Forth Valley College hairdressing student Edyta Musielak has become the first learner at the College to be awarded an online ‘Student Teacher - Open Badge’ after sharing her plaiting expertise with others.
Edyta (28, Stirling) is currently on the City & Guilds Hairdressing Level 2 course. She was inspired to develop her plaiting skills after watching YouTube tutorials and started to practice on herself, her sister and her daughter. Lecturer Gillian Stirling soon picked up on Edyta’s talents and suggested she start to make her own videos so they could be used to teach fellow students and college lecturers. Gillian then contacted the Moodle Team as part of their campus support schedule to ask about media kit to record the videos and to request help in using the media server.
Following this, Edyta’s efforts were recognised by the Forth Valley Student Association and College’s Moodle Team who awarded her with one of their open badges. These online standards recognise learning and development gained at college outwith the standard curriculum. Badges are available in the categories of Representation, Community and Development and Edyta is the first to receive the ‘Student Teacher’ badge.
Edyta said:
“I was quite shy when I started college but my lecturer Gillian encouraged me to start showing other people how to do the plaits. Gillian and Jasmin thought the videos would be a good idea as I could share my skills with others with the added bonus that my own work wouldn’t be interrupted.
“I was surprised about getting the open badge – the videos were just something I enjoyed doing so it was amazing to be recognised for them. I was also really proud to be the first student to receive the student teacher badge.
“The skills I have gained, and my badge, will hopefully help me with my career and create more opportunities for me. I am also soon going to be doing plaits for girls who do Highland Dancing which will hopefully help me get more exposure!”
Lecturer Gillian said:
"Edyta has helped other students by showing them how to create the plaits; she has given support to others and is a great team player. It would be great if the students in other departments could support Edyta by being a model for all aspects of hairdressing.”
Jasmin Hodge from the Moodle Team said:
“Edyta is a really keen and inspiring student who has given her full commitment to this project; she has given so much of her own time and is really keen to learn. The plaiting work she creates in hairstyles is outstanding and this is confirmed by her lecturers and classmates. She has amazed me with her ideas and how well she adapted herself to learning at Forth Valley College. I hope to continue to work with Edyta when she hopefully returns to learning after this session.”