Working inclusively: a refresh of the Accessibility in Practice course

Whatever our role, creating documents and other content that can be accessed and used by everybody is an essential professional skill.

The good news is that creating content that’s inclusive and user-friendly is actually quite simple, and the bulk of it can be done by creating good working document templates and making minor adjustments to work flows.

Accessibility in Practice has existed as an online course for a few years, but has just had a refresh to bring it up to date with the latest legislation (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WGAC) 2.2), and in using the most up-to-date tools in Microsoft365 and within Canvas.

Accessibility isn't extra steps, it's steps you've missed.
“Accessibility isn’t extra steps, it’s steps you’ve missed.”

Accessibility in Practice is an online course that will take you about 60-to-90 minutes to complete.

  • Learn about the the importance of working inclusively and embedding accessible practice.
  • Structure your documents effectively for screen readers and other assistive technologies.
  • Optimise images, hyperlinks, colour contrast, and media content for maximum accessibility.
  • Evaluate and fix your content using built-in checking tools in Canvas and Microsoft apps.
  • Create captions, transcripts, and accessible PDF documents.

You can access Accessibility in Practice through Elements.

Education for Sustainable Development Resources

Are you interested in finding out about Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and how you might embed ESD in the curriculum?

We have recently updated the information on ESD on our Learning and Teaching site.

Along with exploring what we mean by ESD in the curriculum and how we can embed it to enhance the student experience, the site includes:

  • A toolkit for collaborative innovation with the UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • A project on mapping SDGs across the curriculum
  • An SDG board game GETSUST! and
  • A range of excellent case studies from colleagues sharing ESD best practice

https://www.ncl.ac.uk/learning-and-teaching/strategic-priorities/education-for-sustainable-development/

The resources available have been created by Academic Services, SNES, FMS and NUBS colleagues.

New assessment resources: assessment briefs and programme perspectives

We have recently added two new assessment resources to the Effective Practice branch of our Teaching and Learning site.

Both of these draw on the outputs and findings from our Assessment and Feedback Sprints. These brought together student, academic and PS colleagues to tackle common issues that student experience with assessment.

In this post we’ll fill you in on the background to new resources.

Continue reading “New assessment resources: assessment briefs and programme perspectives”

Canvas Blog: Using Announcements Effectively

This is the second post in our blog looking at specific tools and aspects of Canvas and how they can be used to further improve our students digital learning journey.

The Importance of Announcements

Canvas announcements are a potent means for fostering effective communication between instructors and students. Announcements can fulfill various roles, including welcoming and guiding students, summarizing key concepts, and reminding them of impending assignments, projects, and exams.

Despite their importance, there is a prevailing tendency among students to disable announcement notifications, attributing it to an overwhelming influx of notifications and email spam, in light of this, we present a set of recommended best practices.

Best Practices

  • Carefully consider your purpose before crafting an announcement, avoiding duplication of information already covered elsewhere.
  • Establish a regular schedule for posting announcements. Consistency helps students anticipate and look forward to updates, creating a routine that enhances engagement. These regular announcements could include recapping the previous week and providing a preview of what students can expect in the upcoming week.
  • Give your announcements meaningful titles that precisely convey their content. Utilize descriptive titles like “Week X Update” or “Important Date Change for Assignment X” to help students easily locate relevant information when needed.
  • When composing your announcement, use the toolbar features to format bulleted or numbered lists for improved readability. Employ headings to separate topics into different sections. If necessary, attach a document to an announcement rather than including a large amount of text in the body.
  • Establish clear communication expectations with your students at the beginning of the course. Consider allocating 5 minutes at the start of the semester to give students a tour of the Canvas course site and discuss how communication will occur throughout the semester.

Utilizing Delay Posting for Scheduling Announcements

To streamline the process of maintaining a consistent announcement schedule, we highly recommend leveraging the delay posting option. This feature enables you to draft announcements in advance and set a specific day and time for their publication in your Canvas course. Until the publication date, the announcement can be edited, allowing for the addition of any supplementary details or updates as needed.

Postponing an announcement is a straightforward process. Just create the announcement as usual (consider making a basic template for consistency), and then choose the “Delay Posting” from the list of options at the bottom of the page.

