The document summarizes the University of Huddersfield's efforts to transform teaching and learning through adopting a new virtual learning environment (VLE). It discusses training workshops and support provided to help staff transition to the new Brightspace VLE. Two case studies are presented: one describes how a professor redesigned a module using blended learning approaches in Brightspace, improving student engagement and outcomes. The second case study details how quizzes and eportfolios were utilized in Brightspace. Off-site training retreats are highlighted as facilitating productive planning time for staff to rethink their teaching practices and fully utilize Brightspace's features.

1. Transforming our
Teaching as well as our
VLE
Dr Sue Folley
Professor John Allport
University of Huddersfield

2. Where is Huddersfield?

6. The University

7. It became a
University
in 1992
18,245
student
s
19% are
internati
onal
44% are
mature
52% are
commute
r
History dates
back to 1841 –
it was
originally a
Young Men’s
Mental
Improvement
Society
236
0
staff
45%
Academic
18% are
part
time

9. Teaching and Learning Excellence
o TEF Gold
o HEA Global Teaching Excellence Award 2017
o Number One in England for Teaching Qualifications
 All academic staff have teaching qualifications
 All academic staff are Fellows of the Higher Education
Academy
 All academic staff either have or working towards a PhD
o The UK’s leading University for the receipt of the National
Teaching Fellowships to mark Britain’s best teachers for the past
nine years.
o University of the Year 2013

10. Transforming to a new
VLE/LMS

11. Transformation
of Teaching and
Learning
Senior
Management
buy-in
Early
Communication
Effective
Support and
Training
Contract signed
in August 2017
Small scale
implementation
17-18
Full roll out
18-19
First rollover 19-
20
Transformation Timeline

12. Training and Support

13. Module
Enhancement
Workshops
Module
Building
Workshops
Planning
Workshops
Awareness
Sessions
Nov 17 – Feb 18 Jan 18 – Mar 18 Mar 18 – Jul 18 Jun 18 – Dec 18
Online Structured Training Module
Drop-in Sessions Centrally and in Schools
Brightspace discussion forum to support staff
Training and Support

14. Module
Enhancement
Workshops
Module Build
Workshops
Planning
Workshops
Awareness
Sessions
Online Training Module Drop-in Sessions
30 Sessions
570 people
40 sessions
455 people
47 Sessions
377 people
10 sessions
held so far
982 different
people log in
23 sessions
17 people
Training And Support – The Numbers

15. Learning Bytes Sessions (Monthly):
The Advanced Development Retreats
Lots of one-to-one support
Ad-hoc Extra Sessions Exemplar Module
Fab Features in
Brightspace
Tips for Building your
Brightspace Modules
Quickly
Special session from D2L
on interactive tools and
intelligent agents
How to make your
Brightspace module
more interactive
An Overview of
Assessment in
Brightspace
12 Days of Brightspace -
Christmas Quiz
Training and Support – The Additional Stuff
Sandboxes spaces for everyone

16. The Advanced
Development Retreats

17. funded off-site
up to 20
people
transformatio application preparation
tangible
objective
facilitated

18. Created self-assessments
from banks of random
quiz questions
Using the eportfolio tool
to create guided
reflections for students
Working out a structure
for a complex module
taught across many
locations and levels
Guided reading tasks
follow up survey
Checklists with associate
intelligent agents
Using self-assessments
engaging with
criteria
Use of awards to reward
and motivate students
Use of the eportfolio
collections to evidence
employability skills

19. Case Studies

20. Case Study 1
John Allport
Computing and Engineering
A Blended Learning approach using
Brightspace

21. DRIVERS
• Existing module inherited from a previous member of
staff
• Module taught once using traditional “chalk & talk”
lectures and tutorials
• Poor student engagement, feedback and NSS
• Some students failing module due to lack of
comprehension of subject

22. OPPORTUNITY
• Brightspace being introduced into University
• Training sessions showed capabilities
• Chance to concentrate on developing a whole new
approach during dedicated time on “Brightspace
Retreat”

23. PREPARATION
• To qualify for the retreat, had to complete all the
online Brightspace training
• Needed to specify particular skills to develop on
retreat
• This meant that the module had to be carefully
planned beforehand so that the time on the retreat
could be spent mastering the required Brightspace
skills

24. PLANNING THE MODULE
• How do I get the students to have both the knowledge
and understanding of the subject?
• Different students learn differently
• Learning needs to be flexible
• Methodology
• Time
• Support
• Approach

25. OBJECTIVE
• To get the students to:-
• Engage with the subject
• Take in the information
• Understand what it means
• Be able to apply it in different situations
• Remember it long term

26. HOW TO DO THIS
• Brightspace allowed provision of lots of relevant
information in different formats
• Based around a core text book, a library of related
material is built up
• Web pages
• Videos
• Papers
• Articles
• Anything else relevant to the subject

27. Learning Artefacts

28. Structure

29. Helpful Learning Materials

30. Discussion Questions

31. Submission of Guided Reading Notes

32. Survey

33. End of Session Quiz

35. ADVANTAGES OF METHOD
• Feedback is rapid – students get their questions
answered before assessment, so develop better
understanding
• Students can study at their own pace in their own time
• Contact time is spent with students who need more
help. Those who are confident in their understanding
can be formatively assessed during peer learning, and
those less able can learn from both their peers and the
tutor

36. ADVANTAGES OF METHOD
• Students remain more engaged and feel part of the
learning process
• Materials can evolve and develop in real time
throughout the year
• Quiz questions can be added when time permits,
instead of having to write complete new exam papers
• Randomisation of questions allows assessment to be
open book and done at student’s convenience – no
exam stress

37. ADVANTAGES OF METHOD
• Module is a live document, can be updated at any
time
• Adding new things causes students to look to see
what has been added, which increases their time spent
on other material

38. SUMMARY
• New approach was facilitated by the introduction of
Brightspace
• Rethinking delivery has allowed more flexibility,
concentrating on outcome rather than method
• Initial investment of time saves time in the longer term
• Students and staff are more engaged and both results
and NSS improve as a result

39. Case Study 2
Sarah Swift and Kay Smith
Business School
Use of Quizzes and eportfolio

40. Case Study 2

41. Why the retreats were
successful

42. Provided staff time and
space to focus
Combination of
pedagogic, technical
and D2L support
available
The advanced
preparation ensured the
sessions were
productive
Away from office made
staff feel they were
being treated/invested
in
Combination of
activities worked well
It gave the chance for
course teams to make
decisions and work
together
The timing was
important
It was an opportunity to
transform teaching and
learning practices

43. I was really grateful that we were able to attend the retreat. I
thought it was really, really useful. It feels really indulgent
taking all that time away from the office, but it was time well
spent.
They were a fantastic time actually, and I
really felt like I got an awful lot out of the
two days that we were there. Yes, it definitely
worked.
it was a really good opportunity just to really
rethink about how I went into it and set it up
clearly for students.
Quotes from Participants

44. Questions?
Comments?
Sue Folley Email: s.folley@hud.ac.uk Twitter: @suefolley
John Allport Email: j.m.allport@hud.ac.uk