E-learning news and events

• Online Simulations Grant - Scheme and Applications
• E-Learning calendar
• Technology Enhanced Learning Survey
• Simulations in Higher Education (SHE)
• Flexible learning space

Online Simulations Grant Scheme

UWE has a large number of students who will pursue subsequent careers in a wide range of professions. An important part of that education is the ability to synthesise theory and practice, and UWE has a good track record of facilitating and encouraging placements, work-based learning and similar approaches that help students with this synthesis. Developments in technology over the past 2-3 years have now created opportunities to enable students to experience simulations of events and situations that are difficult or impossible to organise in real life, before they put their skills into practice in the real world. Also, simulations can be run forwards and backwards in time and be experienced more than once. Information and communication technologies (ICT) can support these developments through integration of existing services such as VLEs and content/communication systems, together with the emerging social networking technologies and virtual worlds.

The university is committed to developing innovative uses of technology that support learning and teaching activities with a simulation focus, particularly those directly related to professional activities that could have a positive impact on employability prospects. Those simulation activities should be fully integrated into the curriculum to ensure that practice is effectively informed and developed by theory, and vice versa.

Applications are invited from faculties to develop online simulations of real-life experiences that will have, or can demonstrate the potential for, a direct impact upon student learning and future employment prospects.

Find out more and how to apply.

E-Learning Development Unit Calendar

This calendar shows e-learning events in UWE, around the UK and internationally.
We try to keep it up to date, but we don't guarantee it!

If you have any suggestions for events that could be listed here, please email them to elearning@uwe.ac.uk

SHE at UWE

Developments in technology over the past 2 – 3 years have now created opportunities to enable students to experience simulations of events and situations that are difficult or impossible to organise, before they put their skills into practice in the real world. Also, simulations enable events and cases to be studied in detail, run forwards and backwards in time and be experienced more than once. Information and communication technologies (ICT) can support these developments through integration of existing services such as VLEs and content/communication systems, together with the emerging social networking technologies and virtual worlds.

Simulations in Higher Education (SHE) is a focus for these initiatives at UWE.  It is part of the E-learning Development Unit, which works with colleagues across the university to help with developments in curricula and delivery that use ICT. This SHE website describes the projects, technologies and underpinning pedagogies that these initiatives draw upon, and develop. If any colleagues within UWE, or anyone interested in our work in simulations would like to contact us, just follow the About Us link on the left. We’re very happy to work with education colleagues in and out of UWE, and are very keen to hear from anyone with ideas for collaboration or future developments.

See our SHE website for further information.

Flexible learning space

The ELDU, together with Estates, have been planning and establishing a flexible learning area in the One Zone restaurant at Frenchay (by the rear bar at the back of the main refectory area).

It is now ready and offers staff and students a more flexible learning environment.

The area includes sofas, bucket seats, tables and chairs (on flexible castors), a projector (with laptop access for tutors), laptop charging, and wireless broadband.

There is more information (and booking instructions) available.

Online Simulations in Higher Education Conference

Online Simulations in Higher Education Conference
SHE Conference 2009
University of the West of England
5th November 2009

As part of our development of SHE, we are holding a one-day conference, Online Simulations in Higher Education, which will be devoted to research in, and development of, the learning potential of real life experiences that can be simulated using information technology. Papers and workshops will cover a wide range of subjects, experiences and technologies, and give delegates the opportunity to experience and discuss the applicability of simulation to their own discipline.

The conference will be chaired by Professor Geoff Channon, Assistant Vice Chancellor for teaching, learning and student experience at UWE.

See our Conference site for more information

UWE technology enhanced learning survey
Have your say

Technology Enhanced Learning Survey

We are undertaking a university-wide survey on the use of technology to enhance learning, in order to help to plan activities and investment over the next 2-3 years. Your participation in the survey would be really helpful, as the more information we have, the better we will be able to plan.

This is also an opportunity to let us know how you currently use technology, and how you might like to do so in the future, in order to enhance your students’ learning.

The questionnaire is at http://tinyurl.com/lbezex and will take around 15 minutes to complete. The survey will remain open until 14th August 2009, and the analyzed results will be available on this website in September. Thank you very much for your help.

Fireworks Buffet Party

We launched "E-Learning at UWE", our new island in the virtual world Second Life (see http://secondlife.com), with a real life buffet party on the 5th November and a simultaneous firework party on the island in SL.

If you have an account in Second Life, our island SLURL is http://slurl.com/secondlife/Elearning%20at%20UWE/110/128/35.

More information about Second Life and how to set it up on UWE computers.

Employer Engagement Seminar

We have organised in collaboration with one of our learning technology providers (Wimba) a seminar on Employer Engagement. The seminar will take place on Friday 15 May 2008 from 10-1 (buffet lunch provided) at the Farmhouse Conference Centre in the Frenchay Campus.

All members of staff are welcome. Attendance is free but registration is required as spaces are limited. The following link contains further information about the event and registration details:

http://www.wimba.com/company/events/1586

YouTube video competition for students

(Competition now closed)

UWE's Career Development Unit supported by the E-learning Development Unit have organised a YouTube video competition for students to suppport the development of MyFUTURE's YouTube channel. MyFUTURE is a project that aims to develop learning resources to support students' career development. Students can upload videos as part of the competition to be in with a chance of winning a £100 cash prize! :
YouTube video competition

Asia Pacific EBM network survey

The E-learning Development Unit is supporting the Centre for Learning and Workforce Research (Faculty of Helath and Life Sciences) with a funded research project focussing on an exploration into how a web based network can support clinicians working in diverse settings in Asia and the Pacific Rim in the development of Evidence Based Practice. The project is lead by Dr Jane Fitzpatrick. Other project members include Manuel Frutos-Perez (UWE, E-learning Development Deputy Manager), Eric Wong (The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Co-ordinator of the Asia Pacific EBM Network website) and Dr Hamid Baradaran (Iran University of Medical Sciences, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology). Please, follow the link below to take part in the survey associated with this project:
Asia Pacific EBM network survey

Research Observatory 2.0

The Research Observatory at UWE has been revamped to make the resource more flexible and dynamic. The new version of the observatory is now live at http://ro.uwe.ac.uk. The home address for the previous version of the observatory at http://www.uwe.ac.uk/ro will get redirected to the new homepage from Monday 1 October 2007. The old site will remain active until September 2008 and will then be taken offline.
Please note that if you have deep linked to parts of the previous version of the observatory you will need to go to the new verion of the observatory and modify those links to direct your students to the new site. Old deep links will cease to work in September 2008.

Podcasting lunchtime event

(Seminars now finished)

The E-learning Development Unit is running a podcasting seminar sponsored by Wimba Software. The event will take place on Wednesday 17 October 2007 from 12-3.30 in The Box (St Matthias Campus). The Wimba Communication Suite of tools has recently been integrated with UWE's Virtual Learning Environment (Blackboard). This event will provide an opportunity for staff to get an overview of the podcasting and further online learning materials development capabilities of the Wimba suite of tools. Please follow the link below to register your attendance to the event:
http://www.wimba.com/eventreg/participant/registration.php?eventid=1081

Seminar programme

Follow the link below to find out about our e-learning lunchtime seminars.
http://www.uwe.ac.uk/elearning/seminars/index.shtml