The academic year runs from 1st August through to 31st July.

Around academic year end (31st July) there are a number of processes that need to be managed behind the scenes to enable students to maintain access to their appropriate resources from the previous year.

Over summer 2017 Moodle will be updated to the latest version 3.2. The new version introduces an improved theme, navigation, messaging and notification functions and activity enhancements.

Do you want to scale up online learning? JISC have just launched three new guides with supporting checklists and a beta Online learning readiness tool to help you with the processes and decisions involved in scaling up online learning at an organisational level.

The JISC Online learning readiness tool (https://onlineready.jisc.ac.uk/):

• Takes you through some key questions which will identify your personal or teams readiness for creating, delivering or supporting online learning
• Offers a reflective process by providing a brief synopsis of your experience levels and will offer further resources to take you forward.
• Points you to key topic areas where you can review selected resources within our three guides and other resources

Please give JISC feedback on your use of the tool so they can improve the user experience during any future developments of the service.

Three JISC guides indicate the barriers and actions you can take as well as illustrated examples from institutions that have developed useful approaches to overcoming the barriers. They are:

1. Scaling up online learning guide provides a strategic view of different models and the implications of implementing online learning at an institutional level. This guide will be of particular interest to senior managers such as pro vice chancellors and directors of learning and teaching.
2. Curriculum design and support for online learning guide helps you make decisions around curriculum design and to determine support needs when scaling up online learning.
3. Technology and tools for online learning guide provides guidance, resources and case studies around the use of technology to support online courses and distance learning programmes.

Each guide includes:

• A checklist of key questions that teams and individuals within an institution can use to consider what they need to do or change to scale up their online learning
• Key barriers and ways to overcome these
• Links to further resources and tools

Using JISC guides, checklists and the Online learning readiness tool, you and your colleagues can help ensure that online students receive as equitable a service and student experience as campus-based students. You may also be interested in the recent report ‘What makes a successful online learner?’ http://ji.sc/onlinesurveyreport which found that:

• Online learners have a strong sense of responsibility for their own learning, which on the one hand gives them more flexibility and personal control but may lead in some cases to learning providers abdicating responsibility.
• Online learners can bring a range of attributes that impact on their success online including: previous experience, motivations and aspirations, self-efficacy, study habits, demographic factors and their own beliefs about online learning
• Emotions around the concept of ‘enjoyment and fun’ and ‘boredom, frustration and anger’ can have a significant impact on the success of an online learner and those that can develop an emotional ‘robustness’ are more likely to succeed.