Teaching and learning

2018 promises to be an exciting and challenging year for universities and the Higher Education sector. Among the many less than positive news, there are also successful practices that make our universities stand out in the way in which they support their students’ experience, widen access and participation, and support their mental health and wellbeing. The ‘Sticky Campus’ at Abertay University is one such example. As Robertson explains and describes, the concept is simple and yet complex in its operationalisation.

In this blog Jo Clarkson, Market Research and Insight Manager at the University of Warwick, shares how the HearNow project increased students’ feedback while minimising survey fatigue. The project by gathering students’ opinions as ‘snap-shot’ sentiments through technology and Gamification raised the number of active users from 200 to 13,000 with an average of 50% response rate.

Online and blended learning can help make higher education teaching more interactive and efficient, but staff often lack confidence in using technology and have little or no time to learn. Sarah Sherman describes how a group of London institutions have launched online training to tackle this problem.

Students have stated their frustration at staff's lack of training in - and inconsistent use of - technology in Jisc's digital student tracker report. The survey which involved 22,000 higher education students is one of the largest of its kind.

Changes to key metrics that make up the TEF will mean that universities will become more reliant on good quality outcomes data. Brian Hipkin says more demanding requirements will mean less time chasing staff for up-to-date student data but will require universities to forge a new relationship with graduates.

Using learning technology is now part of the job for a growing proportion of the higher education workforce, says the Association of Learning Technology’s Maren Deepwell. She argues that recognition for skills in using technology for learning, teaching or assessment is now needed and invites professionals to help develop accreditation of this growing specialism.