Jisc and academic publisher Springer Nature have agreed a further ‘read and publish’ agreement that meets the aims of Plan S and offers researchers a funder compliant route to publishing in hybrid journals.
Plan S requires that, from next year, scientific publications funded by public grants must be published in open access journals or platforms.
Building on a previous arrangement, this transformational agreement limits the costs of publishing UK articles open access (OA) while maintaining access to all of Springer’s subscription articles. The deal converts the previous subscription agreement to one based on OA.
Jisc and Springer Nature will also continue to work together to evaluate the agreement and gather evidence to inform the transition to open access.
Liam Earney, director of licensing at Jisc, said:
“Our priority during this negotiation was to produce an agreement that met the sector’s criteria for transformational agreements, is aligned with Plan S principles and is compliant with the new Wellcome Trust OA policy. The resulting deal builds on the success of the first three-year agreement and will continue to deliver cost and administrative efficiencies to UK researchers and their institutions.”
Steven Inchcoombe, chief publishing officer at Springer Nature, said:
“When our relationship with Jisc began, transformative agreements were in their infancy. We were delighted that Jisc embarked on this innovative partnership, which has resulted in tremendous growth in open access publishing in the UK.
By making it easy for researchers, 77% of our UK corresponding authors’ work is now available for free immediately at the point of publication (Gold OA) showing that real progress in advancing open research can be achieved. With continued funding to support the transition, and collaboration to support awareness of the benefits of OA, we are excited to see what can be jointly achieved over the next three years.”
Dr Jessica Gardner, university librarian and director of library services at Cambridge University Libraries, said:
“The previous three-year agreement increased the number of open access articles published by UK researchers in Springer journals by 300%. The deal displays the effectiveness of open access publishing making it as simple as possible for researchers and universities. There is greater than ever imperative for such agreements to meet our open access expectations and to be financially sustainable for the sector.”
The new agreement improved compliance with funder policies with 99.8% of all articles published with Creative Commons ‘Attribution’ licence (CC BY). The deal anticipates a further increase in the percentage of UK research being published open access in the eligible journals from 74% in 2018 to closer to 100% by 2020. Achieving this within the costs negotiated will demonstrate the value of a national agreement and save institutions time and money.
via Jisc news
Newcastle University won first prize for best ‘student experience’ at last night’s Guardian University Awards. The university was recognised for its mental health project, which provides students with anxiety or depression with quick-to-access treatment as an alternative to NHS care.
Jisc sponsored the student experience category of the Guardian University Awards this year. The student experience category awards an innovative project that has positive impact on the academic or personal experience of students. Newcastle University received the award from Bex Whitehead, our director of group communications, in front of hundreds of university delegates.
Bex Whitehead comments:
“Congratulations to Newcastle University who has established a psychological therapy training and research clinic to provide students suffering from anxiety or depression with easy access mental health care.
The university’s entry is an example of making a meaningful and impactful change in supporting student mental health when demand for services is so high and sees them successfully win this year’s award.”
Champion of the night was Nottingham Trent University. They have been crowned university of the year in the Guardian’s annual awards for their inclusive curriculum and focus on social mobility.
The University of Westminster and York St John University came highly commended in the ‘student experience’ category.
The University of Westminster was recognised for their Democratic Education Network (DEN). This hub links students with local community groups and international universities by working on projects together.
York St John University was commended for their ‘All About Respect’ project. The student-run campaign promotes zero tolerance of sexual violence, harassment and abuse at university and in the wider community.
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Technology is changing quickly and there is pressure in many organisations, including further education colleges, to respond to that challenge.
So what can colleges do to keep pace with evolving edtech and use it effectively to benefit students and their organisations? These questions will be in the spotlight at a summit this summer.
Jointly arranged by Jisc and the AoC, the FE technology summit will discuss the kind of technological innovation that the sector needs to survive and thrive.
Aimed at FE leaders and taking place on 17 June at Google's base in central London, the summit aims to prove how comprehensive digital strategy can help to improve teaching and learning experiences; equip staff and students with digital skills for the future; drive efficiencies; and make colleges more competitive.
Delegates will have the opportunity to:
Jisc’s head of FE and skills, Paul McKean said:
“This event will provide delegates with the opportunity to hear from key experts, to hear about the latest tech products and services, to learn from colleagues who have already been through a technological transformation, to network with peers and gather the insight and inspiration they need to make strategic plans for their own organisations.
“We know that, while some colleges are using existing and emerging technology brilliantly to enhance the student experience – everything from chatbots to VR and AR – the picture across the sector is patchy. We work with our members to help them thrive in our ever-more connected world, and this event will support that work.”
Registration for the summit is now open.
via Jisc news
From research in volcanic regions of Iceland to education in remote corners of the English Peak District, networking can be challenging. This developing area of work for Jisc is being explored and discussed at Networkshop47, 9-11 April 2019.
Not many academics require hostile environment awareness training. But then, not many academic workplaces are like the British Geological Survey (BGS).
Peter Lyons-Lewis, head of IT at BGS, says matter-of-factly:
“You'll be learning how to crawl through a minefield, then you get attacked, kidnapped, tied up and blindfolded, and interrogated.”
Peter is understated about these unorthodox connectivity situations. He says:
“You're there to do a job that requires networking, but that can get challenging when you're working in remote locations. Very often, there’s no internet connection, and you often need to take advantage solar power or wind power. Wind power can sometimes be overcome by the wind itself, which has been known to destroy the equipment.”
Founded as the world’s first national geological survey in 1835, the BGS carries out systematic surveying, monitoring and research. It has seismometers and seismographs to record earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and explosions, and geomagnetic observatories, providing scientists, IT staff and infrastructure for ship-based marine drilling and coring operations across the world.
Next time you hear about ash from an Icelandic volcano causing mayhem in airspace, spare a thought for the network engineers. According to Peter, not only did Grímsvötn’s 2011 eruptions cause issues but Icelandic volcanoes, in general, can be tricky beasts. He explains,
"BGS has a number of observatories on volcanoes. Periodically, teams go to check on the equipment. We’ve had a situation where an observatory has just vanished, fallen down a crevasse.”
Creative Commons attribution information
Screenshot of networking AR
Jisc is similarly aware of the problems remote and wild locations can pose to connectivity.
Back in 2013, for example, senior innovation developer Matt Ramirez worked collaboratively with the University of Manchester to create virtual field trips for MSc geology students to use in the Peak District. Matt explains:
“The problems that we were trying to solve with technology couldn’t be addressed with traditional means. A lot of international students were often only in the UK for a semester, which meant they missed the opportunity to go on important field trips.”
Immersive technology enabled these students to visit locations in their own time, examining the environment ‘guided by’ qualified academics, and with academic content.
“Connectivity wasn’t too much of an issue on the top of the Peaks, but in areas that didn’t have network coverage, we came up with solutions to tether the devices to mobile hotspots.”
A current service that is being developed focuses on immersive technology and its benefit to education. The hope is that by using technologies such as VR, remote and isolated areas will see improvements in collaborative research and learning, allowing colleagues thousands of miles away to work together more effectively. Additionally, Jisc has worked on bespoke projects with individual institutions.
Matt added:
"We’re looking to solve problems and connect people. This links to Jisc’s vision of the future with Education 4.0”.
Back at BGS, ships are a major preoccupation for computer infrastructure manager, Alan Douglas. He says:
“One of our projects collects scientific research from around the world – but every time, it’s a different country, a different ship, a different ship supplier, and a totally different set of objectives. You may get satellite cover, but it isn’t guaranteed - and you don't know if it's going to work with your equipment until you get there.
"One of the things we're looking at in the Arctic is how to achieve high-speed communications between three ships that are moving at the same time and not necessarily in line with each other. That was a big head-scratcher, but it's not impossible.”
What, if anything, can those in the networking communities learn from BGS’s experience? Peter laughs:
“Appreciate the bandwidth you've got…and don't give up!”
And Alan? He concludes:
“I'd say that almost anything's possible.”
This article is based on a feature from the Networkshop47 magazine 2019. Delegates can hear Peter and Alan’s closing keynote, ‘Networking in difficult environments’, on day three of Networkshop, on Thursday 11 April at 11.45 in lecture theatre 2.
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A government strategy launched today into how technology can be used to transform education has been welcomed by Jisc as a key contributor and collaborator.
The Education Technology Strategy – backed by £10m – seeks to bring together teachers, lecturers and education experts with edtech businesses to tackle challenges from reducing teachers’ workload to supporting access and inclusion through technology.
The strategy identifies barriers to the use of edtech, including a lack of a consistent use of technology in education and the need for a more modern infrastructure, with slow internet connections and outdated internal networking all too common.
