ABC Learning Design

 

https://salt.swan.ac.uk/abc-learning-design/


ABC Learning Design WheelABC is a very practical curriculum / course development method, originating in UCL and used successfully in Universities worldwide (including Swansea). The method has a strong foundation in learning theory and can produce dramatic and powerful results in a short space of time. Both online and (virus permitting) face to face workshops are run at Swansea and here you can find information on these and a wide range of resources.

(Swansea Resource)

 

2020 Course Design Essentials: Design Tips for Pages

 

https://community.canvaslms.com/groups/designers/blog/2020/04/14/2020-course-design-essentials-design-tips-for-pages


Image of an online page layout, sketched out in an open notebook, with an uncapped pen, on a desk, next to a phone.A Canvas Community post that covers some intermediate page editing techniques, such as adding padding around an image and floating text. It offers useful links to acessibility resources and covers some ‘mobile-first’ design principles. It is a good starting point for those who do not have any knowledge of web design/coding, and explains simple techniques in a clear and understandable manner. Although it also suggest the use of icons, Swansea University does have an Icon set available for use.

(External Resource)

 

Engaging students with online work

 

https://www.aare.edu.au/blog/?p=5400


Close-up of someone's hands typing on a laptop computerBlog article by 3 academics reporting a summary of a recent piece of research with Australian students studying entirely at distance. Reflects student opinions on engagement in online learning, including their thoughts on activities ostensibly designed for measuring engagement, as well as those more “hidden” and less formal activities students do to learn. Also notes the unintended consequences of enforcing engagement in online discussions and feedback, both for staff and students. One caveat is that the sample used in this research was small and focused on mature students. A good article for those looking for student insight into standard, quantifiable measures of engagement in online learning, as well as their other learning activities.

(External Resource)

 

Zoom-fatigue ? There are other ways to be present online

 

https://blog.ucem.ac.uk/onlineeducation/posts/1642


Laptop, tablet and smartphone on a desk with an open Zoom video conference on the screen.High level blog post on moving a course online. Proposes that there is ‘More than just Zoom’ and covers some general points around existing challenges around Zoom-Fatigue, need for flexibility and equity in access to resources (from the perspective of students) and avoiding falling into a ‘teacher-centric’ content trap. It proposes a three-pronged approach to teaching in the age of Covid19: Supporting students, Enhancing the learning experience, and Transforming (flipping) the classroom. It gives some general tips in each one of the three areas cited without going as far as proposing a more scaffolded course development method. It’s a good introduction to consideration points before embarking on Course Development, in the Context of Covid19. As it does not provide a clear/repeatable framework, it could be seen as a pick’n’mix option.

(External Resource)

 

Building online communities

 

https://www.teaching-matters-blog.ed.ac.uk/building-online-academic-communities/


Image of person writing on postits with notes on other sheets of paper, highlighters signifying planning activityIn this 2019 blogpost by Celeste McLaughlin at the University of Edinburgh, the importance of developing academic communities to support online learning is discussed. It emphasises that you need to consider this within the design stage of a course and recommends Gilly Salmon’s 5 stage model of e-tivities to build confidence and collaboration activities during the course. Some useful strategies are outlined e.g. of using ice breakers to build familiarity with digital tools, establishing and posting group work guidelines developed by the students and the importance of staff remaining visible to students.

(External Resource)

 

Teaching Online: Core Principles – Staff CPD

 

https://canvas.swansea.ac.uk/enroll/4KMB3F


Transition to Online Teaching and AssessmentStaff from across the University have come together to produce a short CPD module designed to help us all transition our teaching to a format that is suitable for helping students online. The module is designed to help with core principles around the ‘why’ and ‘what’ of teaching online, with links to the technical aspects of ‘how’. The link above takes you to the self-enrolment page to get access to the module. All the content is then available within the module using the navigation menu.

(Swansea Resource)

 

Transferring f-to-f delivery to online learning – The Lecture

 

https://elearningstuff.net/2020/04/23/lost-in-translation-the-lecture/


Image of a laptop with a chalkboard on the screen saying (N)ever (S)top LearningBlog from James Clay (JISC’s Head of Higher Education and Student Experience) “…reflecting on how teaching staff can translate their existing practice into new models of delivery that could result in better learning, but also have less of detrimental impact on staff an[d] students.”

The blog gives an interesting overview on how to translate teaching materials and resources from the physical environment into an online environment. The blog includes hints, tips and models on how to break down your face-to-face lectures to fit an online learning environment.

(External Resource)

 

Transferring f-to-f delivery to online learning – The Seminar

 

https://elearningstuff.net/2020/04/29/lost-in-translation-the-seminar/


Image of a laptop with a chalkboard on the screen saying (N)ever (S)top LeanringBlog from James Clay (JISC’s Head of Higher Education and Student Experience) looking at translating existing teaching materials for seminars and group tutorials into online delivery. Suggests approaches on how you can translate existing material into online learning and some key things to avoid. Suggestions include use of video, text chat, synchronous and asynchronous approaches.

A good blog for getting an understanding of the basics of teaching online while using existing teaching materials.

(External Resource)