Tag: workshop

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Eportfolio redevelopment workshops

The ePortfolio system is being redeveloped and relaunched for academic year 2021/22 and we would like your feedback. We aim to develop a system that emphasises reflection and supports students to capture and develop their learning activities whilst at Newcastle University, supporting employability in the future.

After consultation with colleagues and students, prototype designs have been created to show how the key tools within ePortfolio will appear in Canvas.

The ePortfolio team will be holding 30-minute workshops for colleagues on Thursday 20 May to explore the prototype designs and to answer any other questions. To sign up, please declare your interest in this sign-up sheet.

Workshop times:

  • 09:00 – 09:30
  • 09:30 – 10:00
  • 12:00 – 12:30
  • 12:30 – 13:00
  • 16:00 – 16:30
  • 16:30 – 17:00

Your feedback is valuable in helping us to redevelop the system to support student reflection and enhance skills development.

If you have any questions regarding ePortfolio, please contact ltds@newcastle.ac.uk

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Accessibility and inclusion update

Four students accessing electronic resources together

This blog post is to provide an update on the work that has been undertaken over this academic year to raise awareness of the need to create digitally accessible content. The aim is to support staff to develop the skills required and helping them to make simple changes to their practice that will result in more accessible resources to enable all our learners to take part in their learning without having any barriers in their place.

Visits to academic units

33 presentations to academic units have either taken place, or are scheduled to take place in the 2019-20 academic year. The reception from staff to the information in the presentation has been extremely positive with colleagues keen to find out how they can engage with the work to improve accessibility for all. The team are very happy to present at all appropriate forums so if we haven’t visited your area, please get in touch with LTDS and we can arrange this.

Accessibility in Practice Workshop

The “Accessibility in Practice” workshops ran in academic units, and centrally and is always well received. In this workshop we focus on quick wins to create accessible documents. We support staff to use accessibility checkers on documents and, they experience how learners adapt and work with digital content. We explore how SensusAccess can empower students and staff to make the inaccessible accessible. This is a hands-on workshop, staff will take away ideas, check-lists and tools that support inclusive practices. Feedback from staff to the session include:

  • “Great for someone new to the topic but also still valuable to someone who is aware of the basics.”
  • “Super practical. Learnt about loads of features I had no idea about.”
  • “I enjoyed learning about the resources available within Newcastle University and on software such as Office 365, an often ignored topic in teaching training I’ve attended in the past”

Accessibility and Inclusion on the Digital Learning website

An accessibility and inclusion section has been added to the Digital Learning Website that highlights how inclusive teaching practices can support all learners, not just those with particular learning requirements. The site covers the requirements and deadlines from the most recent accessibility regulations, the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

There are useful links to many of the resources across the University that will help you make your content more accessible including updated NUIT Guidance, and SensusAccess. Further resources relating to the University approach to accessibility and inclusion are available, including a screencast of the presentation we have been providing to academic units.

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Accessibility in practice, workshop feedback

Do you want to hear about quick wins to create accessible documents, use accessibility checkers and experience how some of your learners adapt and work with digital content?

The Accessibility in Practice workshop covers this and more. You can book your place now from a range of dates over the next couple of months.

Victoria Rafferty, Learning Development Officer in the Writing Development Centre came along to one of these workshops. Find out what she thought below.

‘The accessibility training sessions provided the timely opportunity to become more aware of issues and techniques when making resources accessible.  By working with techniques demonstrated and discussed in the workshops, we’ve constructed a new range of study guides.  These sessions were important as we need to ensure that our study guides are suitable for students across the university’.

Victoria Rafferty, Learning Development Officer, Writing Development Centre

Victoria Rafferty

View an example of one of the study guides developed following the workshop, demonstrating good practice in designing accessible documents.

If you need further information about accessibility take a look at the LTDS website or get in touch at LTDS@ncl.ac.uk

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SEDA Workshop: Supporting Programme Leaders and Programme Leadership

Thursday 11 April 2019

University of Birmingham

This workshop is aimed at programme leaders interested in development opportunities and covers  a range of areas including:

  • How to better frame and define the role
  • Academic leadership
  • Programme level assessment
  • A year in the life of a programme assessor

Find out full details, including how to book your place  on the SEDA Website

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Learning and Teaching Workshop: 8th-9th March

Following the introduction of the Teaching Excellence Framework in 2017, UK Universities are required to demonstrate a culture of continuous improvement in the quality of learning, teaching and student experience that students receive.

The University aims to achieve this by delivering an educational experience within a research informed, supportive and engaging academic environment that adds value to learning. Such added value will ultimately provide students with opportunities to develop both personal and professional skills and attributes, enhance their career prospects, and prepare them for active participation in society as responsible and ethical global citizens.

The learning and teaching workshop (8th – 9th March) will be hosted by Newcastle University Business School but is open to colleagues from any discipline within business, management or social science. Continue reading “Learning and Teaching Workshop: 8th-9th March”

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Learning and Teaching Conference 2018: Newcastle University Students’ Union Workshop

Photo of Dr Joe Barton

by Dr Joe Barton, Newcastle University Students’ Union

Dr Joe Barton is the Representation & Research Coordinator at Newcastle University Students’ Union (NUSU). His main responsibilities are providing training and support to Academic Student Reps, assisting NUSU’s Education Officer with initiatives to improve the learning experience of students and reporting on student opinion to the University through analysing surveys, running focus groups and writing reports. Continue reading “Learning and Teaching Conference 2018: Newcastle University Students’ Union Workshop”

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Feeling Connected: Working with large groups

  • teaching_large_classes
    Teaching Large Classes Giulia Forsythe CC-BY-SA https://www.flickr.com/photos/gforsythe/8261536706

    How can you engage large student cohorts in the classroom/lecture theatre?

  • And how could you maintain those connections when the lecture is over?
  • How do you make meaningful connections with all your students?

Aimed at academic and professional services staff these practical workshops draw on examples of effective practice from within the University and from outside. Ranging from using technology effectively, and utilising basic acting techniques, to creating accessible materials for everyone, we share ideas and tips you can take away and try with your large groups tomorrow.

You can attend all three, or choose the ones that best meet your needs

Creating connections: Managing large groups in the lecture theatre

Tuesday 9th May 12.00-14.00, G.07 Daysh Building

In this workshop we share tips and tricks for how we can effectively manage large groups in the lecture theatre, You’ll be able to try out some techniques for yourself in this interactive session, with case studies from colleagues from across the University and some practical exercises ranging from maintaining audience attention and using lecture theatre technology to how to stop your voice giving out as term progresses.

Staying connected: Facilitating large groups outside of the lecture theatre

Tuesday 19th September 12.00-14.00, Herschel Learning Lab, Herschel Building

The recent NUSU report on the Teaching Excellence Awards contained some gems of information from students, one of which was that they really value the activities before and after a lecture. But how do you build meaningful activities and maintain attention outside of the lecture theatre? This workshop looks at ‘the lecture sandwich’ where we share tips and get some hands on experience  of using Blackboard, ReCap discussion boards etc to help build collaborative learning before and after the lecture. We also look at boundary setting and expectation management with email and in discussion boards.

Connecting everyone

Date tbc (pending timetabling)

Drawing on inclusive learning principles this cluster based hands on workshop focuses on learning for all and reaching everyone on your large group. We share tips on using multiple communication channels, and how using module handbooks, reading lists, well structured documents effectively can help get to hard to reach students.

Further information and bookings

For more information and to book: www.ncl.ac.uk/ltds/about/training/feelingconnected/

You can choose to come to all three or just pick the ones that best suit your needs. And bring a sandwich with you, if you like.