#ALTC Blog

ALT ELESIG is a community of researchers and practitioners involved in investigations of learners’ experiences and uses of technology in learning across all education sectors. ELESIG, formerly the Evaluating Learners Experiences of e-learning Special Interest Group, was established in 2008 to advocate for the theory and practice of researching learners’ experience in the context of technology enhanced learning/e-learning. ELESIG became a special interest group of ALT in 2019.

To apply for any of the roles, you must live in that region.

Officer Roles Available:

• South England Lead
• New Zealand Lead
• Midlands Co-Lead
• North West Co-Lead
• London Lead

These volunteer roles have a tenure of three years and offer excellent opportunities for leadership development, supporting applications for Advance HE Fellowships and other CPD avenues. Nominees must be ALT members, either individually or through an institutional membership.

How to Apply: Expressions of interest should include a statement (up to 200 words) detailing your interest, experience, and potential contributions to the Organising Committee’s role, as outlined in our Constitution, and your ability to attend ALT ELESIG Group meetings. Please submit your expressions of interest via this form by 12:00 noon GMT on Monday 7 April 2025. 

By M25 Member Group

In 2024, the ALT M25 community engaged in dynamic discussions during the Summer and Winter Meetings, covering topics such as e-portfolios, the evolving role of social media in learning technology, AI in assessments, and the significance of empathy in UX design. These sessions emphasized the importance of adaptability and innovation in enhancing educational practices. As we look ahead, stay tuned for the Spring Meeting in 2025 scheduled at 2 – 4 pm on Monday 24 March 2025, where we will continue to explore exciting developments in digital learning.

Thinking Back, Moving Forward: ALT M25 Summer Meeting

The M25 Summer meeting was held in a hybrid format, both online and in-person at the UCL East Campus on 18 July 2024. You may want to watch the recording of the session again. Let’s review the exciting presentations and interactive activities of the day.

MyPortfolio: A Case Study Supporting the Engineering Foundation Year

The first presentation, delivered by Kat Alston-Cole from UCL Faculty of Engineering, explored the use of MyPortfolio to support students in the Engineering Foundation Year. She shared both challenges and successes in integrating this tool, noting that over time, students developed essential skills in collaging their works using MyPortfolio. She also emphasised the need to improve guidance for students and provide clearer examples of portfolio usage.

A key highlight was the improvement in student confidence, as shown in a survey conducted before and after using MyPortfolio. Students felt significantly more confident after introductory sessions, highlighting the value of hands-on support.

Looking ahead, plans include refining support based on student feedback, improving portfolio appearance, and offering more examples. Further research will assess the long-term impact and identify areas for improvement. This case study initiated a constructive discussion on the importance of adaptability, feedback, and empowerment in successfully adopting portfolio tools in higher education.

Social Media in Learning Technology: Where Did Everyone Go?

Sarah Sherman from the Bloomsbury Learning Exchange (BLE) opened a discussion on the evolving role of social media in learning technology. The presentation started by highlighting the shifts in platforms and user engagement, noting the significant changes in popular platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and the rise of new contenders such as Mastodon and Threads. A poll was conducted to gauge current platform preferences, encouraging attendees to reflect on which tools they are using and how effective they find them.

The session sparked a conversation around the advantages and disadvantages of various platforms, such as LinkedIn for professional networking versus X for rapid, real-time updates. There was a notable discussion about whether recent launches like ChatGPT could transform learning technology beyond social media and how these technologies may promote or hinder access to learning communities.

In the open discussion, participants shared what features were missing in older platforms, what they currently find useful, and what gaps remain in their digital toolkits. Sarah encouraged open dialogue on how social media can better serve learning technology in the future, with particular attention to what works and what doesn’t work for both educators and students.

Academic Alliance: Addressing AI and Assessment Adventures

The third presentation, titled “Academic Alliance: Addressing AI and Assessment Adventures,” was led by Tim Neumann from UCL’s Knowledge Lab, with contributions from Jintong Yan, Zhixin Zhang, Sophie Ho, and Jennifer Seon. This engaging session explored various projects focusing on AI and assessment within the Institute of Education (IOE).

The first project investigated AI-related questions within student dissertations, gathering insights from over 140 participants. The second project involved an AI and Assessment Hackathon, where groups of students and alumni tackled six AI-related assessment briefs over nine days. This challenge aimed to foster collaboration and creative problem-solving among participants from UG and PG.

Finally, the projects culminated in a task where participants presented their findings to senior management at IOE. These presentations were designed to inform future AI policy and assessment strategies within the institution. The co-creation ensures that students’ voice is reflected in the IOE’s institutional strategies.

Lessons learnt snowball and Future cards discussion

On top of professional sharing, there were two interactive activities sparking deeper discussions on the year’s challenges, solutions, and lessons to carry forward. During the “Lessons Learnt Snowball Exercise,” participants jotted down key insights from the 2023/24 academic year on post-it notes and shared them. Examples included reflections on the rising importance of VR in teaching, the good practices in managing the change of VLE, and the value of involving students in decision-making. Others highlighted the need to better understand AI’s role in education and acknowledged that changes, while exciting, can pose challenges.

Participants concluded the day with the “Future Card Activity,” where groups discussed trends shaping the future of UK digital learning. They explored ideas like modular, flexible learning replacing rigid degree structures and the expansion of AI-powered personalised education. Some groups reflected on strategies to bridge digital divides and ensure equal access, while others debated the balance between traditional, research-focused learning and digital innovation. This collaborative exercise encouraged creative thinking about adapting to and thriving in an evolving digital learning landscape.

Purposeful UX: From Assumptions to Solutions That Matter: ALT M25 Winter Meeting

The ALT M25 Winter Meeting took place on 18 November 2024 at Chelsea College of Arts. The event focused on UX/UI design in education and how research can improve digital learning.

KCL Integrating Empathy into UX Design

The King’s College London (KCL) UX team, led by Rachel Brown, Andrea Amato, Helena Futerman, and Juliana Matos, delivered a workshop on integrating empathy into UX design. They introduced their approach to improving digital learning applications through user research and iterative testing. The session covered key UX methodologies, including the System Usability Scale (SUS) for usability assessment and empathy mapping to understand user needs and frustrations. Participants explored how data collection, interviews, and student profiles help shape more intuitive learning experiences.

The workshop then introduced “How Might We” (HMW) questions to reframe challenges into actionable design opportunities, followed by Crazy 4s, a rapid ideation method. The team also discussed testing design assumptions to ensure solutions align with real user needs. The session concluded with reflections on practicing empathy in UX, reinforcing the idea that great design starts with deeply understanding users.

UAL’s UX Journey to a Consistent Course Template

Ben Kammerling and Rebecca Cheng from the University of the Arts London shared their approach to creating a consistent Moodle course template. They used the Triple Diamond UX process, including interviews, usability testing, and data analysis, to identify problems like inconsistent page designs and navigation challenges.

The new template, used in 120 courses, has received positive feedback for its simplicity and accessibility. However, issues like finding resources and submitting assignments still need improvement. UAL plans to address these problems through surveys and further testing.

HyFlex and Classroom Technology at Birkbeck

Adele Cushing from Birkbeck, University of London, shared how they are using HyFlex teaching to support in-person and online students equally. HyFlex classrooms include advanced touchscreens and flexible layouts to help students collaborate and participate, no matter where they are.

The HyFlex pilot has shown promising results, but challenges remain. Adele highlighted the need for better support for hybrid participation and smoother technology integration. Future work will expand the use of HyFlex while addressing these challenges.

Lesson learnt

The ALT M25 Winter Meeting provided useful insights into UX and digital education. The presentations and discussions showed how thoughtful design and research can improve learning experiences for students and educators.

Did you enjoy reading this? To become a member of our community, see Membership details here https://www.alt.ac.uk/membership

By AmplifyFE

The Future Teacher network organises monthly webinars aimed at supporting the sharing of great ideas for accessible digital teaching across the tertiary sector. These webinars regularly attract over 100 attendees. They are recorded and captioned with all resources made available through our Xerte platform; covering topics such as using rich media, learning analytics and open educational resources. 

The original Future Teacher project was an international European project funded for two years and that funding ended in 2019. However, the UK team, all experienced educators, valued the enthusiasm of the community that evolved so much that from 2019 to present it has been run on a voluntary basis and the team of volunteers has doubled in size, making us more sustainable. 

What is unique about the community?

