{"id":4392,"date":"2022-08-26T11:00:33","date_gmt":"2022-08-26T10:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.alison.com\/?p=4392"},"modified":"2022-08-26T13:02:50","modified_gmt":"2022-08-26T12:02:50","slug":"alison-publisher-spotlight-leigh-faulkner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alison.com\/blog\/alison-publisher-spotlight-leigh-faulkner","title":{"rendered":"Alison Publisher Spotlight: Leigh Faulkner"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a learner, being in the classroom opens your world up to a world of knowledge, new ideas, information, and more. As a teacher, you carry the responsibility of sharing and shaping the minds of your students. The relationship between a student and their teacher sets the tone for improved engagement, achievement, and draws out their desire to learn. What better way to explore this relationship than by speaking to a member of this noble profession. This month, our Alison Publisher Spotlight is on accomplished teacher and author, Leigh Faulkner.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Please share with our learners a bit about your background.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I started my teaching career in my home province of Nova Scotia, Canada, when I was eighteen years old. Three years later I became a school principal. After twenty-seven years in public schools, I began university teaching \u2013 first in the University of British Columbia, in Vancouver, Canada, then as a volunteer English curriculum developer in the teachers college of Danang University, in Danang, Vietnam, and finally, until retirement, as a tenured professor in Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, in Beppu, Kyushu, Japan. Since my official retirement, I\u2019ve developed and facilitated workplace education programs, carried out organizational training needs assessments, and tutored public school, university, and apprenticeship students. For the last few years, I\u2019ve been developing online courses, like those here on Alison.<\/span><\/p>\n

In terms of my own education, I have a BA, a BEd, an MA, and an EdD, along with workplace education certification.<\/span><\/p>\n

How did you get into teaching, education, and training?<\/strong><\/p>\n

As a child I was fascinated with airplanes. Career wise, I hoped to go into the air force and become a pilot. However, circumstances changed that because I was colourblind \u2013 and colourblind people do not fly planes, at least in the Canadian military. So, I made a last minute decision to attend the Normal College one-year program. In retrospect, I think it was a good career choice.<\/span><\/p>\n

You\u2019ve been a self-publisher with Alison for several years. What do you enjoy most about publishing on this platform?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The business model is student-friendly. Students around the world who might not be able to pay for courses have access to a vast array of courses here on Alison. A second powerful recommendation for Alison, in my opinion, is the attention to quality. The Publishing Account Manager and the review team provide excellent guidance and support during the course development process.<\/span><\/p>\n

What lessons or takeaways have you learned as a self-publisher on Alison?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Well, I always thought that I gave careful attention to each stage of the course development process, however, I\u2019ve gained a new appreciation of the need to give extra careful attention to detail while creating courses. A simple example is the need to check carefully that audio and video are perfectly synced. I guess another takeaway is \u201cDon\u2019t make assumptions!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

How has being a self-publisher on Alison changed or impacted your life?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been a life-long teacher, and being a self-publisher on Alison has allowed me to continue teaching after my classroom career came to an end. I appreciate that.<\/span><\/p>\n

How has the adjustment from face-to-face to remote video tutoring been for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I miss the face-to-face interaction, but, overall, the transition to remote video tutoring has been relatively easy. I enjoy technology, so crafting courses has been satisfying. In terms of one-to-one tutoring, I found that the wide range of online resources that the student and I could access enriched the tutoring experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

How should learners approach remote video tutoring and learning?<\/strong><\/p>\n

That\u2019s a difficult question, since people have developed a range of successful learning skills and may have to adjust them when taking online courses. Learning takes effort and time, so I think that learners need to be patient.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Learners need to consciously make connections between what they are learning and what they already know; in this way, they provide a foundation for the new learning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another thing to keep in mind is that no course contains everything there is to know about a topic, so the learner should be ready to consult other sources for additional information or different perspectives.<\/span><\/p>\n

Who should take your courses?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some of my courses are designed for students in high school or university. \u201c<\/span>Mastering the Academic Desk Research Paper<\/span><\/a>\u201d and \u201c<\/span>Deep Reading<\/span><\/a>\u201d are examples. \u201c<\/span>Facilitating Adult Learning Groups<\/span><\/a>,\u201d on the other hand, is for people, perhaps in business or in adult education, who want to understand more about the principles and processes of adult group facilitation, especially when the groups are noticeably diverse.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I would say that the course \u201c<\/span>Foundations of Effective Oral Communication<\/span><\/a>\u201d is for everyone from teen to adult. The course \u201c<\/span>Appreciating Metaphor<\/span><\/a>\u201d is intended for anyone who wants to explore the English language in a way and to a depth that perhaps they\u2019ve never undertaken before.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why should people be invested in continuing\/furthering their studies?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I have a tagline on my personal website. It says, \u201c<\/span>Education changes everything<\/span><\/i>.\u201d I believe that\u2019s true. I think that people can keep learning and growing and building a better future for themselves. I think there is an element of the unexpected, too, since we never know when a simple experience we\u2019ve had or something we\u2019ve learned will become important in defining the next life choice or career choice.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s the importance of studying your courses for those who aren\u2019t pursuing careers in academia?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I like to think that all my courses are for those who are \u201cpursuing a career in life.\u201d That may sound flippant, but I don\u2019t mean it to be. I have a firm belief that everything we learn, no matter how seemingly insignificant, has a place in helping to determine who we are and what our capacities are and what we can accomplish in life.<\/span><\/p>\n

What feedback have you received from learners about your course?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I would welcome feedback, but I am still waiting!<\/span><\/p>\n

For individuals interested in taking one of your courses, what can they expect to get from it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the course \u201cMastering the Academic Desk Research Paper,\u201d for example, I map out in detail the processes involved, from assignment analysis, through development of a research question or thesis statement, information gathering and analysis, paper organization, the qualities of effective writing, editing and revision, and, finally, submission.<\/span><\/p>\n

What words of advice would you give someone who would like to become a publisher on Alison?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I would say:<\/span><\/p>\n