1. Welcome

A warm, warm welcome to the Education and Training Foundation’s third annual #APConnect conference: Spark(l)ing Constellations. As the day unfolds, you’ll see why we chose that title: like the hugely successful #APNetwork events this year and last, the day is inspiringly by APs and for APs. Their (your) culture-changing work in this very unusual year takes centre stage in all its many forms.

We are using the hashtag #APConnect21 for today so please tag the event into your social media posts – and look out too, for spark(l)ing reflective accounts from this year’s APs. We have fifty…and growing.

We recommend bookmarking this landing page. Pop back to it if you need directions for the day: the programme below has everything you need. Although it’s a full day, we have practised care in our planning and we don’t want you to be on Zoom all day. Some of the conference activities require you to get a cuppa of your choice and explore the treasures on this page. Before you grab that cuppa, complete this short register and listen for a shout out from Lou and Lynne on our live stream below. 

You’ll find the agenda including all timings and Zoom links in Section 3. We will be using separate Zoom links for the morning workshops, so have a Iook through and see which you’d like to attend. You will need to choose one room and sign up for it (links in Section 3). Numbers are capped for each room and places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Do spend time browsing to get familiar with the day; it offers so much to provoke your thinking and you’ll have space to process your ideas too. 

Right now, check out the videos below and our live stream 10:00-10:20 am! We hope they will ease you gently into the day, and do join us on Twitter using #APConnect21 😀

Listen for your shout out as Lynne and Lou LIVEstream the start of the day!

2. Spark(l)ing Constellations.

Today is about the bigger picture work: #AmplifyFE*. We want to join up the dots amongst – often grassroots – constellations across the further education landscape, so we can work together and develop stronger FE voices to drive and enact change at all levels – policy, evidence and practice. Lou Mycroft and Kay Sidebottom wrote about constellations of practice 💫 way back in 2018.  You can read more here; it’s a fascinating read and if you’re an AP you will recognise our way of working!  

Are you curious about these amazing constellations galvanising and driving change across the sector? Watch these 3-minute video-intros from FE’s Constellations of Practice. It’s a live ‘document’ so we’ll keep adding. You might want to tell us about what you’re doing too. **N.B. You’ll need to sign in with your Google or Microsoft account when prompted.**

*#AmplifyFE is a project which has mapped FE’s online communities – project-based (like ours), network/organisational and grassroots. Check out the report here and if you use the #AmplifyFE hashtag, they’ll retweet you.

3. Agenda Friday 26 March 2021

Today’s conference is a public event and we will be recording various sessions throughout the day (indicated by * on the agenda). We’ll have these available on the landing page post-event. We’ll also share widely with those outside the AP community using the #APConnect21 hashtag on social media 😀

4. ‘How to & why’ workshop-video series