From the beginning, we aimed to do things differently. We’ve tried to build the project on an important and valued set of principles:

Pragmatism – prioritising practices that demonstrably work and can be replicated without big budgets or specialist skills.
Cross sector – aiming to be as relevant to both Further and Higher Education.
Openness – entirely open educational resources.  We have used Xerte toolkits (open source) to create the resources. You can even import our resources into your own Xerte installations and adapt them as needed.
Accessibility – digital accessibility is a core value. We’re on the same journey as anyone else and often limited by similar constraints but we’re always mindful of maximising accessibility within our constraints.
Community – a mailing list of over 800 members, a core of regulars and all sessions recorded (with nearly 7,500 YouTube views in total).
Humanity – for the last 5 years, Future Teacher has run as a passion project by a (growing) group of volunteers. We share the desire to humanise technology. Ethics are high on the agenda – whether accessibility, inclusion, copyright or AI – and we love to showcase unknown innovators and get the student perspective direct from student contributors..
Nurture – some of our early attendees grew into early presenters and are now respected experts in their own right. 

Our monthly webinars deal with topics relevant to accessible, inclusive teaching with digital tools. All are recorded and made available with subtitles on our You Tube account and embedded within our Xerte open access resource. Take a look and click to open the topics list – you will uncover many resources which can save you time and support your teaching. 

1. Online learning – what works?

2. The Flipped Classroom

3. Knowing what they know

4. Collaborative teaching and learning

5. Strategies to support reading

6. Strategies to support writing

7. Self assessment and mastery learning

8. Social media for teaching and learning

9. Inclusive Practice

10. Rich Media 1 – Images

11. Rich Media 2 – Audio

12. Rich Media 3 – Video

13. Getting savvy with digital tools

14. Designing appropriate assessments

15. Designing for technology enhanced programmes

16. Designing and creating online learning activities and resources

17. WWW – the wonderful world of webinars

18. OER and Open Source

19. Learning Analytics (for mere mortals.

What next? Get involved!

Everyone is welcome to join the FutureTeacher community.

We are always on the look-out for potential speakers. If any of the following apply please get in touch via the Jiscmail mailing list or fill in your offer on our call for speakers form. 

• You are a practitioner and you’ve focused on one or more of the above themes in your practice and have some reflections to share. This could be a good opportunity to gather evidence for professional portfolios.
• You support and develop teaching colleagues and one or more of them is doing excellent work in one of the above themes and deserves wider recognition. 
• You support a community of practice and you are looking for opportunities to take good practices to a wider audience.
• Your institution does great work but it’s not widely known and you’re looking for a chance to remedy that.

Additionally, our presenters are awarded a Future Teacher open badge in recognition of their contribution to the community which can be shared on your website or social media – wherever you have a professional online presence. Why not add to your portfolio of evidence of professional activity? 

Join our LinkedIn group Follow us on Bluesky

Thanks for reading this AmplifyFE post! AmplifyFE is a strategic partnership between ALT and the Ufi VocTech Trust. AmplifyFE connects over 3000 professionals in Further Education and Vocational Education, providing a strong networking community to share, collaborate and learn. We connect innovators, industry and educators, therefore, AmplifyFE posts may include contributions with a commercial focus. AmplifyFE’s posts are included on the #altc blog to support networking, collaboration and sharing. For more information, please check AmplifyFE’s dedicated submission guidelines.

The #altc blog submission guidelines detail who can post and the type of posts accepted to this blog.

We have doubled the size of our ALT CoOL SIG Communications Group. Read on to learn more about the people behind the news bulletin and social media pages.

Hannah Crago – University of Essex –
Email | LinkedIn | Bluesky

Hi, I’m Hannah, and I work as the Open Research Development Librarian at the University of Essex. I am also a member of the Alt CoOL SIG committee, and am part of two subgroups: Education and Learning, and Communications.

As part of the Communications group, we send out the monthly news bulletins and run the Alt CoOL SIG social media pages. We’re always happy to hear new ideas for content, so get in touch if you have anything to share.

In my role at the University of Essex, I manage our Research Services Team, which includes training and support for researchers, open access publishing, our institutional Repository, the Essex Student Journal, and generally advocating for Open Research across the University of Essex and beyond. I’ve worked at Essex for 8 and a half years now in various different roles, and that time has flown by!

I got into copyright in a previous role within our reading lists team, where I coordinated our digitisation service. My involvement with copyright is now more around publishing, CC licences, and Rights Retention, but I am still regularly in conversation with the reading list team about CLA licences, copyright exceptions, etc. I also created a copyright game a few years ago alongside a previous colleague Katrine Sundsbø. The game is called Copyright Dough, and you can find it on Figshare, and read more about it in our article.

Deborah Ferns – University of Strathclyde  

Hi I’m Deborah and I have been working at University of Strathclyde since 2018 where I currently work as Copyright & Licensing Compliance Manager responsible for producing copyright guidance and training for staff and students, answering copyright enquiries and managing the University’s CLA/NLA/ERA and PRS for Music licences. I also act as Data Protection/FOI and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion contact for the Information Services Directorate.

My biggest challenge is probably communicating the importance of copyright to staff and students in an accessible way and ensuring that copyright law doesn’t become a barrier to teaching, learning and research.  In have been an Officer of the ALT CoOL SIG since its inception and being able to access this community of practice and share idea helps me meet this challenge.

I developed my interest in copyright while working for JISC Legal and have previously worked as Contracts Officer for the Oil & Gas Innovation Centre (OGIC) hosted at Heriot-Watt University and prior to working within Higher Education spent more than a decade working in commercial contracts in the biotechnology and telecoms software industries.

Nikisha Stanton – Defence Academy of the United Kingdom

Hey there! I’m Nikisha Stanton, and I work as a Copyright Officer and Marketing Lead at the Hobson Library, Joint Services and Command Staff College. I am new to Alt CoOL SIG, and I am very excited to be involved with this community and gain further insight into this profession. With a BA (hons) in drama, my start in the information profession may seem unconventional, but my degree and subsequent training have been incredibly beneficial.

In my current role, I focus on processing and raising awareness of copyright throughout the college, while also continuously developing our library marketing. Over the past three years, my training has given me the confidence to delve into topics within copyright that truly interest me. I am eager to expand my knowledge in copyright literacy and AI. I look forward to connecting with more of you in this community!

Shazia Arif – Brunel University of London – Email LinkedIn Bluesky

Hello, I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the Academic Liaison Librarian for Health Sciences and Medicine at Brunel, University of London. I have recently joined the ALT COoL SIG Communications subgroup but have been a member of the committee since it was set up and previously contributed to the Events Planning subgroup. I am looking forward to working with the Communications team members to publicise and promote the work of the committee.

In my current role at Brunel, I am the lead liaison librarian for Health Sciences and Medicine. Brunel Medical School (BMS) was established in 2022 and it provided me with a fantastic opportunity to work in partnership with academic colleagues to ensure its success. BMS is using many innovative teaching methods such as Team-based Learning (TBL) and it has been great fun to develop the materials for these sessions for my information and digital literacy sessions.

I am also the lead for doctoral researcher development and run a range of workshops and webinars ranging from the use of social media for academic purposes, AI tools for literature searching, designing academic posters and presentation skills.

 My interest in copyright matters developed over the past five years, as I became the copyright contact for BMS subject matter experts and content developers. As this became a more significant part of my role, I welcomed the opportunity to network with librarian peers and work with the committee to raise awareness of copyright issues and also my own knowledge.

Keep up-to-date with ALT CoOLSIG via our new Bluesky and LinkedIn accounts.

The first webinar on AI and Digital Assessment went well on 21 January 2025. There were 91 attendees on the day and 230 subsequent views on YouTube. Most of the participants were from UK institutions, from lecturer, learning technologists, and professional services roles. The webinar was chaired by Gemma Westwood and hosted on Class Collaborate. A recording of the webinar is available on YouTube.

To regulate or not to regulate? Finding the balance for Generative AI and digital assessments
In this talk, Alison Gibson described the challenges universities faced in 2023 when generative AI suddenly arrived, and shared their journey from taking generative AI as a scary unknown, to a business-as-usual tool in University of Birmingham from a policy making perspective. This talk outlines the process of building and refining regulations for generative AI and teaching, learning and assessment, and how keeping academic GenAI literacy as the focus allows us to meet people at their point of need. The highlight is how they have influenced University regulations to include the need for students to be able to use Generative AI in their study.

Generative AI and the Future of Digital Assessments: Shifting Focus, Leading Change
Nurun Nahar How has generative AI transformed the landscape of digital assessments, and is it catalysing a shift from focusing on the ‘product’ of assessment to emphasising the ‘process’? Moreover, is this technology nudging institutions to move away from heavily weighted summative assessments toward more frequent, formative, and feedback-rich digital solutions? This talk explored these challenging questions, shedding light on how educational institutions can embrace generative AI to innovate and align assessment practices with evolving learning demands. Nurun shared her experience of shifting the assessment paradigm from product focused summative assessments to process oriented, formative and feedback rich approaches. She emphasised collaborations and building communities to establish examples of good practice in this space. Her example of using a Custom GPT trained as a Socratic Partner to provide feedback on summative coursework drafts attracted interest during discussions.

