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Academic Technology Newsletter - March 2023

Academic TechnologyLink opens in a new window is part of the Flexible & Online Learning Division (FOLD). We support and advise on a range of technology enhanced learning tools.

Please see the important message below about the planned Microsoft Stream Migration and the termination of the Stream (Classic) service.

Training & Workshop Opportunities

  • TEAL (Technology Enhanced Active Learning) Forums
    Join the LDCU 'Approaches to Peer Assessment' TEAL ForumLink opens in a new window 12-1pm on May 3rd. If you have any recent experience supporting peer assessment activity and would like to contribute or share any experiences please contact Jim Judges j.judges@warwick.ac.uk.
  • TEALfest 2023 - 'Empowering students and staff through small teaching'
    Join the 4th TEALfestLink opens in a new window on 20th - 21st June 2023 (Online). Bookings will open later in the Spring.
  • A recent LDCU workshop on March 8th looked at Blended Approaches to Engaging Learners with a focus on the active use of Vevox and Padlet and we also learned about a positive digital practices and wellbeing resource development project. You can see the video of the Blended Approaches to Learning event hereLink opens in a new window.
  • We recently held a Moodle-Admin demo session for super users covering a range of features, including creating ad hoc Moodle spaces, adding enrolment rules, and creating Moodle-synced Teams spaces. A recording of the Moodle-Admin demoLink opens in a new window is available on Microsoft Stream.

Training & Support is available: Moodle, Vevox, H5P, Padlet and more. See our training page for more info or book an appointment hereLink opens in a new window.


Moodle

  • Analytics for Echo360
    We recently released an 'Analytics for Echo360' plugin to Moodle which can be found in the activity chooser. The plugin will provide viewing data for all of the media currently associated with the Moodle space where the link is accessed from. Read more about the Analytics for Echo360 toolLink opens in a new window.
  • The Components for Learning editor plugin has now been added to the editor in Moodle. The final icon on the bottom row of the editor looks like a single Lego brick and opens up a choice of visual components to help enhance your on-screen text in Moodle. This includes a key concept, tip, reminder and attention highlight box, as well as quotes, estimated time and more. They provide a simple but effective way to give your text a lift in pages, books and elsewhere and help readers to focus on the key points and essential information. Read more about the Components for Learning plugin hereLink opens in a new window and try it out in Moodle at Warwick when ready.
  • Moodle 4.1 is on the way!
    We will be upgrading Moodle from version 3.11 to 4.1 this summer which will be quite a significant upgrade bringing further enhancements and changes to the user interface. We will provide more information next term but if you want to know more contact us or see Moodle's 'new features' pages:

image of personLearning Systems updates

  • Turnitin support queries
    Learning Systems will not support use of turnitin.com accounts. Learning Systems supports use of Turnitin via one of the four Warwick integrations only: Moodle; Tabula; myWBS; and, WAS. If you have any Turnitin support questions, please contact Marius Jugariu directly.
  • Migration to Moodle v4.1
    Our Moodle 4.1 upgrade is provisionally scheduled to occur on 27 July. For more information on Moodle 4.1, please see the Moodle 4.1 announcementLink opens in a new window.
  • Jupyter Notebooks
    We have acquired ‘NoteableLink opens in a new window’, a Jupyter Notebook application from the University of Edinburgh. The beta version was previously made available on Moodle staging, and the full version is now available in Moodle. Please contact Marius Jugariu (Head of Learning Systems) if you want more information.
  • MoodleX phase out
    MoodleX is Warwick's specialist maths and programming functionality within Moodle quiz. These specialist question types will be replaced in Moodle by STACK and CodeRunner. We expect this to occur by the end of April, with our MoodleX service becoming an archived read-only service.

