Gaining Foundation Skills for Learning and Teaching/GFS Getting Started



= Getting Started =

Managing your way through the course work
This is all manageable

(even though it may look a lot at first glance)

Nibble at this course in bite size chunks.

Working through a module a week is a reasonable timeframe although you may want to spend more than a week on a couple of the modules.

Remember that Heather is available to support you through this course. She will stay in regular contact to help keep you progressing through the course.

Getting started involves:


 * Becoming familiar with finding your way around this course on WikiEducator
 * Reading the course outline
 * Logging on to Moodle
 * Adding an introduction to the course discussions on Moodle


 * For detailed information on how to achieve the above steps - Keep reading below

An overview (of the modules on the main course page)
The course work is laid out in modules. Information about each module is set out under headings on the main page.

There is information about what you are required “to do” for each module. This will include a link to a page that focuses on the topic for the module to help guide your learning.

The key points for that module will be summarised, thus highlighting the core work for that module.

The page may also offer useful links to additional resources to begin further exploration.– please note this is not set work but simply supplying other options to assist with further independent study.

Within the module information boxes on the main page you will also find the following heading: Links and Resources (at a glance)


 * - this contains a list of the web-links in each learning module so that you can find things again easily if at a later point you want to go back to a particular resource.

Read the Course Outline
Gaining Foundation Skills course outline 2012

Reading this is the first step so that you can familiarise yourself with the expectations and requirements of the course.

Get started by planning a timeline
If you haven’t already done so it is a good idea to bookmark the main page for this course as it makes it so much easier to go back to each time.

Accessing online discussions for the course
Online discussions are asynchronous (meaning that they are not live, you can read and add to discussions in your own time).

These discussions do make up the first assessment for the course but their real purpose is to encourage and support your learning. There is lots of valuable learning in sharing your teaching experiences.

The discussions occur on the course site on Moodle for formal learners.

Informal Learners can add their thoughts to the discussion page attached to each module on WikiEducator.

Where to find assessment requirements
Assessment requirements are detailed in the course outline and on the following GFS assessment link.

Using a Learning Journal
To help keep track of your learning throughout this course you may wish to use a learning journal. This is your personal learning record. Each of the modules include learning activities that are designed for you to think about and reflect on the content. This is purely for your own learning so you may wish to record this in some way.

The form that this takes is entirely up to you. Some people prefer to keep a written record which may be a word document or perhaps you may wish to use a blog and encourage some feedback from others, some may prefer a research notebook or to use voice or video recordings.
 * If you need more ideas or information click on the attached study skills advice sheet on learning journals.

Now What?
Time to explore and play

Have a look around the GFS Course Modules page and the Moodle site.

Check you have:


 * developed and sent a timeline plan to Heather
 * &amp; introduced yourself on Moodle

Once familiarized with this you can move on to Module 1: Learning

Remember Heather is there for any queries, support and back up.