Artificially Enhanced Assessment – Transforming Evaluation and Feedback
Dr. Lisa Bradley took a step back and looked at the current problems faced by many university staff in a big picture since the Covid 19 pandemic. She summarised it as an issue of “Trust” – trust has broken down between staff and students. The relationship without trust has negative consequences. How do we change the relationship in a world where Generative AI is changing the way we assess and evaluate student learning?
In this engaging talk, Lisa explores the conversations, practices and concerns around the transformative potential of AI technologies to determine the authenticity of assessments and the need for clearer institutional guidance. She recommends assessment reform to be adopted with staff engaging with students in co-design.

Q&A Highlights

The Vevox Word Cloud
During this webinar, we also asked the participants to use three words to describe “the single largest challenge facing digital assessment currently at your institution”, here is a Word Cloud diagram with the top three words being:

• AI & Generative AI
• Authenticity
• Consistency

“Getting to know the Antiracism & Learning Tech SIG Officers” is a blog series by scholar and former ARLT SIG Chair, Dr Teeroumanee Nadan, to provide visibility to ARLT SIG officers who undertake this role in a voluntary capacity and to highlight the importance of antiracism work in the sector. It is a celebration of how ARLT SIG officers have grown in this role! 

In this blog, we introduce Roshni Bhagotra, Events Officer of ARLT SIG and Senior Digital Learning coordinator in the teaching and learning exchange at the University of the Arts London.

Tell me a bit about your educational and work background? 

My background is primarily in the arts, which has been a big influence to my educational and work background. I’ve worked in arts education for just over 10 years and have held varied roles within the sector ranging from audio visual technician, lecturer, outreach facilitator and digital education specialist. I also have a creative practice which is mostly sound, radio, installation, performance and moving image focused, where I regularly experiment with digital and analogue technologies. Much of my research also surrounds sound, storytelling and new media processes, questioning the role of the researcher and editor as an agent for storytelling and change. 

What is your interest in ARLT SIG? 

I’m interested in the ARLT SIG as I believe the conversations surrounding inclusivity and anti racism in pedagogy and practice are often not present within digital education spaces. I’m interested in learning from others as well as sharing knowledge and experience with the ARLT SIG and the like minded team of colleagues to support a more inclusive and anti-racist experience for those working in and also experiencing digital education design.  

What motivates you to undertake your role as Events Officer in ARLT SIG? 

A key motivation for me is advocating for the importance of the message and learnings that are part of ARLT SIG events. As an educator it’s important and very motivating to be part of a team with a shared vision for an important cause in advocating for a more diverse, equitable and inclusive culture. I’m interested in giving voice to the people and experiences that are often overlooked and move towards facilitating a culture of inclusion and acceptance.  

What have you learnt so far in your journey in the ARLT SIG committee? 

It’s been a great journey so far, getting to know everyone and understanding the different roles we all have alongside the workings of the ARLT SIG. A big learning for me so far has been getting to know the breadth and variety of how inclusive practices are experienced across different educational sectors. 

What are you doing to improve things within ARLT SIG, ALT and the wider community in terms of antiracism & learning technologies? 

I’ve been mostly focusing on organising events in response to our communities needs in the sector. I’ve also been connecting with other institutions and colleagues who are specialists in different areas of antiracism as well as learning technology specific areas, aiming to bring diverse and broader conversations surrounding antiracism and learning technologies to the ARLT SIG.   

Since you joined in 2024, what has your journey in ARLT SIG been like so far? 

It’s been a great journey. I’ve learnt a lot and have also been able to connect with other like minded colleagues across different educational sectors through events and catch ups and also understand how different types of education and pedagogy can exist and support learners. It’s been great to work towards an important and much needed area in the HE sector! 

Check out the ARLT SIG webpage | ARLT SIG blogs | ARLT SIG resources 

To join ARLT SIG, subscribe to our JISC mailing list 

By Digital Assessment Special Interest Group

The Digital Assessment SIG is calling for speakers for its next webinar titled “Creating Digital Assessments: planning, conceptualising and supporting”, which will be held online on 25 March 2025 from 10:00 AM until 11:30 AM GMT. 

We are particularly looking for speakers who are able share:

• Examples of how they plan, conceptualise, or support digital assessment creation
• Examples of co-creation of digital assessments with students
• Examples of planning for authentic/ innovative digital assessments (eg. use of AI, gamification etc)
• Insight into/ examples of digital tools that have impacted the support for creating digital assessments
• Action/empirical research completed under the webinar theme.
• Case studies on the use of digital tools to plan, conceptualise or support the creation of digital assessments

Please note when covering the term digital assessments, the SIG is happy to review submissions that refer to all assessment types including but not limited to; summative, formative and examination based assessments, so long as digital tools have been applied during the assessment process.

Should you be interested in speaking at this webinar please complete the google form by the 04 March 2025. 

For additional guidance please review the guidance for potential presenters document.”

At ALT we recognise the importance of developing new pathways into our profession, and in September 2023 we announced the first apprenticeship standard endorsed by ALT. This Level 5 apprenticeship is designed to equip learners with the skills and knowledge needed to become successful digital learning designers. 

We are proud to collaborate with a number of providers, who offer industry-focused training, world-class support, and apprenticeships that accelerate careers and secure futures. This month, as we celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, we invited LDN Apprenticeships Programme Growth Manager, Robert Davis, to participate in our profile series. Robert shares his experience working with the Digital Learning Designer (DLD) apprenticeships and explains how ALT members can get involved.

Robert Davis, Programme Growth Manager, LDN Apprenticeships How are you involved with ALT?

I work for LDN Apprenticeships as the Programme Growth Manager – helping to engage with employers and employees around the new DLD Level 5 apprenticeship standard. We were delighted to launch the Digital Learning Designer programme alongside our partnership with ALT, as the first apprenticeship training provider to deliver the programme in the country!

As LDN Apprenticeships is an Organisational Member of ALT, our DLD Apprentices receive free Associate membership of ALT and we also work with the association to help provide additional learning opportunities for our apprentices and ALT Members.

What do you find exciting about working with the Digital Learning Designer Apprenticeship?

It’s incredible to see so much interest and engagement from so many people, across so many different industries since launching the DLD programme in September 2023. There really is no other apprenticeship like it in terms of both the learning content and curriculum, as well as the passion from apprentices to develop and expand their online learning and e-learning knowledge. It’s been exciting to see it grow and evolve. From being a part of the initial trailblazer group to building and launching the programme, and seeing the DLD Apprenticeship become the success it is today, I have witnessed tremendous growth and achievements. Some of our apprentices on the programme are already receiving recognition for their achievements as well, with many gaining awards and taking up ambassadorial roles across the industry.

An apprenticeship within the digital learning environment has been long overdue and as the very first training provider to offer the programme, it’s something we’re excited to be involved in and proud to be the biggest provider for the programme in the country. I can’t wait to see it develop and go from strength to strength!

What can our members expect day to day, if they were to recruit an apprentice on the DLD programme? How can they get involved?  

The DLD Apprenticeship is created specifically for employees working within the area of online learning so the work they’re doing in the workplace aligns with what they’re learning and the projects they put together as part of the apprenticeship.

DLD Apprenticeships can support ALT members looking to upskill an existing member of their team or those looking to introduce and hire exciting new talent. 

Apprentices will be a part of the DLD Apprenticeship community and through LDN can receive one-to-one guidance from a dedicated Digital Learning Designer Skills Coach. This is supplemented by group Learning Sessions, Masterclasses and Development days, hosted by industry experts to further enhance and develop their understanding and knowledge within the digital learning landscape. Ultimately implementing this back into their role day-to-day and improving productivity and output overall for L&D and digital learning departments.

How do you see the role of apprenticeships evolving in the digital learning landscape?

It’s an interesting time to be working within digital learning as major changes and updates to the online learning world and its function within a business has changed so much in recent years. Since launching the programme in a post-Covid/Lockdown working environment, to the introduction and influence of AI, the Digital Learning Designer apprenticeship has helped employees grasp, understand and implement important shifts within the industry. Our apprenticeship will also need to evolve to reflect trends like this, and we review it regularly to make sure it’s keeping up to date with these changes.

Based on our recent experience and the increasing demand for online learning, I can see apprenticeships playing an increasingly important role in supporting and developing in-house digital learning teams. We’ve already seen companies enjoy huge benefits where apprentices have introduced new systems and practices, often saving the company time and resources, following their work whilst on the programme.

The need to fill skills gaps, build digital learning strategies and grow teams across every single business has made the DLD apprenticeship an integral and crucial part of developing digital learning departments already. With the programme’s immediate success, it would be fantastic to see more entry level apprenticeship standards within the e-learning and digital learning industry. Creating a path for new and diverse talent to start their careers in online learning and be part of an industry that is only going to become more integral to businesses as it continues to grow.

The Department for Education announced that the theme for National Apprenticeship Week 2025 is ‘Skills For Life’. What’s one skill you’ve always wanted to learn and why? 