As a key provider of technology to UK further and higher education organisations, Jisc is pleased that its role in supporting critical infrastructure is mentioned as the second of 19 key government commitments in the strategy – the DfE says it will “continue to support Jisc to provide full-fibre connections through its Janet Network to colleges and universities”.
The network, with its built-in cyber security measures, is vital to the sector, which the strategy acknowledges, along with the advice and guidance Jisc gives to FE and HE. Education providers are also encouraged to use Jisc’s key services, particularly the annual assessments of staff and student digital skills, while its work to negotiate deals on behalf of the sector to secure digital resources, software and other services is also highlighted.
Elsewhere, Jisc is keen to play a role in galvanising support for, and delivering the strategy’s wider aims, such as putting together a network of ‘demonstrator schools and colleges’ that will leverage the existing expertise in the sector and help to provide peer-to-peer support and training. Jisc already has experience in running competitions for edtech start-ups and supports the government’s plan to implement its own ‘challenges’ to increase business activity in this area.
Finally, the proposal for an EdTech Leadership Group comprising representatives across the education sector and industry is also one Jisc will seek to play an active role, as it looks towards the edtech of the future through its vision for an Education 4.0 – a response for the tertiary education sector to deliver to the fourth industrial revolution.
Paul Feldman, CEO of Jisc said:
“I believe that technology in all its forms is a vital resource that empowers our teachers and lecturers and helps our children to succeed. From addressing the simplest needs in the classroom to artificial intelligence and the internet of things, these rapidly evolving technologies are changing how we live, work and communicate and need to be reflected and deployed across our education ecosystem, at every stage of the lifelong learning journey.
“I welcome this bold strategy and look forward to Jisc collaborating with government, colleges and universities to further realise the benefits of technology, in transforming our fantastic education sector.”
via Jisc news
HEPI and Jisc call for university managers and governors to take urgent action.
The Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) and Jisc have today jointly published How safe is your data? Cyber security in higher education (Policy Note 12).
The paper reveals:
The paper highlights areas of concern, pinpoints the sources of cyber attacks and proposes specific actions universities should take to tackle the issue, including the adoption of a new British Standard on cyber risk and resilience.
Dr John Chapman, head of Jisc’s security operations centre and the author of the report, said:
“Cyber attacks are becoming more sophisticated and prevalent and universities can’t afford to stand still in the face of this constantly evolving threat.
“While the majority of higher education providers take this problem seriously, we are not confident that all UK universities are equipped with adequate cyber security knowledge, skills and investment.
“To avert a potentially disastrous data breach, or network outage, it is critical that all university leaders know what action to take to build robust defences.”
Nick Hillman, director of HEPI, said:
“Universities hold masses of data on sensitive research, on the inventions of the future and on their staff and students, but some of it is not properly secured.
“The two main functions of universities are to teach and to research. Students like having their personal data used to improve teaching and learning. But this support is conditional and is unlikely to survive a really serious data breach. Meanwhile, future UK economic growth is highly dependent on university research. This provides valuable information that a few unscrupulous foreign governments are keen to access.
“Despite the challenges, cyber security is an area where we know how to make a difference, especially when there is leadership from the top. University managers and governors need to address cyber security issues, including through the new British Standard on cyber risk and resilience. Meanwhile, regulators need to consider imposing minimum cyber security and network requirements to keep students and staff safe.”
Professor David Maguire, chair of Jisc and vice-chancellor of the University of Greenwich, said:
“Universities are absolutely reliant on connectivity to conduct almost all their functions, from administration and finance to teaching and research. These activities accrue huge amount of data; this places a burden of responsibility on institutions, which must ensure the safety of online systems and the data held within them.
“Developing strong cyber security policies is vital not only to protect data, but also to preserve the reputation of our university sector. The HEPI / Jisc paper will help to draw higher education leaders’ attention to this important aspect of their work.”
via Jisc news
HEPI and Jisc call for university managers and governors to take urgent action.
The Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) and Jisc have today jointly published How safe is your data? Cyber security in higher education (Policy Note 12).
The paper reveals:
The paper highlights areas of concern, pinpoints the sources of cyber attacks and proposes specific actions universities should take to tackle the issue, including the adoption of a new British Standard on cyber risk and resilience.
Dr John Chapman, head of Jisc’s security operations centre and the author of the report, said:
“Cyber attacks are becoming more sophisticated and prevalent and universities can’t afford to stand still in the face of this constantly evolving threat.
“While the majority of higher education providers take this problem seriously, we are not confident that all UK universities are equipped with adequate cyber security knowledge, skills and investment.
“To avert a potentially disastrous data breach, or network outage, it is critical that all university leaders know what action to take to build robust defences.”
Nick Hillman, director of HEPI, said:
“Universities hold masses of data on sensitive research, on the inventions of the future and on their staff and students, but some of it is not properly secured.
“The two main functions of universities are to teach and to research. Students like having their personal data used to improve teaching and learning. But this support is conditional and is unlikely to survive a really serious data breach. Meanwhile, future UK economic growth is highly dependent on university research. This provides valuable information that a few unscrupulous foreign governments are keen to access.
“Despite the challenges, cyber security is an area where we know how to make a difference, especially when there is leadership from the top. University managers and governors need to address cyber security issues, including through the new British Standard on cyber risk and resilience. Meanwhile, regulators need to consider imposing minimum cyber security and network requirements to keep students and staff safe.”
Professor David Maguire, chair of Jisc and vice-chancellor of the University of Greenwich, said:
“Universities are absolutely reliant on connectivity to conduct almost all their functions, from administration and finance to teaching and research. These activities accrue huge amount of data; this places a burden of responsibility on institutions, which must ensure the safety of online systems and the data held within them.
“Developing strong cyber security policies is vital not only to protect data, but also to preserve the reputation of our university sector. The HEPI / Jisc paper will help to draw higher education leaders’ attention to this important aspect of their work.”
An important part of raising the issues that affect the sector and our members, is working with partners like the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI). We want to make the whole sector as secure as possible and ensure the reality of the cyber threat to members is fully understood and mitigated.
Bringing together a number of strands of information that are already in the public domain, the purpose of the paper is to draw higher education leaders’ attention to the growing cyber security threat, to help them understand the importance of robust cyber security policies and procedures, and to advise on the steps they should be taking to build strong defences.
It also enables Jisc to convey the importance of cyber security in education, to government and parliamentarians and other external audiences, including the media.
It's also important to note that Jisc’s penetration testing service does not hack universities, or share any information regarding the scope or results of testing with anyone other than the commissioning organisation.
One of the services offered as part of the agreed scope-of-work is to try and gain credentials via spear phishing. This occurs in a very limited number of engagements, but in cases where spear phishing has been carried out, it has proved very successful as a means of acquiring high-value credentials, which could provide access to high-value data. Individual institutions are always informed in detail what the pen testers did, what they discovered and receive suggestions to help remediate.
In the paper, Jisc has shared its experience of using spear phishing as part of a commissioned engagement as a means of highlighting that the threat from this activity is very high.
This article was last amended on 11 April 2019.
via Jisc news
With Jisc’s learning analytics service going live last summer, we caught up with some of the people who are part of the community of practice shaping the service, to find out how implementation is going and what learning analytics is adding to their university.
“We were one of the first universities to get involved when Jisc started to put together a group of institutions to work together on learning analytics,”
says Mike Hughes, education research and enterprise services manager at City, University of London.
“We wanted to get in ahead of the curve and help shape a shared solution. Sometimes it’s a tortuous journey but it’s worth it when you’ve been involved in creating something that’s designed around your needs.”
The development of a learning analytics service for the sector was one of Jisc's first co-design projects and has now reached a key point where institutions are in the early stages of implementation or gearing up to get started.
The learning analytics community of practice is driving developments and it has grown to around 20 universities and colleges, meeting every couple of months to talk about common issues and work with our development team on an analytics solution. The University of Greenwich joined four years ago and Dr Christine Couper, director of strategic planning, explains why:
“We were aware of learning analytics’ potential but we also knew there were many different approaches and we had so many questions. We wanted to explore it carefully in a supported way.”
Each community member is working at its own pace and with a particular focus on its own key concerns. The University of South Wales’s (USW’s) first priority involved its student experience plan, giving staff insights into student engagement and progress so they can tailor the personal academic coaching programme.
Each student at the university has a member of departmental staff who is responsible for mentoring and wellbeing. Martin Lynch, learning systems manager in IT services at the university, says the data should open up more meaningful conversations:
“The analytics data will help staff to prepare for meetings. It tells a story but it’s not the whole story. It’s just a really good place to start the conversation.”
