Last month, I attended my first conference for the Association of Learning Technologists (ALTc), held at the University of Warwick. Not only was it my first ALTc, but probably also the first time to significantly engage with the wider community of learning technologists working in higher education (HE), at least since joining City. Following are…Continue Reading A toe in the waters
The “giants” in the title are waves. It’s an interesting choice, as is the emphasis on the need (or desire) to educate “ahead of the wave”. I mention this because, by the end, I thought it was a strange choice of title: the tone of the presentations and conversations during the breaks was one…Continue Reading ALT Annual Conference 2014: Riding giants: How to innovate and educate ahead of the wave
To enable collaboration and flexibility; the design of a traditional lecture theatre will alter dramatically to enable working together in groups and for the teacher to move between groups. I envisage future lecture space to be more open, with flexible furniture that will allow for reconfiguration and for students and teachers to move around freely….Continue Reading Rethinking the lecture theatre
On the 24th October, I attended the University of Lincoln’s KICKSTART Conference. Focusing on students as partners (or in the case of Lincoln’s nomenclature, co-producers), the conference highlighted some exciting work going on. Further to this, however, it was clear that student engagement is firmly rooted in the academic culture of the institution, from the…Continue Reading Partnership in Practice at the University of Lincoln
The University has new Learning Spaces in the Drysdale Building, one room in particular, ELG12 has unusually shaped tables. These plectrum shaped tables are a new addition to the teaching rooms at the university. They allow for active and collaborative learning due to their shape and are on castors so they can be easily moved…Continue Reading Ideas for using Plectrum Tables in the new Learning Spaces in the Drysdale building for collaborative learning
“There should be a prize for people who make the worst mistake and learn from it.” This is a quote from Tony Hall, Director General of the BBC, being interviewed by Professor Laura Empson, Director of the Cass Centre for Professional Service Firms, discussing organisational culture and risk. Tony Hall explained how allowing people to make mistakes…Continue Reading Leadership and Change in the Public Eye
Flexibility and the ability to easily create moments of active learning, both individual and collaborative ones, inform the design of the new learning spaces at City University. ELG01, a new cluster seating lecture theatre, has been designed to support students in using their own mobile devices to participate, and to encourage working together in groups…Continue Reading The new cluster seating lecture theatre: ELG01
The Journalism department recently completed their welcome week for undergraduate students. Part of their induction was delivered using augmented reality, for the second year running. Students were arranged into groups and each group received an iPad. They were asked to visit five locations across the university. Using the Aurasma app they found and scanned an…Continue Reading Augmented Reality for Student Induction
Perhaps love isn’t a word we usually associate with the workplace. However, Gabriella Braun argues that leadership is about people and working with people demands a capacity for love. The seminar Leadership: What’s Love Got to Do With It? is part of a series exploring the relationship between leadership and psychoanalysis. The event I attended…Continue Reading Leadership: What’s Love Got to Do With It?
We are now recruiting participants for the Developing Leadership and Your Reflective Practice module that will run as a double module as part of the MA Academic Practice from January 2015. Increasingly work in the HE sector is characterised by continuous change and uncertainty with high expectations and decreasing resources. Consequently, it is vital for staff…Continue Reading Developing Leadership and Your Reflective Practice