Our current projects are listed below, along with selected past projects. If you are running or thinking about running an e-learning project we'd love to hear about it. We can help with a range of things such as (resources permitting):
The earlier you involve us the more help we can offer. Contact us on e-learning@bristol.ac.uk and we'll be in touch.
Status: active
Info: automation of processes designed to reduce the time school and faculty staff spend on basic administrative activities like creating courses and enrolling users.
Current activity: rollover to 2011/12 academic year successful, but further enhancements planned
Scale: University-wide
Open-ended project
Status: active
Info: pilot of a system allowing activities, information and tools in Blackboard OLE to be easily accessible on a range of mobile devices (iPhone and iPod touch, Android, iPad, Blackberry) via a free app.
Current activity:being piloted
Scale: University-wide
Funded until September 2013
Status: active
Info: external audit and tuning of the Blackboard Learn software, to assess the stability and reliability of our current environment and to make improvements to the performance.
Current activity: testing complete, report and recommendations being written
Scale: University-wide
Expected completion: 2012
Status: active
Info: a number of workpackages, designed to add new features, enhance existing functionality and design, and fix bugs and issues with the current version. Includes a temporary Blackboard replacement service.
Current activity: detailed planning and testing
Scale: University-wide
Expected completion: August 2012
Status: active
Info: loaning students TurningPoint handsets to use in practical classes and lectures. The aim is to evaluate how effectively the technology can be used to:
Current activity: attendance tracking trial, development and implementation of real time feedback practices.
Scale: 480 students on the MB ChB Programme (FMVS and FMDY)
Trial will end October 2013
Status: active
Info: exploring the use of e-pens for feedback and marking, and for the production of learning materials involving diagrams and notation
Current activity: pens purchased and distributed, pilots underway
Scale: 6-10 academics across several faculties
Pilot ends September 2012
Status: active
Info: a major project upgrading Blacboard from the basic "Learning System" to the full "Blackboard Learn" suite. Main features and sub-projects:
Current activity: all key functionality successfully launched and pilots completed or underway. Refinement, support and training ongoing.
Scale: University-wide
Expected completion: September 2012
Status: active
Info: using an externally-hosted service to make audio, computer screen, and (occasionally) video recordings from lectures available to students in a semi-automated way.
Current activity: system in active use on several courses
Scale: Faculty of Social Sciences and Law only
Currently funded until August 2012
Status: active
Info: building a community to share resources and ideas on maths and stats teaching across a range of subjects.
Current activity: early stages of development
Scale: University-wide
Open-ended project
Status: active
Info: implementation of software allowing Questionmark to share student and staff profiles and grades with Blackboard, and to schedule and run Questionmark assessments within Blackboard.
Current activity: testing
Scale: University-wide
Pilot during 2012
Status: completed
Info: upgrade of the core Blackboard functionality to Blackboard 9.1.
Scale: University-wide
Completed: July 2011
Status: completed
Info: survey and evaluation of the use of Questionmark Perception, used to set priorities for future development of the system.
Scale: University-wide
Covered usage between August 2009 and August 2010
Status: completed
Info: a major upgrade of both the software version and the server infrastructure of the dedicated online assessment software.
Scale: University-wide
September 2011
Status: completed
Info: a survey to identify current use of mobile devices, and identify key things which our students say they need mobile access to.
Scale: University-wide
Completed: July 2011