Workshop on Teaching English Studies Through Blended Learning (with Victorian Plenary) (5/8/2012)

Teaching English Studies Through Blended Learning
School of English, University of Leeds, 
Tuesday 8 May 2012, 10am-4.30pm

This HEA-funded workshop aims to enhance the use of blended learning in English Studies by enabling good practice to be shared and by providing a forum to discuss how it can improve the student experience. Although virtual learning environments and new teaching technologies are ubiquitous in UK universities, they are often underused by academics and students. Sometimes technology is seen as a distraction from the real business of learning and teaching. The workshop will address how the learning opportunities created by technology can be successfully blended with more traditional forms of interaction in the context of English Studies as a discipline.

The event will feature a plenary talk from Dr Rosie Miles (National Teaching Fellow and former E-Learning Consultant for the English Subject Centre), presentations from academics using blended learning, and discussions of the variety and value of blended learning. An important aspect of the day will be the afternoon workshop in which attendees will be encouraged to share and discuss their ideas about how they might incorporate blended learning into their own teaching, and to get guidance from others about how to put those ideas into practice.

Registration is free (including lunch and refreshments). Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. To register, please email the workshop administrator, Alberto Gomez (eng6ag@leeds.ac.uk), with your full name, institution, details of where you heard about the event, and information about any dietary or other requirements. A small number of slots are available for ten-minute presentations on particular examples of blended learning. If you are interested in giving a presentation, please email the workshop organiser, Dr David Higgins (d.higgins@leeds.ac.uk).

Programme
9.45-10.25   Registration.

10.30-11.15   Plenary: Dr Rosie Miles (Wolverhampton), “@likeabatoutofhell @ClosetCase @MsDisillusion @TheBlooferLady: Tweeting the Victorians -- New Adventures in #OnlineEnglishTeaching”.

11.15-11.45   Discussion: What is the value of blended learning? (20 mins groups;10 mins plenary).

11.45-12.00   Coffee.

12.00-13.00   Presentations #1.
Dr Fiona Douglas (Leeds), “Developing Engaging Study Skills Resources for English Studies: An Impossible Task?”
Dr Alison Johnson, Alberto Gomez, and David Wright (all Leeds), “Learning to Research Forensic Linguistics: Student and Tutor Perspectives”.

13.00-14.00   Lunch.

14.00-15.00   Workshop: Putting Ideas into Practice (40 mins groups; 20 mins plenary).

15.00-15.15   Coffee.

15.15-16.15   Presentations #2.

Dr Paul Maddern (Leeds), “The Seamus Heaney Centre Digital Archive: Metadata, Context, and Application”.
Dr Greg Garrard (Bath Spa), Title tbc.

16.15-16.30   Closing Remarks.