Category: News

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Expanding and diversifying online exam provision

Student working on a computer

In 2017/18 academic year the University launched a project that aims to make online summative assessment possible for a wide range of assessment types and in non-cluster environments, which is one of the objectives in the TEL Roadmap.

The project focuses on two key areas:

  • Expanding the types of online exams that we can deliver here at Newcastle
  • Exploring the possibility of students using their own laptops to take secure online exams

Continue reading “Expanding and diversifying online exam provision”

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Interested in learning how to publish in the field of learning and teaching? HaSS Faculty event

Academic staff on T&S contracts in the HaSS Faculty may be interested in attending the first in a series of events aimed at those wanting to publish in the field of learning and teaching (one of the HaSS Faculty definitions of scholarship).

The first event is on 12th September from 12-3pm.

More details are on the  event advert.

Please use this online form either to sign up to attend the first event or to express interest in attending future events in the series https://forms.ncl.ac.uk/view.php?id=2585217

Please do also let other interested colleagues know about the event.

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The Year Abroad Conference 2018: Still time to register

Are you  involved in the  preparation, support, management, organisation or assessment of the Year Abroad?

Register for the Year Abroad Conference which will take place on 14th September 2018 at Newcastle University.

This is a unique opportunity to meet colleagues working in this area to share ideas and expertise. A number of topics will be covered including mental health, assessment, employability and more. Please take a look at the full programme here.

The conference is organised by Newcastle University School of Modern Languages, in collaboration with colleagues from the School of Modern Languages and Cultures at the University of Warwick.

The deadline for registration is 26th August 2018. To find out more and to register please visit The Year Abroad Conference Website.  If you can’t attend the whole day but would be particularly interested in one or two sessions, please do get in touch with the conference organisers Sandra Salin or Damien Hall.

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Make your learning and teaching resources more inclusive – two free online courses

Home Office poster on inclusive design.
Inclusive design is better for everyone.

Following on from the interest shown in a session, run by Ruth Graham and Sandy Alden, at the 2018 Learning and Teaching Conference, on designing inclusive learning, you can now sign up for two free online courses.

Inclusive Learning and Teaching Environments and Digital Accessibility: Enabling Participation in the Information Society are both from the University of Southampton.

Inclusive Learning and Teaching Environments runs from Sept 3rd for three weeks and is specifically for those working in Higher Education and interested in making elearning accessible to all.

Explore the barriers experienced by disabled students and learn how to overcome these barriers through inclusive practices.

Digital Accessibility: Enabling Participation in the Information Society runs from Oct 8th for five weeks, and has 8 universities discussing different aspects of digital technologies and accessibility from the developer and user’s point of view. It features case studies, new technologies and the latest news about legal standards and guidelines for web, mobile, documents, IoT etc. When there is:

“a better understanding of users’ needs, technologies can be developed to be accessible & provide a more inclusive environment”

Both courses are free, and offer practical hints and tips you can use straight away to make your own resources more inclusive.

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Vice Chancellor’s Education Excellence Award Winners

Dr Simon Tate, Dr Alison Graham, School of Biomedical Sciences Professional Services Team and Dr Patrick Rosenkranz

The winners of 2018 Vice Chancellor’s Education Excellence Awards have now been announced after careful consideration of a number of excellent submissions.

Congratulations to Dr Alison Graham, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Dr Patrick Rosenkranz, School of Psychology and  Dr Simon Tate, School of Geography, Politics and Sociology for their outstanding achievements which resulted in them winning an  individual award.

A valued addition for 2018 was the introduction of the team award. Congratulations to the School of Biomedical Sciences Professional Services Team who won this all new award for their exceptional achievements when dealing with new challenges.

