Since my portfolio submission for CMALT in 2016, I have worked at UCEM in two job roles: as an Instructional Designer until December 2017 and as a Learning Technology Researcher since then both while also chairing the Online Learning Research Centre at UCEM.
Apart from designing and improving modules, I have been involved in introducing new technologies to UCEM by gathering requirements, technology selection, feasibility analysis/prototyping, technology roll-out, training and evaluations. Two main technologies we introduced since 2016 are Turnitin and Zoom. In Spring 2018, all UCEM assignment were submitted and marked online on Turnitin. This was a huge project that I was involved in as the whole institution moved to Turnitin. The evaluation showed that both students and tutors were impressed with the software system and roll-out (process). In Spring 2019, we moved from Blackboard Collaborate to Zoom for online meetings (UCEM Webinars). At the time of writing (July 2019), a user feedback survey is open for both staff and students to provide their feedback.
I have also taken the lead in developing a Chatbot prototype to answer frequently asked questions using IBM Watson Assistant. This created a huge interest within UCEM to explore the possibility of using Chatbots to improve student experience and this work is continuing.
I introduced Open Badges to UCEM in 2016 for UCEM staff conference. Since then Open Badges have been used in Level 3 apprenticeships programmes. I published a systematic review of Open Badge related literature in the European Journal of Open Distance and eLearning.
I am an accessibility champion at UCEM. In my CMALT2016 portfolio I described how the institution had very little awareness of accessibility at the time of my joining. Since then I have raised accessibility awareness by presentations, blog posts, a poster campaign (Poster is available under CC license) and screensavers. I have investigated accessibility of math formula and we now use MathJax filter on Moodle for equations. Now our module design teams are fully aware of accessibility and they take accessibility into account in their practice. After the change in accessibility regulations in the UK in September 2018, I have been working with the Learning Technology team at the UCEM to develop the institutional accessibility statement. At the time of writing we are in the process of developing the accessibility statement.
I have collaborated with Prof. Shirley Williams and Prof. Andrew Adams to look at accessibility of Open Educational Resources and our work titled Open to Inclusion: Exploring Openness for people with disabilities is currently in press.
At UCEM we transcribe/caption all multimedia content that are in course materials except for the live webinars. One reason for the adoption of Zoom was its ability to generate transcripts within couple of minutes of a webinar ending. I conducted a research looking at various off-the-shelf automatic transcription services and how good they are in creating an accessible transcript for Built Environment sector subject disciplines. This work, titled Automatic Transcription software: Good enough for accessibility? A case study from Built Environment Education, won the prestigious European Distance and eLearning Network's EDEN Best Research Paper Award. I am continuing my work in this area at the moment.
I have taken part in many CPD activities since submission of my first CMALT Portfolio in August 2016. Here, as per the CMALT guidelines I have provided details of three activities and an appendix of CPD activities.
When I submitted my CMALT2016 portfolio I was newly appointed as an Instructional Designer at UCEM. I was working more on module level making a difference at that level. Now three years on, I am working in a capacity where I have influence on the institutional level at the same time not losing touch with the end users of the systems as I help the wider learning technology/IT team during busy periods to setup modules etc.
I am now thinking of the next level, Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy recognition and would like to start working towards this in the coming years. I also want to collaborate in larger projects where multiple institutions are involved. As UCEM was not part of JISC membership this had not been possible previously, but as we have now been granted JISC membership I am hoping that it will give me more opportunities. After attending the EDEN conference this year, I have made many new connections with fantastic like minded and inspiring professionals across EU and beyond. I am hoping to obtain EDEN membership and continue to collaborate with EDEN.
I declare that, the updated portfolio I have submitted to ALT for CMALT Review, is a fair representation of my own work and to the best of my knowledge, the statements and evidence included in this submission accurately describe my work and practice, with the input and support of others (where applicable) given due credit.
31 July 2019