MOLE Exemplary Course Programme

Final session course presentation

We recently completed the latest MOLE Exemplary Course Programme (ECP), with attendees from across a range of departments coming together to work to improve the content and layout of their MOLE courses in use as part of their teaching.

The ECP has been running for several years now, and aims to improve the quality of MOLE courses using simple techniques and ideas coupled to a framework based on a peer reviewed rubric in use by Blackboard Learn (the system MOLE runs on) round the world. We have adapted this rubric to form the basis for the structure of the ECP so anyone using MOLE can get involved and see improvements.

Feedback from previous attendees to the ECP has been very positive, and students who have used courses that have been 'exemplarised' have fed back that the improvements were very beneficial to their learning.

We offer the ECP to everyone across the institution, but we can also focus it to a more specific area if it needed. For example we are planning that the next ECP could focus more on purely online delivered courses.

If you are interested, get in touch and we will give you more information.

Online Exams in MOLE

Computer room in The Diamond

The Autumn exam period has just recently finished, and once again we have seen an increase in the number of them being run online in MOLE.

In partnership with the Student Examinations Team, we have had a total of 30 exams running, with 3137 students involved. This is almost a 50% increase from the same period last year, and if we see a similar number increase in the Spring exam period, then we will certainly increase the total for the year from last year when we had 4250 students sitting in 79 exams.

A number of the exams this time have been run for the very first time in MOLE, and we have also had an increase in the variety of assessment methods in use. Alongside the more standard multiple choice type test questions, we have had essay based exams, the use of audio and video and file submission.

All this activity has run very smoothly, thanks to the MOLE exam procedure that we have worked hard on to make MOLE exams no different in most ways to traditional paper based exams. that is not to say that there were no hiccups along the way, however with Chief Invigilators having been trained in the delivery of MOLE exams and the TEL Team on call to step in if needed, we were able to ensure that all the exams completed without many incidents.

It's exciting to see this growth in the use of MOLE, and the feedback we are getting from staff and students is that MOLE exams are a positive experience and something to build on.

White Rose Learning Technologists' Forum, February 2017

Last week saw the latest White Rose Learning Technologists' Forum, bringing together practitioners from around the Yorkshire Region. This time it was the turn of the University of Huddersfield to host, providing thevenue for an afternoon of presentations and discussion.

The event began with a workshop presented by James McDowell, Director of Learning & Teaching at Huddersfield's School of of Computing and Engineering, on the theme of Certified Membership of the Association for Learning Technology (CMALT). Discussion revealed the importance of CMALT for both personal development of staff working in learning technology, and professional identity of practitioners. The potential obstacles of undertaking the portfolio-based process were also recognised, not least of all time, and lack of line management buy-in and securing associated funding. However a strong case was made for the benefits of CMALT, and its ability to create a network of practitioners across the region.

Up next was The University of Sheffield's Ian Loasby, Learning Technologist at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, continuing the theme of professional development. He gave an account of his successful completion of Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), which he described as one the most rewarding things he'd undertaken in his professional career. Learning Technologists were encouraged to go for Senior Fellowship, as our work mentoring, supporting and influencing the learning and teaching of others covers many of the competencies of the programme that some academics may find difficult to evidence.

Finally Ros Walker, Huddersfield's Assistive Software and Accessibility IT Trainer, gave an update on the University's implementation of lecture capture (using the Panopto software), and in particular work on addressing its accessibility for D/deaf students. Solutions have included using an iPad as a second camera to record BSL interpreters more clearly, which the Panopto app will automatically add to the main presentation, and investigating Panopto's built-in subtitling system. The latter is pertinent to the University of Sheffield, as our soon-to-be implemented digital media hosting solution will have similar captioning capabilities. While lecture capture is hugely beneficial for many disabled students, it was illustrated in Ros's talk that it isn't a one-size-fits-all solution for the needs of all learners.

A great afternoon with engaging speakers and useful discussion. Thanks to all at the University of Huddersfield for their warm welcome at a great venue.