And, as he says, this doesn’t mean gathering more kinds of data. It simply means pulling together what already exists, albeit in disaggregated form. Bringing it together and presenting it clearly allows patterns to emerge.
After more than two years of what Martin calls ‘pipe-laying’ to clean the data and get it flowing into the cloud-based learning data hub efficiently – and extensive piloting – USW kicked off a learning analytics project in earnest at the start of the autumn 2018 term. It’s one of the first members of our community of practice to do so.
At the same time the learning analytics team at City, University of London has been on a three-year programme to explore the potential of learning analytics.
They are asking questions such as what the university wants to get from analytics, laying the groundwork with staff and students and exploring the privacy and ethical implications using our code of practice as a guide.
The co-design process is designed to make sure we stay focused on what matters to members and that every participant can make faster, more effective progress than they could alone.
The institutions have worked in partnership with us to shape the architecture and tools at the heart of the service. Together, we’ve ironed out glitches so that student records and data can flow automatically into the cloud-based learning data hub, for example, and individual institutions have taken particular interest in developing particular tools – Abertay University has been instrumental in developing the student app study goal, which they’re using to monitor attendance. As Greenwich’s Christine Couper says, “we’ve all done a bit and been prepared to share what we’ve learned”.
For one thing, worries about staff and student reactions to learning analytics often melt away when consultation and communication are done openly and well.
At USW this has initially targeted staff, promoting learning analytics and providing training to 350 key people this year alone. Students are the next priority and the university is prototyping a set of custom-built student-facing dashboards so they can share access to the data and ultimately get more involved in learning design.
At Greenwich, the initial focus has also been on staff and they are already giving positive feedback about data explorer, a tool that provides them with visualisations of VLE usage, attendance and assessment results. The university intends to deploy the study goal app for students before Christmas. Christine Couper says this is an important step because it’s university policy for students to have access to their personal learning analytics data; this will put it at their fingertips.
Interestingly, she says, feedback from students to the students’ union indicates that students expect the university to be using student data to improve the student experience. And, she says, “far from being overly cautious, students may well prove to be an ally in this new space as they see the benefits that analytics can help us to provide.”
Over the next few months, several members will start measuring the impact of their first forays into learning analytics. At the University of Greenwich they’ll be exploring the kinds of patterns that they are seeing in the data and thinking about how these might tie into wider institutional agendas including the timing of assessments to minimise stress and reducing the attainment gap for black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) students.
At City, University of London, senior educational technologist Mimi Weiss Johnson says they plan to make their final decisions about what kind of analytics service to offer and what they need to put in place to make sure it happens. This includes considerations such as support needs, technical infrastructure and institutional policies.
The City Learning Analytics Project team are working on developing a learning analytics recommendations report, based on their findings, to put to senior management next summer. Part of this work includes a market review of commercial learning analytics solutions alongside the Jisc service. Mimi explained:
“We’re exploring the various learning analytics solutions so that we can choose the right one for City, University of London. Working as part of the Jisc community of practice has been a unique opportunity to collaborate with a service provider and I can’t imagine anyone but Jisc offering that opportunity. It demonstrates a real commitment to meeting the needs of their customers. It’s a great model and I hope Jisc continues to use it in future.”
Find out more about our learning analytics service.
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Investing in data analytics, the internet of things and virtual reality are steps universities and colleges can take now to prepare for Industry 4.0, Jisc CEO Paul Feldman said today.
Speaking at a Westminster Higher Education Forum event on technology in education, Feldman told delegates that although many of the transformational technologies underpinning Industry 4.0 are not ready yet, there are still things universities and colleges can do to prepare.
Jisc’s response to Industry 4.0 – known as Education 4.0 – would represent a shift in the way students learn, led by artificial intelligence (AI), Feldman said.
“The jobs of the future need an education system to match,” he added. “Re-thinking our approach and expectations of how education is delivered now for the future workplace needs to consider the full lifelong learning experience.”
Feldman did, however, recognise the practical challenges for education providers of a 15-year vision such as Education 4.0, when it is difficult to predict what the sector will look like in 15 months. But he said it was not too early to plan ahead.
“There are building blocks that universities and colleges can put in place now,” he said. “For us that includes realising the power of data through analytics; making campuses smarter through the internet of things; investing in the experiential and arguably more efficient power of VR for real-work skills; and giving staff and students a helping hand through the virtual support of chatbots.”
Another challenge is how to prepare the education workforce for a future where lecturers, freed up by technology from the mundane aspects of teaching, focus on passing on wisdom, insight and soft skills. He said: “85% of higher education staff we surveyed stated they were unsure of their roles and responsibilities in response to technology - we must support them.”
Feldman said that if the UK’s education sector positively embraces the technologies driving Industry 4.0 – including AI and robotics – the nation could maintain or even extend its profile as a world leader. He said now is the time to embrace emerging technologies and lead the redesign of the centuries’ old model of education for the benefit of our students, lecturers and nation.
“We recommend that education providers get started now and do what they can to evolve current models against a vision for transformation,” he said. “We can help colleges and universities on that journey – it’s what we’re here for.”
via Jisc news
Diversity is set to emerge as a key theme of Jisc’s Networkshop conference this year. Ahead of the event on the 9-11 April, we examine the need for more women in cyber security.
There will be 1.8m unfilled information security jobs by 2022, according to the Global Information Security Workforce Study (GISWS). Yet the hurdle isn’t simply to fill vacancies, it’s to build a talented and diverse workforce.
The cyber skills shortage needs to be tackled on several fronts. Firstly, there is a need to develop a more diverse workforce - for example, by encouraging more women into what’s still a male-dominated field.
Not only does this expand the size of the talent pool, it also brings fresh ideas and new approaches, believes Clare Johnson, head of cyber security at the University of South Wales (USW).
“If you have a team full of one particular type of person, it stifles innovation. People with different life experiences bring alternative ways of thinking and doing. This is especially valuable in IT functions in universities and colleges, which serve students and staff from varied backgrounds who use institutional systems for vastly different purposes. We can’t afford to be less innovative than they are.”
In her determination to develop the next generation of female IT specialists, Clare is casting her net far beyond the university’s walls. Last September, she set up Women in Cyber Wales. The group has already attracted 70 members, many of whom attend regular networking meetings. Clare says:
“Women who work in technology often feel isolated. Support networks like this are part of the answer. There is a growing number of similar groups around the country. LinkedIn’s a good place to find some of them.”
Jisc is working on a programme to develop clear, effective career pathways for technical staff. Training and support director Shirley Wood says this is a pressing issue for most organisations working in HE and FE. Shirley comments:
“We’ve got technical specialists and training teams working together to define job roles and measure skills against the SFIA Foundation’s skills and competency framework. We hope that, by defining clear progression routes and developing effective, tailored training, we can make sure our staff see that they’re valued, and see that we’re committed to their professional development.”
Looking further into the future, Clare has been working with local communities to capture young imaginations – not least by creating an unofficial Brownies badge focused on cyber security. In May, she’s volunteered to host an event on campus for local Rainbows and Brownies (girls aged five to ten) to try their hand at a range of cyber security-related activities at USW. Clare says:
“I want to inspire girls before they get turned off IT. I’m hoping that by offering role models and highlighting opportunities, we can help to reverse the trend.”
Apprenticeships are also part of the solution to the technical skills shortage. Nineteen-year-old Nicole Stewart is in the second year of a degree apprenticeship, based at Jisc’s Harwell office, and a further two apprentices have joined her there this year. Shirley says:
“At age 18, we’re looking for people with a technical bent who are also well-rounded individuals with the drive to be self-starting and self-reliant. If they have a mature attitude when they come for interview, have done their homework about the organisation, and show us a can-do attitude, we know we’ve found an apprentice we can train up.”
Nicole, who has always been interested in engineering and technology, adds:
“For the first year at Jisc, I learned about various aspects of IT, and then my manager asked me what interests me most so I could start to specialise and shape my own career. As a result, this year I’m part of the new cyber threat intelligence team. For me, a degree apprenticeship beats the usual university route hands down.”
Jisc, EDUCAUSE and representatives from universities in the UK and US are working together to explore the question, ‘how do we shape the future higher education workforce?’. The report looks at ways to offer more personalised career paths and flexible benefits to attract and retain a more diverse workforce. Determined to act on the findings of this report, Shirley concludes:
“Our plan is to create a wave that starts among our technical teams and ripples through the whole of Jisc.”
