Educational Enhancement

Smarter study – 5 essential apps for students

Posted on 23rd September 2014 by Anne Hole

creative commons licensed (BY-NC) flickr photo by Daniel Y.

It’s the start of a new academic year and, to help new and returning students make the best possible start to the new term, the Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) team have compiled a list of five of the top apps to help you with studying and managing your time.

These apps are available across all platforms. This means that whether you are using your mobile phone, a tablet, a laptop, or inter-changing between all three, you can still access your study apps.

We have included only student-friendly apps that offer a basic free version in our top five. Read more ›

Tagged with: App reviews, Study aids
Posted in App review, Technology Enhanced Learning

Digital, interactive and inclusive at Sussex #melsigus

Posted on 16th September 2014 by Sally Burr

On Tuesday 9th September, the University of Sussex was pleased to host a Media Enhanced Learning and Special Interest
Group (MELSIG) event. ‘Digital Media Interaction and Inclusivity’ explored accessibility, inclusion, and some of the ways in which digital media can be used to address disadvantage in teaching and learning.

The story of MELSIG

Andrew Middleton, Head of Innovation & Professional Development at Sheffield Hallam University and Chair of MELSIG, delivered a lively introduction and overview of MELSIG’s history. Initially funded by the HEA and formerly known as ‘Podcasts for Pedagogy’, the group is now self-organising and self-financing. Read more ›

Tagged with: Events
Posted in Technology Enhanced Learning

Study Direct: add your own video and audio

Posted on 9th September 2014 by Sally Burr

Media Upload is a new function developed by the Study Direct team. Using this feature, you can now upload any video or audio file that you have created from your computer, camera or phone.

The use of video and audio can be an effective addition to your Study Direct site. As well as providing a different study format, media can support learning by providing –

an engaging form of online study
diversity in your study materials

ALT-C: The ‘coming of age’ of learning technology #altc

Posted on 5th September 2014 by Anne Hole

Thanks to @authenticdaseinon Twitter for this photo.

Anne Hole, a member of the Sussex TEL team, was one of over 400 delegates at the Association for Learning Technology’s ‘Riding Giants’ conference this week. This is her report.

This was a huge conference so this post is just scratching the surface – fortunately you can see more for yourself by watching the recorded sessions on YouTube, including two inspiring and poetic keynotes from Catherine Cronin and Audrey Watters.

Learning technology coming of age

This was the 21st ALT conference and in his introduction, Joe Wilson, co-chair of the conference suggested that learning technology has now ‘come of age’ and is integral to education. This idea of learning technology ‘coming of age’, and what that might mean, became one of the themes of the conference for me. Read more ›

Tagged with: Events
Posted in External events, Technology Enhanced Learning

Study Direct: using Choice for booking appointments

Posted on 2nd September 2014 by Sally Burr

University of Sussex tutors can use the Choice feature in Study Direct, our Moodle-based VLE, as an online system for students to sign up to tutorials, feedback meetings or office hours. A Choice activity is:

easy to create
easy to collect data from and
can be made available to students as part of your Study Direct module site

Emails can do the job of booking appointments. However, often appointments are rescheduled which can mean lots of emails are generated to book just one appointment. Read more ›

Tagged with: Study Direct
Posted in Study Direct

Flipping beautiful – news and digital curation on your mobile devices

Posted on 29th August 2014 by Anne Hole

For this app review we are looking at Flipboard; a news and reading app that can also be used for curating online content.

Unlike many apps which moved from desktop computers or the web to mobile devices, Flipboard was made for mobile. Its beautiful layout and interface is seen at its very best on tablets and smartphones.

Flipboard describes itself as ‘a single place to discover, collect and share the news you care about’. As well as bringing together publications you want to read, such as national and local newspapers, you can add blogs that you want to follow and social networks like Twitter, Facebook and Googleplus. Think of it as your own personalised daily paper with sections you have chosen yourself.

Reading is only half the Flipboard story, though. You can also use the app and/or a browser bookmarklet to create your own magazines. These can be private or public, created individually or collaboratively and are easily shared by sending a link or embedding them in a web page. You can also add comments to the content in Flipboard. Read more ›

Tagged with: App reviews
Posted in App review

Open world, connected world

Posted on 26th August 2014 by Nicholas Botfield

Nick Botfield, Learning Technologist for the Sciences, attended the Academic Practice and Technology (APT) Conference at the University of Greenwich, which focused on how teaching and learning can become more connected.

Waves of change

The conference was organised to ‘provide an opportunity to debate and explore the significant challenges for higher and post-compulsory education and training arising from these waves of rapid change’ (APT). The event promised to ‘be a forum where policy, practice and strategic developments can be explored, discussed and shared by practitioners and researchers in a vibrant and lively atmosphere on the university’s World Heritage Campus’ (APT)(and it did not disappoint). Read more ›

Tagged with: Events
Posted in External events, Technology Enhanced Learning

Digital, interactive and inclusive?

Posted on 19th August 2014 by David Walker

Digital media and associated technologies afford many new opportunities to enhance and innovate in teaching and similarly to support and enrich student learning.

Used positively, these technologies can facilitate interaction and active engagement (both within the classroom and beyond), and support the development of learner’s reflective and self-regulatory capabilities. Digital media can be a great enabler for inclusive practice but it can also introduce significant challenges, particularly for individuals working within professional contexts.

Exploring these issues and attempting to address some of these challenges is the focus of a free, one day event being hosted at the University of Sussex by the Media Enhanced Learning Special Interest Group (MELSIG) on Tuesday the 9th of September. Read more ›

Tagged with: Events
Posted in Technology Enhanced Learning

Smarter study – 5 essential apps for students