Welcome to my blog, which aims to document my long and probably painful journey back from being an academic couch potato to a mentally buff student. Well that's the plan anyway.
The short version: I'm an instructional designer working for Virgin Media here in the UK (translation: I design training modules, programmes and solutions). I've previously used what are known as 'rapid authoring tools' to build online learning solutions in the past (translation: software that makes stuff happen on screen without having to write code). That's about to change.
I've been tasked with learning how to write HTML, CSS, JavaScript and JQuery from scratch, within the next - ooh - 4-6 months. That means I've got some pretty serious studying to do. My managers are being amazingly supportive and they're not expecting miracles in minutes (which is a relief). I've booked onto some courses, bought some manuals (went for the not-so-scary ones), that kinda thing.
But here's the thing: the last time I did proper studying was 1992. My University degree. For those of you doing the maths, that's 22 years ago. Back then I had hair - and I'd been studying full time. Now I've got two decades' worth of brain dust and cobwebs to contend with. And less hair.
Sure - I've taught myself stuff since then, but it's always been at my own pace. No deadlines. No pressure. Sadly, that approach isn't going to cut it here.
Then along comes this MOOC, Learning How to Learn. And pretty soon, I realise that my 'soft around the middle brain', bad study habits, my abject lack of focus and superhuman powers of procrastination are what's standing between me and being able to achieve my goals. In short: I've got to get my learning mojo back.
So, dear reader, join me on my journey. Failure's not an option here. My wife and I like hot food and regular baths and I really don't want to let my employers - or myself - down. So - bring it on.
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