The winners have demonstrated a marked impact on the experience of students here at Newcastle University, with the panel commending the winners on a wide range of projects in which they have played an instrumental role. Professor Suzanne Cholerton, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Education highlighted the excellent achievements of all of the winners:

“The Vice-Chancellor’s Education Excellence Awards celebrate outstanding contributions to our students’ educational experience. The winners of the awards have demonstrated a sustained record of innovation and creativity in supporting students’ learning and shown exceptional dedication and commitment to support their students. Congratulations to the award winners on this well-deserved recognition.”

Continue reading “Vice Chancellor’s Education Excellence Award Winners”

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The Future of Work: Stimulus Event

Students and staff in the Urban Sciences Building

Be bold, be brave and think about the new possibilities, words from Professor Julie Sanders set the tone for The Future of Work : Stimulus Event held on the 13th June. In an area that often results in fear and uncertainty, with much of the media focussing on loss of jobs as a result of AI developing at an ever increasing speed, it was refreshing to see this topic being tackled from such a positive perspective.

This approach was continued by Professor Suzanne Cholerton who outlined how the new Education Strategy embraced the challenges ahead and aimed to give our students an education for life in a world that we don’t yet know. A focus was placed on the strategy theme,  ‘developing students as the whole person by supporting and preparing them to shape the societies in which they will live and the professions they choose to enter’ and this focus was evident from other speakers throughout the day. An emphasis was placed on developing attributes, and thinking about how our graduates can engage creatively and critically with the digital environment. Continue reading “The Future of Work: Stimulus Event”

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June 2018 Learning and Teaching Newsletter

Information gathering: future demand for online exams and in course tests

The eAssessment and Feedback Steering Group are currently gathering information about potential demand for online exams and in course tests in the next 5 years.

We are asking all colleagues who are interested in introducing a new online exam (whether for a new module, or a change to assessment method in a current module) to complete a short online form for each potential new exam.

The information collected will be used to gauge demand and assist in planning future provision.

Continue reading “June 2018 Learning and Teaching Newsletter”

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Windows 10 update in teaching spaces

Update from Gary Atkinson, Infrastructure Systems Manager, NUIT

Desktops located in teaching clusters, flat floor teaching, lecture theatres and meeting rooms will start to move to Windows 10 over the summer period.

Why are we upgrading? 

Windows 7 has been our preferred desktop operating system for the last 9 years and will fall out of support in 2020.

Moving to Windows 10 will allow us to present a modern up to date desktop which our current and prospective students have come to expect and may already be using on their personal devices.

Moving to Windows 10 will allow us to improve our customer experience: Continue reading “Windows 10 update in teaching spaces”

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Media enhanced learning special interest group

The Media Enhanced Learning Special Interest Group (MELSIG) is a group of academics, learning technologists, staff developers and others whose purpose is to:

  • develop a self-sustaining UK Special Interest Group and community of practice for Media Enhanced Learning that adds value, builds capacity, and stimulates global partnerships and networks;
  • facilitate discussion and dissemination of the pedagogic use, purposes and benefits of digital and social media in post-compulsory education, and to consider its future uses;
  • provide a staff development focal point for media-enhanced academic practice (digital audio, video, smart and social media, and the use of related technologies), from ‘novice‘ to ‘expert’;
  • integrate ‘the student experience’ and ‘student views’ into SIG activities and deliberations;
  • be a resource for pedagogic research and investigation in the areas relating to digital and social media, related new technologies and applications;
  • co-ordinate a network of practitioners;
  • provide information and guidance on practice through its association;
  • provide an annual futures report based on a survey of leading international practitioners in the area of media-enhanced learning.

With a diverse stering group drawn from post compulsory education from all over the UK, it is an active group sharing effective practice widely.

There is already a great set of co-produced resources on the MELSIG website, including :

Regular events (usually free to attend)  provide opportunities for networking with others from different disciplines and institutions to co-produce more toolkits, collaborate and share effective practice. The next event, on 21 June 2018 in Sheffield, focuses on enhancing practice with digital and social media.

There is a jiscmail list which anyone can join.