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A collaborative experience that engages everyone, every time, everywhere
It is now possible to engage with your students wherever they are. Keep them engaged offering them collaborative and interactive activities and a learning experience. This can be done all through the new platform Blackboard Collaborate.
It allows you to create virtual classrooms to deliver presentations, show videos, show websites, communicate synchronously in real time, and engage students in activities that can be presented online.
Mobile support is also available so students can access the online session through an iPhone or an iPad allowing them to access the session wherever they maybe.
The sessions can also be recorded to allow students to view the recording again and again.
Below is a link to a demonstration by a Blackboard Collaborate Advisor that gives further information on Blackboard Collaborate and the different ways it can be used.
Blackboard Collaborate Demonstration
If you have any questions or would like to find out more information you can contact me directly on 01695 650755 or [email protected]
Irfan Mulla
Learning Technology Development Officer (LTD)
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New year – Why not develop your skills in using technology?
The Learning Services staff development programme – Developing Digital Excellence begins again in January.
We have got a wide range of sessions covering all 4 strands of the programme which will support staff across the university in their use of technology and hopefully enhance their knowledge and skills – and maybe learn something brand new.
Here’s the detail of what we have got coming up in January
- Digital Classroom
Introduction to classroom and lecture theatre technology
W/B 21st January and W/B 29th January.Please contact Glenn Allan direct to discuss suitable rooms and dates – ex 7227
- Digital Practitioner
Help my mobile is smarter than me! – we all know how this feels!
28th January 1.00pm – 2.00pmTechnology road show and clinic – this is both for staff and students. Please spread the word to your students about this road show
31st Jan The Hub 11.00am – 2.00pm.No need to book, just come and see us in the Hub
- Digital Researcher
Introduction to Refworks – a great training session to start your research project with
29th January 10.00am – 12.00pm- Digital Office
Advanced features of Word
28th January 2.00pm – 4.30pmYou can find out more about these sessions and also what we have coming up throughout the year via the Learning Services wiki
https://go.edgehill.ac.uk/wiki/display/ls/Staff+Development
You can see at a glance the sessions we are delivering across all these areas and by using the link on the page, link through to book direct on the HR wiki.
All sessions, unless mentioned otherwise, take place in the Learning Innovation Centre (LINC) development room which is located on the top floor of the building. Teams across Learning Services can also deliver bespoke sessions to teams if there is something you would like to develop your skills in. Please get in touch if you would like to know more.
Rachel Bury
ext. 7757
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Can someone explain what’s going on here?
The 5th EHU Student eLearning survey still has just over a week or so left to run but I thought I’d share with you an interesting and unusual finding from the large number of responses we have received so far.
In the survey we ask students to respond to the statements On/off campus I sometimes have difficulties accessing Learning Edge and not surprisingly a lot of students agree or strongly agree. The responses to these statements are important measures of how well or otherwise the Learning Edge systems and student support are performing. They are also indicators of how effective Learning Services have been in identifying and resolving Learning Edge technical issues. So it is reassuring to note that since we started collecting data on this question and used the feedback to inform improvements, that the numbers of students experiencing technical difficulties have declined year on year.
Which brings me to the interesting and unusual finding illustrated in the two graphs below (click on a chart to make it bigger).
On campus I sometimes have difficulties accessing Learning Edge 
Off-campus I sometimes have difficulties accessing Learning Edge This positive trend shows students are experiencing significantly fewer technical difficulties with Learning Edge both on and off campus but surprisingly the most dramatic improvement is the reduction of off-campus technical difficulties. This reduction is even more marked in the current student responses and begs the question ‘What is going on here: why isn’t the rate of improvement as dramatic with on-campus technical difficulties?’
Obviously, we’ll be investigating this anomaly in our continuing efforts to improve the student experience of Learning Edge. As a starting point, it would be really helpful if student readers could use this blog’s comments facility to provide some pointers by letting me know where, when and on what devices you tend to experience Learning Edge technical issues. It would also be helpful to learn more about what types of technical difficulties are experienced both on- and off-campus.
Finally, if you have not yet had your say about your experience of technology to support your learning at Edge Hill, there is still just over a week of the EHU Student eLearning Survey left to go. Give us your feedback and enter the prize draw for £50 and 2 x £25 Amazon vouchers. Every 20th participant also wins an attractive 1G USB wristband.
Lindsey Martin Assistant Head of Learning Services (Learning, ICT and Media Technologies)
