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07/01/2008

After a day of some very patient training undertaken by 273k the team felt reasonably optimistic that they were able to manage the coding and technical requirements required to create and distribute electronic newsletters.

The guinea pig was to be Centre for Management & Business Development. Mike Epton provided the news information and mailing list, and the newsletter and linked web page were duly set up. When everything had been tested and re-tested, the "send" button was hesitantly pressed, and the newsletter was instantly dispatched to 372 email addresses.

Within minutes a report was available indicating that only 8.7% of the delivery had failed (the benchmark is 10%), and these addresses are automatically removed from the database.

The statistics continued and indeed continue to come in and we are able to view who has opened the newsletter, and who has clicked through to which articles. Very Big Brother.

Posted at 12:01 by Frost Helen | Category: Integration (into practice) | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

20/11/2007

e_Newsletter

Following a meeting with the newsletter designer, the Marketing & Customer Service team previewed 5 layouts and voted through 2 versions for final revisions.

When individuals preferences had been established, we undertook some self-analysis as to why we preferred some versions over others; the exercise was fun in itself, but ultimately first impressions are just so subjective.

The behind the scenes technology, particular the database function, appears to be extremely sophisticated; the subscribe and unsubscribe functions automatically update the database, and we will be able to track who views the newsletter, and who clicks through to the website.

On a practical note the chosen designs and service provider will (hopefully) be simple to use. All being well we will receive training on 7 December.

Posted at 11:44 by Frost Helen | Category: Planning and development | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

16/11/2007

Electronic submission of coursework and Turnitin software.

Having canvassed other Schools in the University that are already using the JISC Turnitin Plagiarism Detection software nobody appears to be accepted purely electronic submission of coursework. The following methods have been adopted for using the software:

Students submit one hard copy plus an electronic copy, the electronic copy is submitted directly to the software, students also sign a receipt to say both copies are the same.

Hard copy coursework is submitted with electronic copies only being requested if plagiarism is suspected, rather than routinely getting all students to submit their work through Turnitin.

A special email account was set up and students are required to submit 1 hard copy plus 1 electronic copy to the specified email account.

I hope to speak to the School at point (3) further in order to find out how they have integrated this with their recording and tracking systems; and what pitfalls /teething problems they encountered. Their system has now been in place for two years.

Thanks to Charlotte Langham, Sarah Johnson, Pam Kerr and Charlene Hill for their prompt replies and to Sandra Mienczakowski and Rob Pearson for identifying the Schools.

Posted at 15:15 by Pounder Julia | Category: Planning and development | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

13/11/2007

Managing WebCT

Our project began way back in Sept. 2006 as an approach to the management of RLOs across ITE courses. This aspiration was undermined when it was decided in the ITE committee, in response to student feedback, that each of our courses should have its own discrete WebCT space. However, we still wanted to try to develop our courses as collectively as possible and the Flexible PGCE course team signed up at the end of last term to participate in the pilot of Equella, a university-wide digital repository of teaching resources, to test out whether this could act as a medium of collective e-learning development in our own setting. On this question, the jury is still out…

In general, our epioneer project seems now to have fused with the activity of general WebCT course development and we feel a need to review our progress, meet up again with our mentor, Gordon Joyes, with a view to refocusing our activity. Dawn, Rachel and I will hopefully manage to do this in the next week.

Posted at 13:47 by Thompson Paul | Category: Planning and development | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

12/11/2007

Research Application Tracking

The University is undergoing a 'core systems review'. For the School of Education this means that many of those functions currently performed within the School may, in the future, be managed by central university services. Discussions are on going on this and as yet no final decisions have been made.

This being said it is likely that the School admissions procedures will be affected. In agreement with the Mentor it has been agreed to hold off on further developments on this e pioneer project until more clear information is known about the outcomes of the core systems review.

Ellen

Posted at 15:52 by Salway Ellen | Category: Planning and development | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

23/10/2007

e-newsletter

E-newsletter

I have a briefing meeting with 273k 9 November to discuss design and functionality of the newsletter. From there it will be a case of working out timelines and content of each dispatch, and the administrative procedures of dispatch, including how to handle the subscribe/unsubscribe function.

