My insights into writing, with a particular focus on education, business and technology.
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Starting a podcast from scratch
Since June 2022, I’ve issued a fortnightly podcast that melds my niche writing and research areas of education and STEM. The Out-of-Field Teaching Toolkit podcast is a passion project with no budget, although I do pay to have each episode professionally edited. I’m keen to share my learning journey about podcasting regularly – its challenges, […]
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As an out-of-field teacher, are you bringing your biggest gift to class?
Who the teacher is as a person matters, says Dr William DeJean, because teachers’ histories & identities shape their pedagogical practices. He’s the CEO and founder of Unleash Learning, an educational consultancy based in Sydney that works across Australia. It helps school leaders and businesses make a cultural shift across their organisations so that learning […]
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Why you need to STOMP & clap if you’re teaching English out of field
Dr Lucinda McKnight: It’s really important for us to start to acknowledge this, although we could we call it a phenomenon as if it’s something unusual. Teaching out-of-field is an ordinary part of teachers’ everyday work at that basic level.
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When a journalist cold calls you for an interview … here’s what to do
Recently, an education researcher asked me for advice on dealing with a journalist’s query. Here’s what they – the researcher – were unsure about. “I want to get some truth out there in the media. Teaching and learning are not simple. “But I don’t want to be portrayed ‘badly’ or contribute to a two-equal-sided debate. […]
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How to name your business products or services
What’s in a name? A lot, according to Katarina Nilsson, entrepreneur, naming strategist, visual artist and certified Joy of Business facilitator. The founder of full-service naming agency Eqvarium, she’s taking us on a journey not about naming your business but specifically how to be savvy about naming your products and services. Create an overall road […]
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How can school leaders better support out-of-field mathematics teachers?
How can school leaders better support out-of-field mathematics teachers? Professor Colleen Vale, a maths-education researcher from Monash University in Victoria, Australia, recently appeared on the Out-Of-Field Teaching Toolkit podcast. (Episode 1, Season 2). You can listen to the interview or read this lightly edited transcript with highlights in bold and super-highlights in red. Colleen […]
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PodCAST: The Out-of-Field Teaching Toolkit
That’s a wrap! The first season of the Out-of-Field Teacher Toolkit Podcast concluded in December 2022. It’s about and for K-12 educators who teach subjects for which they don’t have the necessary qualifications. This fortnightly show features insights, tips and solutions from teachers, researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs and more from Australia and the world. You can […]
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Shortcuts to creating great content
Perhaps you’re bursting with ideas for blogs and articles, but just don’t have the time to write them. Do a brain dump into an audio file as you’re driving, walking or waiting in a queue.
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How to follow in the footsteps of a successful content marketing writer
Content may be king, but content marketing writers need a seamless workflow to earn that crown. This is no place for the solo wolf – it’s teamwork, big time. That’s why I’m sharing the work process I use to create – and finesse – as a content marketing writer (or you could call me a […]
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How to do thought-leadership writing like an expert
There’s a massive appetite for thought leaders and those who can do thought-leadership writing. Those who can help us navigate through the uncertainty created the COVID-19 pandemic creates. Do you have expertise in your chosen field? You might be a candidate for thought-leadership writing. But there’s a tsunami of content online. How do you get […]
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How to work with journalists more effectively
Journalists can be your conduit to positive online, print, and broadcast media coverage about your expertise and business. However, knowing the best way to deal with members of the profession is key to getting the best results. Here’s how to improve how you work with journalists. They’re under pressure to perform understanding how deadlines work […]
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How to go for gold with your grant writing application
When you absolutely have to get your grant application RIGHT! Writing grant applications doesn’t need to be drudgery. In fact, they’re among my favourite writing and editing projects. Grant writing tips As someone who’s successfully helped clients across the world secure small local government grants right up to multi-million-dollar European Commission grants, I’ve found these […]
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Immigrants taking our jobs? Stop to think how the gig economy shakes this up
Immigration is again a federal election issue, but those who claim outsiders are taking Aussie jobs are missing the point. You don’t need to live in Australia to take a job from an Australian worker. And an Australian living in Australia could work just about anywhere in the world … online. Welcome to globalisation from […]
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How I became an illegal alien in the country where I was born – Australia
Federal politicians are falling like snapped poppies in Parliament as the dual citizenship crisis continues. But here’s a curly one. Some of those dual citizenship holders might only have the right to one passport and it’s not Australian. Come again? I speak from experience. The Australian Citizenship Act (1948) forbade Australian-born Aussies from taking up […]
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Business | Construction | Editorials | Opinion | Writing
Quirky things about the Australian construction industry
The construction sector gets a bad wrap when it comes to innovation – it’s usually in the bottom three innovative industries in Australia. But some of its players are embracing new tech and trailblazing in other ways. Here my snippets of what’s worth sharing from my deep-dive writing on construction projects across Australia since May […]
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Why your business needs an in-house editorial coach to boost productivity
Imagine at your business there is a place you can go for one-on-one coaching to boost your writing skills. A gentle editor at-the-ready to help you find what you want to say and who’s your target audience. You’ll work through the text together to create content that better connects your business with your customers. No […]
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How often should I send out media releases?
How often should I send out media releases? A client asked me this question recently. I said it depends … You have to drill down to why you’re keen to get news out, what is the news (is it really news – will it pass the ‘who cares?’ test?), who’s your target audience for starters. What’s […]
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Mini-masterclass on getting the most out of Upwork as a writer
Overview – At the end of this masterclass you will know: If Upwork (upwork.com) is for you How to get Upworking today How to be an informed and strategic Upworker Let’s go: What’s Upwork? www.upwork.com What Upwork says: Find freelancers and freelance jobs on Upwork – the world’s largest online workplace where savvy businesses and […]
