E-Learning Production Scheme Launch
The E-Learning Unit is pleased to announce a call for mini-project proposals under the auspices of our E-learning Production Scheme. The deadline for applications is Friday 23rd January 2015, decisions will be made by the end of month and the projects should be completed by Easter. This time we would welcome projects in particular that focus on using our Mahara – (QMplus Groups & Portfolios ) application to facilitate such things as reflection, collaboration, group project work and e-portfolios, however all applications will be considered. To find out more about the scheme and to download an application form please visit the Production Scheme page.
QMplus Update
QMplus was updated successfully on Tuesday 16th December 2014, the following items have been released:
- Fixes to the grades area – – Marking Reports: reported issues fixed (e.g. hidden grades not displaying to teachers, rows and columns not aligned properly).
- Bulk enrolment: Improvement to the bulk enrolment of users and groups to course areas.
- Ability to move around courses on the Module Overview page
- 4. Staff Cohorts: there are now several faculty/departmental cohorts, which can be enrolled onto individual course areas.
- 4. Sitewide News
Click here to see all the details of this release.
Case study – Library Information Literacy Skills (ILS)
The Library’s Teaching & Learning Support Team focuses on the teaching of Information Literacy Skills. The four Information Assistants in the T&LS Team were charged with the task of creating an ILS module on QMplus that would serve as baseline support for undergraduates who need:
- to understand the concept of ILSs and master practical techniques for effectively searching the Library catalogue and other resources;
- an introduction to the basics of referencing academic writing;
- to learn how to efficiently collect, store and manage the bibliographical data they accumulate during the course of their studies.
ILSs are normally taught through the medium of teaching sessions (group presentations, workshops and 1-to-1s); this QMplus module aims to introduce these skills in an electronic context. In this case study the Information Assistants introduce us to the module and talk about their choice of using QMplus instead of a website, they also share information on other freeware tools they used to develop the module.
Featured tool – Taking audience response further with Nearpod
Now that many people have internet-enabled devices such as laptops, tablets and phones, there are a growing number of apps and software products which are designed to take advantage of an internet connected audience. So why not harness the power of the devices that they already have. At our recent E-Learning Winter Fayre, we demonstrated a tool which attempts to do just that, Nearpod. See the full post here.
QMUL Media Server
A number of QMUL schools, institutes and departments rely heavily on the use of multimedia content to enhance the teaching and learning experience. However, QMUL does not have a dedicated server that allows uploading, storing and streaming of media content. You will be happy to know that we are going to launch a media server solution for QMUL by the beginning of 2015. This service will
- encourage the use of multimedia in QMplus by making it simple and accessible.
- allow uploading and streaming of videos via QMplus without any additional login
- allow videos to be uploaded using iOS and Android devices directly to QMplus courses
- allow streaming of videos on all major devices (mobile, tablet and computers)
- ensure the security of confidential and/or sensitive media content.
- enable the delivery of multimedia content to low bandwidth locations, particularly to international distance-learning students.
- assist in overcoming the issues of copyright, IPR, privacy and (patient) confidentiality.
Upcoming E-Learning Courses
Please follow this link in the new year to see our regular scheduled staff development sessions. We also run bespoke sessions for teams, departments or schools. If you would like us to run a session for you please get in touch. For information about drop-in sessions for the rest of the semester please follow this link.
If you have any ideas or suggestions for topics you’d like us to cover or examples of good practice in e-learning you feel we should be sharing with our colleagues, please email manoj.singh@qmul.ac.uk.
