Interested in using technology to support learning in Wales?

We are pleased to announce the first meet up for the Gwella/ELESIG regional group for Wales on Monday March 21st 2011.

There will be a number of locations, currently Aberystwyth, Glamorgan and Swansea universities, connected together using the Welsh Video Network. This means we can combine the benefits of meeting face-to-face without us all having to travel to one venue. We hope to add a venue in North Wales shortly.

The meet up will run from 11:00 to 15:00, with lunch included and will be free of charge due to the funding we have from ELESIG.

What is ELESIG?

ELESIG is an international community of over 1000 researchers and practitioners from higher and further education, who are involved in investigations of learners' experiences and uses of technology in learning. ELESIG members work together to share knowledge and practice and develop a shared repertoire of resources which will be of benefit to the community and the sector. This is supported by a Ning site, which anyone interested in the using technology to support and enhance learning can join http://elesig.ning.com/

So what is Gwella?

The purpose of this group is to enable the Technology Enhanced Learning Community of Practice that has grown out of Gwella to develop further. The Gwella Programme is the informal name for the enhancement programme more formally described as Enhancing Learning & Teaching Through Technology: A Strategy for Higher Education in Wales. This Welsh HE sector initiative commenced in March 2008 and is facilitated and sponsored by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales. However, although Gwella was originally centred on HE the ELEISG community includes all those interested in the use of technology to support and enhance learning. You can find more information about Gwella/ELESIG on the Ning site.

So if you are interested, go to http://elesig.ning.com/, sign up, select Groups from the menu, click on the link to Gwella and join

Once you have joined you will be able to view the event page here http://elesig.ning.com/xn/detail/2007026:Event:30081?xg_source=activity

Hope to see on March 21st or on the Gwella/ELESIG site.

EDUCAUSE Review Magazine - Jan / Feb 2011

The 2011 January / February edition of the EDUCAUSE Review Magazine is currently available.

This edition includes discussion on:

• Information Technology and Tomorrow's University by Jolene Koester (President of California State University)
  


• The Need for Student Social Media Policies by Professor Reynol Junco, Lock Haven University
  


• Technical Skills No Longer Matter by Timothy M. Chester ,Vice Provost for Academic Administration and CIO, Pepperdine University

Love Your Library Day - 14th February

Monday 14th February is Love Your Library Day at Swansea University. Come and visit us in the main Library on the Singleton campus .

Get involved!
You can do this in lots of ways:

• Tell us what you think of the Library service. We’ll have post it notes in the foyer of the library (opposite the Costa coffee café), just write down why you Love Your Library and stick to the noticeboard!
• We’ll have a text wall projecting in the Central Hall – just send us a text message on the 14th February telling us why you Love Your Library to 07537 402 400 and start your message with s4lib
• Can’t make it to the Library on the 14th February? Leave us a message on or

We want to give you a Valentine’s Day gift!

Your Librarians have been working hard over the past few months on developing the Assignment Survival Kit (ASK) http://ask.swan.ac.uk which will really help you when it comes to deadlines and time management skills. Your Librarians will be on hand to give you lots of advice and demonstrate this new tool.

PC room 3 will be open 10-4pm for you to pop in and try the Assignment Survival Kit (ASK) yourself. We’ll also have loads of cakes and refreshments for you to enjoy.

Why do you Love Your Library? – Let us know…..

SALT Seminar - Effective strategies for teaching international students

Monday 4th April 2011 - Wallace 218 1.00pm - 4.30pm

Jude Carroll, one of the leaders of the HEA’s Teaching International Students (TIS) project and Principal Lecturer at Oxford Brookes University, will be delivering this SALT workshop on Effective strategies for teaching international students. Jude Carroll was awarded the National Teaching Fellowship in 2009 and conducts research, writes and lectures widely on deterring students from plagiarism and on effective teaching in culturally diverse classrooms.

The workshop will focus on issues and resources for teaching international students and some of the challenges and strategies that can be used to ensure effective learning. Jude will also cover induction and interaction, transition and the international student journey, transfer from English Language programmes and pathways and the needs of international students.

To register for the seminar please email salt@swansea.ac.uk. Tea and coffee will be provided.