Countdown to Christmas

There isn't much to report here from the Gateway, other than we are still all working hard to maintain our high level of service to you all. The countdown to Christmas has started, where the campus does seem a little quieter. However, the Gateway is still open - please check the website for our opening hours, or pop in for a leaflet with them on. Have a lovely vacation; try not to work too hard!The Learning Gateway Team look forward to welcoming you back in the New Year.

Maths Masterclasses

The Learning Gateway has been the proud host of a series of Maths Masterclasses for young people at Cumbrian schools who show potential and interest in Maths.

The sessions have been running every Saturday morning in November from 10-12pm with specialist lecturers from all over the UK who are keen to bring Maths to life. Local tutors have been in attendance to support this very important initiative.

VOUCHERS TO BE WON!

The Learning and Information Services Team have always valued your input on how we can improve our services...It's also good to know what we are getting right! If you complete a short online survey telling us your thoughts on Learning and Information Services, you could be in with a chance of winning £100 of high street vouchers - very useful during the 'credit crunch'! Just go online to www.cumbria.ac.uk/LISsurvey, or pop into the Learning Gateway where the survey will be on laptops at the ground floor. If you do the latter, you may get a chocolate!!!!

Where have all the laptops gone?

Some users of the Gateway will have been unable to take out a laptop recently due to an unprecedented demand on our laptop stocks. This was mainly due to a number of IT classes taking place at the same time and laptops being necessary for those teaching sessions.

We would like to apologise to any students who were inconvenienced by this and want to assure you that we are looking at ways to prevent this situation happening in the future.

Many of you gave us comments and feedback, which we value and will act upon. In the meantime, if you have any further comments or complaints, please ask to fill in a feedback form at the issue desk or alternatively leave your comments here on the blog.

Why not try videoconferencing?

The portable videoconferencing units have been put to good use recently in the Learning Gateway. Groups of students have been taking the opportunity of linking up with colleagues in Lancaster and Ambleside with great success.

Did you know it is also possible to connect the VC unit up to the laptop you are using so that students on other campuses can see what you are demonstrating or teaching at first hand?

Staff in the Learning Gateway are more than happy to help you plan and organise a videoconferencing session to take place in one of our flexirooms or indeed, in theLecture Theatre.

Please let us know if you need any further information or help.

A busy week

The Learning Gateway is enjoying record numbers of visitors for the start of the academic year. This week we have enjoyed academic staff using the VC equipment to teach students in the building and at Whitehaven at the same time. A Blackboard session saw students using the second floor open space and talking to each other online. Finally, Wednesday night was the first chaplaincy DVD and a pizza night.

Fresher's Fair in the LG

The Learning Gateway welcomed hundreds of freshers last Wednesday for a special day of freebies and survival tools to see them through life at University of Cumbria. In our packed building, students were given advice on everything from sports clubs, voluntary and paid work opportunities and support services available to them.

The local pubs, clubs and organisations on the social scene were also represented and offered money off vouchers for nights out.

Local organisations included the Mothers’ Union, seen giving out free pasta and rice, to the Abbey Singers and multi-cultural community group leader Saj Ghafoor. Not forgetting, of course, Wilkinson's who were giving out free spatulas - a must for every fresher.

Welcome Back to UOC!

Welcome Week started with a vengeance on Sunday 14TH September for our Undergraduate students. There were a series of events to help integrate the new starters into University life. Many, such as 'Health and Safety for all students', were held in the Gateway.

We have started our SMART Board Training Sessions, and uptake has been brilliant. Feedback on the course content and delivery has been very positive. Please contact the Learning Gateway if you require familiarisation with SMART Board.

Learning Gateway Facilitators can also provide training on the portable polling system. On Friday 19TH September, Trudy Purkiss used this facility during her LIS Induction to students. She said it was a very successful session. If you require training on aspects of the Gateway, pop in or e mail learninggateway@cumbria.ac.uk, and we will do our best to accommodate you.

Learning Facilitator Workshop at NoWAL Conference

On Friday 5th September Learning Facilitators, Heather Benson and Linda Moses-Allison, from the Learning Gateway, ran a workshop at the NoWAL conference:Up Close and Personal: our changing roles in a digital learning age, at Edge Hill University. The core theme of the conference was to examine the many changes taking place within Learning and Information Services as a result of the pervasive digital learning environment.
Heather and Linda's workshop was entitled: Learning Facilitator; defining a new role in Learning and Information Services (LIS) created for a new learning environment, and it looked at the evolution of the Learning Gateway and the Learning Facilitator role.
It was a very interesting conference and it was great to receive positive feedback about the Learning facilitator workshop.
For more information look at the NoWAL website: http://www.nowal.ac.uk/

Summer School

Students from various regions in the North West visited the University of Cumbria last week to take part in a Summer School as part of the Aim Higher initiative.

During the week they were given a taste of University life; staying in the Halls of Residence, attending lectures and presenting work they had produced during their visit.

A lot of fun was had by all and they are pictured above on their final day.

Software event in the Gateway

We were thrilled to welcome Rachel Ashmore of Promethean to the Learning Gateway as part of the PCGE Primary Conference Week ( 23-27 June). Rachel lead three training sessions on the latest developments in interactive whiteboard technology and focused on some key features of 'Activ Primary' and 'Activ Studio' software for use with Promethean boards. Students and staff were also shown the voting and texting system 'Activ Expression', which operates using mobile phone like handsets. A taste of what the future has in store!

BA(Hons) Production 2008 Degree Show

The Learning Gateway hosted the BA(Hons) Production 2008 degree show on Friday 20th June. Films available to view included;

The Rottingdom Family Explorer's Club.
Emily Sharpe.
Volition.
This Old Dog.
Unravelling The Red Ribbon.
The Hidden Guide.
Stoked.
Bloody Heritage.

