All posts by James Clay

connectmore2023, jisc, weeknotes

Personalising – Weeknote #219 – 12th May 2023

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Lynton and Lynmouth

Another bank holiday, which resulted in another shorter week this week.

I had a blog post published on the Jisc website, Laying the foundations for an intelligent campus.

The pandemic changed the whole concept of the campus. From being a physical hub for staff and students, the campus is becoming more of a platform for extending teaching and learning. As a consequence, the importance of data analytics to enhance the learner experience is increasing.

Big Ben
Image by Andreas H. from Pixabay

I was in London this week running a personalisation workshop. I spent some time this week planning and organising the workshop. I decided to go for an open and conversational approach to the workshop. We did ramble now and then, but I got some real insights into what some colleagues think and feel about personalisation.

Library
Image by RHMemoria from Pixabay

I was reviewing another draft of the Intelligent Library guide. This was originally written a few years ago, but last year we did some additional research and updated the guide. Even to I had to research some broken links and sources for the guide. It’s at times like this that I wish I had a date based search engine that could search like it was the past, so, search the web as though it was 2013.

I have been planning and writing Intelligent Library blogpost to supplement the publication of the guide.

campus
Image by 小亭 江 from Pixabay

On the 24th May I am running an Intelligent Campus community Event looking at the guide and providing feedback on what Jisc should do next.

This community of practice gives people a chance to network, share practice and hear what various institutions are doing. You will have the opportunity to discover more about intelligent campus projects and our work in this space. The focus of this community event will be where do we go next? You can read the new guide to the intelligent campus and reflect on your own journey in this space, and where you feel we can provide help and support. This will be an opportunity to discover more about the history of our past and current work in the intelligent campus space as well as hear from others about their work on this exciting topic. People working in the area of the intelligent campus who have an interest in the work being undertaken in this space.

Book here.

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay
Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

Another quarter goes pass that means another review meeting, so I did the paperwork, these blog posts are very useful for that.

This week was Jisc’s Connect More, I attended a few sessions and chaired some more.

Read some interesting thoughts on Generative AI from Jisc and HEPI.

Jisc published a Generative AI Primer.

Publishing an intro to generative AI is a challenge as things are moving so quickly.  However, we think things have now settled down enough for us to bring together information in a single place, to create a short primer.  We aim to publish this as a more formal guide that will be updated regularly, but we are posting an initial version as a blog post to get feedback on whether it is useful and if there is other information you would like included.

HEPI published a blog on How are HE leaders responding to generative AI?

Given some of the recent media coverage of the rise of generative AI and its potential impact on universities, especially around assessment and academic misconduct, it would be easy to fall into the trap of thinking that university leaders are running scared in the face of ChatGPT. However, when the Jisc-Emerge HE edtech board of higher education leaders met recently to discuss the potential and pitfalls of generative AI, instead of a discussion about the assessment arms race, there was real curiosity and enthusiasm to explore the potential of the technology and what it holds for universities and students.

I am more than likely going to attend ALT-C this September. I read this update from the conference co-chairs.

Many of you who engaged with us in putting in proposals will have noticed we avoided using terms such as digital transformation, and digital strategy. This is because even though we know that staff at the conference will undoubtedly influence and shape those things, we wanted to use the conference to take a step back and recognise that we can not build strategies and roadmaps without first understanding the topography of the digital landscape and the people it will affect. That landscape is still being carved, by the unyielding forces of things like generative AI, political pressures and ideologies, and even social justice, and climate change, which are forcing us to rethink our relationship to educational technology.

My top tweet this week was this one.

weeknotes

CX – Weeknote #218 – 5th May 2023

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I had a shorter week this week, as there was a bank holiday and I took a day’s leave.

The rest of the week was spent in London doing Customer Experience training.

My top tweet this week was this one.

weeknotes

In the spotlight – Weeknote #217 – 28th April 2023

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Attended the UCISA DCG Spotlight 23 event in Leeds. Excellent event with some interesting insights into blended learning.

Did some sketch notes of some of the sessions.

Spotlight 23 – The Office for Students Review of Blended Learning, 2022

Spotlight 23 – Moving forward with Blended Learning

Spotlight 23 – a practical view of what teaching can look like using Microsoft Teams

Spotlight 23 – Adventures in audio

Did some more support and planning for Jisc’s Connect More in May.

Reviewed Intelligent Campus blog post for the Jisc website.

Reviewed the first draft of the Intelligent Library guide.

Attended our monthly leadership meeting.

My top tweet this week was this one.

conference

Spotlight 23 – Moving forward with Blended Learning

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Spotlight on Digital Capabilities 2023: Blended learning – are we getting it right? is an event put on by UCISA. I did a keynote at this event back in 2016.