Finally choose a date and time for the announcement to be published. Your students will then receive a notification as normal once the announcement is published.

Next Steps

Instructure has an excellent set of web guides on how to use Canvas effectively: https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Instructor-Guide/tkb-p/Instructor

Additional information can also be found on the Canvas Orientation page: https://ncl.instructure.com/courses/76

Additional Canvas training is provided by LTDS on a monthly basis, you can sign up on elements below.

Getting to Know Canvas – Introductory Webinar: https://elements.ncl.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=1749

Using Canvas Effectively – Advanced Webinar: https://elements.ncl.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=2202

Alternatively if you are interested in booking an in person workshop for colleagues within your school then please contact ltds@newcastle.ac.uk

Canvas Blog: Creating Engaging Interactive Content Using H5P

This is the first in a series of blog posts looking at specific tools and aspects of Canvas and how they can be used to further improve our students digital learning journey.

The Importance of Interactivity

Developing interactive educational content is crucial for creating an engaging online learning experience. This approach enhances students’ effectiveness, engagement, and motivation by facilitating active learning instead of merely receiving information passively. Furthermore, the ability to include small self assessment activities within such content promotes self reflection allowing students to identify their own strengths and weaknesses. According to Yung-Ming (2013), interactivity plays a huge role in

“the perception of the ease of use of the learning system, as well as the consideration of the usefulness and the interest that stimulates.” Theodosis Karageorgakis

Why use H5P?

As a busy academic, it can be challenging to find the time and resources to enhance your teaching methods. However, H5P is a powerful tool that can significantly benefit your teaching, even amidst a busy schedule. Here’s why: 

  • Interactive and Engaging Content Creation: H5P simplifies the process of crafting interactive and engaging content. This feature boosts student attention, engagement, and overall enjoyment of the learning experience.
  • Time Efficiency: H5P offers a user-friendly interface along with a diverse range of pre-designed templates, facilitating the swift creation of interactive content. Once you grasp the tool, time savings are achievable through template reuse and the modification of existing content—whether created by you or shared with colleagues—to suit various topics or courses.
  • Versatility in Activity Types: H5P provides a multitude of activity types, such as interactive videos, presentations, quizzes, games, timelines, and more. This versatility enables you to accommodate different learning styles and adapt your teaching methods to the diverse needs of student groups. Whether your aim is knowledge assessment, concept reinforcement, or fostering critical thinking, H5P offers a broad spectrum of options.
  • Seamless Integration with Learning Management Systems: H5P seamlessly integrates with our learning management systems, including Canvas. This integration streamlines the content creation process, allowing you to stay within your Canvas page. Consequently, it minimizes the need for students to navigate between multiple tools.
  • Accessible Help and Support: H5P includes built-in tutorials for all content types, providing readily available assistance. Additionally, we offer further support through workshops dedicated to using H5P, fostering a collaborative environment for sharing knowledge and skills among colleagues.

How to build a simple resource

The video below shows how you can quickly build a simple H5P resource and/or import the Christmas advent calendar to add to your Canvas course.

Examples of H5P in practice

Click on any of the content types below to see an example of some of the excellent resources being created across the University.

Course Presentation

Interactive book

Flash Cards

Interactive Video

Branching Scenario

Getting started – Next steps

The H5P website https://h5p.org/ has a wide range of examples of content to get you started thinking about how you can use this amazing tool within your own teaching practice.

There are excellent step-by-step guides to creating various content types available at https://h5p.org/documentation/for-authors/tutorials

Training is provided by LTDS on a monthly basis, you can sign up on elements below.

H5P Introductory Webinar: https://elements.ncl.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=1722

H5P Advanced Webinar: https://elements.ncl.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=2141

Alternatively if you are interested in booking an in person workshop for colleagues within your school then please contact ltds@newcastle.ac.uk

Finally if you are looking for some festive content for your students you can find the Newcastle University H5P Advent Calendar below, click the reuse button to export it. There are instructions in the video above.