I have always wanted to learn another language. I have so much appreciation and respect for anyone who can speak more than one language!

What was the last thing you read or watched?

The last thing I watched was Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. David Lynch is one of my favourite directors and have been on a big re-watch of his films and shows since he sadly passed away recently.

If you were on a deserted island, what is the one thing you would take?

I find this question so difficult! Being sensible, I would probably take something that allows me to survive and enjoy as much of my time on a deserted island as possible but in reality, I’d probably take my Nintendo Switch that I’d forget to charge…

If Rob has sparked your interest, explore how to become an Organisational Member or discover more about the Digital Learning Designer Apprenticeship. You can find a comprehensive list of providers here. To get in touch with Rob directly, email him at rob@ldnapprenticeships.com.

Future profiles will feature colleagues involved with Special Interest and Members Groups, CMALT holders and assessors, apprentices and ALT staff. If you are a current member of ALT and would be interested in featuring in an upcoming post or want to recommend someone members would be interested in hearing from, please contact us at blog@alt.ac.uk.

Co-Chair’s Welcome and Update

Welcome to the fourth annual report of the Copyright and Online Learning (CoOL) SIG of the Association of Learning Technology. The CoOL SIG was formed in November 2020 and this report covers the period January to December 2024. We are honoured to continue to act as the co-chairs for this group and the report outlines the achievements of the community over the last 12 months. While the CoOL SIG’s activities have centred on our Copyright and Online Learning webinars we have also worked on other projects and initiatives outlined in more detail below. Things were a bit more low key this year as a result of Chris taking some leave for family reasons, but when we looked back at the end of the year in fact we found quite a lot had happened.

We have continued to see an interest in copyright and online learning at many educational institutions. This year we’ve also seen a continuing interest in copyright and Artificial Intelligence (AI) and ran several more webinars on this topic. We were also pleased to run Icepops in collaboration with Leeds Beckett University, this time as a shorter half day event we called a ‘Pocket Edition’. We were grateful to Liesl Rowe at Leeds Beckett for helping to make it all happen, and Anne-Lise Harding, co-chair of ILG who stepped in to co-chair this event in Chris’s absence.

We were delighted to be re-elected for a second 3-year term as co-chairs. We are also really pleased to welcome several new people onto the committee, as well as saying goodbye to some long standing friends who stepped down. The full committee list appears at the end of this report.

Chris Morrison and Jane Secker ALT CoOL SIG Co-chairs 

Overview of activities 2024

During 2024 the group committee continued to meet regularly (see Appendix 1 for members) and held 3 meetings (March, July and December), including an AGM in July at Icepops 2024 in Leeds. We highlighted several areas of activity for the group and have working groups to coordinate our activities in the following areas:

• Accessibility and copyright – the group continued to meet and keep a watching brief on this topic 
• Copyright education and training resources – In 2024 this group started work on creating a list of copyright good practice they are calling the Copyright Wheel. This work is still ongoing but was presented at Icepops 2024.
• The ALT Ethical framework which was launched in 2021. We maintain a small working group keeping a watching brief on this and feeding into the developments. We ran a webinar on this topic in early 2024 with Natalie Lafferty and Sharon Flynn to explore the overlap between copyright and wider ethical issues.

Report on events Copyright and Online Learning Webinars

• Our webinars continue to be hosted on the ALT YouTube Channel and our website. 
• Number of webinars: 73 in total since March 2020 including 7 webinars held in 2024
• Topics covered included: The ALT ethical framework and copyright, becoming a copyright specialist, third party copyright in research outputs, an introduction to LACA and Highlights of Icepops. In addition we ended the year with our popular Christmas quiz.  

Icepops 2024

The Icepops conference ran at Leeds Beckett University on 8th September 2024 with the theme of ‘Copyright and the Human Being’. The keynote was given by Kyle K Courtney from Harvard University. The presentations and further details are available on the Icepops 2024 website. Over 60 people attended the event and feedback was highly positive. A review of Icepops was written by first time attendees from the University of Dundee, Michael Duncan, Bridget McCall and Kirsty Knowles.

Icepops was supported by the CILIP Information Literacy Group. Tours of Leeds University Library were held on 9th September 2024 and we ran an AGM for the ALT CoOL SIG. Icepops raised a small profit for the CILIP Information Literacy Group who underwrite and support the event, but the costs this year were deliberately kept very low to allow as many delegates as possible to attend.

Fair Dealing week 2024

Our group did not run an event for fair dealing week in 2024 but promoted the events running elsewhere.

Other conferences 

Jane and Chris presented about Copyright and Online Learning and the work of the SIG at a number of external conferences including the following events in 2024: 

• February 2024: ABC Copyright Conference, Canada presenting on Copyright Anxiety in UK and Canadian Higher Education
• February 2024: Research Support Games Event presenting on the Publishing Trap v.2.1
• April 2024: Copyright Essentials for Learning Technologists, ALT CPD webinar
• May 2024: Bodleian Library Staff Development Conference: Ethical and Legal Considerations of Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education

Social Media and Communications 

Following ALT’s decision to leave Twitter, we decided to stop using our Twitter account and set up an ALT CoOL SIG BlueSky account in late 2024 which we are still exploring.

Our JISCmail list which is used to circulate our monthly newsletter on now has 226 members and is used for all group communication. 

We also continue to use LIS-Copyseek (a closed list with over 660 members) to promote our events and also the Copyrightliteracy.org website. The CoOL SIG has a logo, and t-shirts are available to purchase in the ALT Store. 

Collaboration and networking

The group recognises there are many existing groups in the copyright space and so has tried to work in collaboration with as many of these as possible. The organisations include:

• Scottish Confederation of University & Research Libraries (SCURL) – several committee members are also members of the SCURL Copyright and Legal Matters group 
• LACA (Libraries and Archives Coalition) – Chris Morrison is a member of this group and keeps them up to date with ALT CoOL SIG activities.
• Universities UK Copyright Negotiation and Advisory Committee – both Jane and Chris are members of this committee, as is Kate Vasili.
• IFLA – during 2023 an excellent working relationship developed with Matt Voigts the former IFLA Copyright Policy Specialist who runs a Copyright News newsletter. We continue to liaise with IFLA through Stephen Wyber. 

Appendix 1: Committee members

Co-Chairs: Jane Secker (City, University of London) and Chris Morrison (Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford)

Secretary: Kathryn Drumm, (City, University of London)

Marketing and communications officer: Deborah Ferns (University of Strathclyde) and Hannah Crago (University of Essex)

International networking: Kyle Courtney (Harvard University),

Other Officers: Chris Jones (University of Reading), Kate Vasili (Middlesex University), Neil Sprunt (University of Manchester), Erica Wine (Coventry University), Caroline Lloyd (University of Nottingham) Shazia Arif (Brunel, University of London), Bart Meletti (Learning on Screen / University of Glasgow). Neil McCormick (University of Edinburgh) Megan Kilvington, (York St Johns University), Liesl Rowe (Leeds Beckett University). Keziah Gibbs (University of Essex) Nikisha Stanton (Defence Academy)

Written by the Echo360 team

The FE sector, with its diverse range of learners and educational goals, requires innovative and flexible approaches to teaching and learning. Echo360’s e3 Tech Grant program offers FE practitioners and their institutions a unique opportunity to advance equity, engagement, and evidence-based practices using the powerful Echo360 technology platform.

The Echo360 platform offers four main tools that vitalize your teaching, learning, and assessment:

1 – EchoVideo

Create, capture, manage, store, and search video with Echo360’s video solution trusted around the world.

2 – EchoEngage

Elevate learning experiences with polling and gamification from Echo360’s PointSolutions and EchoPoll.

3 – EchoInk

Author, curate, personalize, and distribute interactive content and curricula optimized for mobile in the flow of learning.

4 – EchoExam

Create high-stakes exams in seconds with Echo360’s industry-leading summative assessment solution.

What is the e3 Tech Grant Program?

Echo360, a global leader in learning technologies, offers two distinct grants to support the transformation of FE teaching and learning:

• EchoImpact Grants provide up to £1,637 for research exploring how Echo360’s four Echosystem solutions can improve equity, engagement, and evidence-based teaching practices.
• EchoInnovation Grants offer in-kind support valued at £5,094, providing access to one of Echo360’s advanced tools like EchoInk, EchoVideo, EchoEngage, and EchoExam.

These grants allow FE institutions to integrate Echo360’s LTP — the Echosystem — into diverse learning contexts, enhancing learner engagement and outcomes, particularly in vocational training and adult education.

