Creating a community around digital through the Birmingham Digital Exchange – Professor Jean-Baptiste Cazier

Birmingham Digital Exchange (BDx) is an ongoing conversation about digital technologies in our work, our disciplines and our learning and teaching, across the University of Birmingham. It is the product of a successful Educational Enhancement Fund bid, the brainchild of Professor Jean-Baptiste Cazier (Director of the Centre for Computational Biology) and Professor David Parker (Professor of … Continue reading “Creating a community around digital through the Birmingham Digital Exchange – Professor Jean-Baptiste Cazier”

Learning and teaching in a digitally connected world: Connectivism – Adam Matthews (External Relations)

In a digital world, information is everywhere, in a mobile phone, a fitness tracker and our brains. Not a science fiction film but the learning theory of connectivism. The HEFi19 conference looks to the 4th Industrial Revolution and how the development of artificial intelligence and automation continues to take advantage of big data to change … Continue reading “Learning and teaching in a digitally connected world: Connectivism – Adam Matthews (External Relations)”

How can you make your digital learning resources more accessible and inclusive? Ian Wells (Educational Enterprise)

Has a student approached you and asked why you were making it difficult for them to read your digital learning resources? It happened to me a few years ago, working as an E-learning Designer and Developer. The contact came by way of a telephone call to my desk after a particularly stressful week completing the … Continue reading “How can you make your digital learning resources more accessible and inclusive? Ian Wells (Educational Enterprise)”

Innovating Pedagogy 2019

Innovating Pedagogy 2019, is the latest in a series of annual reports by the Open University, which attempt to explore novel approaches to education which have the potential to transform learning and teaching. You can find a MicroCPD on this topic, here. And you can add your own thoughts on the report below. Previous editions … Continue reading “Innovating Pedagogy 2019”

Jisc Digital Capabilities Community of Practice Event – by Melanie Leggatt (HEFi)

On the 22 May some of us attended Jisc’s Digital Capabilities Community of Practice event at Leicester. It was a day very well spent. The discussions touched on the many and varied interlinked means by which ‘digital’ finds its way into every aspect of further and higher education; how academic and Professional Services staff can … Continue reading “Jisc Digital Capabilities Community of Practice Event – by Melanie Leggatt (HEFi)”

Do digital pre-lab resources improve students’ experience of lab work? – by Joseph Berry (HEFi)

As part of the Collaborative Teaching Laboratory (CTL) project the University is investing in digital pre-lab resources. These resources will be in three main formats: instructional videos, virtual labs and 360-degree lab tours. Instructional videos aim to demonstrate either a specific technique or an entire practical procedure. Virtual labs are interactive resources, often two-dimensional simulations, … Continue reading “Do digital pre-lab resources improve students’ experience of lab work? – by Joseph Berry (HEFi)”

Consistently consistent design of digital resources: the science of same old, same old – by Adam Matthews (External Relations)

By ensuring that all of your digital learning resources have a consistency of structure and approach, you can help learners to easily find content, but more importantly, be able to understand and get to grips with key with key concepts and ideas of your discipline. ‘Same old, same old’ and ‘samey’ are not words that … Continue reading “Consistently consistent design of digital resources: the science of same old, same old – by Adam Matthews (External Relations)”

Envisaging the Law School of the Future – by Linden Thomas (Birmingham Law School)

Birmingham Law School’s Centre for Professional Legal Education and Research (CEPLER) encompasses activities within the Law School that focus on legal education and the legal profession. As well as conducting research in these areas, the Centre has a substantial student-facing offering, largely aimed at preparing students for graduate employment. Its portfolio includes a busy careers … Continue reading “Envisaging the Law School of the Future – by Linden Thomas (Birmingham Law School)”

Supporting Learners’ Digital Needs: Content-led Pedagogy – by Dr Victoria Goodyear (School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences)

Digital technologies have been heralded as providing new opportunities to transform education, learning and teaching. For example, education can be delivered at mass scale, boosting recruitment, income generation and international reach; learning can be more mobile, accessible and personalised; autonomous and self-motivated forms of learning can be promoted; and digital and online learning are cost-effective … Continue reading “Supporting Learners’ Digital Needs: Content-led Pedagogy – by Dr Victoria Goodyear (School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences)”

The Digital Education Debate – by Jane James (HEFi)

This term’s theme for the Big Conversation is Digital Education. Over the next ten weeks, you will have the  opportunity to discuss and reflect on a range of articles around the Digital Education debate. This takes us to the inaugural HEFi conference on the 29th June at which the Birmingham Digital Education team within HEFi will … Continue reading “The Digital Education Debate – by Jane James (HEFi)”