The Early Years Summit is an annual online CPD event for Early Years Practitioners. Each year the summit provides in-depth training in the fundamental skills, that is required when working in Early Years settings, through interviews and presentations with leading experts and practitioners. Access is free until March 31st but a lifetime access pass can be purchased for £25. There are quite a few videos uploaded each day that can last up to 1 hour, therefore, it may be difficult to watch and retain the information in the short timeframe that the access is given for FREE. Intrigued by the online CPD opportunity, I registered for the free access and membership and was instantaneously delighted at the first video available; Sally Goddard Blythe on Improving Personal, Social and Emotional Well-Being Through Physical Development. Now this interview of what looked like a recorded Skype chat was fascinating and I found the conversation extremely valuable in regard to my Early Years classes and projects. The content was an in-depth discussion of academic research and findings and although I found this easy to follow and put into context I had to consider the relevance to Early Year practitioners or assistants that I come across on a weekly basis. Their approach is less academic and they are hands on with the children. The content may be valuable but the information that is disseminated through video and an ‘in the mind’ learning approach may be problematic as the visualisation of the knowledge may be difficult to transfer into the day to day approach within the Early Year setting. Although a wonderful initiative it falls back to how and when learning happens. Is it enough to just listen to a conversation? Should one be a part of that conversation to allow full understanding? Is listening the only form of learning and should visual representation or examples be available? How can the learners then take the information gained and put it into practise which will solidify learning and allow retention?
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