Category: News

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Make it accessible (SensusAccess) 

Do you want to convert documents into formats that work best for you? 

Throughout Semester 2, the University is running a pilot with SensusAccess, a system which automatically converts documents into alternate formats. allowing you to: 

  • Convert PDFs, JPEGs and other files into an e-book, text file, audio or braille. 
  • Combine more than one .JPG into a single file. 

Converting a document is achieved in four easy steps and full details, including the conditions of use and step by step instructions, can all be found on the ASK website. 

As this is a pilot we would welcome your feedback so please get in touch with   disabilityadvisor@ncl.ac.uk  to share your views. 

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Converting documents to accessible formats: SensusAccess 

SensusAccess gives users the ability to convert documents into formats that work for them. This is particularly important for documents that are inaccessible and SensusAccess offers a self-service solution to this.

We are pleased to confirm that SensusAccess will be available throughout Semester 2 for a University-wide pilot to determine whether it meets the needs of students and staff.  The system will be available to all students and staff for the remainder of the current academic year, with an evaluation being undertaken in the summer to inform a decision on whether to continue to make SensusAccess available at Newcastle beyond 2018-19.

SensusAccess is available on the ASK website and there will be links to this in several locations on the University’s online provision, including the Blackboard homepage, Student Health and Wellbeing website, Library website and the LTDS website, ensuring users can find the system from a range of locations.

The system will be easy to use for students and staff.  During the pilot they will be able upload documents to SensusAccess choosing the file type that they require. The uploaded document is automatically deleted after being converted. No uploaded or converted documents are stored by SensusAccess. Full information about the conditions of use, including copyright, is available on the ASK website.

As this is a pilot, we are keen to hear your views and will be conducting an evaluation at the end of the pilot period. If you would like to feedback your experiences or need any further information, please email ltds@ncl.ac.uk Students are encouraged to contact disabilityadvisor@ncl.ac.uk to provide feedback.

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Find out more about the Academic Practice Team

By Sue Gill, Academic Practice Team Leader, LTDS 

The Academic Practice Team in LTDS supports 3 areas of activity CASAP, ILTHE and UKPSF. All three areas offer support and ideas for PGR students and staff to think about how they support student learning most effectively and have the opportunity to talk to others and share experiences, ideas

Certificate in Advanced Studies in Academic Practice (CASAP)

This programme for staff can lead to recognition with the Higher Education Academy at Descriptor 2, Fellow, of the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF). The first two of the three 20-credit modules on the programme form the Newcastle Teaching Award (NTA).

Introduction to Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (ILTHE)

This blended learning programme provides training to postgraduate researchers, research associates and other part-time staff members who have infrequent teaching responsibilities.

UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF)

Support is available for staff to obtain recognition through this scheme which is accredited by the Advance HE. Our internal Experiential Route provides a flexible pathway for staff to gain HEA fellowship on the basis of their experience in teaching and supporting learning.

Links to all these areas can be found on our web page https://www.ncl.ac.uk/ltds/professional/

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CASAP Review

By Sue Gill, Team Manager, Academic Practice Team, LTDS

As some of you will be aware we will be introducing a new scheme to replace CASAP from September 2019 for new starters.

The first point to make clear is that for anyone who is currently working their way through CASAP, you will be able to continue and complete your programme. We’ve been working hard to ensure that there is a transition period long enough to work for everyone. That includes those colleagues who are booked to begin LTES during this rest of this academic year, we’ll be running the second and third modules so you can complete as much as you need of the programme.

The replacement for CASAP currently has the working title of Newcastle Teaching Award 2. It is a structured scheme which will lead to Associate Fellowship or Fellowship recognition over a period of 2 years. It is intended that the normal probationary requirement would be achieving D2 via the scheme (replacing the existing Newcastle Teaching Award). Continue reading “CASAP Review”

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Meet the Teams: Educational Governance Team

The Educational Governance Team in LTDS

We are (front row left to right) Laura Johnstone, Jolein De Ridder, Janice Trewick, Jack Ennis, (left to right back row) Gilly Box, Sarah Levison, Liz Turnbull.