As part of the exercise I have also been looking at ways of growing the email database. The on-line enquiries form now incorporate a check-box to indicate the enquirer's preferred method of receiving further information from us. The website should also incorporate the option to subscribe, and the newsletter itself should suggest that recipients might like to forward the information to other interested parties.

And for my next blog, there should be a working model.
(posted on behalf of Helen)

Posted at 13:57 by Arici (staff) Elaine | Category: Evaluation and reflection | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

19/10/2007

local history portal

The current state of my project:

The project has come to a standstill. I am not teaching this term so have no reason to chivvy my students. One student has put a link on to the site and a number of others have logged on, perhaps to look at the link.

How to move forward:

This is difficult as I am not around to remind people that the site is there to be used because I am not teaching this term. I could, of course, say that through the site. But, if the students aren't using the portal, how do I know that I would be reaching them. And what do I want to say? So, the answer is that I am not sure what to do next. The portal will be used, hopefully, as the students begin to realise that their dissertation submission date is getting closer. I could remind them that they may keep me informed of progress and ask questions remotely. One student does look at the site and I could rely on her telling the others.

How do I plan to move forward?

I will send everyone an email reminding them that the portal is a link to me while I am not teaching. This can be done today and at more regular intervals.

Posted at 10:40 by Clayton Susan Ann | Category: Evaluation and reflection | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

18/10/2007

TESOL Talk From Nottingham (aka Podcasting for Graduate Students): Phase 2 planning

What is the current state of your project?

Since our last progress report (May) a further three of the Phase 1 podcasts have been transcribed, and another two recorded, giving us a total of 15 available on the website and transcribed, and a further two still to be uploaded and transcribed.

We have also completed the first in our series of recordings for Phase 2.

New developments so far this academic year (following discussions with Mike):

1. Ralph Barthek, a LSRI PhD student, is now doing all the uploading, editing and site maintenance etc (thanks, Ralph!).

2. We have started to integrate the podcasts into our MA TESOL course by requiring students to listen to podcasts and carry out certain tasks in their out-of-class ‘Learning Circles’, either as follow-up to, or in preparation for, a classroom session. These listening tasks are not assessed but are ‘visible’ in the sense that (a) group representatives are asked to summarise the group discussion relating to the podcast, and (b) the extent of group engagement with the listening and discussion tasks can be gauged by their input to whole class follow-up activities.

As part of this attempt to ensure that our students use and reflect on the podcasts, we have matched existing and to-be-recorded podcasts to appropriate module sessions for this semester, and Ralph has created a new site (TTFN 07-08) in which these podcasts are uploaded in sequential order, before the Learning Circles have a podcast-related task to carry out. This site makes it easier for students to find the appropriate podcasts (rather than searching through all the podcasts on the old site).

What do you need to do in the immediate future to move forward on your projects?

(a) Encourage students to participate in podcast recordings and actually take the lead in hosting some recordings themselves

(b) Reflect on the ways that we have integrated podcasting into the course, and consider ways in which we could improve this

(d) Try out video podcasting

(e) Consider setting up our own website (not in Sharepoint)

How do you plan to do this? By when?

(a) We’ll do this as the course develops – possibly in Spring 2008

(b) Ongoing

(d) We may try this in November after Ralph returns from Germany

(e) Discuss with Ralph in November

Richard and Jane

Posted at 13:40 by Pemberton Richard | Category: Planning and development | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

REVISE TP

What is the current state of your project?

No further progress since our progress report in May at the end of Phase 1.

What do you need to do in the immediate future to move forward on your projects?

Nothing at the moment. Phase 2 will begin in Spring 2008, when we will have a 20-credit elective called ‘Researching Your Own Practice’ which will be a more focused module than was possible last year.

Further planning to take place towards the end of this semester.

Jane and Richard

Posted at 13:29 by Pemberton Richard | Category: Planning and development | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

12/10/2007

Smartboards Stage 3

We intend to move forward on this project by

Providing training for Maths PGCE team + project invitees from 2 sources - manufacturers, local maths teachers to get users' perspectives
Creating an idiots' guide to using the boards for future students and (ahem) colleagues
Having students using the IWBs in the SoE as part of the PGCE course
Collating feedback from students on using IWBs in SoE and in schools#

That's all folks!

Posted at 15:57 by Simmons Mark | Category: Planning and development | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

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