Fellowship of Advance HE Celebration Event

Newcastle University’s commitment to excellence in education was front and centre at a recent event hosted by Professor Ruth Valentine, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Education, and supported by LTDS (Learning and Teaching Development Service). Approximately 45 attended, including colleagues and postgraduate research students, gathered at the newly refurbished Courtyard Restaurant for an evening of celebration and recognition. The festivities were complemented by refreshments, including drinks from our very own Stu Brew, Europe’s first student-run microbrewery. The event was not only a celebration of our students’ and colleagues’ achievements, but also a testament to the vibrant learning community at Newcastle University. 

The highlight of the evening was the acknowledgment of colleagues and PGR students who had successfully gained Fellowship recognition from Advance HE in the 2022/23 academic year. Professor Ruth Valentine, in her welcoming address, expressed her heartfelt congratulations to the 160 colleagues who achieved this prestigious recognition. Many colleagues who are UKPSF Mentors joined the event to celebrate the achievements of their mentees. The upbeat atmosphere resonated with the notable increase in fellowship recipients compared to the previous academic year, reflecting a growing commitment to excellence in learning and teaching. 

“As a university, we value our colleagues and are dedicated to providing a high-quality educational experience for our students,” said Professor Valentine. She emphasised the importance of reflecting on teaching practices and aligning them with relevant pedagogies, reinforcing the commitment to the institution’s core values. The Professional Standards Framework, with its flexibility and inclusivity, allows colleagues across various roles to achieve recognition, fostering a culture that values and supports diverse contributions. 

The occasion also highlighted the diverse range of roles among fellowship recipients. It was particularly pleasing to see education managers, technicians, and colleagues from central services such as the Library, NUIT, Careers, and LTDS, among those recognised alongside academic colleagues and PGR students. This inclusivity underscores the University’s commitment to excellence in all areas of teaching and learning. 

Moreover, the Professional Standards Framework’s alignment with the broader learning and teaching sector contributes to a culture that elevates the importance of education and promotes a sense of reward and recognition. The event served as a reminder that gaining fellowship recognition is not the final destination; it opens up numerous opportunities to contribute to the wider learning and teaching community at Newcastle. 

As Dr Paul Hubbard, Chair of the UKPSF (United Kingdom Professional Standards Framework) CPD Scheme Board of Studies, emphasised, becoming a UKPSF Mentor is one such opportunity. The event expressed gratitude to all UKPSF mentors, acknowledging their invaluable contributions. Mentors play a crucial role in supporting colleagues through the recognition process, and the Dr Phil Ansell Award for Mentoring, which was introduced in 2022/23, further recognises their dedication. This year’s deserving winner, Dr Matt Forshaw, exemplifies the impact mentors can have on their mentees. 

The event concluded with an invitation for all attendees to actively engage with the wider learning and teaching community at Newcastle. Opportunities are plentiful, from participating in the University Learning and Teaching Conference (18th April 2024) Learning and Teaching Conference | Learning and Teaching @ Newcastle | Newcastle University (ncl.ac.uk) to becoming mentors or contributing to the case studies of effective practice database, as well as education networks within our Faculties and Schools. The call to contribute to national initiatives like the National Teaching Fellowship (NTF) and Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE) was also extended. 

As the celebration drew to a close, it was evident that Newcastle University stands not only as a centre of academic excellence but also as a nurturing community that values and celebrates the contributions of every member. 

Registrations and Call for Submissions for the Learning and Teaching Conference 2024

education for life banner

The 2024 Learning and Teaching Conference – Education for Life 2030 – A Vision for Education and Skills at Newcastle, will take place on 18th April 2024 in the Hershel Building in the heart of the Newcastle campus.

You can now register for the conference and submit proposals for consideration by the Conference Committee. The deadline for submissions is Friday 26 January 2024. 
 
The conference is all about learning together, sharing effective practice, and exploring Education for Life 2030. Themes for the conference include: 

Equity 

  • To provide a core, universal offer for all students, including tailored provision where needed, to ensure equity of access, experience and in outcomes for all, regardless of background, identity, nationality, location, or mode of study.

