Connect More 2023 programme

Paul McKean, director of FE and skills at Jisc opens this year's event.

Speakers:

• Jason Holt, CEO, Metaverse Learning Ltd
• Stevie Emmanuel, head of technology enhanced learning, Cardiff and Vale College
• Sian Wilson, executive, commercial and partnerships director, The Skills Network
• Dr Jordan Tsigarides, VR lead for postgraduate education and rheumatology clinical fellow, University of East Anglia

The Metaverse is a term increasingly used in FE and is growing in popularity as a solution to impact learner behaviour. Three speakers who are highly renowned innovators and practitioners in the use of immersive tools will share their experiences on how they transitioned into a blended learning institution. They will talk about how learners have been able to explore and interact with virtual reality, virtual environments and augmented reality, helping them to develop a deeper understanding of the skills needed to succeed.

We will see case studies from each speaker and explore how the Metaverse enables learners to collaborate and help facilitate in and off-campus or work learning. The session will also explore challenges in adopting Metaverse technologies from a tutor, learner and institution standpoint and the opportunities in getting it right. Attendees will have a chance to ask questions and learn from one another as the sector comes together to explore what more we need to be thinking about in adopting the Metaverse in our organisations and for learners.

Speaker: Christopher Manley, lecturer in computing and IT, NPTC Group

The term Esports is a shortened version of Electronic Sports, which refers to the playing of computer games competitively. The proposed study is related to the impact of Esports and whether there is a possibility of developing qualities, skills and similar thinking processes in college students aged 16-18.

Speaker: Timothy Skelton, lead practitioner, e-learning, New College Durham

The use of artificial intelligence in education is revolutionising the way teachers and students interact with the learning process. In this session, attendees will gain valuable insights into harnessing the power of ChatGPT to enhance teaching and learning experiences. Explore how to integrate this cutting-edge AI tool into classroom activities to support personalised learning, student engagement, and assessment.

Key topics include utilising ChatGPT to generate creative prompts, activities, plan lessons, provide feedback, and instantly adapt lessons based on student needs. We also address potential ethical considerations and strategies for ensuring responsible AI use. Attendees will leave with practical knowledge and techniques to effectively employ ChatGPT in teaching practices, ultimately enriching student outcomes and driving academic success. Don't miss this opportunity to expand your educational toolkit and stay at the forefront of pedagogical innovation.

Speakers

• Simon Thomson, director of flexible learning, University of Manchester
• Sue Beckingham, principal lecturer and teaching and learning lead, Sheffield Hallam University

In this session Simon and Sue will present their individual but inter-related work examining modes of learning and mixed-modal education. With reference to Modes of Learning in Higher Education (Beckingham, 2021) and the Subject, Pedagogy and Modality (SPaM) Framework (Thomson, 2022), the session will introduce participants to proposed definitions for learning modes as well as a framework to support the development of mixed-modal curriculum. Drawing upon their own experiences, the presenters will provide examples of where mixed-modal design can be most effective and how such a process can support a future hybrid curriculum underpinned by “sound pedagogical reasons” (Office for Students, 2022) as we move towards an education experience that will ultimately become more blended by default.

Speaker: James Rutherford, senior educational technologist, City, University of London

City implemented a hybrid teaching model in 2020 by researching the challenges and opportunities of hybrid teaching and searching across the literature to better understand this concept. Based on this exploration, City has been working on an educational design research project called ISLA (Inclusive Synchronous Learning Activities), which uses video conferencing software to allow students to participate remotely and provides additional resources such as breakout rooms for group work, discussion forums, polling and interactive quizzes. City has invested in new technology, including digital cameras, sophisticated microphones, and interactive tools to enhance the hybrid learning experience. The university has also provided training and written guidance for staff to help them adapt to this new teaching methodology. This session on City’s experiences of developing hybrid teaching will highlight the ISLA project stages and how it has been adopted. We invite delegates to ask questions about the experiences, challenges and future plans and will share thoughts about what steps to take for those new to the methodology.

