LTI Grants

LTI Innovation grants Last academic year seven applicants were successful in their bids to be awarded grants to develop teaching and learning with technology. Some of the winning projects detailed below, demonstrate the variety of ways that individuals are rethinking traditional teaching models by flipping lectures and gamification, and getting students to think about lecture content through the use of social media. 2013 Awards included:

A project to examine the use of mobile devices as inclusive accessible technologies for students with disabilities.  http://tinyurl.com/pzmlb2n Simon has developed surveys for students and teachers asking them about student use of mobile devices for learning. Questions asked include how students currently use technology to help them organise their studies and how teachers regards the use of technology in the classroom by students. The survey is currently open and ongoing. Along with Sebastiaan Eldritch-Boersen, Simon has developed a short course comprising of four sessions that will start at the end of October, finishing with a revision and review session in the lent term.  More details can be found on the training and development system:  http://tinyurl.com/LSEHappyAppy

  Business Transformation and Project Management
Dr Susan Scott and Dr Ela Klecun – (Department of Management)
Dr Scott and Dr Klecun enhanced the MG208 course through the use of a flipped-lecture format, computer-based simulation,scribing (collective note taking which was collated along with photos of concept map discussions) and self-assessment via Moodle quizzes. They produced a series of filmed interviews with industry experts, which were delivered to students in advance of taught sessions as preparation for structured Q&A’s with the invited speakers. A class field trip to the Level39/Innotribe innovation lab at Canary Wharf was filmed for the benefit of future cohorts.The various teaching approaches that were tried were evaluated by capturing student feedback. If you are interested in flipping your lectures LTI run workshops on Flipping, go to the Training and development system to book see when the next session is planned and book your place: https://apps.lse.ac.uk/training-system/ More information on flipping can be found here: http://youtu.be/4a7NbUIr_iQ/
Developing video resources for active learning in MY421: Qualitative Research Methods
Dr Flora Cornish & Dr Elena Gonzalez-Polledo – (Department of Methodology)To bring vivid practical examples to the lecture theatre, Dr Cornish & Dr Gonzalez-Polledo, with the help of LTI technical expertise, created videos for students to observe and analyse. Following the course theme of urban environments, they made a film of customer interactions at a fruit and veg stall at Ridley Road Market, Hackney. This provided material for a student exercise on making observations and writing participant observation field-notes. Further footage was also recorded of participant interactions in research focus groups.  Both films have been used in taught sessions on MY421 and the intention is to continue with, and further develop, their use.The success of the project has meant that further work is planned to capture a short interview with the market stall holder from Ridley Road.

In 2013 we made substantial changes to our development funding, by insisting on a more formal grant application process. Since then we have put out 4 calls and have awarded seven grants. Criteria for success are more stringent and, commensurate with our new remit, bigger emphasis is put on “innovation” and “changing teaching practice”. Importantly, we also stress the need to share projects and new findings both within the LSE and with the wider HE community.

If you have a good project idea and are thinking of applying, we urge you to get in touch with us in good time by emailing lti.support@lse.ac.uk to discuss your ideas and possibilities with us before applying.

Below are the successful applicants with brief descriptions of their project aims.

Awards:

Federica Bicchi (Gov): Multimedia and IR481 (Europe, the United States and Arab-Israeli relations),

Using peacemaker and video interviews with key figures to push student thinking, discussion and engagement with the Middle East conflict beyond the textual. 

Peacemaker is a simulation “game” which allows players to make decisions as either the Palestinian or Israeli leader, testing skills, questioning assumptions and gauging prior knowledge. Video interviews with experts serve to ground debates and questioning in the present.

Simon Hayhoe (Phil): The development of mobile devices as inclusive, accessible technologies for students with disabilities at the London School of Economics

Exploring the use of tablets to overcome challenges of sensory, learning and physical impairments.

This project examined the use of mobile devices as inclusive accessible technologies for students with disabilities. Focus on a) committing the LSE to be as inclusive as possible, b) investigating the general educational usefulness of mobile devices and c) evaluate manufacturer’s claims about accessibility features.

Peter Skrandies (Lang): GARP – Developing an online course in German for Academic Reading Purposes
(joint project with Language Centre)

Developing an online, Moodle-based reading course for intermediate learners of German who want to improve their academic reading skills, to better appreciate primary sources in German.

The aim was to foster the autonomous development of reading through self-paced activities. Students were given the opportunity to acquire specialised reading skills related to their own disciplines, research fields or personal areas of interest. The reading activities were supported by the development of a new Moodle plugin to allow flexible annotation of texts.

Gemma Stansfield (Lang): Flipping academic writing sessions

Flipping an academic writing session for LN991 (Academic Writing) to give students autonomy over their learning.

The plan was to design a new way of teaching which requires students to complete online tasks before class. On the basis of these, students can make a choice between two different face to face formats: 1) a longer discussion element in the traditional 50 minute class or a 2) 25 minute fast track option.

Rocio Diaz Bravo & Lourdes Hernandez-Martin (Lang): Videos to support language learning and teaching: oral presentations in academic contexts,

Creating videos to support face-to-face teaching for Degree and Certificate Spanish courses. 

The project delivered two videos: 1) an English language video “How to prepare and deliver an oral presentation in an academic context” and 2)  a Spanish language video with English subtitles of an oral presentation for beginner/low intermediate level. The second video was accompanied by self-assessed activities to support the Spanish language learning.

Lourdes Sosa (Mgm): Assessing the Disruptive Effect of the Internet on Education

Designing and delivering a disruptive teaching intervention to jump-start student thinking about “creative destruction”.

It was planned to devise a radically new different teaching experience, to be delivered in three different courses (Summer School, GMiM and TRIUM). Using multimedia (video recording & live streaming) and social media (twitter) elements to communicate / teach asynchronously and synchronously, the aim was to create an immersive experience that illustrates through doing how technology can disrupt markets.

Matteo Fumagalli & Helen Mayer (Lang): Independent Online Language Learning

Creating and online language learning space to support learning practical skills independently. 

The aim ws to create tasks in various language which develop and improve Digital Literacy skills; such as discerning and using online resources and sources, using web tools for self-study & organising independent study. Tasks will introduce web tools such as podcasts, social bookmarking sites and e-portfolios, and emphasise the learning potential of interacting with peers online (e.g. via forums, skypes, social networking sites).