Here is an overview of all the CPD sessions that the LTEU will be offering to University staff throughout January.
Please visit the Staff Training Website to book a space and for more information.
Category: Uncategorised
Continued Professional Development: E-learning Essentials sessions in January 2021 – What’s on?
Here is an overview of the E-learning Essentials sessions that the Learning and Teaching Enhancement Unit will be offering to University staff throughout January. We offer sessions in both English and Welsh and Welsh-medium sessions will appear with Welsh titles on the staff training website and on the table below.
| Date | Title | Time | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 06-01-2021 | E-learning Essentials: Introduction to Blackboard (L & T: Online) | 15:00 - 16:00 | Details |
| 07-01-2021 | E-learning Essentials: Introduction to Turnitin (L & T: Online) | 11:00 - 12:00 | Details |
| 08-01-2021 | E-learning Essentials: Introduction to Panopto (L & T: Online) | 14:00 - 15:00 | Details |
| 11-01-2021 | E-learning Essentials: Introduction to Component Marks Transfer (L & T: Online) | 11:00 - 12:00 | Details |
| 12-01-2021 | Hanfodion E-ddysgu: Cyflwyniad i Blackboard, Panopto a Turnitin (D & A: Ar-lein) | 10:00 - 11:30 | Details |
| 14-01-2021 | E-learning Essentials: Moving to Online Teaching (L & T: Online) | 10:00 - 11:30 | Details |
| 15-01-2021 | E-learning Essentials: Using MS Teams for Learning and Teaching Activities (L & T: Online) | 11:00 - 12:00 | Details |
| 18-01-2021 | Hanfodion E-ddysgu: Defnyddio MS Teams a symud i Addysgu Ar-lein (D & A: Ar-lein) | 14:00 - 15:30 | Details |
For a full list of all sessions throughout the next semester and to book a place on any course, please visit the staff training website. We will also be running a series of E-learning Enhanced session next semester and we will publish further information on this in the new year.
If you have any questions about any of the sessions, please email lteu@aber.ac.uk.
From everyone at the Learning and Teaching Enhancement Unit, thank you for supporting our work throughout the year and we would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
NEW feature – Breakout Rooms in MS Teams
One of the most anticipated features in MS Teams has finally arrived…. Breakout Rooms! Breakout rooms allow meeting organisers to create and name up to 50 separate rooms within scheduled and ‘meet now’ meetings. Organisers can then assign attendees to those rooms either automatically or manually.
We will be releasing guidance on how to create and manage breakout rooms (for staff) and how to participate in breakout rooms (for students) next week. For the time being, here is a guide from Microsoft on how to create and manage breakout rooms in Teams.
What does the icon for breakout rooms look like?
The icon for breakout rooms is displayed as two boxes (as is highlighted below by the blue box). This should appear on your control bar.
Why can’t I see this icon?
If you are not able to see this icon, there are two likely reasons:
-
- 1. Only meeting organisers can create and manage breakout rooms. If you are not the meeting organiser, then you will not be able to create and manage breakout rooms in Teams and you won’t see the icon during that meeting.
- 2. MS Teams might not have automatically updated. To do this yourself, click on your image from the top-right hand corner of the screen (see yellow box on image below) and then select ‘Check for updates’ (see orange box).
If you have any questions about using Teams, please contact Information Services (is@aber.ac.uk). [:cy]Mae un o’r nodweddion mwyaf disgwyliedig MS Teams wedi cyrraedd o’r diwedd…. Ystafelloedd Trafod (Breakout Rooms)! Mae ystafelloedd trafod yn caniatáu i drefnwyr cyfarfodydd greu ac enwi hyd at 50 o ystafelloedd ar wahân, mewn cyfarfodydd sydd wedi’u hamserlennu ac o fewn cyfarfodydd ‘meet now’. Gall trefnwyr yna benodi mynychwyr i’r ystafelloedd hynny naill ai’n awtomatig neu â llaw.