Speakers:

• Scott Hayden, head of digital learning and teacher, Basingstoke College of Technology
• Umaira Tariq, learning technologist, Basingstoke College of Technology

This session will showcase real-life examples of how artifical intelligence (AI) helps educators to save valuable time while amplifying their impact, all within the context of the college's C.O.R.E. skills framework (compassion, originality, responsibility, and empathy). Focusing on the mindful, intentional, and deliberate use of technology, the presenters will explore the critical balance between AI and human interaction and how to ensure that technology complements rather than replaces the human touch. The session will aim to show how AI can empower educators to foster a nurturing and innovative learning environment, ultimately elevating student success.

Speakers:

• Seima Mahmood, ESOL lecturer, Bradford College
• Monika Worthington, ESOL lecturer, Bradford College

The ESOL Global Learning Project began in 2021 and is designed to allow colleges from across the globe to work together, taking advantage of an international blended learning project. This project equips students to work on the four c’s of 21st century digital skills: critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication. These four skills are widely gained whilst working on the project, which is now running for its second consecutive year. Tasks set for students use a range of innovative digital tools and apps, positively impacting student learning and preparing them for future careers. Bradford College ESOL 16-18 students joined forces with colleges from around the world to participate in six sessions every year. These sessions are planned and designed to run in a global learning curriculum, combining hybrid model, flip learning, online and face to face learning. Hosted on MS Teams, they give students around the world access to high standards of teaching and learning, online resources, digital tools and apps as well as opportunities to cooperate and communicate via Teams breakout rooms.

Speakers:

• Professor Lawrie Phipps, senior research lead, Jisc
• Chris Roberts, e-learning coordinator, London South Bank Colleges

Our closing session will discuss recent research around student and staff behaviours in their engagement with generative AI. The speakers will also draw upon their own experiences to look at what these behaviours might tell us about the future of AI in teaching and research and also in wider society.

Paul McKean returns to reflect on the first day of Connect More.

Speaker: Paul McKean, director of FE and skills, Jisc

Chris Thomson, subject specialist, digital practice, Jisc welcomes you to day two of Connect More.

Speaker: Sam Elkington, professor of learning and teaching, Teeside University

In a rapidly changing education landscape we are having to rethink how and what we assess on our programmes. Indeed, the ripple effects of recent disruption promises to profoundly alter future assessment in both form and function. In this interactive workshop, Sam Elkington will lead us through an exploration of the changing purposes of assessment and what really should matter most in a digital first world. Sam draws together practice insights and learning from the implementation of a large-scale digital assessment programme of work at Teesside University to highlight some of the key tensions such approaches can generate, as well as their value and importance for bringing new practices and ideas into being, while maintaining space for creativity, curiosity, critique, risk-taking, and the emergent properties of ‘technologies-in-use’.

Speakers:

• Aftab Hussain, ILT and LRC manager, Bolton College
• Caroline Hurt, e-learning instructional designer, Bolton College
• Johnathan Hart, systems developer, Bolton College

Take part in a unique crowdsourcing exercise supporting students and teachers with the formative assessment of open-ended questions. Train a subject topic classifier, with others, in real-time. Learn the merits as well as the issues that teachers and content creators face when working on a crowdsourcing artificial intelligence (AI) platform.

The FirstPass platform has been developed by Bolton College, offering real-time feedback to students composing their responses to open-ended questions from teachers. Participative, collaborative, and crowdsourcing, FirstPass enables teachers and subject specialists to train the platform so that it can support students as they compose their work.

Speakers:

• Zak Liddell, director of education and student experience, University College London
• Sophie Bush, student, University College London

In this session, we discuss student and staff perspectives of creating a shared approach to the future use of AI in our work and studies. Participants will also explore a set of co-created principles recently presented to university leaders from across the Russell Group.