This article is based on a feature from the Networkshop magazine 2019. Delegates can hear Clare talk about diversifying the workforce on day one of Networkshop at 15:30 in lecture theatre 5. Nicole will talk about her apprenticeship experience on day three at 10:00 in lecture theatre 1.
via Jisc news
Jisc’s gender and bonus pay report 2018 celebrates successes while highlighting the challenges ahead.
The UK has one of the biggest gender pay gaps in Europe. Currently standing at 21%, this has increased by 1.3% since 2011, marking a national step in the wrong direction.
STEM sits among the worst-performing sectors, with women making up just 23% of those in core STEM occupations in the UK, and 24% of those working in core STEM industries. Against this backdrop, in 2018, Jisc’s median pay gap stood at 10.2%, with a median pay gap of 17.6%. Women make up 44% of the workforce.
Jisc's people business partner Simone Bartley comments:
“Like many employers in the technology sector, we employ fewer women in our in our leadership and technical roles that command a higher salary. However, we believe that our commitment to taking action over sustained periods will eventually achieve the changes we need.”
Following last year’s gender and bonus pay report, Jisc identified four priority areas for action. As a result, 2018 saw the gender pay gap decrease, with more women progressing to senior roles, and a wider range of candidates for applying for jobs.
Outlining further action, the 2018 report seeks to:
Jisc is also proud to be part of the Tech Talent Charter, working to encourage more young people and women into STEM subjects and addressing ways to attract more women to work and progress in senior roles. Deputy chief executive and chief operating officer Alice Colban concludes:
“We know that diversity issues will not be resolved overnight and anticipate that it may take a few years to fully address the gender gap in our technical roles. That said, we are making steps in the right direction, especially when it comes to our company culture. Jisc’s employee network in particular has enabled more of our people to share their stories, highlighting challenges, and celebrating achievements.”
Read our 2018 gender and bonus pay gap report.
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An independent commission has launched today to set out a new vision for colleges in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
The Independent Commission on the College of the Future will be chaired by Sir Ian Diamond – who led the overhaul of Welsh higher education funding and the introduction of maintenance grants to cover costs for full-time and part-time students.
The commission also features prominent names from industry, education, media, and the union movement, as well as national and international experts, including Jisc’s CEO, Paul Feldman, together with key UK stakeholders.
Its purpose is to help colleges meet key challenges, from demographic change, to technological revolution, from the changing labour market, to evolving individual expectations. To that end, the commission will be working with partners to prepare colleges for the challenges ahead by answering the question – what does the college of the future look like?
The commission is supported by organisations from across the FE and skills sector, including Jisc, the Association of Colleges (AoC), Colleges Scotland, Colleges Cymru, the colleges in Northern Ireland, Further Education Trust for Leadership (FETL), NOCN, City & Guilds and Pearson.
Sir Ian Diamond said:
“Colleges are a central part of our education systems right across the UK. But with so many critical challenges facing us, nationally and internationally – from changes in technology, aspirations, jobs and climate, to name just a few – colleges must take an ever more central place in public policy, as they are critically important for people and communities.
“The Independent Commission brings together a formidable team of experts and leaders to ask the fundamental questions about the role and place of colleges across all four corners of the UK. We will be putting forward clear recommendations, as we seek to ensure that colleges are able to play the critical role that they must – so that people have the right opportunities to get on in life, that no community is left behind, and that governments across the UK are able to meet the challenges of the future.”
Jisc CEO, Paul Feldman, said:
“Jisc enables colleges to transform into digitally efficient and confident organisations capable of upskilling the current workforce and preparing our young people for future careers. But they need support if they are to continue to meet the rising expectations of students and produce technically skilled labour the UK economy needs.
“I am delighted to be part of the expert panel and look forward to helping the commission provide the direction and clout colleges require to thrive in future. I believe this collaboration will help deliver Jisc’s vision to transform education and support our colleges and skills providers in preparing for the fourth industrial revolution.”
David Hughes, chief executive, AoC, said:
“I am delighted that the commission is being launched at such a pivotal time for colleges. We have worked hard to raise the profile of colleges and to make the case for their vital roles in helping deliver inclusive economic growth, stronger communities and a more tolerant and just society. This commission will be able to provide the compelling vision of those roles as well as the support colleges need to flourish.”
Find out more about the Independent Commission on The College of the Future.
via Jisc news
Bolton College’s pioneering and successful use of a chatbot called Ada has earned it top prize for the most effective use of technology in the 2019 Beacon Awards.
Bolton is one of the first UK colleges to have introduced a chatbot, which uses artificial intelligence to answer more than 1,000 queries each day from students and staff. The judges, who included Jisc’s head of FE and skills, Paul McKean, were particularly impressed by how the chatbot has increased learner retention, reduced teacher workload and bureaucracy, increased mental wellbeing and enhanced support for visually impaired students.
Bill Webster, principal of Bolton College, said:
“This is an outstanding achievement for Bolton College and our information learning technology team. 123 colleges from across the country entered the awards, and the final shortlist was very strong, so to be shortlisted then win is a testament to the cutting-edge work being carried out by the team.
The chatbot is credited with helping the college increase student retention in the first 42 days of the academic year by providing positive personalised answers to repeatedly asked questions such as: “What is my next class and in which classroom will that be?”
Bill Webster adds:
“Hundreds of our students have been involved in the development of Ada. Computing students have helped carry out vital development work, which has allowed them to work on the latest AI technology, thereby enhancing their future employment opportunities.
“The plan now is to roll the tech out to our partners in the Group, starting with the University of Bolton. This technology has been getting significant interest from across the sector, and we look forward to supporting its dissemination.”
In addition, the college uses an Alexa Echo, which reads back information to students with additional needs. It’s been a great help to one particular visually impaired student, who no longer needs to take half hourly breaks to relieve the strain on her eyes.
Grimsby Institute and Preston’s College were runners up in this category of the awards, which are organised annually by the Association of Colleges. Jisc is a sponsor.
Paul McKean said:
“I can’t emphasise enough how well the three finalists have introduced innovative technology throughout their organisations and used it to transform college functions and, more importantly, to improve the student experience in the digital age.”
The winner of this Beacon Award category will be asked to host an open day to demonstrate their work and to share best practice with fellow colleges.
Aftab Hussain, Bolton College’s ILT Manager, said:
“Last year we won a Bolton Business Award so to be recognised again for our work is just amazing. However, this is just the beginning for Ada - we are about to launch an iOS app for the service, and we have published an Android app and an Amazon Alexa app which enables learners to access Ada via their smart speakers. There is so much more Ada is capable of; it is a very exciting time!”
Read more about Bolton College’s chatbot on the Bolton College website.
via Jisc news
Launched in 2018 with investment from Jisc, the Placer app does just that - and it’s been nominated for the UK Top 100 Social Entrepreneur Index.
How many graduates does it take to change a lightbulb? Four. One to design a nuclear-powered bulb that never needs changing, one to write an essay on the significance of lightbulbs in the 20th century, one to choreograph an interpretive dance on the theme of darkness, and one to call an electrician.
It’s a bad joke but it illustrates a point: graduate recruiters often highlight the void between skills and experience. While most students emerge from higher education (HE) with a solid academic grasp of their discipline, all too often they are not deemed ‘work-ready’ by prospective employers.
Great effort has gone into addressing this problem in recent years. Within universities, strengthening links with industry has made undergraduate study more relevant and meaningful while also helping young people develop contacts in their chosen sector.
Students find that work experience placements are increasingly important too, giving them the chance to explore careers that may suit them, to learn how to take the initiative and collaborate in the workplace, and to build a CV that stands out from the crowd.
Placer can help. Matching students with work experience opportunities, the app began with a real problem and some solid research.
Four years ago, the social entrepreneur David Barker was working with the National Centre for Universities and Business to explore how tech might help address problems in graduate employment. He picked up on the 2013 government FutureTrack research, which found that students who gain work experience during their time at university are both more likely to get a better degree result and less likely to be unemployed or underemployed. David says,
“The problem was, there weren’t enough placement opportunities for young people. We needed to innovate a new model.”
What emerged is an app and platform that partners with universities and engages employers of all sizes, locally and nationally, to publish opportunities for work experience. These range from insight days to summer internships and full years in industry. David comments,
“We aim to give all students in HE access to meaningful work experience to increase their employability and business network."
Initially funded by the Cisco Foundation, Placer won further investment from Jisc and Unite Students in 2017. The app went live with six universities in October 2018, featuring employers including the BBC, Unilever, Sage, and HSBC.
Placer now has plans for expansion, looking to bring in more universities and work with a greater number of SMEs. It’s going from strength to strength. As well as attracting support from ambassadors Peter Estlin, Lord Mayor of the City of London, and membership bodies the Institute for Engineering and Technology and the Creative Industries Federation, Placer Ltd has just been nominated for the UK Top 100 Social Entrepreneur Index.
