I have an exciting month of travels so I must once again attempt to blog about them. This morning I attempted to make a hole in my rather long to do list compounded by finding an urgent email in a seldom used account! I don’t enjoy travelling if I have things still to do!
So today I travel to Aberdeen to my final External Examiners exam board. The end of another era! Robert Gordon is the last of several institutions I joined as EE. I have been to UWE Bristol, Walsall, Middlesbrough and more which escape me.
i recommend to all educators to get involved as external examiner for several reasons. Firstly it gives you lots of ideas for your own curricula. Also lets you see the pitfalls of new innovations so you either avoid that particular ‘in’ thing or by improving on what someone else is doing. Secondly it shows you that your own institution ain’t doing such a bad job! In fact in some ways it is excelling. It also shows you that there are many variations on a theme where a curriculum is concerned and they all produce a well educated midwife by the end of it.
There are some non education related experiences to be had too!
I used to love bumming off for a day or two from ordinary work. And the fact that where you are going considers you the expert when your own place of work takes you for granted is a bonus. Then there is the travelling – time to hide from the world and either work or chill with no chance anyone can bother you.
New places to see, new people to meet! Students. Love meeting students and hearing their experiences. Same problems everywhere! But also lots of good experiences to hear about!
Same modules which are academically important but don’t really make much difference to how good a midwife you are, waiting to trip up third years as they see the line in sight! Decent salary, time for family and friends and then they fail the dreaded research critique!
I must admit i also also enjoy staying in different hotels, having nice meals not cooked by me. TV to myself. Wee glass of wine! And I am going out with a bang in Aberdeen. They have taken to putting us up at a very nice hotel, the Norwood House Hotel where the cheapest item on the dinner menu exceeds the allowance for dinner.
Yes i I shall miss being an external …..
Addendum The hotel now has a set menu with coffee which is exactly the same price as dinner allowance!