Some examples of the things the team lead on;

  • Responding to the student voice, surveys, student representation and so on.
  • Training in EvaSys for Surveys or the External Examiner system.
  • Development of new programmes, Degree Apprenticeships or Educational Partnerships.
  • Developing and maintaining the many policy, process, guidance documents and forms in the Quality Standards Handbook – adding to these as the University moves forward (e.g. incorporating Degree Apprenticeships).
  • Support of various committees; University Education Committee, Taught Programme Sub-Committee, INTO Strategy Group and Cross-Faculty Education Committee.
  • Monitoring and review processes such as Learning and Teaching Review, Annual Monitoring and Review.
  • Governance structures such as Board of Studies activity or supporting your Student Staff Committees.
  • Collation of key programme information such as accreditation information, management of programmes on SAP, the MOFs system and Module Catalogue.

Some random examples of things you maybe didn’t know the team did; Continue reading “Meet the Teams: Educational Governance Team”

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Call for proposals: SEDA Spring Conference 2019

Collaboration to support the student experience and progression

09 May 2019 – 10 May 2019
Location: Clayton Hotel, Belfast

Proposals are welcome in one or more of the following areas:

· Programme, module and learning design
· Course/programme assessment and feedback strategies
· ‘Students as partners’ and related ‘change agent’ initiatives
· Professional development for staff
· Learning and mobile technologies
· Digital capability and institutional support
· Curriculum leadership and staff roles
· Internationalisation
· Widening participation
· Induction and transitions
· Apprenticeships
· Inclusivity
· Wellbeing
· Learning development

Find out full information on the conference website.  Proposals should be submitted to office@seda.ac.uk by Monday 26 November 2018 at 5pm.

 

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Advance HE Membership Update: October 2018

The latest edition of the Advance HE update includes:

  • Information about Small Development Project grants and how to apply
  • The latest publication on guiding principles for teaching promotions
  • Thought pieces on employability, networking and leadership development
  • PRES Survey results
  • Information on Advance HE’s look at addressing subject challenges and how you can get involved
  • An Athena SWAN update
  • And dates for your diary

Newcastle University staff can view the newsletter here (log in needed).

Please get in touch with LTDS@ncl.ac.uk with any questions.

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Approaches and Tools for Internationalisation at Home

Image of Self Audit Tool document

By Sue Robson, Emerita Professor, School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences

Internationalization has become a key strategic priority in higher education (HE), posing both critical challenges and development opportunities for universities. While many HE institutions have an internationalisation strategy, approaches to internationalisation vary enormously. The number of international students and staff on roll, and the number of ‘mobile’ students and staff engaged in international research and teaching collaborations are highly regarded and prestigious indicators of quality and prestige in higher education institutions (Wihlborg and Robson, 2017).

Increasingly, however, universities are seeking to develop more inclusive approaches that enable all students and staff -and particularly the non-mobile majority – to experience the underlying social, academic and intercultural learning benefits of an ‘internationalised university experience‘ (Robson, Almeida and Schartner, 2018). One of the developing areas of interest for research and practice into the internationalization of higher education is the concept of Internationalization at Home (Almeida et al., 2018). This was the focus for the Approaches and Tools for Internationalisation at Home (ATIAH) Erasmus+ Strategic Partnerships Project. Internationalisation at Home is one of the Key Priority Areas of the European Commission’s Communication “European HE in the World”: ‘Promoting internationalisation at home and digital learning’ (COM/2013/499).

Continue reading “Approaches and Tools for Internationalisation at Home”

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Assessment and Feedback

Helen Webster

By Helen Webster, Head of the Writing Development Centre

“The structure doesn’t flow”

“You need to engage more critically with the literature”

“More detail and greater depth of discussion needed”

“Hard to follow – make sure your points are clearly expressed”

It’s frustrating both to give and receive feedback repeatedly on the same issues and not see any improvement. Feedback is highlighted in the NSS and NUSU campaigns so we know that students see it as a priority. We also know that academic staff don’t always feel that students are engaging with their feedback or even recognise it as such. Continue reading “Assessment and Feedback”