End of term feels just right 🎶
We wrapped up the term with a joyful showcase of musical pieces, shared with family and friends. Proud of the hard work, creativity, and confidence on display - a lovely way to finish the teaching term.

💡 Bringing tech into the classroom isn’t just about screens — it’s about participation. 💻 Tools that let students join on their devices can turn lessons into live, collaborative experiences. Polls, word clouds, and AI marking make learning interactive and owned by the class itself.

🎶 What a showcase! We had some excellent performances at our Halloween showcase. Four standout performances showing how far my students have come. The final band used IEMs to level up their set. 👏 Everyone slayed in fancy dress (they even dressed me up 😅). So proud of how much they’ve levelled up!

🎧 This week I introduced my Year 2 students to in-ear monitoring - a standard practice in the music industry. It was amazing to see how quickly they adapted and how much it improved their playing and confidence!

We had an incredible guest speaker join us today to share insights on the music industry and how artists are using social media - especially TikTok - to connect with audiences and grow their careers. 🎶📱 Such a valuable experience for our students and a fantastic partner to have in their studies!

I’ve been revisiting connectivism after TeachFE has reinforced something powerful: learning thrives in social spaces. Though rooted in digital pedagogy, it applies offline too - learning happens between people, tech, & systems. Let’s not underestimate the coffee break chat!

Been doing a bit of literature mooching this morning for my research and found myself circling back to Siemens’ Connectivism digital age theory (2004). Funny how something familiar can lead you in a new direction - and how a casual dive can suddenly reframe things you’ve already read! 🧠🔗

We hit a few bumps with songwriting in class - students were finding it tough to engage. So, we took a step back, revisited the assignment brief, and reshaped it around their strengths. The change in energy was instant: students were more engaged, happier, and felt real progress.

Hey FE folks! There’s a piece of research from @wlvuni.bsky.social about how we’re using AI — it’s close to my own MA research and personal interests, so I’m really keen to see it get loads of input. If you’ve got a few mins, please check it out!

Learning Outcomes don’t exist!

Students don’t care about LOs — they care about what we’re doing today. So I put “Today, we are…” on the screen, with by two or three sentences using Bloom’s verbs. Clear and simple. Speak their language.

I led a session this week on data vigilance & privacy with 16-18yr old students (using Howard Scott’s book chapter), and wow - most just don’t care about what happens to their data. They click “accept all” by default, don’t know what a password manager is, and aren’t concerned about tracking.

Another fantastic open mic session with our students! The audience was incredible - getting involved and singing along! It’s moments like these that make FE more than just classes. Real experiences, real opportunities, and a whole lot of fun. Looking forward to the next one!

"Assessment should be the icing on the cake."

The problem? There’s no cake left!

We teach to the assignment brief, leaving little room for real learning. Students tick boxes but miss deep understanding. Assessment should celebrate learning, not define it. Right now, we’re just baking icing!

Sat in with a colleague today, observing their teaching style and connecting with students. We listened to some music together, and I even got to assist on a mix of a track. Always refreshing to see new approaches and be reminded of the benefits of collaboration in the classroom.

A fascinating tutorial today with Level 3 students on their digital habits with a “visitor/resident” mapping exercise based on White & Le Cornu’s (2011) continuum. We looked at lurking in the online world and having a social presence online both personally and institutionally.

I had a very interesting conversation with a colleague today about Prensky’s (2001) “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants” and how some students don’t have key digital literacies.

Hi folks! I’m Liam, a music teacher and Masters student, currently researching how AI can assist in education for students with SpLD. I'm interested in the innovative affordances of technology in education. Looking forward to sharing ideas and learning from you all.