“We’re delighted to see Placer gaining recognition for making a positive impact on students’ lives and graduates’ employability,”
says Sue Attewell, Jisc’s head of change.
Shining a light on societal problems as well as practical ones, David describes the company’s ‘triple-bottom-line’, of growth, profit, and doing good. “We want to prove to employers the value UK graduates can bring to their business, and help students of all backgrounds find meaningful work.”
Find out more about Placer on their website.
via Jisc news
"I think most people, deep down, accept that assessment in higher education is not really fit for purpose any more."
Professor Neil Morris is chair of educational technology, innovation and change in the School of Education and the dean of digital education at the University of Leeds.
“When I see students writing 2,000-word coursework essays on topics that they're never going to use in a professional setting, I really do wonder what the point is. I think that a lot of academics, deep down, accept that the majority of the current assessment practices used in higher education are not really fit for purpose.”
The University of Leeds recently developed expectations about assessment and feedback, characterised by a set of attributes: validity, inclusivity and sensitivity; reliability; relevance/applicability; transparency; readiness; informative; and partnership.
In addition, assessment must also be delivered for specific purposes, contextualised, and reflect the internal and external influences that apply at the level of the programme, discipline and institution.
Neil teaches a fully online 'digital learning in practice' module on a digital education masters programme and has used the Leeds assessment and feedback expectations to design an authentic form of assessment for his course. As his students are based all over the world, they are taught and assessed digitally.
They tend to be working professionals, such as learning technologists or teachers in primary, secondary or higher education, all studying the master's programme alongside their work. Neil was keen that the module assessment be directly related to the students’ practice in a way that would enrich their work and professional context. So, four years ago, he instituted three principles.
The first was that the students would choose the topic of their assessment themselves from the subjects covered in the module, such as open educational resources, mobile learning, learning analytics, MOOCs and digital strategy. That was already a step away from the norm.
The second principle was group working. Gone is the lone scholar typing out a coursework essay to get a grade – geographically separated students have to form groups of three and overcome the challenges of team-working at a distance, something very familiar to many professionals but which requires practical, digital literacy skills and an understanding of team dynamics.
The third principle was that the students must create a publicly available, multi-modal web resource that would be useful after the module had finished – generally in the form of a WordPress site that incorporates text, audio and video.
In doing that, and working equally on it in their teams of three, the students learn skills of content creation, finding and evaluating external third party resources and Creative Commons licensing.
The outcome has been overwhelmingly positive.
For Neil, the process meets all the challenges of authentic assessment. “They're an absolute joy to mark – visually interesting, very well researched, very well evidenced and something I can use afterwards,” he says.
“I often showcase these websites on my own Twitter feed, I use them in presentations and in research, and I direct other students who are interested in the topic to them. They have legacy and the students themselves take that resource back into their employment and use it in their professional practice – or with potential employers if they're looking to move jobs or to upskill.”
And the students? “At first, they are horrified by the whole idea!” Neil laughs. “They give me quite a hard time about it because they don’t want to work in a team and rely on others – especially when they are in China and their team-mates are in Turkey and India. I have a lot of resources on the virtual learning environment that help them to get over that and I keep reminding them this is authentic, team-based and very much like working life.
"Every year, by the end, they always say, ‘I'm so glad I did that, I learned so much about team-working and communicating with other people and it was really enjoyable.’ Every year they amaze me with the quality of their work but also the way that they overcome geographic and time barriers, using a whole range of different communication tools to keep in touch with each other, to manage their work, to share resources between themselves.”
So why is this kind of assessment not more widespread? Neil believes that a lack of digital confidence and competence in the academic community, along with a fear of disrupting a system that has been in place for a long time, are both key factors. There are also concerns around ‘upsetting’ students who find the prospect of this kind of authentic assessment uncomfortable.
"I do think people often worry about group work because the prevailing sentiment is that group work is difficult to manage and that students don't like it. And that is true, students don't like group work, but I don’t think that's a reason not to do it.
“I think what we need to do is provide a structured and supportive environment for students to excel at group work because just saying ‘they don't like it so we're not going to do it’ is not going to help them when they're in employment.”
Neil argues that the sector needs to be asking itself difficult questions about what purpose current assessment approaches serve.
Are they meeting learning outcomes? If so, are those purely knowledge-based outcomes still fit for purpose in a digital age when employers are calling for graduates with a better mix of knowledge, skill and behaviour outcomes?
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What will education and research look like in 2030? And what can the Tour de France teach us about live data transfer in education?
These are just two of the questions under the spotlight at Networkshop47, which gives education IT professionals time out to learn about the future of connectivity and hear from leading technology experts about innovative ways to tackle digital solutions in education.
Focussing on connectivity, network technology and security, our three-day conference is jam-packed with practical takeaways.
Here’s a flavour of the programme and our top tips for activities to try and catch in your net...
Cyber security, the application of AI and future connectivity are all hot topics for universities, colleges and organisations like Jisc.
What will the future of education ICT look like in ten years? Come along to our panel debate and find out the burning issues for delegates, and vote on those issues via our new event app.
'Panel debate: what will education and research communications look like in 2030?', 15:45 on Wednesday 10 April in lecture theatre 2.
Delegates will come away from this event armoured with solutions to digital challenges in education.
Case study talks include industry insights and sector leading demo sessions showing new-to-market products and services.
17:30 on Tuesday 9 April in the demo area.
Dr Hannah Fry is associate professor in the mathematics of cities at the centre for advanced spatial analysis at University College London (UCL), and a regular presenter of science and maths programmes on BBC TV and radio.
In a recent blog post, Hannah introduced her book which explores how we live our lives in the age of AI, the kind of future we want and how education can help to get us there.
Dr Fry is a keynote speaker at this year’s event, along with Professor Edward Peck, vice chancellor of Nottingham Trent University, Dave Heyns of Dimension Data, and Erik Huizer, chief executive officer of GÉANT.
See Hannah Fry's opening keynote at 14:00 on Tuesday 9 April in lecture theatre 2.
Also known as "networking for the shy", the event app will help delegates navigate the conference and give opportunities to ask our experts questions, all at the touch of a button.
Alternatively, visit the speakers’ corner during the breaks and grab the microphone to voice opinions.
App available to download soon.
The demo area, a new feature for this year's event, is a chance to see the tech that could transform colleges and universities.
Every day during breaks in the demo area.
An after-dinner talk from Dave Heyns of Dimension Data will explain the advanced tech that’s used to monitor riders’ performance - and everything else that’s happening around them - during the Tour de France cycle race. This is sure to be inspiring and show what is possible with live data, if not Lycra.
From 19:00 on Wednesday 10 April at our conference dinner, the Old Chemistry Theatre and Court Yard. Book your ticket.
Find out more about this year's key speakers, exhibitors and read the full programme.
via Jisc news
Five businesses have been selected for mentorships worth up to £10,000 this week after successful pitches at our showcase edtech event, Digifest.
The successful bidders presented ideas which have the potential to go on to improve, evolve and change UK education and research.
Selected by a panel of judges from Jisc and Emerge Education, the winners are:
Designed as a unique knowledge network, the Connect2Teach Limited project connects industry experts to online course providers to develop and deliver relevant courses and increase student enrolment, engagement and employability.
The miFuture App provides better way of connecting school leavers with the world of work, offering them personalised career options in a format that tech-savvy young people are familiar with.
Scholarcy employs machine learning in an app that can digest any research paper, book chapter or report and create a summary flashcard that can be read on any device, instantly providing background reading, key facts and findings.
Connecting students with fellow applicants and student ambassadors prior to enrolment, this mobile app service helps to improve pre-arrival engagement and boost offer-enrolment conversion rates.
A medical training platform, Virti uses virtual and augmented reality to transport users into realistic, hard-to-access environments and safely assesses them under pressure to improve performance.
The mentorships offered by Jisc, Emerge Education and other industry experts include the possibility of up to £5,000 funding, with additional focused support worth up to £5,000.
Nic Newman, of Emerge Education, said:
“This year’s entries have showed very welcome variety and have included tools for mental health, tools for researchers and tools for students to select the right university.
“Apart from the variety, we’ve seen very high skills in presentation, and, more importantly, people talking about the impact that their ideas could create.
"The judges’ decisions are based on this potential impact and on how much Jisc and the programme could help and develop them.”
Sue Attewell, head of change - further education (FE) and skills, Jisc added:
“We’re really looking forward to working with the five winners over the next six months, supporting them to develop their product and business model to ensure a good fit with our members’ needs.
