As usual, finding time to write has been a struggle, but only because I’ve been working on other projects. I like to take time out to write these yearly reflection posts as it helps me to plan my goals for next year. I was less ambitious when I set my 2022 goals, but I have achieved more than I set out to do.
Over the last few years, I’ve gone out of my way to set fewer goals, which has mainly been down to the fact that in the past I struggled to complete them all. I also have a habit of taking on too much alongside work and other study commitments and don’t often include these in my planning. However, looking back I have achieved more than I did last year.
What has gone well?
One of my goals last year was to complete my PhD proposal and become a confirmed PhD candidate. I completed this in March which meant I could start working on my research project. I feel I have made good progress with my project, having completed all my interviews and autoethnographic journal entries.
I was awarded CMALT in September which was great, I dedicated another blog post to this experience.
I also completed a Certificate in Cognitive Psychology at Cambridge University. This is something that I have been studying for alongside my PhD as I thought it would help me to build knowledge in my subject area. I have been drafting a short blog post about this but haven’t gotten around to posting it yet.
I completed an Introduction to JavaScript course at City University and have found a bit of a new passion for programming. I was already familiar with HTML and CSS and JavaScript has been a new challenge. Even though I do struggle with some of the concepts, I genuinely feel really happy and enthusiastic when I practice. I think this calls to the ‘troubleshooter’ in me, I love working through different problems, and even though I get stuck a lot and there have been times when I just can’t figure out why something isn’t working, I like going through the diagnostic process.
I also attended several webinars and workshops throughout the year. I attended a day course on accessibility for work which was excellent. Again, I’ve been meaning to post about this but haven’t had the time.
As well as all this, I’ve been working on trying to get a piece of my research published as well as conducting peer reviews.
I also went to a face-to-face ALT meeting, in an attempt to try to do more networking. I also signed up to join the M25 group steering committee which is really daunting for me, but hopefully, I will gain some useful skills and continue to meet like-minded individuals.
What hasn’t gone so well?
So even though I am working on my PhD project, I haven’t actually written an awful lot. I’m putting this down to the fact that I’ve only just collected my data, however, I was hoping my literature review section would be more complete by now. I’ve already booked in a meeting with my supervisor in January to work out a plan of action.
While the JavaScript course has been good and I’ve signed up to practice with Code Academy, it’s going to take time and effort to get good enough to do the things I want to be able to do. I feel that if I don’t work on these skills regularly, they will get rusty over time.
I still haven’t thought about what I want to do with the business going forwards, I’ve had a lot of ideas about what I would like to do, but nothing has really taken off yet.
So what about 2023?
My focus for 2023 is to finish my PhD, complete all the writing and prepare for the oral examination. I really don’t want to drag the process out for much longer than required. Apart from my work in academia, I’m not sure what else I want to focus on in 2023. A part of me wants to either look at doing a bit more teaching/writing my own materials or upgrade my project management certificate. While I always enjoy being hands-on, there are other areas of my work I would like to focus on. Project management has always been an essential and core part of my work, and while I have a a Project+ and APM Foundation certificate, I would like to upgrade/obtain something more recognisable in the industry.
I’d also perhaps like to do something in relation to Moodle. I have a lot of Moodle knowledge, but nothing tangible to show for it. I looked into working towards a Moodle Educator Certificate (MEC) earlier this year, but I lacked the funds for it. I would like to work towards something like this, so perhaps I’ll do a bit more research into what is available.
So my main goals are:
- Complete my final PhD project
- Try to get published
Subgoals are:
- Upgrade project management certificate
- Do something in relation to teaching / creating my own materials
- Gain a Moodle certificate of some kind
I know the subgoals are a little flippant, but I feel that this is something I will strengthen and work out in the new year.
As usual, I wish you all a Happy New Year! Let’s see what 2023 will bring.