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Blog Editing

10 good questions to ask before you close a digital project

Digital goodbyes aren’t any easier than real ones. I’ve recently decided to archive a digital project which I spent almost ten years working on. In the process, I found myself pausing and questioning my actions a lot more frequently than I’d anticipated. What’s the proper way to “sunset” a digital project? And is it possible to preserve online publications in a useful form? Here, in no particular order, are ten questions which I found myself grappling with. Feel free to refer to them the next time you decide to pull the plug on your digital creation!

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Blog

10 good questions for any instructional designer

Graphic to ilustrate the concept of learning difficulties. A confused child sitting on the floor with an open book in their lap. Colourful, messy letters and characters in a though bubble above the child's head.

I’ve worked with instructional design more than usual over the past few weeks, and frequently, this meant being able to stop and ask lots of questions. Some of them ended up in e-mails to authors, instructional designers, and digital producers (if you’ve been affected, apologies!). Others I’ve started writing down for myself. They led to more questions, as is often the case.

Here, in no particular order (apart from No. 1), are ten good questions which any instructional designer can ask themselves – and ten reasons why I like asking them when working with ID projects. Feel free to adapt, riff, share, and question the questions!

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Blog Editing

7 free and open source apps which editors can be thankful for in 2020

Is software for editorial staff expensive? How much does it cost to equip an editor’s workstation with the software they need? And are there any free and/or open-source projects which any editor can be thankful for – every day, not just for Thanksgiving? Read on for a quick 2020 list.

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Blog

7 ideas that could make #WorkInPublishing bearable in 2021

Despite its gentle and mild facade, I think publishing is an industry with plenty of murky and unpleasant stories to be told. This post is not about these stories – not directly. Instead, I thought I’d revert to my old habit and prepare a list of 7 projects or ideas which could make anyone’s publishing job better next year.

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Teaching

Teaching & Course Design

Does everyone sometimes miss their first job? That is certainly true for me. My career as a language educator has been great – and I still find myself returning to it occasionally, when I work on course design projects in the area of language learning. A selection of my teaching and course design experience can be found below.

Stephen Spender Prize, 2019-2020
Contributed worksheets and video tutorials on the theme of poetry translation. Responsible for material selection, design, recording, and edits.

Cardiff University, 2018
Mentoring a Translation MA student. Examination prep and grading.

CARAS, 2016
Volunteer ESOL teacher on a project for refugees and asylum seekers in south London.

City School of Languages, 2011-2012
Director of Studies for a busy private language school. Cover teaching, timetabling, material selection and design, course design – for all levels, including Foundation Programmes.

WSZOP, 2011-2012
EAP course design and delivery.

Translation Studies Centre, 2006 – 2011
Course design and delivery: ESP / Applied Translation.

International House, 2006 – 2010
Taught English to classes and individuals, all ages and levels. Organised and graded Cambridge examinations.

(Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash)

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