Why These Grants Matter for Further Education

The e3 Tech Grant program addresses key challenges within the UK FE sector:

• Advancing Equity: The grants support initiatives that break down barriers to accessing a quality education, such as digital disparities and accessibility issues, ensuring all learners have the opportunity to be equally successful in their education.
• Boosting Engagement: Echo360’s tools encourage interactive, video-based learning and adaptive assessments, making education more engaging and collaborative. This is crucial for FE environments where student engagement often directly correlates to success.
• Strengthening Evidence-Based Practices: The EchoImpact Grant enables research into how technology improves learning outcomes. FE educators and researchers can leverage this funding to gather data and contribute to the evidence base on effective teaching methods in the digital age.

How to Apply

FE institutions across the UK and Europe can apply for the e3 Tech Grant by aligning their proposals with their three core impact areas:

1. Equity: Ensure fair access to opportunities for all learners.
2. Engagement: Create strategies for meaningful student participation.
3. Evidence: Develop clear metrics to evaluate and improve teaching effectiveness.

The application process is straightforward, with no fees or purchase requirements. Echo360’s team also offers support and guidance for applicants and can be contacted by emailing grants@echo360.com.

Why Try Action Research with Echo360 Technology?

The e3 Tech Grant offers FE professionals an excellent opportunity to experiment with action research, using the Learning Transformation Platform to assess and improve teaching practices in real time. Whether you’re testing new pedagogical strategies or enhancing learner engagement, these grants provide the resources to drive meaningful change and improve educational outcomes.

If you’re new to practitioner action research, check out the ‘Doing Action Research’ guide written by FE practitioners for FE practitioners. Explore the possibilities today — the e3 Tech Grant program is your pathway to a more inclusive, engaging, and evidence-driven future in FE.

Thanks for reading this AmplifyFE post! AmplifyFE is a strategic partnership between ALT and the Ufi VocTech Trust. AmplifyFE connects over 3000 professionals in Further Education and Vocational Education, providing a strong networking community to share, collaborate and learn. We connect innovators, industry and educators, therefore, AmplifyFE posts may include contributions with a commercial focus. AmplifyFE’s posts are included on the #altc blog to support networking, collaboration and sharing. For more information, please check AmplifyFE’s dedicated submission guidelines.

The #altc blog submission guidelines detail who can post and the type of posts accepted to this blog.

Hello,

I am thrilled to introduce myself as the new Chair of ELESIG. My name is Jess Humphreys, and I am incredibly excited to take on this role within this supportive, collaborative community.

About ELESIG

ALT ELESIG is a community of researchers and practitioners dedicated to investigating learners’ experiences and uses of technology in learning across all education sectors. Originally established in 2008 as the Evaluating Learners Experiences of e-learning Special Interest Group, ELESIG has been advocating for the theory and practice of researching learners’ experiences in the context of technology-enhanced learning. In 2019, ELESIG became a special interest group of ALT, continuing its mission to support and advance this important field.

A Bit About Me

I am the Director of the Warwick International Higher Education Academy (WIHEA) and an Associate Professor at the University of Warwick. WIHEA is committed to leading educational excellence at Warwick by empowering staff and students to forge meaningful connections and vibrant communities. Our goal is to develop, recognise, and embed outstanding learning and teaching practices that enhance student opportunities to ‘learn beyond boundaries.’

Before joining WIHEA, I worked in Academic Development, where I led the institutional professional development of digital education and the Learning Design Consultancy Unit (LDCU) created during the pandemic. The LDCU brought colleagues together from across the institution to share practices and support around blended learning design. Our efforts were recognised with the Advance HE Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE) in 2022.

Throughout my career, the student voice has played a pivotal role in my work. I continually explore new ways to embed the student voice in design, particularly around digital education. I co-lead an initiative at Warwick called Designing Together, which brings staff and students together to design solutions to educational challenges. The Designing Together team was also recognised with the institutional Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence in 2024.

My research interests include student voice in design, the power of communities of practice in transforming education and creating safe collaborative spaces for innovation and scholarship.

My Journey with ELESIG

My journey with ELESIG began in 2010, when I was working in the Library sector. I attended meetings in the Midlands and shared my experiences with colleagues. A change in direction within my career meant that there was a break in my active engagement, but I continued to remain on the Ning group and stay connected with ELESIG. In 2019, I had the opportunity to work with and co-lead the West Midlands group. This included organising and hosting a regional symposium where colleagues gathered to share their experiences of evaluating student experiences of e-learning.

During the pandemic, my involvement in ELESIG changed once again, and I became more involved in the national committee, serving as the secretary for ALT ELESIG from 2020 to 2022. In this role, I supported the transition from Ning to ALT and co-led the pilot Scholar Scheme, providing support for colleagues’ scholarship of TEL.

As Vice-chair of ELESIG from 2022 to 2024, I continued to co-lead work in this area alongside colleagues from ELESIG and beyond. The Scholar Scheme has evolved, with a second iteration taking place in 2023, alongside a research project exploring the opportunities and challenges of the Scholar Scheme. Together with colleagues from ELESIG and beyond, we continue to explore how we can support and celebrate colleagues working in this area.

A New Chapter

It has certainly been a journey, and I am honoured to follow in the footsteps of previous chairs who continue to inspire me. Looking forward, I am excited about this new chapter for ELESIG. Working with Mary and fellow officers, I look forward to new opportunities for connection, collaboration, and conversations. We aim to continue developing opportunities for collaboration, connection, and scholarship around evaluating learners’ experiences of e-learning.

Join ELESIG

If you would like to know more and get involved in ELESIG, do get in touch. To join the Group and stay updated with the latest news and events, subscribe to the ALT ELESIG mailing list or join the conversation with @ELESIG on Twitter. If you would like to get involved in the organisation of the Group and its activities, please let us know by expressing your interest.

Looking forward to connecting with you!

By Caroline Bearpark, University of Sunderland in London

The Context

In this post, we’re going to introduce you to a project that the Digital Learning team at the University of Sunderland in London delivered to improve our student’s digital skills, both for study and employment.

Like many other universities, students at University of Sunderland in London often lack the digital skills required for study, and by extension, employment. This was observed and reported to the team by staff from both the academic and Student Services teams. It was often reported that students were unable to use the digital tools required to complete their studies, such as our virtual learning environment (VLE), Canvas, and Microsoft applications. 

In 2022, the Digital Learning team decided to assess and address the issue. The team was primarily staff facing at the time and mainly supported academics in using digital tools for teaching. They are also responsible for the administration of the university’s virtual learning environment (VLE), Canvas, providing training for academic and administrative staff on how to use Canvas, and ensuring the creation of student accounts and modules. The student facing side of the team consisted of employed student digital coaches. An initiative launched in August 2021 – the digital coaches provide support to students with their use of digital tools. 

To kickstart the project, the student digital coaches ran the university’s first ever digital skills survey. Using their first-hand experience with students, they first identified what we needed to know regarding our students’ digital skills. For example, they noticed our students were struggling to use Canvas and aimed to find out why – was it because of a lack of confidence or did they not know about the platform? They then created a questionnaire on Microsoft Forms and distributed this. 

10% of the current student population at the time completed the survey, and it provided us with insights into the digital skills gap for our students. The results of the survey showed that the biggest barriers to using technology for our students are: not having a sufficient internet connection (53%) and lacking the required digital skills (43%). We also found that 24% of respondents require assistance with technology. That is, they don’t know how to use technology or can’t use it with confidence. 

What this also highlighted is that some of our students not only lack the basic digital skills required for study, but also for employment. In the UK where 82% of job openings require basic digital skills (UK Government stats, 2019), this could mean our students would struggle to gain employment after graduation. The Digital Learning team decided that action was needed and proposed training be developed in some form for “all things digital” for our students.

The solution

Our original aim was to co-design an asynchronous module with current students, that prospective students could self-enrol onto and complete to improve their digital skills prior to starting university. The idea behind this was that it would be great if students arrived having already developed the digital skills required for study. We planned for students to complete the Jisc Discovery tool to identify what digital skills they needed to improve and then be offered content to complete based on this. There would be no set time frame as this would depend on the skill level of the student. For example, if they needed to improve their ‘digital wellbeing’ they would be directed to complete learning, such as how to protect your device, aimed at improving this.

We then put the call out for student volunteers to test the module and make suggestions, with the incentive of an Amazon voucher. There was a huge amount of interest and 20 volunteers were selected based on criteria such as how long they had left studying with us and whether they were an engaged student in general. We envisioned the project taking a minimum of 6 months so we wanted to ensure that the students would be at the university for the duration. We aimed to recruit students that were engaged with their studies as we hoped this would mean they were more likely to engage with the project. The volunteers were required to complete the online learning and attend 2 sessions to give feedback and suggestions. But, disappointingly, only 1 of the 20 completed the course.

It was clear to us from this experience that ‘optional’ wasn’t going to work. Based on the fact that we offered an incentive to complete the programme to our volunteers, we felt students wouldn’t engage with or complete the programme if offered as an addition to their academic programme with no incentive. So, we took a different approach: embedding sessions into the students’ timetables. 