stream Microsoft Stream Migration

  • The retirement of Stream (Classic) began last year when the change was made so that all Microsoft Teams recordings are now automatically sent to the new Stream (on SharePoint). The next step is the migration of older video content from Stream (Classic) to Stream (on SharePoint). This process is expected to take place in July/August after the end of the summer term 2023 with exact dates to be confirmed. This is because Stream (Classic) is being withdrawn by Microsoft and users will soon be blocked from uploading new videos (by 15th May 2023) and will have no access to Stream (Classic) after 15th October 2023. Links to migrated video content will still continue to work (until Feb. 2025) although embedded video, for example in Moodle, may need to be opened via an 'open-video' button until a fix is provided. More advice and information about this change, including a more precise timeline will be provided next term. After Feb. 2025 the migrated content will still be available but it is expected that the migration links will cease to work and any video would either need relinking or re-embedding, or moving to an alternative streaming system.
  • Although the new Stream (on SharePoint) will continue to provide a place to store new Teams meeting recordings, and existing content should still remain available, the Academic Technology team will be advising users that in most instances new video content for teaching and learning should now be shared via the Echo 360 service. If desired, other older content can also be manually migrated there too. This then provides easy to use reliable links, embed codes and auto-transcript generation. [See here for more information about sharing videos with EchoLink opens in a new window]

Echo360

Lecture Capture Scheduling

  • Student library addition
    We are considering turning on the student library. We would like to here from interested users who may want to use this for assessment or collections. Please contact Paul Trimmer to register your interest or for more information.
  • 360˚ Video (beta)
    Echo360 have added a function to allow users to upload, play and interact with videos captured with a 360° camera. This is in beta testing, so we would like to hear from departments that are interested in this feature to help determine if this is something we could support. Please contact Paul Trimmer to register your interest or for more information.
  • Video chaptering available (beta)
    Echo360 now has an option in beta testing to enable automatic chapters. Please contact Paul Trimmer if you have any feedback about this feature so we can pass this to on to Echo360.

Amend a schedule formLink opens in a new window - Please use this form to ensure efficient and accurate changes to any future recordings.


Delete a recording formLink opens in a new window - There is an option to advise of a GDPR breach so we can liaise with the Infosecurity team directly.

Please see our lecture capture request guidesLink opens in a new window to get started. If you need further assistance, please get in touch via lecturecapture@warwick.ac.uk


Vevox

  • Since the start of the academic year Vevox has seen some substantial usage with over 8,400 polls, 3,900 Q&As, and a total of 76,000 participants taking part. The PowerPoint integration has been especially popular with around 28% of sessions being offered in this way, which is a significant increase on last year. If you have any queries about the Vevox service, or any comments on your experiences, please do get in touch and share these with us.
  • There is now a Vevox Moodle integration that means Vevox can now be used from within Moodle. This allows self-paced quizzes (polls/feedback) to be added as a Moodle activity. They can be run in anonymous or “identified” mode. Identified mode will record quiz grades in the Moodle gradebook. This may be a useful flipped learning formative activity, completed in advance of, or after, a taught session, and may be helpful for Vevox users who are unfamiliar with Moodle Quiz or H5P, but want to add some interactivity to their modules. This feature is now available under "Vevox" in the activity chooser.
  • See this quick introduction and guide to VevoxLink opens in a new window at Warwick and the self-paced introduction to Vevox here.Link opens in a new window 

Padlet

Please see our Introduction to Padlet at WarwickLink opens in a new window for anyone new to this tool.


JISC
JISC Discovery Tool

The JISC Digital Capabilities Discovery Tool is an online activity for staff and students that is designed to help the individual reflect on their digital capabilities. It produces a personalised profile that identifies current strengths and areas for development and provides links to further support, training and resources based on your profile. Once logged in you should follow > Discovery Tool for staff/student > Question sets & reports > Start with Overall Digital Capabilities. See the bottom of this training page for information and an alternative link.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) [ChatGPT etc]

See Warwick's Academic Integrity and Artificial IntelligenceLink opens in a new window page for the latest on our response and guidance regarding AI, including assessment.
There is also a Teams space established by colleagues at Warwick to share information on this topic; use the code xg167ow
Also see the 'AI and the future of EducationLink opens in a new window' video from the LDCU TEAL Forum in February 2023.


Community Input

Feedback, questions, comments or tips are welcome. Please share them by contacting Jim Judges: j.judges@warwick.ac.uk

This newsletter can only provide a taste and snapshot of some of the active areas of interest. If you need help and guidance, please refer to the main online Academic Technology pages.Link opens in a new window If you have a technical query with Moodle or any of our supported tools, please contact academictech@warwick.ac.uk. For more general IT enquiries, or if you are unsure who to ask please contact the IT helpdesk.


All the best,

Cameron Deans, Michelle Jackman, Jim Judges, Nadine Stewart, Paul Trimmer

Academic Technology | Flexible & Online Learning| Education Group | University of Warwick