Tag Archives: sharing practice

Podcasting For Progress

November 1, 2023Pedagogyassessment, podcast, sharing practiceElizabeth Walkden

In a previous post, we were introduced to Dr. Sayjda Talib and Eleanor Dove’s ‘Education Matters’ podcast. Given the increasing interest in podcasting at Lancaster University, I thought now would be a good time to share some information on how and why to get started and what support is available at Lancaster for this endeavour. I will also be sharing some tips for getting started based on a recent EmpowerEd webinar session (Webinar 10) where Mark Childs from Durham University was giving a session on ‘Podcasting: Performing Professional Practice Publicly’. Mark Childs has been involved in podcasts such as Pedagodzilla, a popular series discussing various aspects of pedagogic theory. More tips and support can also be found on the ASK ‘Podcasting’ page.

Why podcasting?

Podcasting is a creative way to deliver content in a series of episodes. It can be used in all sorts of ways:

to share content with students and introduce them to research
to share good practice in your field with colleagues
to share research and good practice with others outside of the University
to engage with visiting speakers
to assess students on their skills and knowledge.

In short, podcasting is versatile!

Podcasts are conversational in style and tone, fairly short (more on timing later!) and straightforward to produce. To be successful they should be relaxed and have some element of fun. A decent recording can be made with some headphones, a microphone and some editing software. Although many podcast hosting websites are now being monetised there are some free ones still out there such as Spotify for Podcasters, formerly known as Anchor.

Podcasting can be used as a creative form of assessment, either formative or summative. Students could form small groups and show off their knowledge of a particular topic. There are several points that could be assessed such as the agreed format for the podcast, the range of knowledge shown, use of key terminology, teamwork, communication…quite a list! However, it is important to decide whether assessing the quality of the podcast production is necessary. While this may be appropriate for some courses, it is important to think about constructive alignment – is the quality of the podcast relevant to the learning outcomes on your course? – if not, if you can hear what is said, that is enough.

How do I start?

1. Come up with your subject matter

A podcast series is usually set around a particular topic e.g. true crime, comedy, pedagogy, the latest developments in technology

2. Design a format for the podcast

While podcasts are discussion based and should flow freely, to avoid complete waffle they are usually still based around a framework. Prompt questions will help to keep the discussion on track. Your format might also include some additions to improve entertainment value such as a quiz, a fact of the week or a highlight of feedback/comments from listeners. These little sections split up the main segments of content to keep the discussion moving.

3. Come up with a unique name

Take some time to think up a name that stands out from the rest and gives new listeners a sense of what to expect.

4. Use some eye-catching artwork

The artwork draws in listeners too – you can create your own or use an image from online (free images can be downloaded from Unsplash, artwork can be created in Spotify for Podcasters or you could use a tool like Canva to design your own).

5. Assign each person a role

This will also help to facilitate the discussion; roles could include: a host, an improviser, a specialist and an editor.

6. Do a test run

The first podcast should be a pilot, one that you don’t share but use to practice using the technology, review the format and get comfortable with the experience.

What do I do once recording has finished?

Post-production editing is a key part of podcasting. You may edit out any errors or aspects that you think are not suitable. For example, you may have had to repeat yourself as the first time you said something you weren’t happy with the phrasing. You can add sound effects to break up the sections and smooth transition and it is also possible to improve sound quality (to an extent!). The University has free access for staff to Audacity and Adobe Audition which are available from AppsAnywhere. There is some free editing software outside the University such as descript.com. You should also make sure to upload an accurate transcript of your podcast to share with people who cannot access the audio because of an impairment.

Try to promote your podcast through any and all channels available to you. This might be on social media, on a website, via posters or in person at events. You may want to set up your own website or social media account to be able to share resources and engage with listeners.

What resources are available at Lancaster University to start podcasting?

