What is Google Docs?

This is part of a regular series of articles exploring some of the terms used in e-learning (view other articles in the series). We’ll do our best to break down the jargon and explain what things are from a basic perspective. Google Docs is a word processor that forms part of the Google Drive suite of…

Case Study: Building interaction into lectures using webinar

This case study outlines a tutors experience of using Blackboard Collaborate to deliver online lectures and increase student engagement. A module in ACES is delivered predominantly for one organisation who wanted to reduce the cost of their staff attending classes (travel and accommodation).   The tutor identified three lectures within the module that would be suitable for online delivery.  …

‘Menu’ of teaching approaches and the technologies that can enhance them

The Technology Enhanced Learning team has been working with staff across the university to develop resources to assist academic staff in identifying alternative teaching approaches and technologies suitable to their discipline. One of these resources is a framework or ‘menu’ designed to assist colleagues in identifying different teaching approaches and the technologies that can support…

Case Study: Building a community with webinars

In this case study a tutor from D&S shares her experience of using Blackboard Collaborate to deliver teaching sessions and to provide a social space for her students.  The distance learning course attracts students from several countries and as well as finding a method of delivery that reduced the amount of times students had to travel to…

Case Study: Personalising Inductions for Distance Learners

This case study highlights how the use of Blackboard Collaborate helped a tutor to provide a more personalised induction to students on a distance learning course. Students on this course were physically based all over the world and the tutor wanted to find a synchronous approach to communicating with his students. Having selected Blackboard Collaborate…

Guidance for reading and annotating on-screen

If you want to know more about improving your screen reading experience, marking on-screen, or digital note taking – or you just want some pointers, you’re likely to find this resource really useful:  The reading onscreen wordpress site (readingonscreen.wordpress.com) It’s been put together by York University in response to their staff requesting guidance in this…

Social media resources for students at Sheffield Hallam

A range of resources to support students in their use of social media is now available. Students can access these four resources at http://go.shu.ac.uk/socialmedia.          The resources include  – How to use social media responsibly – a guide for students – explaining why and how students need to be responsible in their use of…

Teaching Essentials

The Teaching Essentials site has been developed to provide information for academic and learning support staff on specific Learning, Teaching & Assessment topics. This site has been created based on recommendations made by the Elementa Review into Academic Working Practice to the University Executive Group.  The recommendation was to improve the collection, storage and dissemination…