David Hopkins
My name is David Hopkins, and I am an experienced leader and manager of learning design and learning technology in the context of online and distance learning for higher education in the UK.
All views expressed here and in the posts are personal are not representative of my employer; past, present, or future.
Last updated: November, 2023.
Who am I?
I am a professional with over 17 years of experience in private and public sector education. My passion for leveraging technology to enhance students’ learning experiences enables me to commit to driving innovation and encouraging colleagues and teams to develop fresh approaches to designing, developing, and managing quality learning opportunities.
My focus is on staying up-to-date with pedagogical and technological developments in the field and applying them to the strategic direction of the business. The creation of engaging digital learning experiences and designing, implementing, and assessing online educational programs across diverse sectors, has enabled my development during the roles I’ve held at leading UK universities and several education-based start-ups. As a leader, I am very aware of the need for an inclusive and thoughtful approach to my work and my teams, ensuring a can-do attitude that prioritises creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit.
- I look forward to connecting with you on LinkedIn.
- David Hopkins, BSc (Hons), PG Cert, FHEA, CMALT, MLPI
About this blog
I started this blog in October 2008 to order and publish my thoughts, and to engage with like-minded educators, facilitators, technicians, designers, etc who are interested in the same kind of things – namely eLearning, mLearning, Blackboard / VLE / LMS / CMS, technology in the classroom, Blended Learning, MOOCs, Online / Distance Learning, etc.
What is a Learning Technologist?
I believe the role of a Learning Technologist is evolving, and I have enjoyed the exploration of ‘what’ we are and ‘how’ we work. In 2009 I started writing about my thoughts on the role, and its evolution, and I have been vocal within the #EdTech community with this knowledge to widen the understanding and adoption throughout the UK HE sector. Here are the posts to date:
- August 2009: What is a Learning Technologist
- October 2010: What is a Learning Technologist (part 2)?
- June 2011: What is a Learning Technologist (part 3)?
- June 2011: Working, and growing, as a Learning Technologist (part 4)
- January 2012: What is a Learning Technologist (part 5)?
- March 2012: So long and thanks for all the fish (part 6)
- July 2012: How does a negative shopping experience effect a Learning Technologist? (part 7)
- December 2012: What is a Learning Technologist (part 8)
- April 2013: Ignorance is bliss? (part 9)
- June 2013: MSc in Learning Innovation (part 10)
- October 2013: Research: What does a Learning Technologist do? (part 11)
- November 2013: I’ve been certified! (part 12)
- June 2014: I make, therefore I learn (part 13)
- September 2014: Learning Technologist of the Year (part 14)
- July 2016: What is a Learning Technologist (part 15)
- June 2017: Why CMALT is important to me (part 16)
- March 2018: Career path (part 17)
- April 2018: Change the title, change the work? (part 18)
- May 2018: Learning Technologists as Project Managers too (part 19)
- April 2020: Describe what you do (part 20)
- June 2020; ‘What have you learned about yourself during lockdown?’ (part 21)
Why “Don’t Waste Your Time”?
When I was setting the blog up, one evening when I should have been doing something more domestic and meaningful, I wanted a domain and not just something like blogname.wordpress.com. I was doing some searches, based on my name, and was coming up blank. I thought I ought to stop wasting my time and get on with some work … hey presto, a name. www.dontwasteyourtime.co.uk.
Guest Posts & Adverts
I do not accept guest posts, nor do I use ghostwriters or accept payment for adverts or copy in old posts. Please do not ask – I do not reply to these emails.
