Month: November 2012

Talking MOOCs

Recently interest in MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) has moved from the learning technology community into the popular press. Some of the coverage has been almost apocalyptic in tone. http://cogdogblog.com/2012/07/17/mooc-hysertia/ This post, the first of a series of three on this topic, aims to provide an introduction to MOOCs. The next two posts will cover…Continue Reading Talking MOOCs

Chromakey

a dog against bluescreen

Chromakeying is a technique where a particular colour in video footage is removed and replaced with another video or image. Examples include weather broadcasts where a plain background behind the presenter is replaced with a weather map. The colour being removed can be any hue, but typically it is blue (blue screen) or more commonly green…Continue Reading Chromakey

Bradford, Animation & City University London

Wallace & Gromit plastercine models

Video, when made well, can be very good at engaging students in a subject and explaining concepts quickly and informatively. However, the realism of standard video can be a little dry and unsuitable for demonstrating how processes work. This is where animation can be invaluable: due to it’s artistic style and character it can be…Continue Reading Bradford, Animation & City University London

AG24 Evaluation: Open House Drop-in Invitation

AG24 Evaluation- Open House Drop-in Invitation Poster

    See original message here. Time: 12 pm – 2pm Date: Wednesday 5th December 2012 Venue: AG24B, College Building AG24A and B have been designed as flexible learning spaces that enable education with computers or laptops or students’ own devices. Do the spaces work for you? How could the spaces be improved? Do you…Continue Reading AG24 Evaluation: Open House Drop-in Invitation

A Call for Learning Spaces Champions

The Learning Spaces Group, running for the past year, brings together Academics and Central Services to discuss current and plan for future lecture room needs. We are calling for nominations for Space Champions – people who can give the topic of learning spaces greater prominence within their School, and bring their School needs to the…Continue Reading A Call for Learning Spaces Champions

17th Annual SEDA Conference 2012 Excellence in Teaching: recognising, enhancing, evaluating and achieving impact

I attend the above conference on Thursday 15th and Friday 16th November 2012 in Birmingham. The conference focused very much on activities to identify what “good” or “excellent” teaching is and can this measured objectively along with a range of schemes to provide recognition and reward.   There were some really interesting papers that explored…Continue Reading 17th Annual SEDA Conference 2012 Excellence in Teaching: recognising, enhancing, evaluating and achieving impact

Shadowing Research Approach in Evaluating Learning Spaces in Higher Education: A Methodological Discussion

AG24 Open House Staff sharing their thoughts with us.

Research is a major part of understanding the impact of new learning spaces at City University London. However, like all Higher Education research, methodological questions soon arise. I had a number of discussions with colleagues working on ‘Learning Spaces Evaluation’ about the best method of developing an understanding of the functionality and effectiveness of the new learning spaces at…Continue Reading Shadowing Research Approach in Evaluating Learning Spaces in Higher Education: A Methodological Discussion

Think, create, innovate: new types of learning space in listed buildings

Museum entrance

Like many universities, City University has a number of listed buildings and spaces.  When learning spaces are at a premium the question is what best to do with these spaces within the strictures of say a Grade 2 listing. The Grade1 listed Anatomy Theatre and Museum at King’s College is a case in point.  Part…Continue Reading Think, create, innovate: new types of learning space in listed buildings

University teaching: insights from a Business Professor of the Year nominee

A month ago, Dr Nick Motson and Professor Meziane Lasfer from the Cass Business School at City were nominated by their past and present students for the Business Professor of the Year award in the ‘only global contest to recognise and reward excellence in Business teaching’.   I wasn’t surprised that Nick had been nominated…Continue Reading University teaching: insights from a Business Professor of the Year nominee

HeLF meeting: Personalisation of Assessment and Feedback

In the last ten years, higher education has changed beyond all recognition and Heads of E-Learning will be critical to the significant changes to come.  These were some of the opening words by Professor Rikki Morgan-Tamosunas, DVC, University of Westminster, in opening the Heads of E-Learning Forum (HeLF) Meeting held on 31st October.  The theme…Continue Reading HeLF meeting: Personalisation of Assessment and Feedback