At Lancaster University there are several suites with recording equipment for podcasting. For example, the Digital Education Suite in Bowland North Seminar Room 19. Our Digital Media Engineers have created a video on how to use it as it is a ‘self-service’ room. This room can be booked by Lancaster staff using the following email address: des@lancaster.ac.uk. There are also other rooms available in the Health and Innovation Campus and in LICA. More podcasting studios are in development.

At Lancaster, we have Digital Media Engineers who can help with video and audio recording and editing. They help staff create content such as recorded lectures, course introductions, research material, promotional videos and podcasts, for example the ‘Education Matters’ podcast. To get in touch with them you can use the following email address: iss.digital.media@lancaster.ac.uk. This same email address can be used to express interest in using room B107 in LUMS as the Digital Media Engineers will support you in using the range of audio and video equipment in this room. Please note that this room is not ‘self-service’ like the Digital Education Suite mentioned above.

If you are thinking about starting a podcast, feel free to get in touch with myself or another Digital Learning Facilitator to discuss ideas and for more recommendations.

Other useful information

You can find more help and advice on how to plan, create and edit a podcast via this ASK page.

Short podcasts are popular, around 15 minutes in length but often they are 30-40 minutes in length. Dan Misener did some research in 2018 and 2019 on the average length. You may also want to consider the average commute length, a time when people may listen to podcasts, which in 2021 was 27 minutes.

You may also want to check out ‘Podcasting for Learning in Universities’, a book by Gilly Salmon and Palitha Edirisingha. This book includes some use case examples as well as information on how to be successful in including podcasts in a higher education context.

Don’t worry about low numbers of listeners to start with. You will begin to gain listeners as you promote the podcast and record more sessions. Remember that a listener who discovers the podcast at episode 5 will often go back and listen to the previous episodes too.

Education Matters: A Pertinent Podcast for Progress

October 13, 2023Pedagogyparticipation, podcast, sharing practice, wordpressElizabeth Walkden

Written by Safiya Kheratkar – Widening Participation Project Assistant

‘Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.’ – John Dewey

As Dewey’s quote perfectly encapsulates, education manifests in everything that is within and around us. It influences our dispositions, interpersonal abilities and understandings of the past, present, and future world. With a formidable education, one’s boundaries can extend beyond visible horizons, surpassing matters we once considered insurmountable.

Fuelled to drive this understanding within the hearts of the community, the brainchild of Lancaster University Staff, Dr. Sayjda Talib and Eleanor Dove, was born: The Education Matters podcast. They attended a ‘Sharing Best Practice’ session, delivered by Phil Devine and Professor Newton on ‘Using Videos in Teaching’, who discussed the significance of reusable learning resources via podcasts. Through Phil and Professor Newton, they were introduced to the recording studio (B107 LUMS) and Rachel Dodd, Digital Education Co-ordinator, who created the WordPress site and updates the site with new recordings.

Education Matters boasts rich, intellectually stimulating, and inspiring episodes with a diverse pool of guests from an array of academic, industrial, and professional working fields. The podcast regularly interviews students from ethnically minoritized backgrounds studying at Lancaster and other top universities. Interviewees are guided along discussing their journeys and their passions for their chosen fields in an endeavour to not only reflect on their experiences, but hopefully inspire audiences with their stories.

‘Unveiling the power of education through sharing inspiring stories from members of the local community who have achieved success in their field of study or chosen career path, Education Matters is hoping to bridge the gap between the local community and higher education, showcasing that education is a lifelong journey.’ – Dr. Sayjda Talib

Especially for those who may not have a vast network of contacts or people to turn to in their future respective fields, this podcast is bound to produce inspiration and support for anyone looking to start out in a certain career, change over from a particular field, or remain steadfast on their current chosen path. With this podcast, students, families, and the wider community can be aided in making more conscientious and informed decisions about university, apprenticeships, careers, changing one’s mind and much more.

The Recording Studio:

For interviewees from Lancaster University Campus, collaborating with the Lancaster University Management School (LUMS) recording studio provided a comfortable environment for both interviewers and interviewees. Martin Thornton and Andrew Copplestone, both sound engineers based in LUMS and part of the wider ISS team, lent their expertise in ensuring the recording of the podcast was nothing but smooth sailing. Rachel Dodd also worked to create the podcast content into engaging blogposts.