"It will be hard work for the winners, but is sure to accelerate their readiness for market.”
via Jisc news
Launched today, a new report commissioned by Jisc, focuses on student mental health, exploring how emerging technology may help students in need
A mental health survey of UK universities (pdf), published March 2019, was a wake-up call for the higher education (HE) sector. Of 37,500 students polled, 50.3% reported self-harm, 87.7% struggle with anxiety, and 75.6% conceal their symptoms from friends.
The picture is no better in further education (FE). In a 2016 Association of Colleges poll, 85% of colleges that responded said the number of students with disclosed mental health difficulties had increased in the past three years.
The Horizons report, which launched today at Jisc’s Digifest event, provides welcome insights and suggestions. Outlining strategic challenges facing UK universities and colleges, from finance to cyber security, Horizons also addresses the mental health challenge in detail, offering suggestions for how technology may help better support students and staff.
Technology is already playing a role in the wellbeing agenda. Learning analytics are increasingly being used to support students, identifying those at risk and enabling early intervention.
At Nottingham Trent University, for example, a dashboard generates an alert if a student doesn’t engage for 14 consecutive days, allowing tutors to follow up. The University of Greenwich, meanwhile, is expanding its learning analytics system to cover mental wellbeing. And Jisc’s learning analytics service, which went live in August 2018 and currently has 26 institutions subscribed, is exploring applications around student mental health and wellbeing, which are key to its next phase of development.
Online support services and apps provide further examples of technology’s role in supporting students’ wellbeing. Brad Forsyth is an undergraduate at Ravensbourne University London. He helped author the Horizons report.
“With the pressure of keeping up with social media where people portray their 'best lives', technology doesn't always impact positively on young people's mental health,”
he comments.
“Despite this, the positives technology has brought are incredible and ever-improving. We now have access to doctors 24 hours a day via apps, and there are awareness websites for mental health that allow students to easily find details for organisations or just have a chat with someone online. Universities are gradually doing more.”
Chatbots are now entering this space too. Bolton College’s chatbot, Ada, is able to answer high numbers of 'mundane' enquiries, freeing up staff time by responding to questions around timetabling, for example, or directing students to their classroom. Ada’s developer, ILT manager Aftab Hussain, explains:
“If a student is struggling with stress or self-harm, the chatbot service will respond with links to appropriate online information and the contact details for the college’s mental health team. We are also improving the service so that our mental health unit is automatically notified when students are seeking further advice and support on these matters.”
Meanwhile, at Leeds Beckett University, the chatbot Becky cost just £30 to develop as a support for clearing, based on research that the target audience is largely uncomfortable talking to universities on the phone.
The Horizons report predicts that the role and potential for technology to help tackle mental health issues will grow. Chris Warrington, head of student support at the University of Leeds, says:
“We need to diversify our offer around student wellbeing and how we enable students to feel at home and part of the university.
“As new modes of learning develop, we need to understand how students might respond and use technology in new and different ways. Although there is value in using analytics to respond reactively to provide support – if a student isn’t attending, for example – we need to go further and put the technology in the students’ hands, so they can use data about themselves to understand how they are learning.
“Digital wellbeing is a key concern and some devices now have built-in tools to help keep track of how much users are accessing social media. Universities – and schools before universities – can play a part in raising awareness of social media use through helping students and guiding them. That feels like a theme that joins the work of Jisc and the Horizons group with the broader landscape of student experience.”
Crucially, it’s people - not technology – that must be at the centre.
“Meaningful support comes from human beings,”
stresses Phil Richards, chief innovation officer at Jisc,
“but there are indications that technology, such as learning analytics,?can help to identify mental health issues early on. Used wisely, this can help colleges and universities understand their students’ problems and offer timely support.”
Collaboration will also be crucial to supporting students in the future. Phil Richards explains;
“Data could be shared between schools, colleges and universities, and across services from healthcare to accommodation, to provide a more comprehensive approach that follows students throughout their education.”
Collaboration is the spirit in which the Horizons report has been written and researched, bringing representatives from 30 national sector bodies, government, universities and colleges, and industry together to form the Horizons group. The group is united in its aim to predict the education challenges of the future and tackle them using technology.
“It's encouraging to see the dedication from across the sector aimed at better understanding and supporting students who suffer with ill mental health,”
comments Gwyneth Sweatman, NUS Wales president.
“I welcome this report and deeply value the potential impact of emerging technologies in this area”.
Yet, while positive steps are being taken, Brad concludes with a note of caution:
“There is still a long way to go,” the student stresses. “The system cannot keep up with the number of sufferers, but the awareness and support that is vital to improving mental health is moving in the right direction. Now the funding needs to keep pace, too.”
via Jisc news
In a UK first, a new app and website are being launched that allow university students to quickly and simply put their name down to vote.
It is hoped that the new technology will help to increase democratic engagement from a voting cohort that is under-represented in elections. It will also significantly reduce the administrative burden on universities, which are required by law to enable students to sign on to the electoral register.
Students in halls used to be automatically registered by their higher education (HE) provider upon enrolment. But since 2014, when the government introduced Individual Voter Registration, every eligible voter has been required to sign up singly.
The rules around electoral registration changed again in 2017, with the advent of the Higher Education and Research Act, which puts the onus on universities to facilitate sign-up for students. But that means a whole lot of extra work for academic registrars, setting up a raft of new systems and revising rules and practices around the collection of data. It’s an expensive and time-consuming headache.
Fortunately, a painless, simple solution for the whole HE sector has been created by Jisc.
The new student voter registration service has been developed by Jisc in consultation with the Academic Registrars Council and the Association of Heads of University Administration.
With students’ consent, the service will collect information from the university (such as date of birth and full name) and the student (National Insurance Number) and automatically transfer it to the relevant, participating electoral registrars at local authorities, so reducing the administrative burden on universities of working with multiple council registrars across the UK.
Jisc takes care of the contracting and the data will be transferred securely via the UK Access Management Federation, which every HE provider already uses.
After a successful pilot involving nine universities, the service is launching for all on 1 April, 2019. There is more information about how the app will work (including about data security) on our blog.
Those under the age of 24 are the least likely to be on the electoral register, and it’s hoped the new service will help to change this. The Electoral Commission’s latest research shows that groups which are less stable in their living habits, such as students, are also less likely to be registered to vote.
For example, in 2015, only 27% of people who had been in their property for up to one year were on the electoral register, compared with 96% of people who had lived at the property for over 16 years. The same report found that only 65% of 18 to 19-year-olds and 67% of 20 to 24-year-olds were registered. This is compared with 96% of those over the age of 65.
via Jisc news
Technology tools that allow students to give anonymous feedback in the classroom and take part in Q&A sessions without being identified are proving helpful for less confident students and as a means to gather meaningful data on sensitive topics.
Take student nurses as an example. Trevor Kettle, healthcare educator and faculty lead for patient and public involvement at Southampton University, along with Anya de Longh, patient educator, wanted to discuss patient and public involvement (PPI) with post-graduate students and qualified health and social care professionals.
But PPI is a sensitive subject, so both Trevor and Anya wanted to create a safe environment for discussion by using the anonymity settings of a student response system (SRS).
An app was used to stage interactive theatre lectures, using a combination of student actors and anonymous live polling to facilitate a "choices and consequences" session. This engaged students in active learning.
Trevor explains:
“Traditionally in education we have used the tried and tested ‘raise your hand if you have a question’ format to allow students to communicate with the speaker.
"While this can be successful in some contexts, we can fall under the illusion that this method gives full opportunity to all students to ask questions and express their views. This is not so.”
Anya explains:
“The SRS empowered the students to ask questions comfortably, which meant they were acknowledging the assets I brought as a patient, and allowed me to acknowledge their assets by hearing their experiences.
"It changed the dynamic from ‘lecturer knows best’, preaching to students, to a more equal relationship of mutual interest and appreciation.
"This felt important as it shifts the behaviour model to person-centred care and patient partnerships, at all levels”
Student research collected at the University of Southampton showed that 96% of students said seeing the Meetoo anonymous feedback and Q&A tool increased the likelihood of them asking a question in class.
As part of UCL’s integrated engineering programme, the provision of anonymous feedback was central to student success.
During ‘scenario week’ first- and second-year students put their learning into practice through interdisciplinary, problem-based learning, working on design projects in small groups.
Teaching fellow, Dr Nelia Jurado Pontes, wanted greater student feedback about group work to help her monitor progress and flag areas of concern that could affect their final project. Students could use their own mobile device or computer to access a web app. There, they could complete the anonymous short survey and provide feedback, highlighting any areas of concern.
