Lecture Capture technologies are becoming widespread in UK Higher Education with many institutions adopting a capture-all approach. Installations of capture devices in all teaching rooms and lecture theatres, scheduled recordings through integration with timetabling and automated distribution through virtual learning environments are swiftly becoming the norm. Capturing lectures has been shown to have a positive impact on student satisfaction, but numerous studies have shown little or no positive impact on student attainment as a result of capturing lectures. This article explores an alternative approach to the use of capture technologies in a pilot study at the University of Wolverhampton. The output of the pilot evaluation is a theoretical model recommending a shift in focus away from the conventional use of the technology for capturing lectures. It advocates a move toward the purposeful use of capture technologies to create content which adds value to student learning and increases engagement, which may ultimately lead to a positive impact on student attainment. The findings have implications for policy and practice around the use of capture technologies. Future work is described in the context of the project findings.

Discusses a collaborative project involving academics, IT staff and Librarians to create a Web-Based 3D Virtual tour guide for the Harrison Learning Centre at the University of Wolverhampton.

This paper is a synthesis of the findings of three research projects to identify Personal Development Planning (PDP) progress at the University of Wolverhampton. The three projects look at PDP from a number of perspectives. Firstly, a university-wide e-Portfolio evaluation that explored e-Portfolio practice through the measure of PDP objectives evident in practice - the objectives used within this provide the structure for the discussion within this paper. Secondly, the paper is informed by the Inter/National Coalition for EPortfolio Research INCEPR) project, which involved looking at the facilitating and inhibiting factors affecting the scalability and sustainability of e-Portfolio and e-Portfolio based PDP across the institution. Finally, a Doctoral research project that looked at factors that contribute to engagement with PDP. Aspects of three of these pieces of research were pulled together as part of the Higher Education Academy/National Teaching Fellowship Scheme National Action Research Network On Researching and Evaluating Personal Development Planning and ePortfolio Practice Project (The NTFS NARN project).

This embedding project builds on one that was delivered in 2001, headed by Oliver Pritchard, Dudley Learning Centre Manager, leading a research team with staff working from different Learning Centres in the University. In the 2001 project, sessions on information skills were run in three differing subject areas for second and third years and their impact on student learning was assessed using questionnaires and focus groups for students and in-depth interviews with academic staff. Findings were encouraging. Skills and experience gained within the sessions were taken on and applied within assignment work to good effect. Within this small study there is evidence of a progression in student awareness, confidence and skills and Information Skills sessions bring a longer-term, practical and tangible element to the learning experience and are a valuable part of helping students to become more effective learners.

Author suggests alternative strategies for the development of mathematical thinking amongst undergraduate business studies students and describes attempts to initiate this and other changes within the context of an undergraduate operations management module and evaluates the effects of the changes on students’ mathematical thinking.

Student utilisation of personal computers is very much on the national and international educational agenda. The Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) has undertaken a three-year project to monitor the use of electronic information within Higher Education. The Pew Internet & American Life Project (Pew, 2001) has been looking at overall usage of the web by college students in the USA. The majority of today’s undergraduate students have grown up in a world where there have always been computers, the Internet, and mobile phones. The use of the Internet is, for many students, integrated into their daily communication habits. The University of Wolverhampton is investing heavily in I.T. and this project developed out of a need to have a better understanding of how students are using the computers within the Harrison Learning Centre. How many students actually activate their university accounts? Is the layout of the Harrison Learning Centre I.T. suite suitable for the ways it is used? How long do students sit at PCs on average? How are students utilising the Internet? When are peak usage times? The answers to these questions will help the Learning Centre to see where it needs to prioritise I.T. infrastructure and support.

This project is in response to research carried out in 2007 with students who are dyslexic. This research investigated the barriers experienced by students in higher education who are dyslexic when accessing the Disabled Students’ Allowance. Reference is made to their comments throughout the text. The research identified one of the areas that they find difficult. This was the form they need to use to apply for the Disabled Students’ Allowance. The innovation has been designed to support this difficulty. An important thread running through the whole of this project is to help the student who is dyslexic to be in control, to feel valued and so to improve confidence and self-esteem.

The field of dyslexia has often been subject to controversy and contradictions, whether this has been through media reports of reported cures or through the ongoing debate about whether dyslexia exists. This paper will explore the evidence for co-ocurring syndromes to demonstrate how dyslexia can be seen as part of a wider spectrum of specific learning difficulties. The social model of dyslexia will also be examined, which emphasises the role of society in limiting those with specific learning difficulties as well as recognising the talents and strengths that are often present. The possibility of unifying these theories to provide a coherent understanding of specific learning difficulties will also be explored.

Learning Centre staff at the University of Wolverhampton generally have good awareness of disability issues and try to ensure services and facilities are accessible to a wide range of users. However, little work had been done directly with users to explore their views of our services and the problems they might face when using them. The research targeted dyslexic learners as the University has a relatively large population of students with this disability. In addition many of our services rely on an ability to cope with printed and electronic information and these might pose particular problems for users with dyslexia. The services might include apparently simple elements such as guides to particular Learning Centres through to more complex examples including the subject web pages and information skills workshops.

Technological advances by the database creators of the late 60’s and early 70’s enabled the ‘information explosion’ to be managed and accessed. Information professionals developed specialist skills to explore these bibliographic resources on-line. A decade later, as attitudes changed and resources became more accessible, a parallel agenda of user education programmes was being developed by librarians. The information skills agenda took shape across schools, colleges and Higher Education institutions and a skills hand-over began. The curriculum focussed on access to print resources initially to support the shift to resource-based and flexible learning initiatives. The rapid developments in desktop information technology in the late 80’s and 90’s brought the two developments closer together. It enabled information professionals, already supporting the development of user information skills, to include access to bibliographic databases and electronic resources on CD-ROM and on-line.