‘The podcast has really grown, and it’s been an incredible journey for us as presenters. We are so grateful to collaborate with Martin, Andrew, and Rachel for all their help with the technical side of recording and writing the blogposts! – Eleanor Dove

Photo of Dr Sayjda Talib and Eleanor Dove

Dr Sayjda Talib and Eleanor Dove

A Digital Solution

For guests not based on LU campus, or Lancaster at all, a solution was needed that would make interviewing accessible for both parties. With Ele, Dr. Sayjda and most guests coming from humble technological and media backgrounds, the saviour that is Microsoft Teams has provided an easy and accessible route for conducting interviews in manageable and equally enjoyable fashion. The number of interviewees from far and wide has increased thanks to this.

Testimonies:

‘The podcast presented by Ele and Dr. Sayjda was such an amazing experience. It was quite humbling to discuss my memories of results day and how far I’ve gotten despite the challenges I went through at the time. The work Ele and Dr. Sayjda do with the podcast I am certain will help so many students across the board with higher education and life in general.’ – Amaani Moress, Lancaster University Engineering alumna, 2023

‘It was a great experience to be able to talk about my journey through education, and to get the chance to share this with students who are currently in that position now, so they can learn from that experience and take on board advice given by someone who was in their shoes only recently. But also, I was able to share my journey with concerned parents, who no doubt are nervous about their children’s next steps. They can see that, although it is scary, their children can also travel on their journey, yes with a different destination, but they can see it through.’ – Adil Natha, Lancaster University Law alumnus, 2023

‘Having a chance to share my experiences was truly valuable. As well as making my efforts feel appreciated, it made me realise that what I was doing would inspire many young people and parents.’ – Abdullah Arshad, Lancaster University Politics, Philosophy and Economics student

Personally, I’m grateful to have been invited for an interview for the podcast and to share my own education journey. Dr. Sayjda and Ele’s prompts and support throughout the duration of the show kept my nerves at ease, and it was incredibly cathartic reflecting on my own experiences whilst knowing that I could possibly be helping a listener make a decision in their own path. The podcast will soon also be featured on the Lancaster Access Programme portal, allowing students on the widening participation programme access to student journeys in a different medium to events and webinars.

To conclude with a quote that visualises the poetics of gaining an education: ‘Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.’ – Malcolm X

Select episodes of the ‘Education Matters’ podcast can be found on Spotify and on https://wp.lancs.ac.uk/educationmatters/

Written by Safiya Kheratkar – Widening Participation Project Assistant

What do students want? An insight from the ALT Conference 2023

September 8, 2023Pedagogyaccessibility, improved UX, participation, sharing practiceElizabeth Walkden

From 5^th September to 7^th September, Tim Ellis and I (Liz Walkden) attended the Association of Learning Technologists (ALT) Conference. ‘Student Voices: Shaping the Post-Pandemic Campus’ was day two’s keynote session. The purpose of the session was to emphasise the importance of the student voice and to encourage collaboration between policy makers, educators, and learners. It gave us first-hand insights into the experiences of learners following the pandemic. The students studied at three different universities so their opinions and views may not reflect the views of all students or those studying at Lancaster. We heard from a second-year student, a third-year student and a recent graduate. They gave candid accounts into the difficulties that students faced during their time at university. I wanted to share with you three takeaways that I had from listening to the panel’s experiences which readers may find ‘food for thought’.

One of the things that most stood out was the students’ discussions around ‘digital shock’. The panel acknowledged that the technological understanding and knowledge required at university is much more advanced than what was required of them only a couple of months before when they were finishing their A-levels. One member of the panel wanted lecturers to know that most of their previous learning had been done on pen and paper and that they only received their first laptop when they went to University. To this student, typing was hard and so they used a notebook instead of a laptop in lectures. The student felt this was isolating because everyone else was using an electronic device. The student also then said that engaging with the learning materials and the assignments was also very difficult and that there was an assumption that students would be able to use technology easily.