Byddwn yn rhyddhau canllawiau ar sut i greu a rheoli ystafelloedd trafod (i staff) a sut i gymryd rhan o fewn ystafelloedd trafod (i fyfyrwyr) yr wythnos nesaf. Am y tro, dyma ganllaw gan Microsoft ar sut i greu a rheoli ystafelloedd trafod o fewn Teams.
Sut mae’r eicon ar gyfer ystafelloedd trafod yn edrych?
Mae’r eicon ar gyfer ystafelloedd trafod wedi’i arddangos fel dau flwch (fel y nodir isod o fewn y blwch glas). Dylai hyn ymddangos ar eich bar rheoli.
Pam na allaf weld yr eicon hwn?
Os na allwch weld yr eicon hwn, mae dau reswm tebygol:
-
- 1. Dim ond trefnwyr cyfarfodydd all greu a rheoli ystafelloedd trafod. Os nad chi yw trefnydd y cyfarfod, yna ni fyddwch yn gallu creu a rheoli ystafelloedd trafod o fewn Teams ac ni fyddwch chwaith yn gallu gweld yr eicon yn ystod y cyfarfod hwnnw.
-
- 2. Efallai fod MS Teams heb ddiweddaru’n awtomatig. I wneud hyn eich hun, cliciwch ar eich delwedd yng nghornel dde uchaf y sgrin (gweler y blwch melyn ar y ddelwedd isod) ac yna dewiswch ‘
Check for Updates
- ‘ (gweler y blwch oren).
Os oes gennych chi unrhyw gwestiynau am sut i ddefnyddio Teams, cysylltwch â Gwasanaethau Gwybodaeth (gg@aber.ac.uk).
[:]
2020/2021 Modules now available
Modules for the academic year 2020/2021 are now available for staff teaching on modules.
You may have noticed that a new tab has appeared on the top menu of your Blackboard screen:
If you’re enrolled as a staff member on the module in Astra then you should be able to view your modules for next academic year. If you’re not able to see a module that you are enrolled on then contact your Departmental Administrator. Students won’t be enrolled on the module until registration is complete.
This year, Blank Course Copy applies to all on-campus Postgraduate modules.
We’ve got the following support available to help with Blank Course Copy:
If you have any queries regarding Blank Course Copy, or need further assistance, please email elearning@aber.ac.uk.
Digital Experience Insights 2019-20: How do you rate technology at Aberystwyth University?
Aberystwyth University is taking part in the Digital Experience Insights project aiming to explore our students’ experiences of technology. The project is based on online surveys designed by Jisc and used by different institutions across UK.
It allows us to get better insights on how students use technology and benchmark our results against other HE intuitions in our sector.
We would greatly appreciate your help in promoting this survey to all students:
- https://https://insights2020.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/aucampus2019student
- https://insights2020.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/auonline2019 (Distance Learners)
Digital Insights 2018/19: Digital tools and apps useful for learning
In Digital Insights 2018/19 survey, we asked students to give an example of a digital tool or app they find really useful for learning. We thought we will share some of the examples on our blog.
Access AU core e-learning services
Research
- Endnote – reference management software (free to download for AU students and staff)
- Mendeley – reference management software & researcher network
Organize & monitor your progress
- ApAber– check your timetable, find available computers on campus, see your Aber Card balance, look at local bus timetables and much more
- GradeHub – a tool to track your progress and predict what marks you need to achieve your degree
- Asana – is a web and mobile application designed to help teams organize, track, and manage their work
- MyStudyLife – unfortunately this service is shutting down but try myHomework (app) instead, it will help you to organize your workload
Taking notes
Study better
- Forest App – is an app helping you stay away from your smartphone and stay focused on your work
- GetRevising – revision tools
- Anki – software for making flashcards
- Study Blue – online flashcards, homework help & textbook solutions
- Quora – a platform to ask questions and connect with people who contribute unique insights and quality answers
- Memrise – a language platform which uses flashcards as memory aids, but also offers user-generated content on a wide range of other subjects
- GeoGebra – an interactive geometry, algebra, statistics and calculus application
- KhanAcademy – free online courses, lessons & practice
- Tomato Timers – ‘Pomodoro Technique’ is a time management method, the technique uses a timer to break down work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks
Digital Insights 2018/19 benchmarking data
As promised in the previous post outlining some of the key findings of this year’s Digital Insights survey for students we will now present you with the benchmarking data from 29 other Higher Education in UK (14560 responses from students).
