{"id":677,"date":"2025-03-31T10:10:46","date_gmt":"2025-03-31T10:10:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/?p=677"},"modified":"2025-03-31T10:10:46","modified_gmt":"2025-03-31T10:10:46","slug":"improving-peer-online-forums-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/2025\/03\/31\/improving-peer-online-forums-project\/","title":{"rendered":"Improving Peer Online Forums Project"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Written by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.e-res.lancaster.ac.uk\/StaffDirectory\/staffprofile.aspx?id=00698492\">Sam Pilgrim<\/a>, Learning Technologist (FHM)<\/p>\n<p>As Learning Technologists, we are asked to become involved in a wide variety of projects. One recent example is a research project I started working on in my previous role in Information Systems Services (ISS) and continued after my move to the Faculty of Health and Medicine (FHM).<\/p>\n<p>The IPOF (Improving Peer Online Forums) Project on Mental Health Forums is a research project led by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.e-res.lancaster.ac.uk\/StaffDirectory\/staffprofile.aspx?id=00380719\">Professor Fiona Lobban<\/a> in conjunction with NHS Berkshire\u2019s SHaRON team, to investigate mental health forums and ways to improve them. More information on IPOF, its aims and outputs, can be found on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lancaster.ac.uk\/health-and-medicine\/research\/spectrum\/research\/ipof\/\">Lancaster University FHM research pages<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>I worked with the research team and co-design group to develop a forum moderator training package using <a href=\"https:\/\/portal.lancaster.ac.uk\/ask\/xerte\/\">Xerte<\/a>, online software that allows a user to create interactive learning packages. The package consisted of nine modules developed by lived experience experts and forum moderators along with LU academic and research staff on different topics including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>the moderator role;<\/li>\n<li>moderator support;<\/li>\n<li>mental health on online forums;<\/li>\n<li>expressing empathy through language;<\/li>\n<li>managing risk;<\/li>\n<li>managing challenging situations;<\/li>\n<li>encouraging activity; and<\/li>\n<li>a final quiz.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Each module was reviewed and amended by the co-design group at monthly meetings, and the final design and content emerged from the feedback discussions.<\/p>\n<p>Graphics and animations created by others in the team were embedded into the training package to aid understanding and increase engagement.<\/p>\n<p>The final package was handed over to the NHS Berkshire who are now in the process of publishing it to their website.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_681\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-681\" style=\"width: 459px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-681\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/files\/2025\/03\/Front-Page-Screen-Shot.png?resize=459%2C245\" alt=\"Front page of a Xerte package created for IPOF. The package is called &quot;Mental Health Forum Moderator Training&quot;.\" width=\"459\" height=\"245\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/files\/2025\/03\/Front-Page-Screen-Shot.png?resize=300%2C160&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/files\/2025\/03\/Front-Page-Screen-Shot.png?resize=1024%2C546&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/files\/2025\/03\/Front-Page-Screen-Shot.png?resize=768%2C409&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/files\/2025\/03\/Front-Page-Screen-Shot.png?w=1178&amp;ssl=1 1178w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 459px) 100vw, 459px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-681\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The front page of one of the Xerte packages entitled &#8216;Mental Health Forum Moderator Training&#8217;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Written by Sam Pilgrim, Learning Technologist (FHM) As Learning Technologists, we are asked to become involved in a wide variety of projects. One recent example is a research project I started working on in my previous role in Information Systems Services (ISS) and continued after my move to the Faculty of Health and Medicine (FHM). &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/2025\/03\/31\/improving-peer-online-forums-project\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Improving Peer Online Forums Project<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1661,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[15],"tags":[51,20,49,50],"class_list":["post-677","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pedagogy","tag-health-and-medicine","tag-interactive","tag-research","tag-xerte"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":721,"url":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/2025\/07\/23\/fhm-digital-education-day-2025\/","url_meta":{"origin":677,"position":0},"title":"FHM Digital Education Day 2025","author":"Elizabeth Walkden","date":"July 23, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Learning Technologists in the Faculty of Health and Medicine (FHM) are launching the first ever FHM Digital Education Day which will be held on 3rd September 2025. This in-person event will bring together academic and professional services staff from across the Faculty and from ISS. It is an opportunity for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Events&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Events","link":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/category\/event\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":747,"url":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/2025\/08\/18\/fhm-digital-education-day-2025-programme-confirmed\/","url_meta":{"origin":677,"position":1},"title":"FHM Digital Education Day 2025: Programme Confirmed!","author":"Elizabeth Walkden","date":"August 18, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The full programme for the Faculty of Health and Medicine's (FHM) Digital Education Day has now been confirmed (see below for details). This in-person event will take place on 3rd September and brings together academic and professional services colleagues to share their teaching practices, innovations, ideas and projects. 9:45-10:00 Welcome\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Events&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Events","link":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/category\/event\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":795,"url":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/2026\/03\/17\/digital-learning-training-sessions-in-fhm\/","url_meta":{"origin":677,"position":2},"title":"Digital Learning Training Sessions in FHM","author":"Elizabeth Walkden","date":"March 17, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Faculty of Health and Medicine (FHM) Learning Technologists will be offering the following lunch-time training sessions to staff in the Faculty of Health and Medicine (FHM) but staff from across the University are very welcome to join: Wednesday 15th April, 13:00-13:30 - Importing a video into eStream This 30-minute online\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Events&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Events","link":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/category\/event\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":642,"url":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/2025\/02\/06\/using-peer-assessment-to-support-mbchb-students-in-their-coursework\/","url_meta":{"origin":677,"position":3},"title":"Using Peer Assessment to support MBChB students in their coursework","author":"Elizabeth Walkden","date":"February 6, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Context There are many benefits for students getting together to produce a poster, presentation or some other output to demonstrate their learning. However, peer assessment isn\u2019t something I see very often. There could be a range of reasons for this from concern over cohort dynamics, workload, biased student feedback or\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Pedagogy&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Pedagogy","link":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/category\/pedagogy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":701,"url":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/2025\/05\/08\/upcoming-training-sessions-may-2025\/","url_meta":{"origin":677,"position":4},"title":"Upcoming Training Sessions: May 2025","author":"Elizabeth Walkden","date":"May 8, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"I will be offering the following lunch-time training sessions to staff in the Faculty of Health and Medicine (FHM) but staff from across the University are very welcome to join: Tuesday 20th May, 12-12:30pm: Preparing your Moodle space for a new cohort This short lunchtime session will look at the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Events&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Events","link":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/category\/event\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":624,"url":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/2024\/12\/04\/624\/","url_meta":{"origin":677,"position":5},"title":"Mentimeter: Have you got your account yet?","author":"Elizabeth Walkden","date":"December 4, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The University has purchased staff licenses to Mentimeter, an interactive polling solution. This gives staff free access to all the features of Mentimeter if they sign up for an account with the University. Since its launch in October, use of the tool has been growing across the University. Mentimeter gets\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Pedagogy&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Pedagogy","link":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/category\/pedagogy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Mentimeter \"Home\" page.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/files\/2024\/12\/Menti-Home-Page-300x159.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/677","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1661"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=677"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/677\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":682,"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/677\/revisions\/682"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=677"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=677"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/lu-digitaldigest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=677"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}