Hosted by Dr Jane Mooney, Academic Theme Lead for Digital Skills and Literacy, Flexible Learning Programme and chaired by Amanda Conway & Caroline Everson, Careers Managers, The Careers Service

Wednesday 7th December 2022, 10:00-12:00, online

Do our students recognise their digital skills; see their value in the graduate job market and understand how they can further develop their digital employability? How can we effectively embed digital skills in our academic programmes and learn from effective practice across the institution?

In this session, we took a closer look at the digital capabilities sought in today’s graduate job market and the key qualities all employers will require in an increasingly AI world. We explored some of the ways our colleagues have embedded digital skills development into programme delivery and assessment to date, with showcases from across the faculties, including the use of accessible web development tools, visualisations, blogging assignments and online platforms. We also heard from an award-winning digital initiative (The Rise Programme) at one of our neighbouring institutions.

With demonstrations, time for questions and resources to take away, we hope this session provided the ideas, encouragement, and connections for further programme development at The University of Manchester.

The panel for this showcase included:

• Charlene Gallery, Employability Lead/Lecturer, Fashion, Business & Technology
• Dr Luca Scholz, Lecturer in Digital Humanities
• Adam Hugill, The Rise Programme, Manchester Metropolitan University
• Dr Doron Cohen, Employability Lead/Programme Director, Psychology

Led by Dr Mike Kennard, Senior Lecturer and Programme Director, Executive Education, Alliance Manchester Business School

Wednesday, 12th October, 2022 – 13:30 - 15:00, online

This interactive workshop considered the options available to develop academic impact through executive education. It took a multi-stakeholder approach to discuss the benefits of executive education for academics, institutions and external organisations, as well as some of the common barriers to engaging with executive education and how to overcome them.

A recording of the session is available to view on the Video Portal. Please remember to log in via the button on the top right to be able to view the video. 

Led by Emma Ormerod SFHEA, ITL Fellow and Senior Clinical Teaching Fellow, School of Health Sciences

Thursday 19th May, 2022 - 13:00 - 14:00 

Simulation is a teaching methodology, not a technology; it is well established in numerous industries and is grounded in increasing safety. A fundamental part of simulation is creating a safe space for the student to learn. But how is the safe space created?

As part of her ITL Fellowship Emma has been working on an educational model to support simulation. In this session she outlined the triangle model, exploring the thinking, feeling and doing of why we learn; this model draws on adult learning theories, simulation pedagogy and psychological safety.

Led by Dr Jane Mooney, inaugural ITL Fellow and Senior Lecturer, School of Medical Sciences, with a panel of speakers from across the University

Wednesday, 4^th May, 2022 – 10:00 – 12:00 

In this masterclass, we discussed student and staff digital capabilities in the context of the higher education sector. We worked through an approach to embedding digital capabilities within the curriculum and heard from colleagues from the Faculties of Humanities and Biology, Medicine and Health who have integrated digital capabilities within their programmes.

Helen Davidson shared their experience of embedding Digital Capabilities into the BSc Public Health: a brand-new undergraduate programme launching in September 2022. The course was delivered in hybrid mode (on campus or online or a combination of both). All course content was online, with all assessments being in a digital format. Helen's presentation looked at the different ways that the team have embedded digital capabilities into the curriculum.

Amanda Conway and Doron Cohen shared their work on building digital skills into the curriculum for Psychology students. For the past three years, the BSc Psychology programme has incorporated a blogging activity into its yearly reflective assessment. Amanda and Doron explained more about the assessment and how students have been supported to develop their digital skills, and the impact it has had on their digital confidence and outlook. This initiative has been part of an OfS funded project in collaboration with MMU – Graduates for a Greater Manchester.

Linda Irish and Helen Perkins from the Faculty of Humanities eLearning gave an overview of their approach to programme and course unit design including recent efforts to incorporate digital capabilities.

Supporting student and staff digital capabilities is one of the aims of the Flexible Learning Programme and this event supporting development and sharing practice is being offered as part of this work.

Speakers

• Professor Caroline Bowsher, Division of Molecular and Cellular Function and Academic Theme Lead for the Digital Learning Environment, Flexible Learning Programme
• Helen Perkins, Learning Technologist, Faculty of Humanities
• Linda Irish, Assistant e-Learning Manager, Faculty of Humanities
• Helen Davidson, Lecturer, School of Health Sciences
• Amanda Conway, Careers Consultant, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
• Dr Doron Cohen, Senior Lecturer and Academic Lead for Employability

Led by Dr Jane Mooney, inaugural ITL Fellow, and Dr Sarah Shepherd

Wednesday, 27th April, 2022 - 15:00 - 16:30 

Wednesday, 11th May, 2022 - 14:00 - 15:30 

When we think about how to look after ourselves, how much do we consider the impact of the technologies around us? Jane Mooney and Sarah Shepherd led these sessions exploring the impact of digital on your wellbeing in this staff-focused online workshop.

Led by Dr Maria Canal, inaugural ITL Fellow and Lecturer, School of Biological Sciences; and Ryan Metcalfe, FBMH e-Learning Technologist

Thursday, 7^th April, 2022 – 11:00 – 13:00

This workshop was of interest to anyone involved in the teaching and delivery of a practical course and interested in finding out whether and how their course could be transformed into an online or blended delivery.