Speaker: Kathryn Woodhead, subject specialist, Jisc

Developing learners’ employability skills is a key driver for organisations that want to prepare their learners for the 21st century workplace. Join us and explore ways in which technology-enhanced learning supports and builds on learners’ employability skills, knowledge and experience.

Speaker: Michael Webb, director of technology and analytics, Jisc

A session to help you explore the potential impact of generative AI such as ChatGPT on your assessments. We’ll look at how these systems work, strategies for exploring the impact of generative AI, and the role of AI detection services.

Speakers:

• Preeti Mahajan, head of online projects, Activate Learning
• Dr Fumiko Prescott, faculty manager - online, Activate Learning

Since Activate Learning started its online courses for adult learners, it has been exploring the effective way to assess its work and give feedback to maximise learning opportunities. All assessments and feedback are remotely done and have played an important role in building learners’ confidence and motivation in courses. The feedback model has been highly valued by learners (4.79 out of 5 in “Do you feel that our feedback has helped you grow confidence and resilience in learning?”) This session shares Activate Learning practice and the impacts on learning.

Speakers:

• Greg Stewart, digital media officer, The University of Sheffield
• Dr Graham McElearney, senior digital learning advisor, The University of Sheffield
• Stephen Davie, product manager (employability and skills), The University of Sheffield

This session will outline recent work at The University of Sheffield, piloting the use of the Bodyswaps immersive experiences to develop students' employability skills. These experiences allow students to engage in a number of VR-based scenarios, where they can practice a range of interpersonal skills that may be otherwise difficult to perform in the curriculum. These experiences provide feedback to students based on a combination of body language, eye movements, and most powerfully, allow the students to reflect on their own performance in the scenario, by watching a replay of their own “avatars” going through the scenarios. The session outlines what has been done in a pilot (conducted between the university careers service, IT services and digital learning team), how it has been deployed, examples of the scenarios, and presents initial feedback from learners.

Speaker: Danny Liu, associate professor (education focused), The University of Sydney

Assessment and feedback are the most impactful practices that influence student learning, motivation, and engagement, but they are often the elements with which students and educators struggle most. Assessments may be seen as inauthentic and lacking the ability to promote learning. Feedback may be seen as depersonalised or lacking impact. Add to this the potential threat of generative AI to academic integrity, how are we meant to move forward? This session will explore how generative AI and learning analytics can help us rediscover the heart of assessment and feedback. We will cover evidence-based and practical examples of how AI might foster assessment for and as learning and how data can be used to provide personalised feedback and support. You will take away actionable, short- and medium-term ideas to enhance assessment from start to finish.

Chris Thomson returns to reflect on the second day of Connect More.

Speaker: Chris Thomson, subject specialist, digital practice (lead/communication and collaboration), Jisc

Alyson Nicholson, head of Jisc Wales, opens the final day of Connect More.

Speaker: Simon Barnett, multimedia SEN tutor, National Star College

This session will discuss some of the technologies that are used in the delivery of multimedia at the National Star College and how they are adapted to suit the needs of the learner. Discussing real life examples of how software and hardware have been adapted and used to enable the learners, Simon will show how he works to improve engagement by reducing the barriers to their learning.

Speakers:

• Lis Parcell, subject specialist, Jisc
• Chris Thomson, subject specialist: digital practice (lead/communication and collaboration), Jisc
• Richard Beggs, senior lecturer in HE practice, Ulster University
• Sarah Evans, librarian, Milton Keynes College
• Penny Langford, executive head of digital learning, Milton Keynes College

In this session you can find out what we are learning from our members about changes to learning spaces in FE and HE. Your will hear examples of space enhancement and innovation both large and small. We will look at the importance of designing spaces around learning and what to consider when factoring digital technology into learning space design. Participants will have a chance to find out about upcoming Jisc events and activities relating to learning spaces and how they and their communities of practice can get involved in some of this work.

