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ALT’s new online course for Certified Membership of ALT accreditation scheme candidates, ‘Your guide to Certified Membership of ALT (CMALT)’, launched during CMALT week 2025. The course is designed to provide all CMALT candidates with guidance that enables them to create, and confidently submit, their CMALT portfolio for assessment.

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MONTHLY ALT NEWS - ISSUE 45, MAY 2025

 

WELCOME TO YOUR MONTHLY NEWS UPDATE FROM THE LEADING PROFESSIONAL BODY FOR
LEARNING TECHNOLOGY IN THE UK.
We support a collaborative community for individuals and organisations from
all sectors, and provide professional recognition and development. Each
month, we will update you on latest news and publications, events,
jobs, and calls for proposals from across the learning technology
community.   [...]

Are you keen to engage in research but barriers prevent progress? Professional service staff possess unique perspectives that could transform educational practices, yet face significant hurdles when attempting to formalize, conduct, and share this valuable knowledge as research—even when its potential impact is substantial. ALT-ELESIG + the Heads of ELearning Forum are running this session to share the experience of barriers and enablers to doing research. email:j.c.turner@ljmu.ac.uk to attend.

By Karen Lesley Billingsley and Dr Gillian Peiser School of Education, Liverpool John Moores University: Corresponding author: K.L.Billingsley@2019.ljmu.ac.uk

This blog post shares key findings from my doctoral research examining how online Communities of Practice support professional development in the Further Education sector. 

The Research Context

As the FE sector faces ongoing resource constraints and growing digital demands, traditional professional development models are increasingly insufficient (Broad, 2015). My mixed-methods study investigated PDNorth, an online Community of Practice (CoP) serving English, Maths and ESOL practitioners, through surveys (n=20) and interviews (n=7). The research examined how digital environments support different forms of collaborative learning and scholarly activity using Boyer (1990) scholarship framework and Wenger (1998) CoP theory.

Technology-Enhanced Professional Community: Key Benefits Digital Accessibility Transformed Collaboration

The technological infrastructure removed geographical barriers that typically limit professional exchange. One participant explained: “I couldn’t have met people from Manchester… But they were only one click away.” This digital connectivity facilitated cross-institutional networking previously impossible in traditional CPD formats. A survey participant highlighted how PDNorth’s digital nature allowed her to engage despite geographical constraints: “I remember someone was in their car. Someone was in the staff room. I was mostly at home with my son in the background.”

Virtual Environments Fostered Psychological Safety

Perhaps counter-intuitively, the online medium created safe spaces for authentic professional vulnerability. “There’s been quite a few of us that have been tearful in those spaces, but then by the end of it, you know, we’ve all kind of felt like I’m so glad that we came and that’s happened,” shared one participant, describing emotional support received in digital spaces. This aligns with Abedini, Abedin and Zowghi (2021) findings on the importance of emotional support in online communities. Another participant noted how the online environment fostered trust: “It is a very safe space where you can just be honest about things.” Recent empirical research by Chen (2022) provides evidence that CoPs effectively support professional learning when underpinned by emotional connectedness and trust. Her findings demonstrate that creating safe places for discussion and reflection was essential for engagement in professional development activities. This aligns with our observations of how PDNorth’s digital environment supported the psychological safety participants valued. 

Asynchronous Participation Supported Flexibility

The platform’s blend of synchronous events and asynchronous resources accommodated practitioners’ complex schedules. One member described scheduling flexibility as crucial: “I booked time off to be able to pick up my daughter around that time. So, I remember most of them taking place like 4.30pm. For me it was excellent.” The technological infrastructure supported varied forms of engagement, with participants reporting high value from reading newsletters, watching recorded sessions, and participating in live events to fit their busy schedules.

Digital Tools Enabled Identity Development

The online space fostered professional development and identity transformation. One participant described the digital environment as “really, really comfortable. So welcoming, very warm, very friendly. Straight right from the off… supportive and friendly, warm, open and collaborative.” This supports Wenger’s (1998) conception of CoPs as spaces for identity development. Another participant credited online discussions with helping her become “confident in my instinct,” explaining “we came to realise that teaching was something natural and learners are letting you know what’s working and what’s not working.”

Technology-Related Challenges and Limitations Digital Divides in Participation

The data revealed technology engagement disparities. Younger participants (30-45) reported significantly higher scores for online discussions (p=.039), finding community publications informative (p=.024), and comfort with online events (p=.032) compared to older colleagues. These statistics highlight potential digital comfort disparities that could create imbalanced participation, aligning with Lantz-Andersson, Lundin and Selwyn (2018) observations about varying levels of involvement in online teacher communities.