At Spotlight 23, UWTSD delivered a presentation on Moving forward with Blended Learning.

This is my sketch note of the presentation.

sketch

With campuses throughout south-west Wales and others in Cardiff, London and Birmingham the University of Wales Trinity St David (UWTSD) is committed to delivering high quality blended learning – and to supporting learners and staff to develop their digital skills and confidence to study and work remotely. For this presentation, the Digital Learning and Digital Skills teams will take you through their approach in promoting digital pedagogy and skills to staff as well as students. This is supported by a rolling programme of training, webinars and drop in sessions as well as the development of online resources; allowing staff and students to access a range of support at a time and a place that suits them.

conference

Spotlight 23 – a practical view of what teaching can look like using Microsoft Teams

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Spotlight on Digital Capabilities 2023: Blended learning – are we getting it right? is an event put on by UCISA. I did a keynote at this event back in 2016.

At Spotlight 23, Mary Hill, Digital Skills Manager, Sheffield Hallam University did a session called: Using IT effectively to deliver engaging and impactful teaching: a practical view of what teaching can look like using Microsoft Teams.

This is my sketch note of the presentation.

sketch
“Online or a blend of in-person and online teaching can be highly effective if the educator has knowledge of and confidence in using online tools and functionality. Knowing, and importantly seeing, what is possible can help us design courses to make full use of these tools and functionality, rather than just delivering in front of a webcam material previously designed purely for in-person delivery. This session will show what online teaching can look and feel like by exploiting the functionality of Microsoft Teams before, during and after the event. Do you know how to make a teaching session using Teams flow well, have an engaged and interacting audience, and convey its messages impactfully? This session will show you the art of the possible.”

conference, podcasting

Spotlight 23 – Adventures in audio

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Spotlight on Digital Capabilities 2023: Blended learning – are we getting it right? is an event put on by UCISA. I did a keynote at this event back in 2016.

At Spotlight 23, Rebecca Snelgrove, Content Developer (Digital Education), Keele University gave a presentation on podcasting, entitled, Adventures in audio: the interdisciplinary approach shaping engaging real world experiences for students – a podcast and radio production module case study.

This is my sketch note of the presentation.

sketch

Post pandemic there’s still considerable debate about what the future of higher education looks like, in particular the student learning journey. Our presentation focuses on our experience of hybrid delivery of a module, to showcase our reflections on what module design and delivery may look like. We put student experience at the heart of the module, using various strategies to build an inclusive, community environment, both online and in person. We engaged with industry experts to create authentic experiences, from interviews for asynchronous learning content to a synchronous pitching and feedback session with a panel of industry experts.

conference

Spotlight 23 – The Office for Students Review of Blended Learning, 2022

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Spotlight on Digital Capabilities 2023: Blended learning – are we getting it right? is an event put on by UCISA. I did a keynote at this event back in 2016.

At Spotlight 23, Melissa Highton, Director of Learning, Teaching and Web Services, University of Edinburgh gave a talk on The Office for Students Review of Blended Learning, 2022.

Dr Highton was part of the panel who met with staff and students in a number of universities of varying size, shape, age and mission. They developed a set of questions to collect the data necessary to get a clear understanding of blended learning approaches being taken. The technology context was different in each provider, and this technology context was essential for understanding how blended learning provision was enabled, quality assured and available equally to course leaders and students across their institution. This presentation will tell the story of how the review was done and highlight practical suggestions for moving forward.

This is my sketch note of the presentation.

sketchnote

lilac23, podcasting

Information Literacy and podcasting: teaching and learning through conversation

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Last week I was attending the LILAC 2023 conference in Cambridge. I was last at LILAC delivering a keynote on digital capability when it was in Dublin in 2016.

One session I enjoyed in Cambridge was the session on podcasting.

Podcasting is a widely used medium for communicating with an audience. Librarians are often innovative teachers however, the number of podcasts about aspects of information literacy is relatively small. This panel discussion is hosted by the creators of the new IL podcast “Chatting Info Lit” and will discuss what makes an effective podcast. This session is an opportunity to discuss the role of podcasting for teaching and learning and to compare it to other approaches to teaching information literacy.

Our panel of seasoned podcasters believe that learning how to create a podcast is a great way of developing your own and your student’s digital and information literacy skills to shift them from being consumers to content creators. The medium can also help disrupt exploitative power relations in universities by allowing the “next generation of researchers to think beyond the confines of our current academic structures” (Brehm, 2022). Podcasting is an accessible way of conveying your passion for a subject and can be applied to a wide range of disciplines – it’s not just about media studies or journalism. Not only is it a flexible medium for the listener, it’s also a great way of engaging your audience through conversation and storytelling (Carrigan, 2022).

