TELFest is The University of Sheffield's festival of technology enhanced learning, held in the flagship Diamond building.
In its sixth year, the TELFest 2019 programme covered all aspects of technology in learning and teaching, in a friendly and accessible four-day event. With workshops, talks, case studies and exhibitions throughout, there was something for delegates of all levels of expertise.
Monday 1st July
Monday was a pre-festival skills day for University of Sheffield staff only. The day provided an opportunity for colleagues to learn more about technology enhanced learning at the institution, in order to gain skills, context and insight in preparation for TELFest.
9.00am
Registration
10.00am
Parallel sessions
Online Assessment Essentials
Digital Learning Team
(The University of Sheffield)
Lecture Theatre 6
Blackboard (MOLE) Essentials
Digital Learning Team
(The University of Sheffield)
Workroom 1
Media Essentials
Digital Learning & Creative Media Team (The University of Sheffield)
Workroom 2
11.00am
Session changeover
11.15am
Blackboard Ultra Navigation Launch / Making Learning Accessible with Blackboard Ally
Lecture Theatre 6
12.30pm
Lunch
1.30pm
Parallel sessions
Media-based Assignment - Approaching Assessment
Robert Pashley
Dr Graham McElearney
(The University of Sheffield)
Lecture Theatre 6
Engaged or not engaged: That is the question
Farzana Latif
(The University of Sheffield)
Mark Langer-Crame (Jisc)
Workroom 1
More than just capturing lectures
Chris Clow
Dr Louise Robson
Laura McNally
Tom Hibberd
Tom Foster
(The University of Sheffield)
Pete Mella
Danny Monaghan
(The University of Sheffield)
Workroom 1
The Big Class Quiz of the Year
Tom Jolley
(The University of Sheffield)
Workroom 2
4.00pm
Close
Tuesday 2nd July
9.00am
Registration
10.00am
Opening Keynote: Professor Becky Huxley-Binns, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education), University of Hull
Gen Z and Graduate Futures
This keynote explored some of the challenges presented by the 4th Industrial Revolution and what these challenges might mean for the development of programmes of higher education. Becky considered the ways that current higher educational norms are evolving in the light of the integration of the digital, biological and technological, causing a blurring of reality. This is an era of huge disruption, but the predictions are that it will result in an improvement in global quality of life, a reduction in global inequalities and a raising of global income.
So, what is our role in helping students prepare for their future? How can we ensure a high-quality academic experience for a fairer, brighter future? We need to think of creative solutions to encourage our students to do the same. We need to consider the knowledge that they learn and the skills they develop. There may have to be a paradigm shift from knowledge as the backbone of the higher education experience, to a recognition and reflection of what human traits will be needed when machines ‘know’ what we do – and more.
Greg Stewart
Alison Clay
Dr Millie Mockford
(The University of Sheffield)
Workroom 2
4.00pm
Close
Wednesday 3rd July
9.00am
Registration
10.00am
TELFest Gameshow: Would I TEL A Lie To You?
Host: Professor Tony Ryan
‘Would I TEL a Lie to You?’ was a specially adapted gameshow for TELFest, continuing a tradition that in previous years has seen versions of Have I Got News for You, The Crystal Maze and Family Fortunes presented at Sheffield. Would I TEL a Lie to You focuses on the experience of working in education, and will tease out themes of digital learning.
Our panel was required to challenge the claims of their fellow contestants in a humorous manner, as well as defend their own claims. The session was intended as a light-hearted way to kick off the second day of the festival.
Clive Young
Natasa Perovic
(University College London)
Workroom 1
Enriching Learning & Teaching using Virtual and Augmented Reality
Dr Bobby Nisha
Dr Graham McElearney
(The University of Sheffield)
Jackie Rayner
Dee Vyas
Amber Shortman
(Manchester Metropolitan University)
Workroom 2
12.30am
Lunch
1.30pm
Closing Keynote: Nigel Smith, MD of Courses and Learning, FutureLearn
"What I've learnt about teaching online from five years working at FutureLearn"
Nigel Smith is Managing Director, Courses & Learning at FutureLearn. As a key member of the senior team since March 2014, Nigel and his team are responsible for working with the company’s diverse range of partners to develop and deliver high-quality courses that embrace FutureLearn's pedagogy based on telling stories, provoking conversation and celebrating progress. Under his leadership, courses spanning everything from ‘Propaganda and ideology in Everyday Life’ to ‘An Introduction to Japanese Subcultures’ have been added to the FutureLearn portfolio.
In this session, he looked at what he has learnt in his time at FutureLearn, including misconceptions of online teaching, the different way of thinking when building online courses, and examples of what you can teach online but would not necessarily think that you could