Learning, Teaching And Assessment In Higher Education

Andrew Middleton reflects again on the use of media and suggests that the time is not only right to consider opportunities for incorporating a variety of media into practice, but that we have a responsibility to consider the need of learners who have a preference for media other than text. Check the Show Notes at http://ltapodcast.blogspot.com

Digital game-based learning has received a lot of attention in the educational technology press over the last couple of years. Andrew Middleton returns to the Higher Education Academy Conference, which took place at Nottingham in this July, and the discussion session run by his team. References for quotes used: Foreman, J (2004) Game-based learning: how to delight and instruct in the 21st century. Educause Review, September/October 2004, Vol 39, No.5. [online] http://www.educause.edu/pub/er/erm04/erm0454.asp; Gee, J P (2003) What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy. Palgrave Macmillan; Van Eck, R. (2006) Digital game-based learning: It's not just the digital natives who are restless. EDUCAUSE Review, 41(2), 17-30. Check the Show Notes at http://ltapodcast.blogspot.com

In this programme Andrew Middleton discusses how access to media technologies is increasingly viable for academics and students, providing better opportunities for varied and highly constructive learning activities. He begins by describing the changing learning technology landscape before hearing from Sally Bradley, an academic who has started to take advantage of Point 'n' click and Plug 'n' play Learning where she asks her students to create reusable media objects to develop their understanding of Learning Styles. Note: The schedule episode on games will appear next due to unforeseen technical difficulties. Check the Show Notes at http://ltapodcast.blogspot.com

Andrew Middleton reflects on David Warlick's idea of the 'flat classroom' and its relevance to higher education. Check the Show Notes at http://ltapodcast.blogspot.com

Andrew Middleton discusses making changes to this podcast: a change of title, duration, frequency of publication and production methods. These things are considered in the context of the Podcasting for LTA project which sets out to evaluate the impact of academic podcasting. Check the Show Notes at http://ltapodcast.blogspot.com

In 'In Brief' this week Andrew Middleton discusses new opportunities for enhancing LTA through the use of media by exploiting Web 2.0 technologies. Peter Walder tells us about Audio Feedback provided by the tutor and by peers. The LTA Gem highlights Case-based Learning. Check the Show Notes at http://ltapodcast.blogspot.com

Are you the sort of person who will send a colleague a website bookmark or do you discuss share with your colleagues? Do you ask your colleagues for their help in finding useful information? Most of us like helping each other. But do we share our work and actively seek out opportunities for reuse of materials? The main feature this week discusses this. 'In Brief' flags up the question "Sould we record lectures?" and the LTA Gem considers our use of MySpace and Facebook social networking environments. Check the Show Notes at http://ltapodcast.blogspot.com

This week I'm taking a slightly different approach to previous programmes - we'll be focussing on just one topic: The experience of the International Student. In the first half of the programme I'll be speaking to Viv Thom the International Student Adviser in Sheffield Hallam's Student Services Centre. We spoke shortly after the International Consortium for Educational Developers Conference that took place in Sheffield this year. At the ICED conference Viv was joined by about 10 international students who answered questions from the international audience about their experience. Photos from the plenary session are in the Show Notes. Check the Show Notes at http://ltapodcast.blogspot.com

I speak with four students on placement and consider the value of the experience. Also in the new 'In Brief...' section I consider ethical and accessible podcasting. The LTA Gems features academic colleagues reflecting on the benefits of podcasting and screencasting. Check the Show Notes at http://ltapodcast.blogspot.com

I reflect on a couple of the sessions that I attended at the ICED 2006 educational development conference at Sheffield Hallam University - 2 initiatives from Europe, one a role-play technique and the second a solution to delivering educational development materials by email. The main feature crosses several themes of interest to me - mobile learning technologies, game play for learning and cultural exchange. I'll be talking with 2 German post-graduates about their innovative projects. They're here studying with UK students from the MSc in Games Software Development. Check the Show Notes at http://ltapodcast.blogspot.com

The main feature is a discussion about the potential for using SMS Text Messages to enhance learning. Karl McCauley and Susannah Diamond join Andrew Middleton in discussing ideas, limitations and current opportunities at Sheffield Hallam University for this technology. The LTA Report and briefing documents on innovation and practice in LTA are also introduced. Check the Show Notes at http://ltapodcast.blogspot.com

The last three conversations from the LTA Conference at Sheffield Hallam University. Andrew Middleton speaks to Bob Steele about the 'Developing Games for Learning' project. This initiative was a Games for Learning awareness raising initiative, where Bob's undergraduate Visualisation students had been matched with academics across the faculties at SHU. Andrew and Bob are joined by two academics, Claire and John, who had been introduced to the project during the session. Together they discuss interprofessional learning, opportunities for commercial interest, and how the principles of student learning engagement map to game play. Graham Holden, leader of the Assessment for Learning initiative, launched at the conference, discusses how current good assesssment practice can be developed. Finally, Andrew meets up with Anne Nortcliffe. At the beginning of the day they had co-presented a session on Audio Notes. Andrew notes the way in which the audio files are used as 'Pre-vision' files, leading to deeper discussion

More delegates at SHU's LTA Conference 2006 continue to share ideas and news. Andrew Middleton asks for contributions to an Ice Breaker Pool and the Big Idea proposed in this episode is 'mooting'. Check the Show Notes at http://ltapodcast.blogspot.com

Andrew Middleton introduces the Podcasting for LTA initiative and meets delegates at SHU's LTA Conference 2006 where the podcast was launched. Andrew sets out to meet 30 people to find out why they're at the conference and hear about what's been interesting them. Check the Show Notes at http://ltapodcast.blogspot.com

Andrew Middleton and a group of academic colleagues discuss ways in which podcasting can be used to support learning at Sheffield Hallam University. Check the Show Notes at http://ltapodcast.blogspot.com

Andrew Middleton and a group of academic colleagues discuss ways in which screencasting can be used to support learning at Sheffield Hallam University. Check the Show Notes at http://lta-show-notes.blogspot.com.

Andrew Middleton interviews Sheffield Hallam University Principal Lecturer Nick Nunnington and two students who are all participants in the pan-European initiative for Real estate students. The Challenge has been developed by Nick who is working with partners in nine other countries. Check the Show Notes at http://ltapodcast.blogspot.com

Andrew Middleton introduces the discussion from the LTI seminar on the use of games to support learning. Check the Show Notes at http://ltapodcast.blogspot.com

Raj Dhimar, Research Assistant based in the LTI, kept an audio diary during the conference and captured the opinions of others through interviews on the day). Check the Show Notes at http://ltapodcast.blogspot.com

Andrew Middleton and Richard McCarter, Learning technologists from the Learning and Teaching Institute discuss how their work into designing Digital Audio Learning Objects has progressed this year. The concept is introduced and the major lessons are shared.(DALOs). Check the Show Notes at http://ltapodcast.blogspot.com