The panel run the podcasts Copyright Waffle and Pedagodzilla, both focused on making complex subjects accessible and engaging. They will share their approach and some tips and tricks learnt along the way that help make a great podcast. We will also reflect on some of the approaches that have helped make us better teachers. During the workshop you will witness the recording of a podcast episode and get an insight into how the raw material gets turned into gold dust; and after the session the New Professionals will share an edited recording of the session as a podcast.

We will offer also you some ideas about how to get started with your own podcast and share some resources for those looking to teach podcasting to others (e.g. Copeland & McGregor, 2021). We’ll provide guidance on the equipment that you need, the platforms to use and some techniques for recording some high-quality audio.

I did a sketch note of the session.

sketchnote

I was name checked, mainly down to the podcast I had done with Jane and Chris back in 2016.

weeknotes

Punting on the river – Weeknote #216 – 21st April 2023

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Having spent most of last week, I spent time on Monday clearing my inbox. I realised that my email address is on lots of mailing lists, and I did some unsubscriptions or added rules to my inbox.

Had a meeting with SURF discussing the smart and intelligent campus space. They are working in this space, and we have agreed to continue to discuss and share what we are doing. SURF are the NREN for the Netherlands. They had seen the guide we published.

Attended HEAnet Group Advisory Forum meeting. Their new strategy has many similarities to Jisc’s (new) strategy. Useful insightful meeting with Irish universities (and colleges) facing many of the issues that the UK is facing.

Spent some of the week in Cambridge at the LILAC 23 Conference.

No I didn’t go punting.

I was last at LILAC delivering a keynote on digital capability when it was in Dublin in 2016. This did make me think why I hadn’t been since then. Part of it was in 2017 and 2018 I had moved away from digital capabilities into the intelligent campus landscape, and the apprenticeship space. Delving into the LILAC community wasn’t a priority in those areas. In March 2019 I got a new role, part of which was looking at the HE sector. Of course the following March we went into lockdown, LILAC 2020 was cancelled. LILAC 2021 was online. I was on leave when LILAC 2022 was happening in Manchester. So when I was looking at events and conferences to attend in 2023, LILAC was on my list. I did manage to find the time to attend.

LILAC 23 was an excellent conference, and really useful to see the library and information professional services view and perspective. AI was certainly the elephant in the room.

Sketchnote

Posted some sketch notes of various sessions.

Information Literacy and podcasting: teaching and learning through conversation

Accessibility – what does it mean for libraries and education?

Discussed the publication process for the forthcoming Guide to the Intelligent Library.

Continued the planning for the Intelligent Campus Community Event.

Continued research into AI specifically AI imaging and voices.

On Friday I was in London for the third of the Senior Education and Student Experience Group meetings, this was a meeting to accommodate those who had been unable to make the previous Monday meetings. We had an expected lower turnout, but still had some excellent, useful, and interesting conversations.

My top tweet this week was this one.

lilac23

Accessibility – what does it mean for libraries and education?

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I am attending the LILAC 2023 conference in Cambridge. I was last at LILAC delivering a keynote on digital capability when it was in Dublin in 2016.

The keynote on the second day was Accessibility – what does it mean for libraries and education?

Interestingly the session was pre-recorded in advance and the session on the day was a fully fledged Q&A session.

When you hear the word accessibility what initially comes to mind? What about accessibility in relation to libraries and education? How about how neurodivergent users in particular are impacted by accessibility, and their accessibility needs?
 
Accessibility is a broad area that in relation to education and libraries can cover access to and use of spaces, service design, access to and use of resources, digital accessibility and technologies, document design, and accessible approaches to teaching. 
 
Neurodivergent is a term that can be defined to mean people whose neurotype differs from those considered to be neurotypical, with all neurotypes sitting under the umbrella term of neurodiversity (Verywell Mind). Neurodivergent is an umbrella term itself that can be used when referring to, but not limited to, autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, Tourette’s, OCD and more. 
 
This keynote speech will touch on some of the key accessibility issues impacting educational settings and libraries, with a particular focus on accessibility in the context of neurodivergency. It aims to encourage attendees to more consciously assess and explore your own personal accessibility practices and those of your workplace, in order to improve accessibility practices.

 I did a sketchnote of the Q&A session.

Sketchnote

I was a little depressed to see that accessibility is still an issue, despite years of discussion about this topic and how universities can make what they do more accessible. In many ways technology has made some of this much easier.