Hillcroft College for Women - virtual learning environment

This week 14-20 May we have learners continuing on Access preparing for university, Access preparing for university – fast track  and Introduction to Horticulture and Farming. Over the weekend of 18-20 May we have students in for Dyslexia strategies 6: spelling  and Word processing: level 3.

There is a New beginnings course on 14 May at the Women’s Placement Project in Bristol.

Our Music for all session runs from 10.30am-11.30am on 8 May for mothers and children with Kingston Sound Community Project. There’s also a women’s choir every Thursday @ 7.00pm to the end of May.

May is Crime Writing Month. Our Learning Resources Centre has a number of crime novels not only in our fiction section but also in our Quick Reads and Graded Readers:

Clouded vision by Linwood Barclay

Mystery in London by Helen Brooke

The perfect murder by Peter James

Bloody valentine by James Patterson

Skin privilege by Karin Slaughter

Bad penny blues by Cathi Unsworth

Find more to choose from on our catalogue.

12-18 May is Adult Learners’ Week looking at learner achievement in education. Find out more on the Adult Learners’ website. There’s an events diary to find events near you.

14-18 May is Work to Work Week encouraging all of us to use our feet to get to work. Visit Living Street’s Walking and Work page to learn how walking to work can keep you fit and healthy. 14-20 May is also Coeliac Awareness Week. Visit Coeliac UK – the Charity improving life for people with coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis’ to find about this year’s gluten-free challenge, recipes and tips to help those who are allergic to gluten products. It’s also Arthritis Care Awareness Week. Go to Arthritis Care’s website for information on living with arthritis. 

15 May is International Day for families celebrating the importance of families in our lives. Read about the United Nation’s special day on the International Day of Families.

17 May is World Telecommunication and Information Society Day which recognises the positive impact of the Internet and technology on our world. It is held on the day the first International Telegraph Convention was signed. Read more about the day. This year’s theme is Women and Girls in ICT. Read about both on the International Telecommunication Union’s website.

National Smile Month runs from 20 May to 20 June and is organised by the British Dental Health Foundation. It highlights the importance of looking after your teeth. Visit the National Smile Month website for tips on caring for your teeth and events near you.

20-26 May is Dementia Awareness Week. Find out about how to spot the signs of dementia and how to handle the symptoms on the Alzheimer’s Society’s website . And it’s National Epilepsy Week. Go to the Epilepsy Action’s website  for help and advice on the condition.

New email logon
Following the Exchange Server upgrade last week the address for accessing webmail has changed. It is now as follows:

1. while off-site use: https://webmail.hillcroft.ac.uk
2. while on site at Hillcroft use: https://hillcroft-ex

(Note the s at the end of http).

Six Book Challenge
Hillcroft College is running the Six Book Challenge this year. You need to read six items to meet the challenge - these can be books, magazine or newspaper articles and poems. And keep a diary to record how you do. Our challengers are nearing the end of their reading journey. All challengers need to finish before 29 June.

If you've already signed up make sure you've filled in the Pre-Challenge evaluation. This is just 10 questions on a SurveyMonkey link and takes about 5 minutes.Once you have finished the Challenge complete the Post-Challenge survey. There is also a Six Book Challenge tutor survey for tutors to give feedback on the effect the Challenge has had on their learners. All participants must complete the Challenge before 29 June for a chance to win a trip to London with theatre tickets or ebook readers.

It’s biological and pedagogical
This month’s ebooks focus on Human Biology and Environmental Biology for our learners studying Access to Higher Education:

Bailey, M., Indge, B. and Rowland, M. (2009) AQA Biology for A2.London: Hodder Education – see the section on the nutrient cycles

Bent, R., Orr, L. and Baker, R. (eds) (2002) Energy: Science, Policy and the Pursuit of Probability. Covelo CA, USA: Island Press – discusses fossil fuels and global warming. Table 3.1 looks at different energies effects on public health

Hoey, H. (2009) How to pass immediate 2 Biology. Paisley: Hodder Gibson – chapter 5 on photosynthesis and 6 on ecosystems

McCally, M. (ed) (2002) Life support: the environment and human health. Cambridge MA, USA: MIT Press

Slobodkin, L. B. (2003) Citizen’s guide to Ecology. Cary NC, USA: Oxford University Press - chapter 3 looks at global warming

Torrance, J. et al (2006) Immediate 2 Biology with answers. 2^ndPaisley: Hodder Gibson – section 2 Environmental biology and genetics

Here are a selection of ebooks on ebrary on teaching:

Briggs, A. K. & Sommefeldt, D. (2002) Managing effective learning and teaching. London, Sage Publications

Evans, L. & Abbott, I.(1998) Teaching and learning in Higher Education. London: Continuum International

Stronge, J. H. (2007) Qualities of effective teachers. 2^ndedn. Alexandria VA, USA: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development

Knowledge is power

It’s topical
Did you know the Learning Resources Centre provides a number of magazines and journals for you to browse? You can search for what we have through our Online Public Access Catalogue. Highlights include:

Find out what we have on the Journals and newspapers section of our LRC Services page. Contact the LRC team for more information by dropping in during staffed hours or email us.

Blog it!
The Learning Resources Centre (LRC) team have launched a blog on the LRC Services page:

Do let us know about material you've found useful or upcoming events which you'd like to share with us through the blog.