Where is the teacher? Real-time Feedback to Academics on their use of the Collaborative Learning Spaces
May 23 | 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm
The aim of this talk is to discuss the potential of a new metaphor for bringing Learning Analytics into UTS physical learning spaces that we call Classroom Translucence. A translucent classroom or learning space would be that where activity traces can enhance awareness of teaching and learning practices while ensuring privacy and restricting the use of data for a particular situation. This presentation will showcase an in-house UTS Classroom technology that tracks a teacher’s use of UTS learning spaces, providing dynamic visualisations for instant feedback for post lesson reflection and academic development. This will be a hands-on session aimed at defining the pedagogically and ethically informed best practices for using such technology.
Presenters: Dr Roberto Martinez-Maldonado
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Where is the teacher? Making the use of UTS learning spaces translucent
Using AcaWriter to help develop student writing
July 11 | 10:00 am – 11:00 am
The Connected Intelligence Centre at UTS has developed a Writing Analytics software called ‘AcaWriter’ that can help develop students’ academic writing by providing automatic feedback on their writing. However, using the software standalone without integrating it in its educational context isn’t enough for students to make the best use of it. For learning analytic tools like AcaWriter to have a meaningful impact on learners, the tools should be embedded in the pedagogical context. In our workshop, we will demonstrate the use of AcaWriter for writing feedback and how we design learning activities around it for different pedagogic contexts. We will show examples of learning activities integrating AcaWriter in two different pedagogical contexts implemented in UTS: an undergraduate law unit for writing essays and a HDR research writing workshop for writing abstracts/ introductions. These models can help you design similar learning activities for students using AcaWriter in your own pedagogical contexts. So bring along your laptop and some sample writing so you can play with AcaWriter and see how it can help improve your students’ academic writing.
Presenters: Sophie Abel, Shibani Antonette
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A Brief Introduction to Telling Stories with Data
August 29 | 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm
John Naisbitt said: “We are drowning in information but starved for knowledge”. This quote is getting increasingly relevant nowadays when we are literally surrounded by data in our everyday lives. Interpreting and communicating data insights is becoming quite critical in all kind of industries. However, finding the story behind the data and communicating it effectively, is significantly harder than just crunching numbers and plotting data points.
This seminar is a brief introduction to how to tell stories with data. Storytelling, in general, is the act of telling a story in an entertaining, impressive or dramatic way. How can we tell a story based on data? We will work with one or two examples to understand the importance of decluttering graphs and adding simple design elements to make our data visualisations speak by themselves. Of course, the role of the communicator is critical, thus, we will also discuss the role of people in light of data and visual representations. No expertise in data visualisation is needed. We will show some examples that can be immediately put into your day-to-day practice.
Presenters: Dr Roberto Martinez-Maldonado
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A Brief Introduction to Telling Stories with Data | 29 August