In addition to the lack of ‘know-how’ when it came to the technology required, students also felt isolated by the access that they had to technology. The student who had recently graduated was frustrated by the fact that she wasn’t told about the possibility of borrowing a laptop earlier and she had been struggling to work on a slow and unreliable device. Another student was frustrated that the Chromebook they had been able to afford to buy did not actually have the right processing power for the technology that they were required to use on their course. One student said, “you feel silly when you don’t have the right technology”. We want students to be digitally literate and able to use technology in their future career with confidence but how do we encourage this and help students to navigate this digital world? The students had some suggestions:

Make the technological requirements of a course clear very early on. Students will be buying new devices before they join the University and should be forewarned if the software they need to use has certain device specifications or needs a certain level of technical ‘know-how’. This would help prepare students and prevent a sense of digital isolation.
Signpost where students can get help. Students struggled to find the information on central websites or portals and often felt lost. The panel suggested that lecturers put up a slide at the start of a lecture while waiting for everyone to sit down which could highlight help, important opportunities, or give answers to frequently asked questions.
Don’t assume that all young people are confident in their use of technology.

The second thing that students were keen for us to understand was how difficult and intimidating they find it to ask questions and get support not only from their lecturers but also from each other. They felt there was an expectation that they would be able to contact other students, work together and speak to the lecturers easily. Some students did manage to set up WhatsApp and/or Snapchat groups. However, they knew that not all the students in their cohort were in these groups and that they didn’t know all their fellow students. A variety of suggestions were made that could help students to collaborate and feel supported at university:

Continue reading What do students want? An insight from the ALT Conference 2023 →

10 Things that you probably didn’t know about LinkedIn Learning

August 29, 2023Sharing Practice, Uncategorizedlibrary, LinkedIn Learning, sharing practice, teaching toolElizabeth Walkden

Written by Andy Holgate, Library Digital Skills Developer

In this blog post I’ll be talking you through some aspects of LinkedIn Learning that you may not know, and if you did know them, you get a bonus point for each (no prize unfortunately) but before that let me explain what LinkedIn Learning is.

LinkedIn Learning provides access to over 18,000 online learning courses, taught by industry experts. It is video based, and courses range from a couple of minutes to several hours. It is available to staff and students at Lancaster Bailrigg, Ghana and Leipzig campuses. LinkedIn courses support skills and personal development across a broad range of topics, particularly in the areas of technology, business, and creative skills.

You can access the ASK LinkedIn Learning Guidance or go directly to the Lancaster LinkedIn Learning Sign in page.

You do NOT need a LinkedIn Account to access LinkedIn Learning.

Just because they share the same name, does not mean they are the same platform. Ask yourself does a Red Panda look the same as Giant Panda? They are however both called Pandas. LinkedIn is the social media platform; LinkedIn Learning is a learning platform – they both do very different things and provide different services.
You can of course connect your LinkedIn social media profile with your learning profile if you wish or you can take courses without posting to the world about it.

There is a quality control process for content.

One of the questions I’ve faced when I’ve been speaking to staff about LinkedIn Learning is “How do we know the quality is good before we take or recommend a course?”, and it’s a very valid one. First of all those who are teaching courses have to apply, they then go through an interview process and if successful are assigned a producer and script editor (remember it’s video learning).
They are then flown to the company studios in Geneva or Chicago and recorded, they receive payment and royalties based on how many people watch their courses so it is in their own interest to make it engaging.

Have a look at some courses, check out the teachers background, ultimately you have the choice (like you do with reading an academic textbook) of deciding if it meets your high standards.

You can learn a wealth of new skills.

Now you probably guessed that you could visit LinkedIn Learning for your professional development and learn how to create pivot tables in Excel, create amazing presentations, or start coding with Python but did you know that you can also learn how to play acoustic guitar , use your phone to take creative photos of your pets, learn how to paint or learn to speak Spanish and much more.

