LTSN Maths, Stats & OR Network
Workshop June 17 2003
Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) and Maths and Stats

Workshop Themes
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There are three main themes in this workshop arising from a recent survey of on-
line teaching of Mathematics and Statistics. The morning will discuss the effect
of on-line teaching and assessment on student engagement and the viability of
effective on-line tutoring/advice in mathematics and statistics. The afternoon
will concentrate on the development of on-line assessment methods which can be
integrated into VLEs and which are suitable for HE.  Professor Warren Gilchrist
will also present a new approach to induction programmes which is discipline
centred and uses a VLE as a component of the programme.

Cost:  £40, includes tea, coffee, lunch, course materials
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Registration
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Please register online at http://ltsn.mathstore.ac.uk/daybreak/ or contact
Brad Payne on 0115 8484713, email [log in to unmask]

Programme
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10.00 Registration and coffee

10.25 Cliff Beevers (Chair) Introduction to First Session:
Teaching, Engaging and tutoring

10.30 Malcolm Bell (University of Northumbria): Teaching and VLEs: The
Northumbria experience.  Northumbria has used a VLE since September 2001 and
this mode of teaching is now well embedded across most disciplines.   The
speaker will discuss the pedagogic issues arising from this rapid take up of the
VLE and in particular focus on the impact on the teaching of numerate
disciplines.

11.00 Joanne Smailes: (University of Northumbria): Observations on using a VLE
to engage students.  Report of an action research project, the three main goals
of which are: 1. To improve student engagement with computer based formative
assessment. 2. To motivate students to take a deep approach to their learning.
3. To formulate a strategy for formative assessment in quantitative methods.

11.40 Mike Steel (Heriot-Watt) On-line Tutoring Pilot Study in Scotland
On-line learning materials (SCHOLAR) developed at Heriot-Watt University are now
widely used throughout Scotland for Highers and Advanced Highers and this year a
pilot project has been undertaken to provide on-line tutorial support. The talk
will attempt to identify various factors influencing the students' attitudes
towards this type of on-line tuition.

12.00 Warren Gilchrist (Sheffield Hallam) Using a VLE to incorporate discipline
specific elements in an induction programme The LTSN Maths, Stats & OR Network
has been developing materials for use within the induction and development of
statistics lecturers, who often reside in a variety of groups within a
university.  The material on Teaching Statistics consists of five distance
learning units in written form and one that is web based using a VLE for
delivery and explores both the use of statistical software and of the Internet
in the teaching of statistics.

12.20 Hands on session: Using a VLE for a discussion group
This is a managed discussion group/tutorial using a VLE. Each attendee will be
given a role within the group and the main features and limitations of such a
group session in teaching maths and stats brought out.

1.00 Lunch

1.40 Bill Foster(chair): Introduction to the second session:
On-line Assessment
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1.45 Cliff Beevers (Heriot Watt)  A Brief History of CALM
This brief introduction will describe the role of the computer in automatic
assessment drawing on two decades of experience at the Heriot-Watt University in
Edinburgh.  The talk will conclude with a short description of a pilot project
to deliver national qualifications on-line to schools and colleges in Scotland
through the PASS-IT project (see http://www.pass-it.org.uk/).

2.15 Bill Foster (Newcastle): VLEs and assessment of Mathematics and Statistics
The results of a recent survey on the use of VLEs and on-line systems in the
teaching of maths and stats will be discussed.  In particular discussion will
centre around the use of assessment together with demonstrating recently
developed and developing on-line assessment systems

3.00 Tea

3.20 James Blowey (Durham): An Overview of AIM
Alice Interactive Mathematics (AIM) has been used on two first-year modules at
Durham not only to reinforce some A-level concepts, but also as summative
assessment.

3.40 Manolis Mavrikis(Edinburgh) Authoring activities, questions and other
content for an ILE.  WALLIS, a web-based Intelligent (and interactive) Learning
Environment (ILE) provides a low-cost and highly effective way of providing
additional support to science and engineering students as it contains
interactive activities, self practice materials as well as formative assessment.
WALLIS' core engine is designed inspired by research in the AIED (Artificial
Intelligence in Education) field and provides lively feedback that targets
students' actions and answers. Following a brief description of the system, the
talk will focus on thoughts about easing the authoring of content, questions and
activities as well as reusing and sharing them with other systems.

4.00 Discussion

4.40 End



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Pam Bishop, Assistant Director
LTSN Maths, Stats & OR Network
School of Mathematics and Statistics    [log in to unmask]
The University of Birmingham            tel 0121-414 4800
Birmingham  B15 2TT                     fax 0121-414 3389

The Maths, Stats & OR Network is part of the Learning and Teaching
Support Network, which provides discipline-based support for
learning and teaching in UK universities.

More information can be found at http://ltsn.mathstore.ac.uk
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