Fit for the Future 

  • Students – Embodied by our Education for Life Framework, provide an educational experience that ensures our students are fit for their future and the world in which they will live and work.
  • Teaching, learning and support – To ensure that our approaches are informed by developments in pedagogy and best practice and can meet the University’s ambitions for its evolving portfolio, size, shape, and modes of delivery.
  • Colleagues – To provide an enabling environment that supports colleagues to have the skills and capacity to embrace the possibilities present in the future world of higher education.

Encounters with the Leading Edge 

  • To put at the heart of our curriculum and learning experiences encounters with our world leading research and the leading edge of industry and practice.

You can share your experiences in these formats: 

  • Workshops (50 minutes) 
  • Presentations (15 minutes) 
  • Lightning talks – live or via video (5 minutes) 
  • Posters 

More information can be found on the Learning and Teaching Conference page of the Learning and Teaching @ Newcastle website and look out for conference updates in future newsletters.  

Remember you can sign up or submit a proposal, the deadline for submissions is Friday 26 January 2024. 

Inspera Authoring Videos Guides now available

LTDS now have a new range of short (10 minute and under) videos about creating your Inspera Digital Exam using the Authoring tool. These are available on our website, under the header Video guides for authors : https://www.ncl.ac.uk/learning-and-teaching/digital-technologies/inspera/

The content of these videos is designed to more briefly cover the 1-hour webinar available on the Learning Management System (LMS) ‘Creating and managing exam questions in Inspera’. These short videos group the content into more manageable self-help guides.

Video titleContent covered
Getting started with Authoring Questions on InsperaHow to access the Author tool via Canvas
Navigating the Author tab
Filtering and Labels
The difference between questions and question sets
Creating Questions sets on InsperaCreate and edit question sets
Adding /amended marks awarded per question
Previewing your question/question set 
Adding previously created questions into a question set
Basic Question set functionalitySharing a question set with colleagues
Printing a question set
The Design tab
Advanced Question set functionalityUsing sections in your question set
Question randomisation
Candidate selected questions
Using stimulus
Adding allowed resources

For all Inspera Digital Exams running in the standard Semester 1 assessment period, the deadline for the finalisation of Questions Sets within Inspera is November 17th.

We do still have some spaces left on our 1-hour webinar ‘Creating and managing exam questions in Inspera’ which is taking place on October 23rd virtually. Book your space on the Newcastle University LMS.

Newcastle Educators 2023 – 2024 Programme – Progressive Curriculum approaches

The next Newcastle Educators session will take place on Monday 13th November2023 in Henry Daysh Building 1.06 Learning Lab.

Join us for this interactive session focusing on: Progressive Curriculum approaches 12.00 – 1.30, with snack lunch provided!

In this session participants will:

  • Hear from colleagues who have embedded Sustainable Development Goals across a programme in the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences
  • Gain ideas and suggestions to further develop sustainable curriculum design in your own practice
  • Hear how colleagues are working across the university to embed employability skills in their curriculum

Please sign up to the event via this MS Form.

Remember to save the date in your diary!

Expressions of interest sought for an Academic Lead in Digital Assessment

Deadline for expressions of interest: Friday November 3, 2023 

We are seeking an enthusiastic Academic Lead to oversee the development of Digital Assessment at Newcastle University and drive improvements in line with our Education for Life strategy. The Digital Assessment Group supports the use of digital assessment and feedback tools such as Inspera, NUMBAS, Turnitin and Canvas. Reporting to the Digital Education Sub-Committee (DESC), the postholder will work with representatives from across the university to help guide, enable and support the innovative use of digital assessment and feedback tools. 

For more details see the Academic Lead for Digital Assessment Role Description

This is a non-remunerated role but has potential to enable demonstration of positive educational impact across the institution. 

To express your interest in this role, please provide a short biography and outline for how you see Digital Assessment evolving in the future. This should be no more than 1 side of A4 and submitted to Susan Barfield (susan.barfield@ncl.ac.uk). Selection will be based on the expression of interest and an informal interview of shortlisted applicants (w/c 13 November 2023). 

If you would like to learn more about what this opportunity involves please contact David Kennedy, Dean of Digital Education (david.kennedy@ncl.ac.uk) or Susan Barfield, Lead for Digital Assessment LTDS (susan.barfield@ncl.ac.uk).