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Course Design in Higher Education
This podcast has been created to provide a listening room for those who would like to share views and ideas about design courses in Higher Education.
Episode 1 – Dr Pam Birtill: Assessment
Dan Trowsdale talks with Dr Pam Birtill, Academic Lead for LEAF at the University of Leeds.
LEAF Documentation
Music by Oliver Trowsdale
Massive Open Online Courses (Moocs)
I am involved in the development of digital, online and blended education. I have developed a number of MOOCs and modules over the last seven years some of which have had over 50,000 participants and award winning.
Innovation: Key to Business Success
This short free online course created in 2014 was ground breaking for the University. Designed developed in partnership with Marks & Spencer for anyone interested in commercial innovation. The content was created by a team of four specialist academics at the University of Leeds, led by Dan Trowsdale aimed at turning theory into applied learning based around case studies in Innovation.
The MOOC was the second launched on the Futurelearn platform by the University of Leeds
designed in collaboration with the newly created in-house Digital Education Service. On first launch the MOOC attracted almost 15,000 learners and highly commended in the European MEDEA Awards.
One learner said, “Thank you for a well laid out journey of innovation discovery. This course has helped me improve my knowledge and more importantly how I can apply this in my day to day work environment.”
The course, has since been repeated reaching over 60,000 students and has recently been split into taster MOOCs aimed at an audience preparing for Higher Education. As a result of its success and popularity the MOOC was awarded accreditation from the CPD Certification Service which has delivered a financial return for the University.
MOOC Course - Innovation: The Key to Business Success
MOOC Review
M&S News story about Mooc
Discovery Module : Using creativity and Innovation to solve problems.
The Leeds Curriculum includes ‘Discovery’ within the theme of broadening. Discovery allows students to take modules from across the University to broaden their learning beyond their own faculty. Several years ago staff were encouraged to design and deliver specific modules for this new development.
Dan worked alongside Professor Alison McKay to conceive and build this new module, created specifically to address broadening and was the first of its kind to be developed within the Faculty of Engineering remaining the only discovery offer from the School of Mechanical Engineering.
One of the key challenges is timetabling across the University. With that in mind this module was developed as an online/flipped learning format having only three workshop style seminars and an innovation day. The module has been developed over the last few years with support from Kate Clark, Blended learning technologist to refine the presentation and navigation on Blackboard.
Online Masters Module in School of Engineering: Creativity & Innovation for Engineers
Dan has recently been involved in the design and development of an Online Masters for the University of Leeds. Leading a module design team of three academics and working alongside the Digital Education Service, Dan delivered a brand new eight week module titled, “Creativity and Innovation for Engineers” which is now part of the new MSc in Engineering management within the Faculty of Engineering. The first delivery of this flagship Masters launched in 2019 with this module. The module utilised active learning, discussion forums and a flipped weekly webinars.
Module evaluations have retuned a 100% satisfaction from students.