Platform-to-Practice Implementation Gap

Survey data revealed a telling paradox: while participants unanimously valued collaborative learning (M=5.00), implementing these insights into classroom practice proved significantly more challenging (M=3.50). This implementation gap represents perhaps the most crucial challenge for online CoPs. One participant explained: “we couldn’t have done this without the sub circle meetings online and reading circle… without all my questions would have just been left unanswered.” This implementation challenge reflects broader issues identified by Lloyd and Jones (2018) regarding translating collaborative learning into practice.

Technology Access and Time Barriers

While reducing some constraints, the online format introduced others. Time limitations emerged as a significant barrier in survey responses (Mean=3.00), indicating members still struggled to balance participation with workload demands. Interview data revealed challenges with technology confidence, particularly among newer members unfamiliar with digital collaboration tools.

Learning Technology Implications and Recommendations

For learning technologists and educational leaders implementing online CoPs, my research suggests:

1. Design for diverse digital comfort levels – Create multiple engagement pathways that accommodate varying technology proficiency and preferences. Interview data showed members benefited from options ranging from passive reading to active discussion.
2. Structure digital-to-practice bridges – Develop explicit mechanisms for translating online learning into classroom implementation. One successful method in PDNorth was “constellations” where members collaboratively explored how “they could help their organisation with ideas to improve on areas where they struggled.”
3. Balance synchronous and asynchronous modalities – PDNorth’s success came partly from combining live events with archived resources. One participant noted: “I’m using PDNorth to be able to look at the research… whether it’s been in a newsletter, so I can look through things.”
4. Foster digital community facilitation – Interview participants praised PDNorth’s framework as “very well framed… We all focused on the results or the solutions,” highlighting the importance of skilled digital facilitation.
5. Implement complementary supports – Survey data revealed that even with strong online engagement, practitioners needed institutional backing to implement new approaches, supporting Tummons (2022) findings about institutional constraints in FE settings.

Conclusion: Technology-Enhanced Communities as Transformative Spaces

The research demonstrates that online CoPs offer unique advantages when thoughtfully implemented, but their success depends on institutional support structures that bridge the gap between digital inspiration and classroom implementation. As the FE sector continues to face resource constraints, strategically designed online communities may represent one of the most sustainable approaches to meaningful professional development. Digital platforms offer distinctive advantages for connecting isolated practitioners, fostering resilience through shared challenges, and facilitating identity development beyond institutional constraints O’Leary and Wood (2019).

However, realising this potential requires balancing digital connectivity with implementation supports, addressing participation inequities, and creating mechanisms that bridge online learning and classroom practice. By approaching online professional communities with both enthusiasm and critical awareness, we can harness learning technologies to transform professional development in ways that meaningfully impact teaching and learning.

References

Abedini, A., Abedin, B. and Zowghi, D. (2021) Adult learning in online communities of practice: A systematic review. British journal of educational technology, 52 (4), 1663-1694.

Boyer, E.L. (1990) Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities of the Professoriate. United States: The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Broad, J.H. (2015) So Many Worlds, So Much To Do: Identifying Barriers To Engagement with Continued Professional Development for Teachers in the Further Education and Training Sector. London Review of Education, 13 (1), 16.

Chen, J.I.-H. (2022)  Working and Learning Together: The Lived Experiences of Further Education Teachers Engaging with Joint Practice Development as a Model of Collaborative Enquiry for Professional Learningthesis, University of Sunderland.

Lantz-Andersson, A., Lundin, M. and Selwyn, N. (2018) Twenty years of online teacher communities: A systematic review of formally-organized and informally-developed professional learning groups. Teaching and Teacher Education, 75, 302-315.

Lloyd, C. and Jones, S. (2018) Researching the Sector From Within: the Experience of Establishing a Research Group within an FE College. Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 23 (1), 75-93.

O’Leary, M. and Wood, P. (2019) Reimagining teaching excellence: why collaboration, rather than competition, holds the key to improving teaching and learning in higher education. Educational review (Birmingham), 71 (1), 122-139.

Tummons, J. (2022) Exploring Communities of Practice in Further and Adult Education: Apprenticeship, Expertise and Belonging. New York: Routledge.

Wenger, E. (1998) Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identify. Cambridge: University Press.

Writer’s Bio

Karen Lesley Billingsley is Head of Quality at an FE college in the North of England. Her research focuses on professional development in the Further Education sector. This blog is based on findings from her EdD thesis “An investigation of effective teachers’ professional development within the Further Education Sector and the emerging role of virtual Communities of Practice as a vehicle for teachers’ Continuous Professional Development.”

