Here is the E-Learning Unit Newsletter for November – December 2015. We hope you find this month’s articles useful. In this month’s newsletter, find out –
Come and tell us how QMplus does and doesn’t work for you in your assessment and feedback processes!
The ELU is initiating the process to explore possible improvements in e-assessment and feedback technologies at Queen Mary. To accomplish that we would like to start by facilitating a conversation with all those who have an interest in and thoughts about the institution’s requirements for online submission, online feedback and online exams. We are running an event on the 9th of December and we would like to
invite you all to come, to share your knowledge and help us shape the Assessment and Feedback at QMUL.
- Date – Wednesday 9th December
- Time – 14:00 – 16:00
- Venue – Francis Bancroft 115, Mile End Campus
The discussion will continue over mince pies and mulled wine after the formal proceedings. Places are limited so reserve your place now.
CAPD Event – Lecture flipping: it’s all about the assessment
This talk from Dr Jeremy Pritchard will outline experiences of using lecture recordings to facilitate flipped teaching to students in the school of Biosciences at the University of Birmingham. There is increasing acceptance that 
face-to-face time with students should not be wasted on knowledge transfer and that there is a greater need to deliver transferable skills. Despite the structure and transparency, student engagement in the flipped lecture remains an issue. However, in this case students performed better and anecdotal feedback suggested post-exam acceptance of the aims. The presentation will conclude with a presentation of lessons learned and recommendations. Register here
Case Study: Unconventional methods of teaching using new technologies
This month’s case study focuses on a design for a humanities module which uses e-learning tools to engage all students both individually and in collaborating groups continuously throughout. The process begins before the module starts, by means of introductory videos they watch and respond to before the first session. They then post individually on learning journals before the lecture on each topic and get feedback within a week. Between the lecture week and the following seminar week they work together in small groups through a wiki to collaborate in the development of a plan for their group presentation. Read more here
Recording – Beyond enjoyment: Using technology to enhance student outcomes
Dr James Pickering (an anatomy lecturer at the University of Leeds, he was awarded the Times
Higher Education Most Innovative Teacher of the year award in 2014) visited Queen Mary in November to give a talk on using technology to enhance student outcomes, attended by academics across the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, the School of Medicine and Dentistry, the E-Learning unit and beyond. Dr Rachel O’Callaghan, chair of the TIGER committee, shared her thoughts on the event. Read more
Staff development opportunities in November
We are running the following sessions in December:
- Getting Started With QMplus 03/12/2015
- Introduction to video editing 14/12/2015
Please see our online course booking system for details of dates and times and to book yourself a place.
We also run drop-in sessions every Tuesday and Thursday 13:00-14:00 in the E-Learning Studio on the Mile End campus and every other Wednesday (13:00 -14:00) in the Whitechapel library.
Our ‘Book a Learning Technologist’ service allows you to book time with a member of the E-Learning Unit to discuss any e-learning ideas that you might have. Sessions are now available and you can book them via QMplus.
Look out for our regular e-learning tips
We publish regular e-learning tips, these are very short “Did you know…” type articles which aim to highlight features that you may not be aware of. The tips will be on our website but you can
subscribe to them via the RSS link on the tips home page. The latest tips are –
- Adding a social media ‘Like’ rating in QMplus
- Online grades and feedback for offline activities
- Keeping track of students with the progress bar
