altc2008

Earlier this week I attended the annual conference of ALT (the Association for Learning Technology) which I previewed last week on my personal blog and I have already written one post there on the first keynote and the digital continuum.

Staff development
The conference session on the latest survey (PDF) from UCISA /JISC: 2008 Survey of Technology Enhanced Learning for higher education in the UK highlighted the following conclusion:

Staff skills were overwhelmingly noted as the greatest challenge that these new demands [in particular streaming media, mobile computing, podcasting and Web 2.0] would create, with staff development and strategies being seen as the primary remedies

At a symposium on staff development by Sue Westerman from Canterbury Christ Church reported on the DEBUT Project.  This has focused on improving digital literacies amongst staff, something that’s also done here as part of the e-literacy programme.  However the format of the Canterbury programme is quite different and appealing.

Just looked at a poster by Bangor University (Psychology dept) who are using a Mac mini as a kind of Echo 360 recording station developed in-house.  It uses a VGA to USB dongle so captures everything displayed through the projector. Interesting as a low-cost alternative to Echo 360.

Had an interesting conversation with a guy from Waikato University in New Zealand who has been using Moodle for staff development. Use of discussions was the most successful element and staff hadn’t really found use of a wiki of great benefit but can see its potential.  Unsurprising I guess. His team has also developed extensions that allow automated creation of courses from the University management systems.  I mentioned our reading list management system to him, which made me think that we should really do a poster (or paper) about it next year.

Kris.