Case Studies, The Office series

The Office: authentic learning in civil engineering (full series)

Professor James Norman

Find out how James Norman created his own ‘company’, complete with its own office space in order to teach his Timber Engineering unit. Students worked on real briefs and projects as ’employees’ throughout this authentic and unique learning experience.

The Office: Episode 1
October 1, 2019  -
Professor James Norman
For the last year I have been on a BILT fellowship looking into learning space. I have travelled far and wide to see different teaching spaces, I have read numerous papers and I have written a few blog posts on the way. But also over ...
Read more
The Office: Episode 2
October 10, 2019  -
Professor James Norman
The Office opens for business (learning) Last Thursday evening as I sat on the train heading home I reflected on my day. It had been a variety of things, exhausting, exhilarating, extraordinary, just another day at work, surprisingly straightforward and above all else not a ...
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The Office: Episode 3
October 14, 2019  -
Professor James Norman
What the flip is flipped teaching? I love lecturing. It’s awesome. I get that nervous excitement beforehand, like an actor or musician about to perform – it fires up my imagination – I think of new ways to say the same old thing. And then ...
Read more
students working the office space
The Office: Episode 4
October 18, 2019  -
Professor James Norman
'Space... ' At some point in Spring 2018 I went for an interview to be a BILT Fellow in Assessment and Feedback. All went well and I was offered a two-year Fellowship. But on reflection, I wasn’t sure if I really should be doing Assessment ...
Read more
students working in the just timber office
The Office: Episode 5
October 24, 2019  -
Professor James Norman
Authentic Learning So, this week I want to talk about Authentic Learning. Hopefully you had a chance to look at the paper I mentioned by Marilyn M. Lombardi on ‘Authentic Learning for the 21st Century: An Overview’ (Educase 2007) which provides a really nice, simple ...
Read more
The Office: Episode 6
October 31, 2019  -
Professor James Norman
'All kinds of feedback' A few months ago, I was sat in a conference when I got an email from one of the heads of department asking me if I was around. Without thinking, I replied that I was working but not in the office. ...
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The Office: Episode 7
November 5, 2019  -
Professor James Norman
'Funding' This week in my blog I would like to talk about funding. How have I funded my office project? Now, before we go any further, I would like to be honest; I have very little experience in funding. I have never applied for a ...
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covers of the books james has read in 2019
The Office: Episode 8
November 14, 2019  -
Professor James Norman
'A reading week special’ Depending on when you are reading this it is either reading week, or it is the Friday before reading week. Either way happy reading week*. Now I don’t know what your plans are for reading week but I really hope you ...
Read more
The Office: Episode 9
November 22, 2019  -
Professor James Norman
Emerging Engineers So before we go any further, a serious health warning, if you are the sort of person who feels the need to reach for the sick bucket whenever you hear self-congratulation then you may prefer to skip this episode all together, because over ...
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The Office: Episode 10
December 6, 2019  -
James Norman
Work-Life Balance So this is the penultimate episode of The Office! As we draw towards the seasons finale I want to examine a hot topic – work/life balance. And I want to look at it from two perspectives – the students (employees) and my own ...
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The Office: Episode 11
December 12, 2019  -
Professor James Norman
'And that's a wrap...' “I'm just sitting here, I ain't saying much I just think And my eyes don't move left or right they just blink” I thought I’d start my 11th and final episode of the blog series with a Dizzee Rascal quote, because ...
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students working in the office
The Office: Episode 0 (Trailer)
December 12, 2019  -
Professor James Norman
A few weeks ago I was asked to give a 5 minute presentation on ‘The Office’. I have re-recorded here. Whether you are new to The Office or have followed the posts religiously I hope that this will be a great starting/ending point for you. ...
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Authentic learning in an office environment for engineering students
August 20, 2021  -
Dr James Norman and Francis Peppett
Case study reflecting on a final year engineering unit focused on developing employability skills. ...
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The Office - Summer Special
August 16, 2023  -
Professor James Norman
Back in the Autumn term of 2019 I ran a unit on Timber Engineering. Rather than give lectures I decided to make the unit more authentic by inviting students to come and work for my pretend engineering practice Just Timber. Every week they would turn ...
Read more
Case Studies, Teaching Stories, The Office series

The Office: Episode 1

Professor James Norman

For the last year I have been on a BILT fellowship looking into learning space. I have travelled far and wide to see different teaching spaces, I have read numerous papers and I have written … Continue reading

Case Studies, News, Teaching Stories, The Office series

The Office: Episode 2

Professor James Norman

The Office opens for business (learning)

Last Thursday evening as I sat on the train heading home I reflected on my day. It had been a variety of things, exhausting, exhilarating, extraordinary, just another day … Continue reading

Case Studies, News, Teaching Stories, The Office series

The Office: Episode 3

Professor James Norman

What the flip is flipped teaching?

I love lecturing. It’s awesome. I get that nervous excitement beforehand, like an actor or musician about to perform – it fires up my imagination – I think … Continue reading

students working the office space
Case Studies, News, The Office series

The Office: Episode 4

Professor James Norman

‘Space… ‘

At some point in Spring 2018 I went for an interview to be a BILT Fellow in Assessment and Feedback. All went well and I was offered a two-year Fellowship. But on reflection, … Continue reading

students working in the just timber office
Case Studies, Teaching Stories, The Office series

The Office: Episode 5

Professor James Norman

Authentic Learning

So, this week I want to talk about Authentic Learning. Hopefully you had a chance to look at the paper I mentioned by Marilyn M. Lombardi on ‘Authentic Learning for the 21st Century: … Continue reading

Case Studies, Teaching Stories, The Office series

The Office: Episode 6

Professor James Norman

‘All kinds of feedback’

A few months ago, I was sat in a conference when I got an email from one of the heads of department asking me if I was around. Without thinking, I … Continue reading

Case Studies, Teaching Stories, The Office series

The Office: Episode 7

Professor James Norman

‘Funding’

This week in my blog I would like to talk about funding. How have I funded my office project? Now, before we go any further, I would like to be honest; I have very … Continue reading

covers of the books james has read in 2019
Teaching Stories, The Office series

The Office: Episode 8

Professor James Norman

‘A reading week special’

Depending on when you are reading this it is either reading week, or it is the Friday before reading week. Either way happy reading week*.

Now I don’t know what your … Continue reading

News, Teaching Stories, The Office series

The Office: Episode 9

Professor James Norman

Emerging Engineers

So before we go any further, a serious health warning, if you are the sort of person who feels the need to reach for the sick bucket whenever you hear self-congratulation then you … Continue reading

News, Teaching Stories, The Office series

The Office: Episode 10

James Norman

Work-Life Balance

So this is the penultimate episode of The Office! As we draw towards the seasons finale I want to examine a hot topic – work/life balance. And I want to look at it … Continue reading

News, Teaching Stories, The Office series

The Office: Episode 11

Professor James Norman

‘And that’s a wrap…’

“I’m just sitting here, I ain’t saying much I just think
And my eyes don’t move left or right they just blink”

I thought I’d start my 11th and final … Continue reading

students working in the office
News, Teaching Stories, The Office series

The Office: Episode 0 (Trailer)

Professor James Norman

A few weeks ago I was asked to give a 5 minute presentation on ‘The Office’. I have re-recorded here. Whether you are new to The Office or have followed the posts religiously I hope … Continue reading

Case Studies, The Office series

Authentic learning in an office environment for engineering students

Dr James Norman and Francis Peppett
… Continue reading