We designed a 4-session programme focusing on key digital skills:  Canvas (our VLE), Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, online communication tools (Teams and Outlook), and digital skills awareness (Jisc discovery tool, employability), with sessions typically lasting 90 minutes each. Due to the lack of engagement from students in the co-design process, we decided that we would not co-design these sessions. Instead we used the information gathered from the digital skills survey alongside feedback from our academic team and digital coaches in terms of what students struggle most with to design these sessions ourselves. Once designed, these sessions were then embedded into academic programmes in the first year of study. 

We liaised with 2 programmes initially to deliver this using 4 timetabled workshops. Each of the workshops are led by a member of the Digital Learning team, and for large cohorts the facilitator can enlist support from the student digital coaches. We aim to have 1 member of staff per 25 students. The sessions are delivered in person wherever possible so we can keep them very practical. When available, we use an IT lab for the sessions, and when we can’t use an IT lab, we request students bring their own devices. However, we also have a team laptop trolley which we bring along so students who can’t bring a device can borrow one. 

In the sessions we require students to complete tasks such as:

• Practicing submitting an assignment.
• Creating a PowerPoint presentation about themselves.
• Searching for jobs they’d be interested in applying for and identifying the digital skills and knowledge they’d need based on the job description.

The feedback from the initial sessions was overwhelmingly positive.

 “Overall this program is really fun and interesting as well as really helpful for me. After completely attending the class now I know about my digital proficiency, and I love the friendly environment you provided which makes learning really joyful.” – ACHIEVE Student participant.

In terms of how we could  improve, students suggested more time allocated to the programme. They also wanted the programme to be offered “at the beginning of any course in the university”. So, with this endorsement, we expanded the programme. Named ‘ACHIEVE Students’, it is now offered in just over half of our academic programmes. 

Managing the expanded programme

At the University of Sunderland each member of the Digital Learning team is responsible for a set of academic programmes. At the beginning of each intake, team members will email the academics leading their programmes to confirm which of their timetabled classes will be allocated to ACHIEVE Students. There is flexibility in the offer. The academic leading the programme can decide how many out of the 4 sessions we should deliver. Some programmes have 1 session, others have 4. We have compiled a range of content for the various topics that we can offer. Programme leaders can select content based on the requirements of their programme, for example, prioritising PowerPoint training if students are required to complete a group presentation as part of their assessment. 

Figure: In 2023/4, over 90% of students who complete the ACHIEVE Students programme agreed that all the learning outcomes were met.

The feedback from students who have undertaken the expanded programme has been very good with the learning experience rated 4.7 out of 5 on average. Most importantly, students reported that their digital skills and confidence had improved significantly. 

Figure: Students were asked to rate on a scale of 1 – 10 how much they felt their digital skills and confidence had improved since completing ACHIEVE Students. They rated this 8.3 on average.

What else?

There are a couple of challenges that remain. In terms of metrics, Student satisfaction, as shown on the feedback collected, is great, but is it enough?  One potential issue is that the skills improvement is self-reported. However, because of the practical nature and the design of the workshops,  the team can assess themselves in person the growth in students’ confidence with technology. The team is now looking for other ways to assess impact of the programme in other metrics, such as NSS results or submission rates.

Moreover, the digital skills support we are offering doesn’t address the gaps in access to technology and connectivity. Increasing the number of long-term laptop loans and other relevant initiatives that support access for students, in conjunction with the IT department, for example, will help ensure as a university we respond collectively to our students’ needs.

The Digital Learning Team’s aim is to continue expanding the programme. We hope that soon it will be a standard aspect of all academic programmes. 

With recent research indicating that over half (54%) of the UK labour force do not have essential digital skills (Future Dot Now, 2024, report available here: https://futuredotnow.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/FutureDotNow-roadmap_final-digital.pdf) we feel programmes like this are vital. Not only for enabling students to be able to study effectively, but also in helping them to stand out when applying for jobs. We hope that they will proudly mention the digital skills they have gained on their CV and LinkedIn. And that this sets them apart from other candidates. 

Did you enjoy reading this? To become a member of our community, see Membership details here https://www.alt.ac.uk/membership

By Katie Stripe, Imperial College London.

This post is the fourth of a series based on the Animated Inclusive Personae (AIP) project which, at its heart, is about creating digital personae that genuinely represent the diversity of our students. The first post was about generating inclusive images, the second about the language that is used in the EDI space, and the third about how these characters can be used to represent disability, visible or otherwise. This post will be about how three new characters have been developed and deployed in a tool to help new students adapt to the high maths content of their STEM courses. 

As part of a partnership project between the AIP team, the maths department and three students representing Mathematics, Civil Engineering, and Life Sciences we have developed a catalogue that matches the maths curriculum of all year one programmes with a wide range of internet resources to help students fill in gaps, bridge language barriers, or find resources that might be better suited to their preferences or circumstances. The purpose of the project was ultimately to address the issue of prerequisite knowledge as we know that with such a diverse student body it is impossible to know what each individual student has been taught as part of their school maths curriculum. More information on the catalogue and its development can be found on the Animated Inclusive Personae webpages.

This catalogue used personae throughout the design and development phases to help present the information in a way that would meet the needs of the students and the final output has the characters which were created embedded in it, as well as then being part of the promotion and marketing of the tool. 

The process of developing personae for this catalogue very much mirrored the development of the AIP project as a whole, whereby personae started as a user experience tool for the development of Attributes and Aspirations and became integral to the programme and embedded throughout. 

Three-character outlines were developed to represent the major student ‘types’ that we believed the catalogue should target. Those were the international student who did not study A-levels and/or studied in another language, the neurodivergent student who may benefit from resources in multiple formats, and the student who does not have an A-level in Further Maths (Further Maths in only a requirement for our maths programmes; however, many programmes assume a higher level of knowledge than is typical in A-Level mathematics)  

With these student archetypes in mind the student partners developed a catalogue to present information that would be valuable to them. The use of the personae however did not stop there, using the resources of the AIP project the students developed these archetypes into full characters matching the other animated personae and they are now able to carry out a crucial role within the catalogue. Which is to explain to student users why they are using it, how they are using it, and what the benefits are for them in such a way as to normalize difficulties that they may have and, in effect, give our students permission to use this resource to help them in whatever way they need it to. 

These three personae were developed specifically for this project and were designed to meet the needs of the students who would be most likely to use it. However, they also present an excellent case study on how they can be developed to represent the depth of interest and intersectionality of students. As part of his biography Ahmir shares his work with a charity run through the student union and his persona is now being used to promote that charity and the work that they do. Elena has been used by the Careers Service to present information on part-time work and her biography was developed so she has two exemplar CVs to help students maximize their academic and work-based skills for job applications. The reverse is also possible, personae developed for other uses can be expanded and used for new projects. Rachel, originally developed for the Attributes and Aspirations programme, also features in the catalogue as a student partner. Her persona was further developed to help students applying for StudentShapers (the partnership programme that developed this catalogue) by providing an example application with feedback. Her narrative then sees her successful in applying for the team that developed this catalogue and she is now used to show a different aspect of the student experience within this project. 

These characters are continually developing and becoming involved in activities as part of their studies and beyond. Hopefully, they will also continue to do so and to help show our students as individuals with motivations, frustrations, and interests including and as well as their studies.

As the new year begins, many of us are setting professional development goals for 2025. To give you some inspiration and ideas, we’re excited to share our next profile series post, featuring Fiona Jones, ALT’s Professional Development Manager.

Fiona manages ALT’s growing professional development services, which enhance professional recognition for Members, including ALT’s Awards, accreditation scheme, and continuing professional development activities. In this interview, Fiona shares insights on how ALT’s resources can help you achieve your professional development resolutions this year.

How has ALT been important to your career? 

I am really lucky I stumbled across ALT all those years ago, and I am so grateful that I get to do the job I do, and work with the people I do. I started at ALT as an Administration Officer six years ago, and with ALT’s dedication to CPD and staff development, I now work as ALT’s Professional Development Manager. I love working with our Member community, who are always so friendly and welcoming. 

What do you find exciting about working with learning technology?

Working very closely with CMALT, I am very privileged to be able to get a really detailed look at what our Members are working on, and how they are applying new technologies into their current practice/workplace. It’s so insightful to see how current trends and topics develop, and bend and change the industry. 

What can current and potential CMALT holders look forward to in 2025? 

There is so much going on in the CMALT world for 2025! I am so excited that we will be celebrating our first CMALT week in just a few months.

CMALT Week will run from 28 April 2025 to 2 May 2025 and will feature a whole host of CMALT themed events and content. Highlights include one to one sessions with assessors for personalised portfolio support, various webinars that dive deep into different aspects of CMALT, and a plethora of blog posts and social content to keep you inspired and informed.

Additionally, we’ve revamped our CMALT submission process for 2025. We’re now accepting submissions year round as part of our pilot programme, and we’re eager to receive feedback from both assessors and candidates on this new approach.