Keeping up to date with the latest trends.

Let’s face it, in the summer of 2023 there is probably nothing more terrifying than being in a work team meeting and hearing “Right what are we doing about AI?”. If you are anything like me (and old like me) your palms will start to sweat as you nervously look at your feet and instantly think of a Terminator movie.
LinkedIn Learning updates and adds over 50 courses each week and it has loads of easy to understand and digest content on AI. Have a look at the course AI Trends which was updated on the 24^th August and stop looking nervously at your feet.

Supplementing curricular teaching.

You can enhance your students experience by letting LinkedIn Learning work for you.
LinkedIn Learning is a great all-in-one solution for enhancing all types of education. From soft skills to software, there’s a course to add (not replace) value to any academic program.
It can be used to teach technical and presentation skills outside of the classroom, flipping the classroom and supporting hybrid learning. Maybe think about using it with pre-arrival students? Courses and videos can be linked to from Moodle.

Save the department some money?

If you are a line manager, it may come up in a staff member’s PDR that they would like some development, rather than send them on an external course, why not first have a look to see what is available in LinkedIn Learning – the department would save on course fees, travel etc.

Enhance your career prospects.

So I had better whisper this one, if you want to take a step up the ladder or indeed go in a completely different direction have a look at LinkedIn Learning. There are courses on writing your CV, writing a cover letter and mastering common interview questions.

If you decide that you have had enough of being a librarian and you want to be a Social Media Manager then you can follow the Role guide which will give you a variety of courses to start you on your journey and suggest learning groups that you can join on LinkedIn, so that you can interact with peers in that industry. So what are you waiting for, enhance your skills and develop your career BUT please stay, we like you. Continue reading 10 Things that you probably didn’t know about LinkedIn Learning →

Making your Moodle space more interactive with H5P

August 11, 2023Moodleaccessibility, interactive, Moodle, sharing practiceElizabeth Walkden

At our last DLT event in July, we showcased several plug-ins and activities for Moodle. One of which was the H5P activity. So, for those who missed the session, and want to look at revamping their Moodle spaces for the new academic year, this one is for you!

What is H5P content?

H5P is an abbreviation for HTML5 Package. It is free open-source content that enables educators to create engaging content that can be integrated into Virtual Learning Environments such as Moodle. There are over 50 types of activities to choose from! This includes flashcards, Cornell Notes, interactive videos and books, diagram hotspots, charts and, when we are feeling Christmassy, advent calendars. On the H5P.org website you can find some examples of H5P activities such as an interactive video on smoothie making to show you what is possible. The DLT team have also set up a Moodle H5P demo site which Lancaster University staff can view. Students can access H5P activities easily and quickly through Moodle and you can keep an eye on engagement through activity completion and the reports.

How does it improve engagement?

These activities can also be used as part of a strategy to improve the online experience for distance learners. The H5P plug-in is part of the ‘gamification’ set that is available in Moodle. It aims to enhance engagement and motivation by creating similar experiences to those when playing online games. For example, H5P activities such as the memory game, virtual tours, interactive timelines and even crosswords and quizzes make learning more enjoyable for students.

By using H5P activities, course content can be broken down into manageable pieces and learners can complete the activities at their own pace. This is important to ensure that learners don’t feel overwhelmed and feel a sense of achievement as they work their way through their course content.

These types of activities are also particularly good in higher education as retrieval practice (the practice of remembering) and feeds into teaching learners how to learn and what works for them. They can also be used in the lead up to exams to help students with their revision. For more information on retrieval practice, Tom Sherrington’s ‘Kitchen Pedagogy 2:2’ video is a great introduction and you can find lots of information on his website.

How do I start creating some material?

H5P activities are created and stored in the content bank area of Moodle. It acts as a repository and allows individual H5P activities to be reused multiple times. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel and can use resources that you already have. For example, you could use a YouTube video and make this interactive or use some presentations that you already have and turn these into an interactive book.

Continue reading Making your Moodle space more interactive with H5P →