Speakers:

• Jonathan Hofgartner, assistant principal, digital technologies, Weston College
• Louise Pratten, digital education manager, Weston College

Weston College shares an approach to managing the integration of contemporary delivery models by unpacking the implementation of hybrid learning. This session explores how new delivery models can take root within a large organisation by identifying a strategic niche.

Speakers:

• Catherine Robertson, library engagement advisor, University of Birmingham
• Jolanta Peters, research and library services manager, Bridgwater and Taunton College
• Phil Brabban, university librarian and group director of learning, Coventry University
• Laura George, digital learning quarter manager, City College Plymouth

This session is a direct response to a recent FE Library LRC community member survey where engagement with teaching staff and take up of digital resources by learners came out among the top concerns of members.

Speakers:

• Nia Lloyd, strategic project manager, Coleg Sir Gar
• Naldo Diana, executive director of business development and innovation, Coleg Sir Gar

The Cook 24 project is a great example of an innovative pilot project that has achieved its deliverables against challenging timescales through the work of a motivated and passionate delivery team and contributions from enthusiastic sector specialists.

The Cook24 project focused primarily on the investment of skills for local people and supporting those people into employment within the food and drink sector that, in Wales particularly, was set back by the COVID-19 pandemic with a challenging road to recovery. In aligning its aims to that of the investment priorities of the Renewal Fund, the Cook24 project intended to equip local people with the necessary skills to kick-start or progress a career within the hospitality sector in Wales. The skills acquired would enable students to capitalise on employment and further development opportunities, improving the robustness and productiveness of the sector as it furthers its road to recovery post-pandemic.

Speaker: Catherine O'Donnell, research and impact manager, widening access participation, Ulster University

Ulster University is a regional multi-campus university located in Northern Ireland with a large and diverse student population. A high proportion (around 37.5% of Ulster's undergraduate students) meet widening access criteria and are from the most deprived quintile areas of Northern Ireland, as defined by the Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure.The university uses a range of internal and external data sources for data analytics purposes. It uses business intelligence and builds interactive dashboards in our efforts to support and enhance the student experience of widening access and participation students, throughout their entire student journey, from pre-entry, through their studies at Ulster University and into further study and/or employment. Participating in Jisc's learner analytics labs and learning to create interactive data dashboards has been transformational as interactive dashboards are helping Ulster University to interpret data promptly, efficiently and effectively in agile ways to inform data informed decision-making for widening access participation.

Speakers:

• James Clay, head of higher education and student experience, Jisc
• Rebecca Snelgrove, content developer (digital education), Keele University

There is still considerable debate about what the future of higher education looks like, in particular the student learning journey. This presentation focuses on the experience of delivering a hybrid module to showcase reflections on what module design and delivery may look like. It focuses on putting student experience at the heart of the module, using various strategies to build an inclusive, community environment, both online and in person. It also shows how engaging with industry experts can create authentic experiences, from interviews for asynchronous learning content to a synchronous pitching and feedback session with a panel of industry experts.

Speaker: Constance Henry, essential skills practitioner, Gower College Swansea

The world of teaching and learning is changing, with technology at our fingertips to make learning more engaging, fun and inclusive. This presentation reflects on the lessons learnt whilst visiting a college in New Zealand that has been awarded a Dyslexia Friendly Quality Mark. The presentation discusses how the college achieved this and the steps we can all take to embark on a similar journey in the UK. This is coupled with techniques that can be used, using platforms like Microsoft Office 365, Canva and Book Creator to adapt assessing techniques with readily available technology. We will look at some training workshops held with staff in Gower College, providing tools to develop creative, interesting, and inclusive resources, captivating attention and enhancing the learner experience whilst suiting various learning styles and needs, a topic Constance is very passionate about.

Connect More 2023 closes with reflections from Alyson Nicholson.

Speaker: Alyson Nicholson, head of Jisc Wales, Jisc