Can you tell us more about the CPD that ALT offers and how it supports members’ professional growth?

ALT provides numerous CPD opportunities specifically designed to support members in setting and achieving their professional development goals. Here’s a breakdown:

CMALT: Our Certified Membership offers a structured framework to help members set clear goals for their professional development. By pursuing a CMALT certification, members can create and follow a personalised pathway for growth. For those looking to further enhance their CPD, becoming a CMALT assessor is a rewarding option. This role not only helps members gain deeper insights into best practices but also hones their evaluative and mentoring skills, supporting their own professional development.  A lot of our Certified Members find this a really worthwhile and rewarding activity.

Awards: Our longstanding ALT Awards showcase the excellent research and practice and outstanding achievement of our Members. The 2025 ALT Awards will be open for entries soon, so keep an eye out for more news. 

Monthly CPD Webinar Series: Our monthly webinars cover a wide range of relevant topics, providing members with ongoing learning opportunities. By participating in these webinars, members can stay updated on industry trends and continue to develop new skills and knowledge throughout the year. We have some really interesting topics coming up for 2025, and you can find out more here.

Other Activities: Engaging with our Member Groups, Special Interest Groups, Committees, and ALT Events offers endless opportunities for professional development. These platforms enable members to network, share knowledge, and collaborate on projects, fostering a community-driven approach to goal setting and achievement. 

These CPD opportunities are tailored to help members achieve continuous growth and advancement in their careers.

What makes the ALT Awards unique, and why should members consider entering them?

The ALT Awards have set a benchmark for outstanding achievement in Learning Technology on a national scale and attract competitive entries from the UK and internationally. All entries are reviewed by an independent judging panel made up of previous winners, partner organisations, and volunteer members. 

Often, Members who do exceptional things don’t take the time to reflect or celebrate them. This is one of the things the Awards are useful for, to reflect and acknowledge your achievements in your everyday. 

What was the last thing you read or watched?

The Traitors! I am a new convert to this, having had the first two series completely pass me by, but I am hooked. So much so, I may go and rewatch the first two series once this drama of series three is over.

If you were on a deserted island, what is the one thing you would take?

Assuming I didn’t need any survival/rescue equipment, I would take my collection of board games!

We hope you enjoyed hearing from one of our team members. If this post has inspired you to set new professional development goals, ALT’s resources are here to help you achieve them. Learn more about CMALT, our upcoming CPD Webinars, and explore our upcoming events.

Future profiles will feature colleagues involved with Special Interest and Members Groups, CMALT holders and assessors, apprentices and ALT staff. If you are a current member of ALT and would be interested in featuring in an upcoming post or want to recommend someone members would be interested in hearing from, please get in touch with us at blog@alt.ac.uk.

By Christophe Mallet (CEO and Co-founder of Bodyswaps) and Colin Smith (Bodyswaps user and FE practitioner at Cornwall College).

Have you ever thought about utilising immersive learning to bring your lessons to life? Bodyswaps interactive lessons and practice exercises with avatars offer a dynamic way to learn. These lessons simulate real-life scenarios sessions, enabling learners to apply their knowledge in a controlled environment. Engaging with avatars allows learners to practice their skills without the pressure of real-world consequences.

Bodyswaps provides a psychologically safe experience which is beneficial for meaningful learning. This way of working encourages learners to understand different viewpoints, promoting empathy and comprehension with their peers. 

By providing a secure space for exploration, learners are more inclined to take risks and fully engage with the content without the risk of triggering or offending any individual they interact within the VR space.

The AI-powered feedback and personalised improvement plans give the learner a personal and customised set of guidance so they can learn by their mistakes and improve the more they use the product. This technology evaluates performance data to offer precise, actionable feedback. Consequently, learners benefit from a tailored learning experience that meets their individual needs and supports their progress effectively.

Do’s and Don’ts of Deploying Immersive Learning 

Some tried and tested learning points from a practitioner who has utilised immersive learning (inc. BodySwaps) and supported teachers to use these technologies seamlessly within their learning spaces:

1. Immersive learning through VR can transform educational experiences, but it requires careful planning.

2. Start by identifying the key objectives and outcomes you want to achieve. Engage stakeholders early to gain their support and address concerns. Demonstrating VR’s potential benefits through pilot programs which can build buy-in. 

3. If this is not possible due to the college having multiple campuses, look to find staff who could become ambassadors and get them to help you move it forward a step at a time.

4. Ensure you have the necessary hardware, software, and technical support. 

5. Avoid common pitfalls like overestimating ease of integration or underestimating training time.  Training educators and staff on VR tools is essential, and maybe a VR Driving licence is something that can be explored as CPD.

6. Regularly assess VR’s impact on learning outcomes and be ready to adjust as needed.

Book onto Chris and Colin’s webinar on the 31st January 2025 to find out more. If you miss it, don’t worry! You can always watch it in your own time via the AmplifyFE Community Space playlist.

By Denise Sweeney, University of Nottingham

What is great about working on international collaborative projects is firstly you get to meet new people from across the world, and secondly how you get to learn a lot from these new professional acquaintances and experiences which in turn enhances/influences your own professional practice way beyond the life of the project.

On the success of the ALT ELESIG Scholar Scheme, we were invited to become part of the Digi:Đổi Consortium a British Council funded project. Our participation in this project has been for nearly two years and in that time, I’ve been involved in supporting the group mentoring aspect of the project. What has been good about this was having the opportunity to meet Vietnamese higher education colleagues grappling with digital transformation both in person and online. This involved being part of synchronous MS Teams meetings where colleagues presented their digital transformation projects to seek advice and mentoring. We were very lucky to have simultaneous translation through these sessions which meant I was able to give both verbal and written feedback which was a great way for projects to further pursue their aims through this ‘just in time’ feedback.

This also involved in person/hybrid workshops where again feedback was provided through simultaneous translation and digital facilitators. These experiences culminated in my visit to Ho Chi Minh city for just over a week in late 2024 to participate in the two-day showcase event. What was lovely to see was the variety of projects that were presented and the experiences that people shared about their learnings. It was great to meet people that I had met online in person. I cannot fault the hospitality of the project team and their support and enthusiasm of helping the whole UK Digi:Đổi Consortium contingent to feel welcome. We were able to produce quality work during our visit as a result.

It was great to meet new colleagues whilst I was there and hopefully some of those relationships will continue and develop over time. Being part of this project has been such a great opportunity to see how we can improve the ALT-ELESIG Scholar Scheme going into 2025.

As being part of this project, I have had to reflect on how effective mentoring and group mentoring strategies might be and how this can be better supported for those who might struggle. It was something that some of the project colleagues in Vietnam grappled with and I think there is a cultural conceptual challenge around notions of expert and novice and the power dynamics. Can novices actually learn from each other through group mentoring? In the digital transformation context where we are all professionals with expertise but maybe novices in the digital landscape. How can we mutually support and mentor ourselves?

I was really impressed to see at the showcase a large number of women presenting on digital transformation and that was across a range of women from senior to junior academics and HE administrative and support staff. Also, the number of collaborative projects where people were helping each other solve their digital transformation challenges collaboratively. I was really impressed with the quality of the projects as well as diverse use of digital transformation resources that we had shared with them and how then they made those resources useful to their context. What is interesting around Vietnam from a higher education perspective is the fact that there a range of different HE providers. There are a number of private universities and foreign universities there as well and international partnerships with not only the UK but also Australia and the US. So, there is a real variance in the size and type of institutions. Then geography brings up lots of issues especially when you’re thinking of digital transformation there is a lot of unique features of particular geographical areas, and it goes beyond just reliable Wi-Fi access to unequal access to resources and funding due the variance in institutions. Thus, in this project, there was not a one-size-fits-all digital transformation approach.

Whilst I was in Ho Chi Minh city, I noticed that there was a real thirst for non-credit bearing digital transformation professional development experiences. I think there’s a gap in the market for ‘just in time’ professional development that might lead to a digital badge for example or some kind of recognition of participation. This was something that more than one colleague brought up

As someone who grew up in the antipodes where I worked quite closely with Vietnamese refugees in a previous career it was good to see Vietnam is open to all different types of pedagogical input beyond the Anglosphere. The fact that colleagues were working with Finnish or Hungarian academics or were working with other international aid organisations it was really encouraging to see and areas for new learning for us.

Being part of the Digi:Đổi Consortium project was a really wonderful experience for ELESIG members and I wish everyone that was part of the project good wishes in future projects and collaborations.

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The ALT South group, your regional friendly network for the Association for Learning Technology (ALT) members and beyond, continues to champion the integration of cutting-edge technologies into higher and further education settings. Building on our commitment to exploring the evolving landscape of Generative (GenAI) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in education, over the past year we have hosted some insightful webinars that focussed on the latest developments and practical applications of GenAI/AI tools in teaching and learning.

