New special interest groups: Digital Accessibility - www.alt.ac.uk/groups/speci... - bringing external groups and HEIs together #altc24

A colorful word cloud generated from 84 responses, centered around the question ‘What are the top 5 skills required by effective digital leaders?’ The most prominent words, indicating the most frequently mentioned skills, include ‘empathy,’ ‘project management,’ ‘communication,’ ‘listening,’ and ‘diplomacy.’ Other notable words of varying sizes suggest additional valued skills such as ‘adaptability,’ ‘creativity,’ ‘innovation,’ and ‘strategic thinking.’ The background is white with the text in various shades of red, blue, green, and yellow.

DLI's John Kilroy and I asked #ALTC24 delegates about the 5 essential skills for #digital leaders yesterday.
Interesting mix of human / interpersonal (not soft!) skills, functional digital skills, project skills and that essential element for successful teams - #trust
#AmplifyFE #UKFE #loveFE

Fawn, should be excited about accessibility, compares to Sci fi, lots of cool enhancements, should be pushing limits #ALTC24

Yes, but also need consider any impact on disability payments (Fawn).

Fawn telling us that AI is more patient than a neurotypical person when paraphrasing for understanding by neurodivergent students. #ALTc24

"Design assessment for the future of tomorrow... test skills...[with AI] fear shouldn't override common sense..." Piers Wilkinson, #ALTC24

It is very easy, if you do not have access or health needs, to take the world for granted. To forget about those for whom navigating daily life raises constant challenges. Humbling to hear directly from our panel on their lived experiences. Fantastic discussion 👏 #ALTC24

As with so many things, talk about it, ask those in the know, invite improvement.

Sounds so obvious, but how often is it considered?