Thanks for reading this AmplifyFE post! AmplifyFE is a strategic partnership between ALT and the Ufi VocTech Trust. AmplifyFE connects over 3000 professionals in Further Education and Vocational Education, providing a strong networking community to share, collaborate and learn. We connect innovators, industry and educators, therefore, AmplifyFE posts may include contributions with a commercial focus. AmplifyFE’s posts are included on the #altc blog to support networking, collaboration and sharing. For more information, please check AmplifyFE’s dedicated submission guidelines.

The #altc blog submission guidelines detail who can post and the type of posts accepted to this blog.

Three academic years have passed since the release of the ChatGPT. In this workshop I share the lessons learnt over nearly 2 academic years of implementing a set of general guiding principles designed for life science students on the responsible use of generative AI. The guidance is modelled on existing approaches to research integrity and plagiarism, framed in a way to demonstrate how to generative AI can support learning without undermining it. The focus is on encouraging healthy, sustainable behaviours through practical advice tailored to different course components. The workshop includes an interactive session where attendees will discuss particular types of learning activities and consider what sort of student interactions with generative AI might be considered as good practice, poor practice or misconduct. 

For this month’s blog profile, in celebration of CMALT Week 2025, we are excited to introduce Emily Armstrong, a passionate CMALT Assessor. We asked Emily a series of questions to gather her invaluable insights and experiences, aiming to provide guidance and inspiration for those embarking on their CMALT journey.

How has having a certified ALT membership impacted your career?

During my career, I’ve moved from being a Chartered Librarian to a Learning Technologist as jobs in libraries became more scarce. CMALT and my MSc in Technology-Enhanced Learning enabled me to build my skills and knowledge so as to be able to make this move.

What do you find exciting about working with learning technology?

I love problem solving and being able to help find a solution or fix something – the helpdesk side is my favourite part of my role. 

How did you first learn about CMALT? 

I first learned about CMALT when my role at Hull College expanded to cover eLearning as well as libraries and I was looking for a way to accredit my skills in this area.

What made you decide to become a CMALT Assessor? Why might other individuals consider it too? 

I first became a CMALT assessor when I worked in Further Education as I was aware there were only a few assessors with that background. However, I kept doing it because it is just really interesting! Anyone should consider doing a bit of assessing if they have the time as it is a fascinating way to see the different roles that make up the learning technologist community and to be inspired by the knowledge and ideas of a whole range of people.

What skills or attributes do you think are essential for success in learning technology today?

I feel the skills I learned in libraries continue to serve me well as a Learning Technologist – friendliness, responsiveness, teamwork, listening and asking the right questions as well as, of course, the more technical skills of trying out new technologies and possibly most important of all, not being afraid to break something…

Who has been the most influential person in your professional journey?

It is hard to pick a single person. A blog by James Gray from JISC made me realise that the issue with getting staff to try something new was not lack of time but lack of prioritisation. This later fed into my own MSc Research on digital competence vs digital confidence.

In terms of a person, my great friend Val Maybury at Hull College was probably the most influential as together I think we came up with the most influential tools I continue to use in my career – using a coaching approach to digital training, ‘Small Change Big Difference’ (bitesize drop-in training) and departmental digital champions.

What was the last thing you read or watched?

I am currently watching ‘Drive to Survive’ in preparation for the new Formula One season and reading a book by Stuart Maconie about the welfare state.

If you were on a deserted island, what is the one thing you would take?

Assuming I am not allowed to take my boyfriend (I think the rule is normally an inanimate object and he is not quite that!) – then I would go for my knitting needles as that is my favourite form of relaxation and a large quantity of wool (if I am lucky, it is a deserted Scottish island with sheep…).

We hope you enjoyed hearing from one of our CMALT Assessors. If Emily Armstrong has inspired you to start your professional development journey, explore registering as a CMALT candidate or register your interest to be a CMALT Assessor. Future profiles will feature colleagues involved with Special Interest and Members Groups, CMALT holders, ALT Members, Trustees, assessors, apprentices and ALT staff. If you are a current member of ALT and would be interested in featuring in an upcoming post or want to recommend someone members would be interested in hearing from, please contact us at blog@alt.ac.uk.

By Louisa Stamatelopoulos

How do we ensure digital capability is embedded in the professional development of teachers — not as an add-on, but as a core part of their journey? This question continues to shape the work we do and has led to the creation of a digital skills mapping aligned with the Diploma in Teaching (Further Education and Skills).