During the workshop, we discussed the three key steps in developing online virtual labs, based on our experience developing FBMH online practicals for undergraduate students.

This was an interactive event, which provided a forum for discussion with colleagues involved in practical teaching from across the University.

• Professor Mairéad Pratschke, SALC Chair in Digital Education

Wednesday 12th October 2023, 10:00-11:00, online

This talk will present an overview of developments in generative AI, potential implications for higher education, and suggest an approach to integrating GenAI into your research and teaching that aligns with current international (UNESCO) guidance.

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the workshop, you will be able to:

· Describe the landscape of emerging generative AI (GenAI) tools and technologies

· Describe the relationship between big tech, ed tech, and the higher ed sector

· Understand the role of digital pedagogies in GenAI-informed learning design

Delivered by:

• Dr Alison Fisher, Senior Lecturer and Academic Theme Lead for UCIL (University College for Interdisciplinary Learning)
• Prof Caroline Bowsher, Professor and Academic Lead for Digital Learning Environment
• Dr Jane Mooney, Senior Lecturer and Academic Theme Lead for Digital Skills and Literacy (Flexible Learning Programme) 

Thursday 18th October 2023, 14:00-15:30

With the approval of ‘First Steps To Flexible’ by Senate in May 2021, The University committed itself to a ‘conscious move to adopt Blended Learning as our default model of delivery at Programme level’. Blended Learning in this context is a thoughtful and responsive combination of on-campus, synchronous online and asynchronous online learning experiences designed to maximise and promote active learning and engagement. While 'First Steps' devolves the responsibility of creating 'a balanced portfolio of synchronous, asynchronous, on-campus and on-line activities across a programme' to course unit leaders 'in consultation with those responsible (e.g. programme directors or equivalent)', it does not prescribe the mechanism by which this 'conscious move' will be achieved.

Recognising the need for such a mechanism, a paper ‘Getting the Blend Right’ was co-created by colleagues from across the University to provide guidance to course unit leaders and programme directors. The paper outlines a framework to underpin the University’s approach to the design and delivery of Blended Learning, and highlights overarching principles with the explicit intention that these can subsequently be built upon, refined and operationalised by Faculties and other areas involved in the delivery of teaching and learning. 

We will briefly outline the ‘Getting the Blend Right’ framework before working together to identify actions that can support its operationalisation. How can broader adoption be incorporated within the Teaching, Learning and Student Experience structures of the University? How can we capture and share effective practice where blended learning has already been implemented or embedded?

Intended learning outcomes

• Discuss and create actions to support operationalising blended learning

• Identify opportunities to embed and share effective practice

Led by Dr Craig Morley, Academic Developer - University of Salford Teaching and Learning Enhancement Centre

and Ffion Neal, previously Fellowship Student Partner Intern

Friday 20th October 2023, 11:00-12:00, online

The workshop will provide an overview of the approach and findings of ITL Project ‘Student use of webcams during live synchronous online

teaching.’ The project was not about coming to a decision on whether students should or should not use webcams, but to explore student and

staff perceptions and practice of webcam use, its impact on engagement and learning, and how staff can gauge engagement and students can

show their engagement whether webcams are used or not.

We will share our findings and the co-created / crowd-sourced recommendations for best practice across four main themes:

· Clear expectations (and explanations) of webcam use.

· Webcams are the goal (in some situations!), not the standard expectation.

· Strategies and approaches to gauge / show engagement.

· Online learning should have its own approaches and values.

The project was not designed or intended to be an end-point, but the start of on-going discussion and sharing practice. Therefore, this

workshop will also be an opportunity to continue to add to the findings of this project through sharing own practice and ideas.

Led by Hamza Badenjiki, Learning Technologist, Humanities

Wednesday 1st November 2023, 14:00-15:30, on campus 

This introductory session is aimed at teaching staff who are considering exploring new methods to further enhance students’ communication,

collaboration, engagement, and social learning in the Microsoft Teams environment.

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Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the session, participants will gain an overview of:

• What were the academic staff and students' experiences with MS Teams based on a few sector showcases?
• How do the outcomes of showcases connect to well-known learning theories?
• What potential pedagogic advantages may the MS Teams platform provide?
• What is the current best practice for planning, designing, and constructing an MS Teams environment to facilitate communication, collaboration and social learning, along with examples of existing Teams spaces?
• How to get started structuring the MS Teams space with simple hands-on activities.
• Advantages and current restrictions with MS Teams.

Led by Hamza Badenjik, Learning Technologist, Humanities

Wednesday 8th November 2023, 14:00-15:00, on campus 

This session is intended for teaching staff who are interested in exploring new methods to facilitate students' formative collaborative activities

(such as group project work) as well as experimenting with additional opportunities for formative individual learning activities (such as

individual digital journals, homework, or exercises) with Teams OneNote Class NoteBook. The pedagogic aspects of collaborative learning will

also be covered in this session.

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the workshop, you will be able to:

• Create a OneNote Class Notebook in a Teams environment.
• Create and share a collaborative class activity.
• Form groups in the Class Notebook.
•  Create and distribute collaborative group activities.
• Manage the collaboration space for both the class and groups.
• Create a formative group assignment for students to collaborate on.
• Review and provide group feedback.
• Distribute individual homework/exercise.
• Review and provide individual feedback.