Author: Dr Richard Davies, Higher Education Research and Development Lead, CCL For good or ill, and it is for both, the Research Excellence Framework (REF) has reoriented the social practice of academic research. Its most recent iteration, with a focus on assessing the research culture and support for research of Read more…
Author: Laura Ridings, eLearning Developer, Centre for Collaborative Learning In my previous life as a secondary school teacher, there were certain rules that I had in my classroom for anyone designing for print or screen 1. No comic sans font 2. No fluffy bunnies or cartoon flowers 3. Nothing unnecessary Read more…
Author: Neil Cook, Lecturer – School of Dentistry This is not what I intended to write a blog post about. At all. Reflection is one of those things that I have always struggled with. Not so much the thinking, but the production. There is something about sitting down and trying Read more…
Author: Chris Melia – Centre for Collaborative Learning, University of Central Lancashire “The DigiLearn programme provides a bespoke learning pathway for the digital development of colleagues from any discipline. It is both inclusive, and developmental for colleagues of all digital competencies. So, whether you’re entering the digital community as a Read more…
Author: Jan Thomson – VLE Manager, Learning Technologies Team, CCL UCLan will be updating our Blackboard experience from Original Learn course view to Blackboard’s Ultra Base Navigation over the summer. This is the first step in our 2-year, 2 phase plans to move to the full Ultra Course view which Read more…
Author: Tony Broad – Senior Lecturer in Computer Aided Engineering A few years ago I decided that I needed to work smarter, not harder. Technology such as Microsoft Teams helped me with this, and to be honest, with minimum effort…. because I let the students create their own Teams. A Read more…
Author: Fiona Bledge, Senior Lecturer in Law, School of Justice As educators and support professionals, we all lead busy lives that involve a myriad of responsibilities. Although much has been documented about the distraction that digital tools can encourage, if harnessed in the right way, some tools can go a long way to alleviating some of that busy-ness and one of Read more…
Author: Phil McMillan – Learning Enhancement (Digital), CCL “Pomo” Italian, noun The room is filled with scent of fresh basil, Sicilian lemons and rich olive oil, a thick rossa ragu is slowly bubbling in a cracked brown ceramic pot. Scattered dots of sauce have stained a tea towel and the Read more…
Author: Simon Hawkesworth – CCL Learning Enhancement (Digital) One of the impacts of or recent experience of Covid has been generation of huge range of materials designed to help staff understand the many options, technologies and process surrounding online teaching and learning. Some of that information had to be quickly Read more…
Author: Debi Spencer – Senior Lecturer and Digital Development Coach (School of Sport and Health Sciences), University of Central Lancashire As an institution, we are now 13 months on from lockdown and remote working in higher education, due to the COVID19 pandemic. The drive to provide a meaningful and engaging Read more…