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Announcing the recipients of this year’s University of Worcester Teaching Award Scheme

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We are thrilled to announce the recipients of this year’s University of Worcester Teaching Award Scheme, individuals who have showcased excellence and innovation in teaching. Among the distinguished achievers are educators who have exhibited outstanding leadership, support, and mentoring, driving innovation in teaching and learning across various disciplines. Their dedication to fostering inclusive learning environments, implementing impactful curriculum redesigns, education for sustainable development and enhancing student experience underscores their unwavering commitment to the highest standards of pedagogical practice. Through their exemplary efforts, they have not only inspired students but also elevated the overall teaching landscape at the University of Worcester. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the awardees for their remarkable achievements and meaningful contributions.  University of Worcester Teaching Award This award focuses on… Read moreAnnouncing the recipients of this year’s University of Worcester Teaching Award Scheme

Get ready for GAAD

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Global Accessibility Awareness Day Logo

Can you help us on Global Accessibility Awareness Day? This is a day to raise awareness of how we can all help support digital accessibility and this year it’s on 19th May. It’s an opportunity to take a small amount time to focus on the digital accessibility of your courses or any content that you might want to improve. There are lots of events worldwide and you can find out more about the range of events on the dedicated website. Blackboard are running a Fix Your Content 24-hour global event– challenging institutions and Blackboard Ally users everywhere to look at how they can improve the accessibility of their content. To help with improving the digital accessibility, colleagues from QED, IT, the TEL Unit, the Library,… Read moreGet ready for GAAD

Building student resilience

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Resilience is fundamental for student retention and it is one of our graduate attributes.  Resilience enables students to cope with the challenges, obstacles and setbacks they are likely to experience on their learning journey, and to graduate with the capabilities and mind set for success.  The term can be applied to both academic and personal aspects of the student experience and is increasingly associated with student well-being, academic buoyancy and a ‘growth mindset’. A proactive approach to developing student resilience as part of the curriculum at Worcester is therefore important because it will support our objectives to improve student retention and graduate outcomes.  We want our students to understand and demonstrate the behaviours, actions and mindsets that constitute resilience, and to be able to articulate… Read moreBuilding student resilience

Vignette of Practice – Going Online in a Pandemic: Staff and Student Voices at the Heart of Inclusive Teaching

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Going Online in a Pandemic: Staff and Student Voices at the Heart of Inclusive Teaching Jennifer Hatley, Course Leader Education Studies, School of Education       I am the course leader for Education Studies and like most courses at the University, myself and my team found ourselves moving to online teaching quickly in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. We are in a unique position. We were not just teaching any subject; we were teaching Education. Pedagogy and andragogy are what we do all day, every day, so we knew that we couldn’t simply put resources online and expect learning to happen as it does when face-to-face. Nonetheless, with the need to act quickly, that is in effect what we had to do. This constituted… Read moreVignette of Practice – Going Online in a Pandemic: Staff and Student Voices at the Heart of Inclusive Teaching

Sharing Experiences of Online Teaching – School of Arts – Peer Supported Review of Teaching 2020-21

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For the Peer Supported Review of Teaching in the School of Arts (2020-21) staff were encouraged to find a partner who teaches on another course and be prepared to share 30 minutes or more of their session. A very simple form was created to enable staff to experiment, try out teaching ideas and share good practice. The initiative was launched at the end of January 2021 and partnerships were in place by the end of February 2021 so observations were online and reflected the challenges of teaching during lockdown. The comments below are taken from the written reflections of staff and are anonymised…. To carry on reading this article, please click here

Vignettes of Practice: Embedding Applied Learning Through Innovative Course Design on the MSc Sport (Applied Performance Analysis)

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Embedding Applied Learning Through Innovative Course Design on the MSc Sport (Applied Performance Analysis) By John Francis, Lecturer and Course Leader, Michael Bateman, Lecturer, Jamie Kyte, Technical Demonstrator School of Sport and Exercise Science   This case study demonstrates the innovative approach to course design used throughout the MSc Sport (Applied Performance Analysis) course to maximise applied learning. We highlight the positive impact on students’ professional practice and the course team’s ability to continually reflect and develop subject knowledge. To maximise the applied learning, we work collaboratively with sports organisations to provide funded season-long placements. These allow students to engage with employability skills from the outset, through formal applications and an interview process that replicates industry practice (A1, K2). Additionally, the value clubs place on… Read moreVignettes of Practice: Embedding Applied Learning Through Innovative Course Design on the MSc Sport (Applied Performance Analysis)

New Guidance – Teaching Large Groups Online

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coffee cup and laptop displaying online meeting

Teaching large groups online always brings a range of considerations. Some new guidance has been produced to support colleagues who are reflecting on the different approaches they can employ with large groups, especially when delivering online or as part of a blended course or module. The guidance is a collection of suggested approaches and strategies to consider when planning to deliver learning and teaching to large cohorts online. The guidance briefly covers topics such planning, communicating and building presence with students, online delivery as well signposting additional resources. You access the guidance using the link or from the Resources Page Teaching Large Groups Online

Scaling up from SCIPS

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Colleagues from the School of Education have been working on a project which looks at tools available to lecturers to help with their understanding of inclusive teaching practice. The project is Erasmus funded and is being lead by Richard Woolley, Sharon Smith and partners in Italy. A summary of the project can be found below: Summary of SCALE Project