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Bex: Crazy Timetable

2009 So Far
This year has been amazing so far. I returned from Oak Hall in November, just as the credit crunch hit, really unsure where/whether I’d be able to get work, but returned to Winchester, as I knew I had a good reputation there, and was sure I could pick up a few bits! Friends put me up in their spare room whilst I applied for work, but after about 3 months, I had enough bits and pieces coming in to rent a room closer to the University of Winchester, where I was picking up most of my work, with every small project leading to another one… and at one point having to turn down work!

Summer
In May, I wasn’t sure how I was going to get through the summer, as teaching was coming to an end, but I picked up a couple of summer projects, went to France with Oak Hall, and in fact haven’t completed my own studies this summer, and teaching commences again next week! I then started conversations with a few others, and look what’s happening now…

2009-2010 Timetable
Semester 1 (Finishes 5th February)
I have quite a full timetable (all modules include preparation/marking):

  • Monday 3-6: Introduction to Media Studies
  • Tuesday 9-12: 20th Century British History
  • Wednesday 10-11: Landmark (The Internet as a Landmark in History)
  • Wednesday 1.30-5: STUDYING the PGCLTHE + associated 3 x 4,000 word projects
  • Thursday: 7.5 hours “Blended Learning Research Fellowship“, including Learning Website
  • 5 Final Year Project Students for Media Studies (Due 5th May 2010)
  • Media Studies Website (for March 2010)
  • History Website (for March 2010)
  • SkillsNet Website (Content, Staff/Student Evaluation)

To also fit in:

Christmas

  • Cooking at Lauterbrunnen for Christmas Week
  • New Year, who knows yet…
  • Complete VD poster article. Start to think about Book Proposal (Thesis to Book – note am not necessarily expecting to submit)
  • Get ready for semester 2!

Semester 2 (Finishes 18th June)
I have an extremely full timetable:

  • Monday 3-5: Introduction to Media Studies
  • Wednesday 9-12: Dreams and Nightmares
  • Thursday 9-11: Film History
  • Thursday 11-3 (2 hours of): Creating and Consuming History
  • Friday 9-12: Researching Media Studies
  • 2 hours for 6 weeks: Reflecting
  • History Independent Study Module, Dissertation/Second Marking
  • Tuesday or Friday: 7.5 hours “Blended Learning Research Fellowship
  • 5 Final Year Project Students for Media Studies (Due 5th May 2010)
  • Media Studies Website (for March 2010)
  • History Website (for March 2010)
  • SkillsNet Website (Content completion – for May 2010)
  • Adding French content to ARCA website (awaiting translations).
  • Been asked if I’ll teach 4 weeks on ‘History of Public Health’ and 6 weeks on ‘Design for Digital Media’ – hmmm

To also fit in:

Easter

  • A week away in Cornwall with my housegroup – woot!

Summer
The summer is yet some time away, and the Blended Learning is permanent, so I guess if I’m sensible with my money… Although waiting for the dates of Oak Hall in Israel, and may go there next September… I know it’s quite tiring, but invigorating in other ways.

So if you’re wondering why I go quiet for long periods of time, this may kind of explain it, as there’s usually approximately 3 hours of preparation for each hour of teaching… and then the marking, well, we try not to think about the marking (e.g. Intro to Media, around 40 students, 2 assignments, about 1/2 hour + per assignment)! Some weeks there’s tutorials, and some courses run alternate weeks rather than all term, so manageable – with a few late nights, I suspect!

By admin

Dr Bex Lewis is passionate about helping people engage with the digital world in a positive way, where she has more than 20 years’ experience. She is Senior Lecturer in Digital Marketing at Manchester Metropolitan University and Visiting Research Fellow at St John’s College, Durham University, with a particular interest in digital culture, persuasion and attitudinal change, especially how this affects the third sector, including faith organisations, and, after her breast cancer diagnosis in 2017, has started to research social media and cancer. Trained as a mass communications historian, she has written the original history of the poster Keep Calm and Carry On: The Truth Behind the Poster (Imperial War Museum, 2017), drawing upon her PhD research. She is Director of social media consultancy Digital Fingerprint, and author of Raising Children in a Digital Age: Enjoying the Best, Avoiding the Worst  (Lion Hudson, 2014; second edition in process) as well as a number of book chapters, and regularly judges digital awards. She has a strong media presence, with her expertise featured in a wide range of publications and programmes, including national, international and specialist TV, radio and press, and can be found all over social media, typically as @drbexl.

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