Nelia said:
"We have seen that the use of the app has enhanced the students’ experience and has allowed us to keep track of the student’s contributions to the team project during our scenario week.
"This was very useful for lecturers as it helped us detect issues that could negatively affect the team’s dynamics and mitigate these problems to avoid negative impact on the final output. ”
The cases above demonstrate how anonymous feedback can be used advantageously as part of a lecture or project, but it can also be leveraged successfully with subtler implementation. For example, a straw poll or quick show of hands could be skewed because students raise or lower hands depending on the reaction of others in the room. Anonymous polling offers a more accurate representation, allowing lecturers to understand where there are knowledge gaps.
Many students lack confidence in their knowledge or feel too shy or fearful to express their opinion or raise a question.
The UCL medical school student survey found that 92% of students felt too intimidated to ask a question in a lecture with 100+ students.
By offering an anonymous SRS, institutions can empower their students by allowing them to participate without inhibition, giving them full scope to achieve their potential.
For more information, visit the Meetoo website, or watch their video showing student reaction to using an anonymous tool.
via Jisc news
Jisc’s showcase edtech event of the year, Digifest 2019, is informative, inspiring - and jam-packed with things to do and see. Here are our top picks.
This year’s Digifest opens with a performance that simultaneously showcases artists in Birmingham and Barcelona. Using the power of Jisc’s Janet Network, 'a short journey into folded space' incorporates contemporary dance, music and multimedia visuals.
Performers live at the Digifest venue will seamlessly interact in real time with performers at the Museum of Contemporary Arts (MACBA) in Barcelona.
10:00 on Tuesday 12 March in Hall 1, lasting around 15 minutes.
Fast forward to 2029 and experience student life ten years into the future. Use a VR headset to see the world from the perspective of imagined history and geography undergraduate, Natalie.
Immerse yourself in Natalie’s world, exploring the technology and teaching practices that enhance her learning.
All day on Tuesday and Wednesday 12-13 March in Hall 3, experience lasts around five minutes.
Head to the DigiLab to try out the latest edtech. This year, there are a lot of VR and AR experiences to play with, and a raft of affordable apps. The memory aid Mind Maps, for example, allows delegates to visually pin ideas to locations that hold personal meaning.
Meanwhile, the STEM tool, MERGE Cube, enables users to ‘hold’ and interact with virtual objects. Other highlights include the musical slideshow Mars Is A Real Place, which embarks on an intergalactic trip to the red planet, and Sheffield University’s ‘robot telepresence’.
All day, Tuesday-Wednesday 12-13 March in Hall 3.
What can a chatbot bring to college life? Bolton College students use theirs to gain everything from practical information around timetabling to emotional support.
Known as Ada, the college’s chatbot is a great help to students, while also freeing up time for staff. Creator Aftab Hussain describes the positive impact Bolton’s virtual team member has on college life.
‘Chatbots: the future is conversational’, 14:45 on Tuesday 12 March in Hall 5, 45 minutes.
With female voices and names, consumer AI products can reinforce stereotypes about a woman’s role, contributing to long-term problems of a gender imbalance in the tech workforce.
A panel of influential women in tech and education discuss why these issues matter, and what we should be doing to tackle them.
‘Alexa, Siri and female robots: can education help women to fight sexist stereotypes?’, 13:45 on Tuesday 12 March in Hall 1, 45 minutes.
It’s not all about robots! In this presentation, Dave Coplin, CEO of The Envisioners, outlines his “humans plus machines” approach to edtech, working to combine the best of both to help students embrace the opportunities technology offers.
Closing keynote at 16:00 on Tuesday 12 March in Hall 1, one hour.
Google’s Liz Sproat explains how machines that learn are creating a more personalised, inspiring and intelligent approach to using technology in education. Gain practical advice on how machine learning can prepare students for the working world of tomorrow.
Closing keynote at 15:00 on Wednesday 13 March in Hall 1, 45 minutes.
Use the Digifest app to make the most of your time at the event. It’s packed with information on the sessions, speakers, exhibitors and everything else that’s happening over the two days.
Create your own schedule, network via the activity feed, and take part in polls and feedback opportunities. The app can also act as a reminder, prompting delegates where to be and when, with a map of the venue so nobody gets lost.
Download the app from iTunes for iOS devices or Google Play for Android devices and search for ‘Digifest 2019’ in current and upcoming events. The password will be emailed to everyone who has registered for Digifest.
via Jisc news
Keynote speaker at Digifest 2019, Anne-Marie Imafidon reveals what inspired her to create Stemettes – an organisation that inspires thousands of girls and young women to take up careers in the male-dominated domains of science, technology, engineering and maths.
Everything changed for Anne-Marie Imafidon one day towards the end of 2012. Following a stellar academic career in which she had passed computer science A-level at the age of 11 and become one of the youngest ever to receive a master’s degree in mathematics and computer science from the University of Oxford, she was working happily in the corporate world when she flew to the US to attend the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing – and experienced an epiphany.
“There were three and half thousand women there, all of whom were technical. I realised that I’d never really been in that environment of majority female technologists, ever,” she marvels. On her return to the UK, Imafidon started to dig deeper into the issue of representation and participation of women in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). The result was Stemettes.
Now in its sixth year, Stemettes has supported around 40,000 girls and young women taking part in its free panel events, hackathons, exhibitions or mentoring schemes, all with the aim of inspiring the next generation of women in STEM and, ultimately, increasing the proportion of women in those fields from its current dismal figure of 21%.
“Stemettes was born out of trying to take the formats and things that I saw at that conference and bringing them to a much younger audience, during their formative years, in the hope that they can have more information when they decide whether or not STEM is a viable option for them or is something that they can be excited about being a part of,” says Imafidon.
She argues that, as far as Stemettes is concerned, there are three optimum points of intervention in those formative years of a girl’s or young woman’s life.
The first is at the age of five, when the social norms they may already have gleaned from gendered toys and the interactions they have with boys are reinforced at school – or challenged. The second is the “defining time” of puberty, when decisions are made about GCSEs and Stemettes can help to reassure adolescents that STEM can be a defining part of their identity, important to who they are and how they see themselves. The third point for key interventions is towards the end of university careers, when young women are on the brink of the job market.
“It’s important to be able to give girls a good sense of the fact that there’s a wider choice for them to make, rather than it being: if you study physics you have to don a tweed jacket with elbow patches and that’s the only thing you can do with your physics degree", says Imafidon.
The barrier facing girls at all of those ages is social norms, she argues. It’s the notion that ‘technology is not for you’ if you rarely see people who look like you doing technical activities – ”the options are obscured as part of this social narrative where we don’t see technical women on TV shows, even fictional ones, we don’t see technical women in the press, we just don’t have them as part of our narratives.”
The result for society is “rubbish products and rubbish solutions to problems that don’t exist,” says Imafidon, pointing to examples as varied as Facebook founder Zuckerberg’s ‘hot or not’ tool and Fitbit’s period tracker that, inexplicably, restricted the length of a period to 10 days. “If we had more women in the room when we’re deciding what we’re building, how we’re building it and the kind of assumptions we have around it, then we’d have better products,” she reasons.
While Stemettes offers a fresh, innovative and impactful take on the issue, with its free, fun and food-filled events reaching demographics that other STEM outreach activities do not, it does not let other educators off the hook. There is plenty that those in colleges and universities can be doing to challenge the STEM gender imbalance.
For Imafidon, the first and most critical is to be inclusive in activities, in language and in narratives, the second is a greater emphasis on digital literacy and the third is for educators to embrace and keep up to date with the latest trends in technology (her speech at Digifest will expand on these themes).
Imafidon’s ultimate dream is for Stemettes to become redundant, to solve the problem and close the door. That might be wishful thinking, she admits, but, for now, she is proud of the deep impact her brainchild is having on girls throughout the UK: “We help them not just in their aspirations but also in their confidence, in their awareness, in their perception, in their preparedness for life and what comes next – even emotionally in some places, as well,” she concludes.
Anne-Marie Imafidon is making the opening speech at Jisc’s annual Digifest event on 12 March 2019. For more about this showcase of education technology, see the full programme.
Booking for the event closes on Friday 1 March 2019.
via Jisc news
Students and higher education staff from across the UK have teamed up to imagine a screenless student experience as part of Jisc’s edtech challenge.
Currently, many students and staff use a virtual learning environment (VLE), such as?Blackboard, Moodle or?Canvas to access learning resources and applications, submit and mark assignments, and for quizzes and discussions.
In the first edtech challenge of 2019, Jisc set entrants the task of envisaging the VLE of the future, which can operate without the constraint of a computer, phone or tablet screen, although recognising that some device may be required as an interface.
