This case study focusses on the use of Skype to support students who are away from the University for their study or placement. The use of this technology was considered to improve supervision and isolation while away from the university. Two modules were identified by tutors as particularly benefiting from online student support and after…
We will be running demo sessions to introduce Blackboard Collaborate, a new virtual classroom tool. Blackboard Collaborate provides staff with a modern, powerful tool to facilitate synchronous (at the same time) learning activities. Its features include sharing audio, webcam video, presentations in a white board, and a chat window which includes a polling feature. It…
At the time of the upgrade we applied a slight change in the terminology used to help clarify the available tools for staff. Blackboard provides two types of blog tools with different functionality. Please see the new names for these below, along with an explanation of what each does: Shared blogs (formerly called blogs) allow…
This article is part of a series of articles explaining the new features and changes that will be introduced as part of the Blackboard upgrade coming up 20-21 July. During this summer we are implementing a new Blackboard product called Collaborate. Collaborate is a virtual classroom tool which is about facilitating synchronous (at the same…
The shuTech student blog was launched last February as a resource to provide support and information on the use of technology to improve the student experience. It is student-led, with the content written by two student e-learning assistants, Holly and Andy, and it is aimed directly at Hallam students. The blog has recently undergone a…
This article is the fifth in a series of five articles about scenarios for mobile learning. These are linked to an initiative to promote and capture innovation in e-learning. What is it? Students engage in ‘back-channel’ discussion during a presented session by posting short text-based messages from their devices. Comments can be made available on…
This post is a follow up to an earlier posting about Google Apps, in which the poor accessibility of Google Apps was mentioned as an issue. Google recently announced a set of accessibility improvements for Google Apps (and also for Android phones and Chrome browsers), and it is worth checking out what they might mean…
This is part of a regular series of articles exploring some of the terms used in e-learning. We’ll do our best to break down the jargon and explain what things are from a basic perspective. Google Apps are a suite of shareable, online communication and collaboration applications which students have access to as part of their university email, GoogleMail.…
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. Twitter and microblogging is the topic today. Twitter is a company and website which allows users to keep a…
In this case study, the leader of a level 5 Sports Physiology module preceded lectures with a weekly task or activity in order to make more effective use of contact time. Details of each task or activity were automatically released to students one week in advance of the lecture itself via the module’s Blackboard site.…