Digital skills

Sharing links for Virtual Classroom sessions

Brightspace logo

As with many TEL tools, there’s often lots of different ways to achieve the same task. Part of what we do is to try and determine the best option, or best options for different types of scenarios. The following guide covers some options for sharing links to Virtual Classroom sessions so that your sessions are… Read more » about Sharing links for Virtual Classroom sessions

Improving student engagement with Panopto Quizzes

Panopto logo

Are you worried that students are not engaging with your Panopto presentations? Lets face it, no matter how interesting the subject, sitting in front of a screen for long periods can be rather tedious. So how about micro lectures? why not break that 50 minute or 2 hour presentation down into bite size chunks of… Read more » about Improving student engagement with Panopto Quizzes

Online learning@BU

Staff from various teams within the university have been collaborating to develop a new tab on ME@BU (available from the Brightspace Homepage) titled Online learning@BU. This new resource will support students with their remote learning activities. The tab, which was launched yesterday, is divided into key areas that specifically address this new way of working. It will give students the tools,… Read more » about Online learning@BU

LT team leader Tracey Webb joins the HSS ‘Debbie and John Tech chat’ session

If you are interested in: Virtual Classroom premium; student interaction, breakout rooms, attendance monitors, emoji feedback and snap polls === Today we swapped John for Tracey Webb, the Learning Technologist team leader in our ‘Virtual Classroom Tech chat’ session.  I started by asking Tracey to tell us a little bit about what the LTs  have… Read more » about LT team leader Tracey Webb joins the HSS ‘Debbie and John Tech chat’ session

Epigeum Learning Blended Course, developed by BU academics, now open access

                                              Colleagues, Led by Dr Geli Roushan, Dr Elvira Bolat and I contributed to creating this Epigeum online course – with the covid-19 situation, Epigeum are offering it open access. You can access… Read more » about Epigeum Learning Blended Course, developed by BU academics, now open access

LT Drop in clinics week beginning 20th April

Thank you for the continued positive feedback that the team is receiving. It’s good to know that the work we are doing, often behind the scenes, is having impact across the organisation. This week, we’re moving to take a closer look at quizzes on Brightspace during our online LT drop in clinics.  So if you’re… Read more » about LT Drop in clinics week beginning 20th April

Using Brightspace Calendars

Brightspace logo

With the rapid move to on-line teaching, most timetables will be outdated, however, there is another tool you can use to help to communicate events to your students. Each Brightspace unit has its own schedule or calendar which can be used to communicate with your students about when events will take place. As well as… Read more » about Using Brightspace Calendars

8 Tips to Help Improve your Online Teaching

Most of us are not professional YouTubers and do not have any special equipment for creating stunning videos, so here are a few suggestions to help you make the most of the equipment you do have. Internet connection: A good Internet connection is required, especially when running a live event such as Virtual Classroom or… Read more » about 8 Tips to Help Improve your Online Teaching

Talking HE Policy: why it matters – report on a session by Jane Forster and Debbie Holley

Thanks to Prof Liz Falconer for inviting us to ‘talk policy’ and sharing her expertise to enable us to deliver a creative virtual classroom session. Exemplary policy advice – delivered with panache online! Jane Forster, policy adviser to the Office of the Vice Chancellor, working Department of Nursing Sciences’ Debbie Holley, delivered an engaging, interactive… Read more » about Talking HE Policy: why it matters – report on a session by Jane Forster and Debbie Holley

Enhance your PowerPoint using the Presentation Tools

Did you know that you can annotate and highlight the slides during your presentation to emphasize a point or piece of content? Used appropriately, this can greatly enhance the presentation and increase student engagement. One of PowerPoint’s many secrets, these tools are hidden in plain sight on the presentation screen. Put the slides into presentation… Read more » about Enhance your PowerPoint using the Presentation Tools