A woman wearing a computer headset

Screencasts as an Essay Alternative

A guest post by Roberta E Taylor on the Assessment Journey Programme (AJP) blog has just been published and describes her experience of replacing a 4000 word essay-based assessment with a short screencast. Roberta describes the background to the assessment, the approach taken to introduce students to screencasting concepts and techniques and the creative skills that…

Case Study: Encouraging ‘Rehearsal for Life’ through cross-disciplinary role-play

This case study outlines a cross-disciplinary collaboration to support authentic learning for Law students by using Performance students to play the role of the client in a practice simulation. Simulated practice is a major element of the Law degree at Sheffield Hallam University, but is typically only practical in the final stages of the programme. It was felt that…

Case Study: Enhancing Employability Skills through Electronic Portfolios

This case study outlines the way in which a tutor has used PebblePad and Blackboard to support students in developing their employability skills and reflective capability. When applying for graduate employment, nursing students are required to write personal statements outlining the skills and experience that makes them suitable for the position. The quality of these statements…

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.  …

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: Using screencasts and exercises to develop software skills

This case study explores the use of screencasts and supplemental exercises to support students in developing their competence with a particular piece of software. The software requires a significant amount of time to master but the amount of other material that needed to be covered meant that the this was not possible during the timetabled sessions. Instead, the…