The need for digitally confident educators isn’t new, but the pace of change has accelerated. Whether it’s using assistive technology to support learners with SEND, engaging students through interactive tools, or navigating AI in education, digital literacy is now a professional necessity. And yet, we’re still not consistently embedding this into how we train our teachers.

If digital skills are only introduced as CPD later down the line, we miss a valuable opportunity to shape digital practice from the very beginning.

Where the idea began

In my role at Jisc I work closely with further education colleges on digital capability, I’ve spent a lot of time supporting senior leaders who are striving to build digital confidence across their teams — and navigating the challenges that come with it.

The launch of the new Diploma in Teaching last year got me thinking: how can we better support new teachers to build the digital confidence their learners now expect?

The framework behind the mapping

The resource we’ve developed bridges three influential frameworks:

• The Diploma in Teaching (Further Education and Skills) qualification framework, which sets out the expectations for professional practice.
• The Digital Teaching Professional Framework from the Education and Training Foundation, which breaks down digital competencies across different levels;
• The Jisc Building Digital Capability Framework, which provides a structured model for digital confidence across multiple roles in education.

By aligning these, the mapping offers a practical, flexible tool that QTLA managers, mentors, and teacher educators can use to embed digital skills into training programmes, mentoring sessions, or curriculum planning.

As we know, every college and training provider is different, so we’ve designed this framework to be adaptable. It can be used as a complete guide or as a starting point for specific focus areas — for example, using digital tools for inclusive practice or encouraging reflective digital development.

Created through collaboration

Creating this resource was a collaborative effort in many ways. We listened to QTLA managers, teachers, and digital leads who generously shared their challenges and insights. A special thanks to Adam Leeson from SMB Group for acting as a critical friend — his input, as someone already delivering part of this qualification, was invaluable. Many were already doing brilliant things in pockets — the goal of this document is to give structure to that good practice and make it easier to replicate, scale, and adapt.

Looking ahead

Ultimately, we hope this resource supports a shift in mindset — where digital capability is seen not as a bolt-on, but as part of what it means to be an effective, inclusive, and adaptable educator. If we build that into the foundation of teacher training, we set up our educators — and their learners — for greater success.

Call to action:

Digital capability isn’t a bolt-on — it’s core to effective teaching today. That’s why we’ve created a new mapping resource aligning the Diploma in Teaching (Further Education and Skills) with the Jisc discovery tool and ETF digital frameworks. Whether you’re a QTLA manager, mentor, or teacher educator, this practical tool will help you embed digital skills into training from the start — shaping confident, inclusive educators for the future.

Start building digital confidence where it matters most — at the beginning.

Explore the QTLA mapping document

Thanks for reading this AmplifyFE post! AmplifyFE is a strategic partnership between ALT and the Ufi VocTech Trust. AmplifyFE connects over 3000 professionals in Further Education and Vocational Education, providing a strong networking community to share, collaborate and learn. We connect innovators, industry and educators, therefore, AmplifyFE posts may include contributions with a commercial focus. AmplifyFE’s posts are included on the #altc blog to support networking, collaboration and sharing. For more information, please check AmplifyFE’s dedicated submission guidelines.

The #altc blog submission guidelines detail who can post and the type of posts accepted to this blog.

ALT is currently inviting expressions of interest for Co-Chairs for the ALT Annual Conference 2025.

To make it easier to keep to date with the latest news from ALT, from Thursday, 1 May 2025, we will communicate in the following ways:

Join us on Friday 25th April 2025 at 11.00 for the latest in our ongoing series of webinars on becoming a copyright expert. We are pleased to be joined by two experts and one enthusiastic amateur this time around. Christine Daouti and Irene Barranco Garcia will be jointly talking about their journey to becoming experts, while Kathryn Drumm will be explaining why she isn't an expert, and that's OK. Christine is the copyright support officer at University College London. She has a special interest in creating educational resources on copyright, including the UCL Copyright Essentials online module and the Copyright and your Teaching online module. Irene recently joined Imperial College as their Copyright and Scholarly Communications Librarian, having previously worked at the University of Greenwich as Collaboration, Compliance, and Copyright Manager. Kathryn is an educational technologist at City St George's, University of London. Before moving into higher education, she worked in broadcasting for almost 20 years.

 

ALT invites you to join an open working group to update ALT’s Framework for Ethical Learning Technology (FELT). FELT was developed and published in 2021 and we are now updating the framework to reflect the developments in learning technology since its inception.