The winning idea from a University of Glasgow team uses the “memory palace” technique to create an immersive environment that aids learning. The vision is for an interactive, collaborative space for independent learning without constraints of time or location.
The idea is that users immerse themselves in their study space, rather than simply use it as a place to sit. This method promotes physical activity, collaboration and seeks to make the student experience more enjoyable.
The judges chose this idea as it best encapsulates the benefits of learning in an immersive environment, is informed by students ideas and addresses accessibility and inclusion requirements.
Receiving the £1,000 top prize are Dr Mary McVey, a lecturer at the University of Glasgow’s School of Life Sciences, and a team of eight students.
McVey said that using these methods could offer students struggling with learning disabilities a new chance at learning:
“It could provide them with a solution to aspects of academia that were holding them back, allow them to excel at their courses and get more involved with their class environment, while having fun in the meantime.
“We wanted to use our submission to increase awareness about learning disabilities, how common they are, and emphasize the problems that students at all levels of education struggle with, on an everyday basis.”
Three runners-up will receive a £250 prize. They are:
Mark Shand, from the University of West of England, replaces the VLE interface with a patient simulation dummy, brought to life using technologies such as Bluetooth, sensors and augmented reality to challenge assumptions and requirements about a modern learning environment. The dummy is aimed at nursing students.
Leanne Fitton’s idea, Boxi, pulls together emerging technologies to create a learning companion. She is a technology-enhanced learning adviser from Manchester Metropolitan University who wants to change the way in which we think of VLEs using some retro learning technologies such as paper or a whiteboard, as well as newer innovations including chatbots.
Two University of Hull staff members‘ vision of how, through better use of data, learning can be “dripped” seamlessly into students’ schedules. Thomas Tomlinson and Mike Ewen’s idea can assess health and wellbeing considerations through wearables and seamlessly connects to devices in the university, home and community, allowing students to access learning whenever and wherever it suits them - when they are at their most receptive.
A full overview of the winning ideas, along with highlights from further shortlisted ideas, will be available on the edtech launchpad blog.
Screenless VLEs use some of the technologies that are driving the fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0, including mixed reality and artificial intelligence. Education 4.0, Jisc’s response to Industry 4.0, envisages big changes in teaching and learning, such as an increasing appetite for more active forms of learning, which is reflected in the competition’s theme.
James Seaman, account chief technologist at Softcat, was one of the judges for the challenge. He says:
“The winner and most of the ideas submitted have real-world application potential and the ideas that attracted me the most are deliverable and had direct student benefits.
“Any ideas that create a more in-depth and simple student engagement experience and simplify the use of technology really appeal to me. I am heartened to see the forethought and depth of understanding illustrated in the responses.”
The edtech challenge was open to all college and university students and staff with good ideas to share.
There will be two further challenges taking place in spring and summer 2019; the second will launch on Tuesday 12 March 2019.
via Jisc news
Technology, increasingly rich digitised resources and the sheer ingenuity of teaching staff are coming together to help students become active learners.
Talking to members over recent months we’ve been inspired by the creative ways universities are developing technology-enhanced learning.
Dip into their stories to find out how they are improving learning and teaching, and developing strategies to train motivated, self-starting learners equipped with the digital skills that will make them eminently employable when they graduate.
The University of Edinburgh is the first UK university to appoint a Wikimedian in residence, helping students in all disciplines to develop their information skills alongside digital literacy ones as they contribute to the creation of new entries in the online encyclopedia.
Students right across the university are creating original Wikipedia entries on new topics and the prospect of leaving a lasting mark is giving them powerful incentives to research thoroughly and think carefully about what they produce.
To the institution, the project is bringing new opportunities to develop its civic mission. Gender equality is a key concern both for the university and for Wikipedia itself. The vast majority of Wikipedia editors are male and fewer than 20% of its biographies are of notable women. But – pleasingly – 69% of those attending Edinburgh’s ‘editathons’ are women and they’ve been contributing to specially themed events such as one focused on women in science. They’re helping to bring more female scientific pioneers before a modern online audience.
And the Wikimedia project is an important component in the university’s strategy to lead Scotland’s development of a data literate workforce. It has recently received extra public money for this, and a collaboration with Wikimedia on open science and open data initiatives is helping to take the project forward.
Read the full University of Edinburgh case study (pdf).
In Cardiff University’s history department, digital collections are being used to introduce undergraduates to primary sources, giving them an early grounding in historical research methods – and teaching an array of useful, transferable digital techniques at the same time. It’s turning them, in the words of Cardiff’s Professor Keir Waddington, “from consumers of information into active researchers”.
Second-year students on the social history of medicine module are working with the UK Medical Heritage Library (UKMHL) and the Wellcome Collection. These 19th-century medical texts are all available on any device, anywhere for free. Students are accessing them to develop their own research questions and choose their own distinct paths to finding answers.
And they’re learning to:
What impact will this have on attainment? It’s too soon to tell but Keir Waddington says that seminars are already both more animated and significantly longer with students keen to share their original thoughts and ideas.
Read the full Cardiff University case study (pdf).
Learning how to write and present material for diverse audiences, to understand and code metadata – and having tangible proof of all this for a portfolio – aren’t necessarily outcomes that you’d expect from a university history programme. But these are benefits that students on the University of Hertfordshire’s inherited learning module are enjoying.
Teaching staff are asking students to search digital collections for text and images that relate to specific questions. The material they find is being repurposed into new archival collections that future students will use. The aim is to “leave learning resources richer than we found them” and to turn students into active researchers with workplace-ready skills.
Read the full University of Hertfordshire case study (pdf).
At Loughborough University, first-year undergraduates have been dipping their toes into digital archives as they study the history of North America. They are learning independent study skills and developing a deep understanding of how to evaluate resources, including:
Why did historical figures act in the ways that they did? The digitised primary sources provide the clues and technology is enabling the students to test them out – they are using gaming techniques and role-play to gain insight into people’s experiences and motivations. Dr Melodee Beals says her students are pushing for new opportunities to get more deeply immersed in the digital archives.
Read the full Loughborough University case study (pdf).
via Jisc news
Ten businesses have been shortlisted in our 2019 edtech startups competition and will compete for five mentorships worth up to £10,000 at next month’s Digifest.
The mentorships are offered by Jisc, Emerge Education and other industry experts with the possibility of up to £5,000 funding and additional focused support worth £5,000.
Connect2Teach Limited
Connecting industry experts to online course providers to develop and deliver relevant courses and increase enrolment, engagement and employability.
miFuture App
This app provides better way of connecting school leavers with the world of work, offering them personalised career options in a format that tech-savvy young people will be familiar with.
Pinboard.me
A student-to-student tutoring platform where students and alumni can teach and learn a variety of skills from each other.
PocketConfidant - AI SAS
Provides a 24/7 private, confidential self-coaching robot assistant to help students to step back, reflect, clarify what is stopping them from meeting their goals, and create intentions and outcomes focused on their personal needs and desires.
Scholarcy
This uses machine learning to digest any research paper, book chapter or report into a summary flashcard that you can read on any device, instantly giving you background reading, key facts and findings.
StudyBundles - trading as CampusConnect
This mobile app service connects students with fellow applicants and student ambassadors prior to enrolment, helping to improve pre-arrival engagement and boost offer-enrolment conversion rates.
Third Floor Systems Ltd
StudentCRT is a web-based student experience and wellbeing monitor which aims to help protect student lives by quickly identifying those who may be struggling, so they can be followed up by responsible staff before matters escalate.
Tlero
Tlero positively engages students through its an anonymised and bespoke mental health platform, helping to identify three of the main mental health issues students face - stress, anxiety and depression – and offering positive and relevant content to support them.
UNI4U Ltd
A digital tool to help match students to higher education institutions with the right learning and social environments so they can thrive at university and their future careers.
Virti
A medical training platform using virtual and augmented reality to transports users into realistic, hard-to-access, environments and safely assesses them under pressure to improve performance.
The edtech startups competition is the second element of our edtech launchpad programme, which also includes the edtech challenge for students with product ideas.
Sue Attewell, head of change - further education (FE) and skills at Jisc, said:
“The standard of entries has been improving year on year and we had a hard time shortlisting with much robust discussion from the panel.
“It was good to see a number of entries relating to student wellbeing, as these kind of apps have potential to reduce student harm and promote mental and emotional wellbeing by providing them with personalised support.
“The focus on AI is also welcome because of the capacity this technology has has to make meaningful insights that can help to empower students and improve educational outcomes.”
The shortlisted startups will be pitching their ideas at Digifest, 12-13 March 2019.
via Jisc news