The Benefits of CMALT Australasia – an interview with Roger Cook

CMALT Australasia is a professional accreditation scheme offered in partnership with the Association for Learning Technology (ALT). You can find out more about the scheme by visiting the CMALT page.

Roger Cook obtained his CMALT accreditation in 2012. He is the Manager, Learning and Teaching Technologies (Governance and Quality) and Project Manager for the Review of QUT's Virtual Learning Environment. Rober-Cook

In this interview, Roger answers a few of the basic questions about CMALT Australasia based on his personal experience. You will find more detailed information about CMALT Australasia on the CMALT page located under "Get Involved" where there is also a link to the Association for Learning Technology (UK) website that administers the scheme on behalf of ascilite.

Why did you apply for the scheme?

There were two main reasons. Firstly, ascilite asked for volunteers to undergo the qualification in 2011 and so I was interested in doing so to provide an evaluation of this qualification and find out about the Association for Learning Technology. Secondly, I wanted to test setting up an ePortfolio using Google Sites (which would enable me to embed a range of Google apps and other media) to decide if I could use this on an ongoing basis.

What was your experience like throughout the scheme?

The portfolio needs to be completed within 6 months and I found that it took most of this time for me to structure my experiences and reflections, compile suitable evidence and consult with my manager and colleagues along the way. This proved to be both a positive and constructive process but did take a significant amount of time.

What were the outcomes of participating in the scheme?

All staff at QUT undergo an annual performance planning and review (PPR) process and I found that the CMALT qualification complimented this well over an extended period of time.

What were the benefits of undertaking CMALT? And why is it of benefit to others? Was it worthwhile?

I did learn how to create an ePortfolio using Google Sites and continue to use it to add important details about my professional development. I also gained a better understanding of how to use the ePorfolio tools available to students and staff at QUT.

I think it would be worthwhile to undertake CMALT if:

you have enough time to devote to it on a regular basis and your manager/supervisor is supportive of doing so.
the CMALT structure helps you identify gaps in your skills and experience which can be addressed during the 6 months of building the portfolio
to support future job applications since responses are relatively comprehensive
to use as a starting point for other professional development (e.g. ascilite Mentoring Program).