As this is my last day on the SMART project, so to speak. I wanted to recap on the all the changes that have occurred for me as the researcher and trainer. Presently I am actively involved in demonstrating the SMART resource and as a lecturer in mentorship within the Nursing; I have access to a wide audience of naive mentors (also known as associate mentors whilst in training). The responses that I get from including SMART as a topic within the programme has met with mixed responses. This only confirms one area representative of exactly what was discovered within the projects lifespan.
This was the different levels of technological understanding and how individuals view their relationship with it.
I recently had two chance meeting with early project participant that contributed at the start of the project and this confirmed my overall view that with further development SMART has a place in the future of mentorship development and in enhancing the mentorship role.
‘It was really good, interactive and did exactly what it said on the tin’
‘I was pleasantly surprised, did you really get all this from work-based mentors’
Has the project achieved what it set out to do the answer is ‘YES’. But as with any projects the future and continuation of the resource will be the real test. There are a variety of advantages in extending the use of ‘Mentor Mansion’. My return to my lecturer post, as attached new opportunities, ones within which I can continue to crusade for the development of resources in work-based programmes.
I have been asked to give a talk to post registration Nurses on how technology can enhance health. This is only possible because of my time within the project. Technology has demonstrated the real learning possibilities, having access to so many other JISC projects and time to focus on their contribution to learning has been incredible.
Michael Farquharson