Having access to the benchmarking data gives us an opportunity to judge how well we are actually doing and determine which issues are specific to Aberystwyth and which are common to all HE institutions in our sector.
Overall, significantly more students at AU rated the quality of this university’s digital provision (software, hardware, learning environment) as ‘Excellent’.
n many aspects, the ratings of AU digital provisions were higher than the benchmarking data, however with regard to interactive digital activities such as using educational games or simulations, polling software or working online with others the results were lower.
In the next post from the Digital Insights’ series we will present you with examples of useful learning apps and tools given by students.
Significantly more students at AU responded that they have access to ‘recorded lectures’ at university whenever they need them.
Significantly more students at AU agree the university help them stay safe online.
Significantly more students at AU agree that they can easily find things on the VLE.
Significantly more students at AU agree that online assessments are delivered and managed well.
Significantly more students at AU never work online with others as part of their course.
Significantly more students at AU never use a polling device or online quiz to give answers in class as part of their course.
Subscribe to the LTEU Blog
You can now subscribe to the LTEU Blog so that you receive an email notification whenever a new post is written. Keep up-to-date with software developments, new initiatives, training sessions and events that help support technology-enhanced learning and teaching activities.
Some of our latest blogposts include:
- Blackboard Grade Centre – in addition to recording and managing assignment marks, there are some additional features and options that will help you to use the Grade Centre to its fullest potential. In this series, we will introduce you to these features.
- Equipment that is available to hire from Information Services – did you know that IS have pieces of equipment that you can borrow? In this blogpost, we let you know what is available and how you can book out the equipment.
- Inserting quizzes into your Panopto recordings – do you want to test knowledge whilst students are watching lecture recordings? If so, why not insert a quiz into your Panopto recording? Find out how to in this blogpost.
Subscribing to the blog will ensure that you receive up-to-date information as soon as we’ve written about it. To subscribe is simple:
- Go to the LTEU Blog
- Scroll down the page and enter your email address and click Subscribe:
- An email will be sent to you to confirm your subscription. Click Confirm Follow.
- You’ll then be all set up and will receive an email notification whenever a new post is written
We’re always on the lookout for guest bloggers too – if you’d like to write a blog post about how you’re using technology in your learning and teaching then let us know (lteu@aber.ac.uk). Also drop us an email if you’d like to suggest a topic or would like us to write about a particular E-learning tool.
My Placement with the E-leaning Team
Hello I’m Jude Billingsley, a graduate currently working with the E-leaning team as part of the Aber-Forward Program, a scheme designed to help graduates adapt to a working environment and develop transferable skills. During my placement I will be contributing to the E-leaning blog, familiarising myself with Blackboard by building module content and comparing other institutions’ E-leaning websites to our own in order to find areas to improve. I will also be assisting in the organisation of the Annual Learning and Teaching Conference and helping out with the day to day tasks in the office.As an aspiring author I intend to create my own website so the software skills I am learning on the scheme will be valuable. Learning how to maintain a blog will be very useful as well, blogging being a necessity in many creative fields. I am hoping the scheme can show me how creativity and technology can aid each other in order to create engaging and informative content and allow me to implement skills I have learnt at university into an office environment. I am enjoying getting to grips with software, programing and website maintenance as well as seeing the behind the scenes running of the university. My time on the team is brief but I hope to learn a lot!