Implementing UDL 2: Multiple means of Representation

If you’ve read any of our previous blog posts on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) or encountered it somewhere else, then you’ll know there are three main principles of the UDL Framework, developed by CAST. Each UDL principle is designed to help academics and others involved in teaching to improve how we present information, engage …

Implementing UDL 1: Multiple means of Engagement

If you’ve read any of our previous blog posts on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) or encountered it somewhere else, then you’ll know there are three main principles of the UDL Framework, developed by CAST. Each UDL principle is designed to help academics and others involved in teaching to improve how we present information, engage …

How to schedule announcements in Moodle

Did you know you can schedule announcements in Moodle to be sent out at a time you specify? Useful if you want to make sure the message drops in inboxes at a particular time, when you might not be around (or if you’re me, might not remember!)  It works for other forum posts as well.  …

Moodle is Upgrading in the Summer of 2023: Moodle 4.1 is coming!

This summer Moodle will upgrade to version 4.1. This new version of Moodle brings with it lots of changes to the layout of Dashboard and My modules pages when you first login, and to your module site pages. The biggest changes in this upgrade relate to the look and feel of Moodle, such as the …

Designing for Engagement in a Learning Community – course starts Wed 19 April

Time and again, we hear that students are not engaging with their learning. Being engaged benefits students in so many ways. It can make learning more enjoyable as well as boosting achievement. So what can we do to promote more engagement in our classes? The course “Designing for Engagement in a Learning Community” looks at …

Creating audio and podcasts

I got some really good tips on creating audio and podcasts in education, from the recent Future Teacher webinar focusing on audio. Speakers included Andrew McLaren. Edinburgh Napier, Sheila MacNeill, Jane Secker, and Mark Childs. Here are, with thanks, some of their tips. The preparation time needed (at least at first) means it can be …

The Blended and Hybrid Learning Design MOOC is now live on FutureLearn

COVID-19 has had a transformative impact on higher education. Blended and hybrid models of learning are now the norm, and not an anomaly. On this five-week course from the University of Nottingham, you’ll explore a range of perspectives on blended and hybrid learning. You’ll examine key paradigm shifts in pedagogical thinking, and consider their implications …

Writing questions for quizzes in Moodle and ExamSys

In our recent “iTeach: Engaging Students” webinars [Link to Moodle: sorry UoN only], we discussed in the final webinar the difficulty of writing questions, such as multiple choice questions, for quizzes and tests. If questions aren’t properly written, it’s possible to score well just by knowing how the questions work. It’s amazing how many online …

Take a NAP 8: Accessibility checkers

The final core habit of the eight we’re calling Nottingham Accessibility Practices — the NAPs – covers accessibility checkers. These can be an important tool in identifying issues or catching errors in your documents. Much like spell-checkers, accessibility checkers can be found in most text editors and are easy to use. Within Microsoft Office you …

Take a NAP 7: Formats and assistive technologies

The Nottingham Accessibility Practices – the NAPs – are eight core habits that will help make your teaching materials and publications more accessible.  In this seventh post in our series on the NAPs we’re looking at how materials can be formatted to be used with assistive technology tools. Those who will benefit most from accessibility …