Teaching in Physically distanced classrooms or Dual Teaching: Guidance Documentation

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We’ve previously written about preparing for teaching in physically distanced classrooms. While we’re still rolling out updated AV kit across the teaching estate, we’ve now pulled that together into some documentation to help staff with some of the considerations when delivering On Campus or Dual Teaching This guidance provides some practical suggestions and also links to where staff can get further help with the practicalities of delivering dual teaching.

Vignette of Practice: The Design and Technology Road Map – A Tool to Support Planning for Future Primary Teachers and Improve Module Formative and Summative Assessment

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The Design and Technology Road Map – A Tool to Support Planning for Future Primary Teachers and Improve Module Formative and Summative Assessment By Lorna Williams, PGCE Early Years Cohort Lead; School of Education Figure 1: The Design and Technology Road Map   This case study evaluates excellent practice, linking the UK Professional Standards Framework (2011), aligning to: assessing and providing feedback to learners (A3); developing effective approaches to student support and guidance (A4); and methods for teaching, learning and assessing (K2). Following the PITE2007 Design and Technology (DT) successes in 2017-18, I sought to add further strength to the module by developing the formative and summative assessment. I focused upon the importance of constructive alignment system whereby intended learning outcomes, learning and teaching activities… Read moreVignette of Practice: The Design and Technology Road Map – A Tool to Support Planning for Future Primary Teachers and Improve Module Formative and Summative Assessment

Accessibility for the busy lecturer

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Digital accessibility and fostering an inclusive learning environment are as important as ever with the focus on blended and online digital learning and teaching at the moment. There is a range of online guidance and support available for colleagues to use to help with making their courses accessible. To assist in making this a little easier to discover, we’ve created two new documents that bring together some key tips and sources of support. The first is a A Busy Lecturers Guide to Accessibility. This two page document provides some key tips for making the more common content types more accessible and provides links to help you get started if you’re not clear where best to start. The second is the Accessible Content Toolkit which provides some… Read moreAccessibility for the busy lecturer

Vignette of Practice: Innovative Development of a Placement-Based Module to Enhance the Authentic Learner Experience and Student Satisfaction

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Innovative Development of a Placement-Based Module to Enhance the Authentic Learner Experience and Student Satisfaction By Karen Williams, Senior Lecturer (Teaching) in Physical Education; School of Sport and Exercise Science     This case study highlights examples of teaching excellence where the innovative development of a level 6, school placement module has led to exceptional outcomes and enhanced student satisfaction. The study linked clearly to the UKPSF (2011) as it focuses on designing and planning learning activities and/or programmes of study (A1) and teaching and/or supporting learning (A2). The module developments have related to K2, utilising appropriate methods for teaching, learning and assessing in the subject area at the level of the academic programme. It also reflects professional values, specifically V2 for promoting participation in… Read moreVignette of Practice: Innovative Development of a Placement-Based Module to Enhance the Authentic Learner Experience and Student Satisfaction

Framework for Evaluating the Impact of Projects

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Strong evaluation is crucial in order to ensure that projects, initiatives and interventions remain efficient and are achieving impact. We have put together a Framework for Evaluating Impact which is designed to provide a useful overview for anyone undertaking such work to encourage thinking around how evaluation will be carried out prior to committing resource (typically time and effort). The Framework also includes useful information about the key considerations that might be taken into account when evaluating for impact at interim and end stages of work. At its best, building in evaluation from the start will make tracking progress and recognising impact both much easier and more powerful.  It is therefore considered best practice to include plans on how evaluation is to be incorporated when… Read moreFramework for Evaluating the Impact of Projects

Vignette of Practice: Using Workbooks to Create Effective Learning Environments

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Using Workbooks to Create Effective Learning Environments By Gavin Thomas; School of Sport and Exercise Science   This case study documents the use of workbooks for students studying scientific modules on the sports, coaching and physical education HND, and its positive impact on supporting (A2) and creating effective learning environments (A4). The rationale was to provide an interactive resource in order to enhance engagement and support understanding of complex topics associated with the subject area.     Having been a module leader for several years, I had acquired a comprehensive understanding of the learning outcomes, module syllabus and assessment requirements. This enabled me to create a workbook that integrated the elements of learning from weekly lectures/seminars as well as incorporating essential assessment information (V1). Information… Read moreVignette of Practice: Using Workbooks to Create Effective Learning Environments

Psychology’s approach to engaging students and monitoring attendance

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In line with the University’s approach to monitoring attendance/engagement, Psychology introduced a simple process to record attendance/engagement in classes electronically and online via students’ completion of short, password-protected quizzes on Blackboard. The password is available only in the class (it is generally included on a slide), so that only those attending can complete it.  It may be worth highlighting to students that monitoring of attendance is supportive, not punitive, so if they share the password with absent peers they are preventing those students from receiving support that they may need. For example, a question might be: “What is the one ‘take home message’ you’ve discovered today?” Of course, as the object is to measure engagement, the actual answers to the quiz are less important than… Read morePsychology’s approach to engaging students and monitoring attendance

Preparing to teach in physically distanced classrooms: advice, guidance and practical strategies

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It’s been a busy summer and here we are already at the start of a new academic year facing what will certainly be a challenging Autumn semester.  As we gear up for new and continuing students to return to campus under the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, we all need to be confident about delivering high quality learning and teaching. This is not just a matter of planning online elements of delivery in modules, and it definitely is not simply a question of moving ‘large lectures’ to narrated powerpoints or pre-recorded lectures.  In this blog post we signpost some resources that can help you plan for delivery of learning and teaching in physically distanced classrooms.

A framework for organising and managing a module for blended delivery

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Some ideas on basic good practice to help you and your students engage effectively with a module where the teaching is in different modalities.  Covers things like weekly intros, interactivity, managing and resenting content, directed learning, accessibility and what students said they appreciate from their experience of online learning in ‘lockdown’. Open the file in powerpoint mode 2020.09.04 A Framework for Organising and Managing a Module v4  

Top Tips for Course Leaders in Preparing for Blended and Physically Distanced Learning

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Tips and Hints for Course Leaders in meeting student expectations for engaging learning in ‘blended’ modules.   Covers very practical issues about checking students’ digital capabilities, building a sense of belonging, establishing course team protocols, setting up simple buddy systems, using your course rep and monitoring engagement with Blackboard.   Top Tips for Course Leaders in Preparing for Blended 7.9.2020