Skip to Main Content

CELT Newsletters

Welcome to the first Brightspace Bulletin for 2022. 

We hope that the academic year is off to a good start for you. These bulletins will be released throughout the year to keep you update to date with progress against our plans to ensure Brightspace can support you in delivering your blended learning, teaching and assessment. In this edition, we would like to update you on a couple of exciting updates which will happen soon. 

 

Panopto

Panopto for learning session recording

We are pleased to announce that Panopto will be available across the University from November 2022. Like Bongo, Panopto allows you to record your learning sessions from Brightspace and allows you to webcast session for students with reasonable adjustments, where appropriate. With Panopto you will have additional features, such as:

  • captioning,
  • note taking (students can revise by privately typing their notes into a Panopto recording),
  • discussions,
  • editing the recording. 

Before we roll this out across the University, we would like to offer you early access in your Brightspace sandboxes. If you would like to experiment with Panopto before the November rollout, please get in touch with your Learning Designer or email learningservices@uos.ac.uk 

To support you with using Panopto, we have created a suite of guides, which will help you to set up, record and upload your recordings for your students, in line with the learning session recording policy. If you would like more direct support, please get in touch with your Learning Designer who can arrange a session with you. 

Your Learning Designers are:

Attendance

Attendance registers

We announced earlier this year that an improved digital attendance register is coming soon. We will be phasing out the attendance registers late October. If you are a course leader for an apprenticeship programme, we will be in touch soon as all apprenticeship programmes will have early access. 

We are aiming to have the attendance registers available to all Level 4 modules by the end of the calendar year. The registers will be rolled out across the University from early Spring. 

Roadmap

The Brightspace Roadmap - looking ahead

We have published a roadmap which shows the major projects we will be undertaking each year to enhance the functionality within Brightspace and responding to the needs of our community. In 2022-23, our roadmap is:

Get involved

We would love your input and support on any of our projects. Here are some ways you can help us continuously improve our services:

  • let us know what you think. Get in touch to share your feedback and participate in our surveys.,
  • join our pilot project for the new learner / content experience in Brightspace,
  • send us suggestions for the dissertation template. Get in touch with your Learning Designer to ensure your voice is heard. 

Service 

Project 

Activities

Q 

 

Brightspace 

 

 

 

 

New Learner / Content Experience 

  1. Consider new pilot modules 

  1. Train staff for use of new experience  

  1. Survey students and review use following module completion 

2 

Portfolio Tool 

  1. Investigate feature parity compared to ePortfolio 

  1. Consider tool use with PgCAP  

  1. Review tool use 

1 

Outcomes Tool 

  1. Investigate toolset 

  1. Confirm features and support guidance 

  1. Confirm appropriate pilot modules 

  1. Roll out tool in pilot modules 

2 

Module Health checks 

  1. Develop improved data collection processes 

  1. Develop data dashboards for insights and reporting 

  1. Complete health checks 

  1. Include in report to CELT 

1 

Module Templates 

  1. Develop new HTML module templates for Ipswich and Partners modules to align to the baseline standard  

  1. Include support services with embedded dynamic links to workshops 

  1. Develop specific Dissertation HTML template 

1 

Panopto Video 

  1. Implement Panopto Integration 

  1. Design support and guidance materials 

  1. Train staff in use 

  1. Roll out learning session recording processes 
     
     

1 

Similarity Checking 

  1. Review current market landscape for similarity checking tools 

  1. Compare available tools to Turnitin 

  1. Pilot possible tools 

3 

Brightspace/SITS 

 

 

 

 

 

Grades Journey 

  1. Support PMI and D&IT to create a working Grades Journey process 

  1. Supporting development of ‘middleware’ platform to manage and transfer data from Brightspace to SITS  

1 

Attendance 

 

 

 

 

Checkin+ Attendance 

  1. Implement the Jisc Checkin+ solution 

  1. Ensure PMI UDD data views hold correct data and events from CELCAT 

  1. Ensure D&IT pass data to Jisc DataX platform 

  1. Develop training and support guidance for staff and students 

  1. Offer training to support Checkin+ use 

1 

Support 

 

 

 

 

School Support 

  1. Continue to develop and further embed Learning Designers within Schools 

  1. Attend School/Course meetings 

  1. Regular contact with Course Leaders 

  1. Track all staff sessions 

  1. Include details in report to CELT 

1-4 

 

DigiPath 

  1. Redevelop DigiPath 3 to support changed delivery models 

  1. Design / Develop additional DigiPath modules in discussion with the Director of Learning and Teaching 

2 

 

Personal Academic Coach 

  1. Monitor and continue to develop the PAC workflow in consultation with CELT. 

1-4 

 

SOFiA 

  1. Monitor and continue to develop the SOFiA workflow in consultation with CELT and SETF. 

1-4 

Support

Support for your teaching experience

The Learning Design team offer a range of workshops and guidance to support you with designing and building your Brightspace modules. Looking for something more bespoke? Arrange a session with your Learning Designer. 

Additional workshops from CELT focus on innovative teaching theory and methods, such as Designing Authentic Assessment. Book your places on these via out CPD calendar. 

Thank you for letting us partner with you to support your excellent learning and teaching.