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)”

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)”

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)”

Ensuring prescribing competency in medical graduates using SCRIPT (Vera Kubenz, SCRIPT team)

One of the key challenges facing medical education is ensuring that medical graduates are equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence to prescribe safely and accurately. Studies by the GMC have indicated that new doctors are often poorly prepared for prescribing and that First and Second Year Foundation Doctors prescribe with error rates of 8% … Continue reading “Ensuring prescribing competency in medical graduates using SCRIPT (Vera Kubenz, SCRIPT team)”

The Big Conversation: Some ideas gathered from Library Services staff (March 2017)

We anticipate continued development of Birmingham’s diverse and global educational portfolio including: ‘virtual courses’, an array of blended opportunities, part-time and full-time study, short courses and lifelong learning and leisure learning activities. A more ‘pick and mix’ approach to degree content and methods / timing of delivery could emerge from the marketization of HE. The … Continue reading “The Big Conversation: Some ideas gathered from Library Services staff (March 2017)”

An Affair… by Dr. Tom Harrison

I have developed and run a MOOC; and have another in development.  I run a fully distance learning MA.  I did my PhD on a theme related to the Internet. You would think I would be in love with new technology and eLearning.  My secret confession is… I have never been in love with it. … Continue reading “An Affair… by Dr. Tom Harrison”

How will online and on campus learning be blended effectively? (Institute of Clinical Sciences led workshop: discussion responses)

Digital content will increasingly be able to offer the knowledge that students need – and then time in ‘live’ teaching sessions can be used in a productive skills-based way e.g. by using more ‘flipped’ lectures. In the future, there is likely to be less didactic teaching and our roles will be more around facilitating their learning … Continue reading “How will online and on campus learning be blended effectively? (Institute of Clinical Sciences led workshop: discussion responses)”