In May 2023, we ended the previous year with discussions on the impact of AI on education and this last year too the number of developments in this area mean we continue to focus on even more AI developments to meet the needs of our audience (you). Recognising the rapid advancements and growing interest in GenAI / AI technologies, we have dedicated ourselves to providing a platform for educators and technologists to share knowledge, experiences, and best practices. Let’s take a recap of what we did and also look into future events that we have planned for you. 

One of the sessions we organised was from Dr. Isabel Fischer, an advocate for ethical AI integration and  Dr. Niharika Gupta, a data scientist and software developer. Dr. Fischer has a wealth of experience in leading technology projects and focuses on promoting fairness and democratization in education through AI. Dr. Gupta offers practical insights into AI’s applications in education, emphasizing the enhancement of teaching practices through technology. The speakers introduced the concept of the “Pedagogic Paradigm 4.0,” highlighting AI’s potential to transform education by fostering partnerships between educators, students, and AI tools. They emphasized that AI can address perceived weaknesses in current educational practices, such as providing timely formative feedback and ensuring fairness in assessments. They stressed that AI should not be a standalone tool but embedded within existing pedagogical frameworks. By acknowledging students’ familiarity with technology and positioning educators as experts and facilitators, they can inspire students to explore AI’s potential responsibly. The webinar showcased various AI tools and their applications in teaching as a nice bonus. Dr. Gupta showcased the art of crafting effective prompts to obtain desired outputs from AI models like ChatGPT, emphasising that mastering this skill can lead to more meaningful and accurate results. The speakers acknowledged the limitations of AI, including biases in data, ethical considerations, and the need for equity and accessibility. They emphasised the importance of using AI ethically, particularly concerning academic integrity and data privacy. As always the webinar trigger some great discussion exploring AI Limitations and how to get GenAI to generates outputs to use it effectively through prompt-based inputs or conversational exchanges. Audience and presenters shared concerns about ensuring that all students should have equal access to GenAI tools.

Next it was Dr. Samantha Penrice and Tomasso Bendoni who provided a comprehensive overview of Natural Language Processing (NLP), and AI concept, explaining how it bridges the gap between human language and computer understanding. They shared a pioneering project on using NLP to detect gender bias in social media interactions, aligning with International Women’s Week themes. Our very own Lucinda also shared insights from her collaborative project on computer-assisted qualitative analysis, highlighting the synergy between human expertise and AI tools. Dr. Penrice explained the complexities of human language and how NLP enables computers to process and interpret linguistic data. Key concepts covered included word classification, stemming, and machine learning techniques used in NLP. Tomaso showcased his research on utilizing NLP techniques to identify and analyse gender bias on Twitter, focusing on interactions with male and female tennis players. His findings revealed subtle differences in sentiment and thematic content, offering insights into societal biases present in social media discourse. The webinar fostered engaging dialogues among participants, who raised pertinent questions and shared insights on the implications of using AI to analyze sensitive data and the potential for reinforcing biases and its accessibility.

In other news, the chair of the group, since becoming a visiting Professor at Faculty of Engineering, McGill University Canada, has been making connections with friends of the group working in learning design in Canada. We expect to bring their work to the group at a suitable point in time in near future. 

What lies ahead

These recent webinars underscore ALT South’s ongoing dedication to exploring emerging technologies and their role in education. The incessant developments within the field of GenAI and AI, means that we will be focussing on the effectiveness and trustworthiness of these technologies within contexts such as teaching, learning, assessments and research. We recognise the importance of staying abreast of new tools as well as focus on their efficacy and effectiveness. Our webinars will serve as a platform for educators to share experiences, challenges, and strategies for integrating GenAI / AI into their practice ethically and effectively alongside seeking opportunities to evaluate and generate evidence that sheds more light on the efficacy and effectiveness of the same. We are planning to offer a hands-on sessions to develop proficiency in using GenAI tools for teaching, research, and other administrative tasks within the context of higher and further education. Furthermore, we look forward to collaborating with you on systematic reviews and or research.

We invite all educators, technologists, and stakeholders to join us in this ongoing dialogue. By collaborating and sharing our collective expertise, we can harness GenAI / AI’s full potential to enrich educational experiences and outcomes.

Get Involved with ALT South

Email: https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=ALTSOUTH

Website: https://www.alt.ac.uk/groups/members-groups/alt-south

Social Media: https://altc.alt.ac.uk/blog/#gref

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxoWy14N6f8suQUQ8eOSya2pgmSA4m1aS

2024 is ending on a high note for the White Rose Learning Technologists Forum (WRLTF), with two community-led events bringing together innovative ideas and collaborative discussions. These events highlighted the Forum’s commitment to fostering impactful practices in learning technology across the White Rose institutions.

Authentic Assessment Event

On 7th November, WRLTF co-chairs Johanna Fenton (University of Leeds) and Ruth Clark (Leeds Conservatoire) facilitated an online event centred on authentic assessment. This theme resonated deeply with participants as they explored ways to create meaningful assessments that prepare students for real-world challenges.

The session began with Eddie Cowling and Dr. Richard Cotterill (University of York International Pathway College) showcasing their use of asynchronous video interviews (AVI) to assess oral communication skills. They highlighted how AVI not only simulates real-world scenarios like job interviews but also supports broader applications such as reflective journals and case study analysis.

Next, Professor Neil Gordon (University of Hull) shared his insights into competency-based approaches within Computer Science. His presentation demonstrated how incorporating peer assessment and teamwork reflections fosters deeper engagement and satisfaction. Neil also illustrated how students are leveraging AI as a “teammate” to write code, underscoring the discipline’s alignment with cutting-edge technology.

The event continued with Dr. Gabriel Jones (University of Leeds), who presented a interprofessional approach to collaboratively designing portfolio-based assessments. Drawing on expertise from multiple university teams, Gabriel introduced an assessment model that integrates skills-based submissions and reflective practices, prompting a rethinking of the TPACK model to include ‘skills knowledge.’

Closing the session, Charlie James and Dr. Sarah Copeland (University of Leeds) discussed the affordances of e-portfolios within medicine and healthcare. They outlined how these can showcase competencies, encourage reflective practice, and maintain records of professional observations. Finally, Jessica Bruce (University of Leeds) introduced an innovative use of interactive narrative pathways through presentation software, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills for healthcare students.

The presentations sparked engaging Q&A discussions, with recurring themes around giving students greater agency in their assessments and enhancing real-world applicability across diverse disciplines.

The White Rose Unconference

On 6th December, the WRLTF held a participant-driven unconference hosted at the University of York. Facilitated by Emily Armstrong (University of Hull), William Heathcote (Leeds Trinity University), and Lilian Joy (University of York), the unconference provided an inclusive space for attendees to raise their own topics for discussion.

Morning sessions tackled issues such as digital accessibility and student upskilling. Participants shared strategies for training student ambassadors to promote accessibility and the challenges of gaining institutional buy-in to build a culture of inclusion. Another key topic was the use of technology in and outside of classrooms, with examples ranging from polling tools for anonymised real-time feedback to VLE-based escape rooms for engaging learning activities.

The afternoon discussions continued the conversation on authentic assessment, focusing on industry-aligned tools and alternatives to traditional essays and exams. Participants also explored the use of diverse course-authoring software and emerging productivity tools that could transform teaching and learning.

The event concluded with an opportunity for colleagues to round off a successful year for the WRLTF to celebrate in and around York’s beautiful Christmas markets.

Looking Ahead

As 2024 comes to an end, the WRLTF thanks its vibrant community for their engagement and contributions. We look forward to building on this year’s successes with an exciting schedule of events in 2025. Wishing everyone a joyful festive season and a productive new year!

The ALT Wales Member Group, established in January 2014, is seeking nominations for several officer positions. The group has had a short hiatus, and we are looking to revive it in 2025. 

The ALT Wales Membership Group aims to promote the technology agenda across all sectors of Welsh education. This involves encouraging the sharing of expertise, resources, and best practices in learning technology within the context of Welsh education. Additionally, the group seeks to influence relevant policy and strategy and develop constructive relationships with related organisations and committees.

In line with ALT Member Groups and SIGs, the group also upholds ALT’s values of participation, openness, collaboration, innovation, inclusivity, and transparency.

Officer Roles Available:

• Chair
• Co-Chair
• Secretary
• Officer/s (Other)

These volunteer roles have a tenure of three years and offer excellent opportunities for leadership development, supporting applications for Advance HE Fellowships and other CPD avenues. Nominees must be ALT members, either individually or through an institutional membership, and can apply for multiple roles, submitting separate nominations for each.

How to Apply: Expressions of interest should include a statement (up to 200 words) detailing your interest, experience, and potential contributions to the Organising Committee’s role, as outlined in our Constitution, and your ability to attend ALT Wales Membership Group meetings. Please submit your expressions of interest via this form by 12:00 noon GMT on Monday 10 February 2025.