I’m not going anywhere, I’m not planning to go anywhere and I’m not stuck anywhere… but the big cloud of volcanic ash has altered my plans for this week.

I was supposed to collect a group of 11 Hungarian youth workers at Edinburgh airport tonight but that’s not happening as European airspace remains closed.

That means we have had to cancel plans (thanks to the nice people who we were going to visit) and also cancel accommodation… which has been a bit more problematic.

We had booked the group into a hostel in Glasgow.  We paid the whole thing up front so we could get a small discount.  They won’t give us any of the cash back.  If we had only paid a deposit we would only have lost 10%.

They are going to let us change the dates, as long as we re-book in the near future.  Thanks.

So, I now have some time to work on my dissertation that I wasn’t expecting.  And a hole in our budget that I wasn’t expecting either.

Sir Ken Robinson gives a challenging talks on education and creativity to TED.  Go make a cuppa and spend 20min watching.

Tonight was the last day of term for my Masters in Research classes.  I have a literature review to write and that’s me done for this year.  It seems to have gone very quickly and I’ve done ok (Bs for almost everything).  I’ve got two more modules to do then my research project and dissertation and that’s me done.

I’ve enjoyed this year.  Met some nice people, learned some interesting stuff.  Now all I need to do is refine my research topic and get on with it.

I’m about to have a class on using new media to communicate research findings.  Looking forward to it…

Oh, and I saw Dr Hilary Jones off of GMTV in Buchanan Street!

I’ve decided to use the other blog I’ve had lying around doing nothing for a year to record my research and reflect a bit more on my Masters in Research.  I’ve written a little about it here and will still post things that are relevant to my work but I think keeping a separate blog might help me to focus a bit more on the one area, using digital tools to engage in and enhance learning of young people.

See below!!!  lol

I’m finding it hard to come up with a research topic that will

A. be of use and

B. be of interest (mostly to me as I have to do it)

So, I’m toying with something to do with church and tech, but what?  Should I look at youth work? (would seem to make sense) But what about it?

I guess what I hope I’ll get out of it, apart from a Masters is some sense of training needs and where we are at.

If you read this blog regularly you’ll know I’m doing a masters in research.  I’ve come to the point where I need to decide what I’m going to research!

Any ideas?  I was thinking something to do with church youth work and technology use.  Would that be helpful?  Does anyone care?  What would be the point of knowing if and how churches use technology in their informal education with young people?

Any help gratefully received!!!