Connect-ed Issue 42 September 2018 | Page 11

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Structured environments are great for learning, which is why we run a number of tutored courses, leadership programmes and of course our Masters in International Education, in collaboration with King’s College London. However, informal learning can also be embedded in the classroom or school context (Putnam and Borko, 2000). This means that through collaboration, the use of professional literature or simply through interactions with your colleagues, you can reflect on your practice, and learn from one another. Everyone learns and processes information in different ways. Have you ever had a conversation with another teacher, only to discover that they are using different teaching methodologies, or read a short article that was so informative it changed your perspective on the classroom environment? It is through these short interactions that additional, and often superior knowledge can be gained.

Ultimately, we want to ensure that you have all the material you need for your professional development and choice in the way that you learn so why not head on over to NAU and discover a wide range of resources to help you improve your teaching practice. But try to collaborate, converse and read some additional material when you have the time; you may even find these are some of the best learning opportunities available!

David Docherty

Programme Officer for NAU

Education Team

In light of this, we understand that you may not have time to check out this month’s Big Read; so why not have a look at our Short Read instead? In her article ‘Back to School and Beyond’ Sarah Bartolome discusses how coming back to school for the new academic year can provide a wide range of professional development opportunities.

The NAU library contains thousands or articles, journals and ebooks that you can read anytime at your own pace. Visit the Library page on NAU today to find out more.

You can also find a list of all our big read books and quick read articles for the whole year in the Big Reading Challenge area as well as a place to discuss the read with everyone else.