HEFi Newsletter - July 2023
Padlet: Our Institutional Licenses are coming!
HEFi Digital has been working hard to provide institutional access to Padlet, and we're delighted to announce that this will be ready for use by the start of the next academic year.
It will work on Single Sign-On, and if you already have a Padlet account using your UoB email address then you will be able to import your content and continue using it.HEFi is preparing guidance and will incorporate Padlet into our training, but if you have any questions please do not hesitate to get in touch with your local HEFi Digital team.
New Canvas Search tool
HEFi are pleased to announce that we’ll be launching a new search tool within Canvas for the new academic year.
From September, you can access search from the course and main menu within Canvas, and you will find a search box at the top of every screen, allowing you to search your courses to find the content you’re looking for, quicker.
Transition case studies wanted
Professor Tom Harrison (DPVC Education Innovation) is looking for case studies of educational activities to support transition and progression, which could run in summer term 2024. The revised academic calendar from 2023/24 has enabled a three-week period where all teaching staff are encouraged to run transition and progression learning activities linked to the programmes / modules they teach on.
The aim of the case studies is to inform and inspire colleagues and should focus on educational activities that support students to transition through the years of study or into employment / life after university. These learning activities are not necessarily assessed, so innovation and creativity is encouraged. The case studies will be added to a new bank on the HEFi website and shared with colleagues across the University.
Here are some examples of the types of activity that the case studies could include (other examples also very welcome):
- Boot camps / workshops; dissertation, extension of core Programme content, graduate attributes etc
- Lectures; first of the next year, cross discipline, TED style
- Prep for employment; invited speakers, alumni, placements
- Fieldtrips; local, national, international, digital
- Research linked; placements, challenges
- Presentations; Pecha Kucha; invited guests, students in groups, poster
- Transition days that include elements from all the types above and others
If you have an idea for a case study, then please contact Sarah Letters (s.j.letters@bham.ac.uk) or Tom Harrison (t.j.harrison@bham.ac.uk) and the case study template will be sent to you. Case studies should be ideally be submitted by the 30th July.
HEFi Digital welcomes our new starter!
There have been quite a few changes to the HEFi digital team over the last six months. Today we hear from our latest new starter, Frida Johansson, who shares a little about herself and her thoughts about joining the University of Birmingham and HEFi.
Generative AI is transforming the Higher Education sector, impacting on teaching and learning, and raising questions around assessment. You're invited to join our growing community of practice, which will explore the opportunities and implications of generative AI for teaching, learning, assessment and support as well as enabling individuals to come together to discuss issues, access advice and guidance, and share ideas and resources.
This community of practice is facilitated by HEFi. We hosted our first event on 26 June and will continue to offer both face to face and online events to members, in order to share resources and examples of practice. You can find out more, including details of how to contribute and become involved.
Generative AI Community of Best Practice - Network (Team joining code: bkalwgz).