After a couple of false starts, and a few interruptions, I am now at the point of applying for CMALT (Certified Membership of the Association for Learning Technology). For those who don’t know this is a professional accreditation route for those working with learning technology, achieved through evidencing a history of engagement across a range of topics, including areas of specialisation, and a commitment to professional development.

Having created a portfolio of my evidence, commentary and reflection ready for assessment, I can offer the following as those things most useful in helping me to get this far:

1. Use the guidance. It’s written by people who want you to succeed and forms a framework for your application.
2. Look at the examples, but don’t follow too closely. The portfolios published on the ALT website are useful in giving you an idea of how to include evidence, and how much to write, however your application, and how you write it, is your own.
3. Start now! Building your portfolio takes time; start by looking at the guidance to see what kind of evidence you will need, which you can start to collect long before you apply, so when you start to write up, you will already have a store of examples to draw upon.
4. Set yourself a deadline for completion. Doing this will help you plan and pace the work needed. If circumstances change, you can always adjust your deadline, and the work you have done already won’t be wasted.
5. Find someone to work with. Sharing what you are doing with others can help you set a reasonable pace and keep you accountable.
6. Don’t be afraid to ask. Sometimes the best evidence is a comment from a colleague on the impact your work has made. If you collect evidence as you go, you can ask for feedback immediately to use later in your application. You will probably find people amenable to requests (and you can pay it forward when someone asks you to do the same thing for them).
7. If at first you don’t succeed… If your application doesn’t pass first time, you’ll receive feedback to help you reapply; so what have you got to lose?

After many, many hours of work I think I am ready. Wish me luck!

("Inch Walkway" by leppre is licensed under CC BY 2.0)

("Inch Walkway" by leppre is licensed under CC BY 2.0)

Going for CMALT / Learning Design Team by blogadmin is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0

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