All films on show were a culmination of the student's work whilst at the University with scripts, production and even the event was managed by the student's themselves.

BA Media Event on 20th June

The 'Media Production 2008 Films & Documentaries' evening runs from 6.30pm to 9.00pm and will present showreels of BA Media students work.

The students themselves will be on hand to answer any questions about their work and films will be shown in the Lecture Theatre and in each Flexi-room around the building. This promises to be an interesting and entertaining event, so why not come along and check it out?!

For more information on other UOC events please visit:
http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/AboutUs/News/NewsArchive.aspx

Smarten up your weekends!

A beautiful sunny day today but still we had a respectable turn out at the Gateway with a number of students using the time to brush up on their SMART Board skills.
Some of you will be familiar with SMART Board through seeing tutors use it, or witnessing interactive whiteboards being used in teaching placements. If you would like to know more or just simply have a play with the SMART Board equipment then please feel free to come along to the Gateway and we'll set you going.

Today, two QTS students took the opportunity of learning more about how to use SMART Board by playing a 'SMART Board for the terrified' game and are going to come back for further training when they have more time.

If we haven't told you enough times already, we are able to give you support and training in using the many features of SMART Board at a time to suit you and you are welcome to come back for more practice and ideas at any point. And that includes the weekends!

Staff training days

If you are University of Cumbria staff and would like to sign up to a full day of Smart board training from our Learning Facilitator team, please contact the learning gateway for details.
Learninggateway@cumbria.ac.uk

Learning and Teaching projects with CDLT

The Centre for Learning and Teaching have sponsored a number of projects this year to investigate learning and teaching. The CDLT team hosted a workshop for successful candidates to work on their projects.

The above team are investigating the use of interactive whiteboard in higher education, and of course are our very own learning gateway team. Look out for us advocating new ways of working and ways of using the technology to best advantage.

RECYCLING EFFORTS

Some of our second year QTS students were involved this week with a Design & Technology Project that involved reviving a product and giving it a second life.

Some of the artifacts included - Wind chimes made from shells, Jewellery from buttons, Photograph frames from recycled cardboard, cushions from old T shirts and as you can see from the photograph above - clothes from rubbish.

It might not make the catwalk at London Fashion week - but hey! - we liked it

Not to be outdone - we've started metal can recycling at the Gateway and there is a bin behind the Ground Floor hub to collect your empty drink cans.

By September we're hoping to add plastic to the list - watch this space.

LG supports 2008 National Year of Reading

Fusehill Street library and the Learning Gateway are celebrating The 2008 National Year of Reading. The aim is to encourage everyone to read for 10 minutes each day.

Learning Gateway staff put together displays of ideas for reading and a voting board for favourite films and books. Plus, Heather Benson, Learning Facilitator, created a special interactive whiteboard reading quiz, which tests students' knowledge of famous books and authors and gives them a chance to play with the SmartBoard features.

The pictures show students having a go at answering questions on authors past and present.

We'll be running the quiz in LG 004 Tuesday 2-4pm and at the weekends. Come and have a play and tell us what you think of it!

If you would like to know how the interactive whiteboard quiz was created just ask any of the Learning Facilitators and we'll be only too happy to show you how you could devise something similar yourself.
For more information about the 2008 National Year of Reading see http://www.yearofreading.org.uk/

The Learning Gateway is a favourite haunt for many different users, our relaxed environment is always popular.

Here we see one of our guests making the most of the office space.

Thomas is a very sociable animal...

........however, this leaves little time for study!

Anatomy TV

Academic staff and colleagues from Learning and Information services attended a demonstration of Anatomy TV. Which is a great electronic resource available to all staff and students of the university; accessible with your Athens password. If you are a nursing, radiography, physio or occupational therapy student this resource could be a benefit to you.


Anatomy TV has a series of anatomical images taken from real people, everything from cross-sections of the head to moving image files of the knee. They can all be used in an educational context to illustrate essays, reports or presentations. If you are preparing for exams there is a comprehensive study guide section, which is a great place to start. As its online, you can access the resource 24/7 and from anywhere with internet accesss.

The National Year of Reading starts today

so why not celebrate by cuddling up with your favourite book!

GATEWAY STAFF SUCCESS

Four members of the Learning Gateway staff have been successful in their team application for University of Cumbria Teaching Fellowships for the 2006/7 academic year.


Claire Foster, Heather Benson, Liz McGlynn and Linda Moses-Allison are pictured above shortly after receiving the good news.

On awarding the Fellowships, Professor Sue Bloxham - Head of Centre for Development of Learning and Teaching wrote:-

"The panel were very impressed by the depth of your commitment and enthusiasm in a pioneering role, emphasis on collaboration with other parts of the University and concern for evaluation and learning from experience"

Gateway staff continue to develop learning resources to assist students and are currently engaged in the CDLT Enhancing Learning and Teaching Project.

SWABS Student Presentations

Some of our Social Work and Behavioural Science students had the opportunity of using the lecture theatre to give their assessed presentations on Tuesday April 15.

Time was allowed during the previous day for the students to try out the theatre facilities and rehearse the presentation in advance of the "big day". Our facilitators had been giving assistance and advice to the students over the two weeks leading up to this and were also available on the day to help with the setups.

Using the unobtrusive IPVCR system installed in the lecture theatre, we were able to record the proceedings without distracting the students and provide a hard copy of the proceedings on DVD.

The recorded DVD can be used to provide valuable feedback to the student to enhance their learning as well giving the assessing panel or external examiner the ability to review the assessed presentation at a later date.

If you or any member of your Faculty would like to use or see a demonstration of this equipment, please contact a member of the Learning Gateway staff.

Faculty of Education Away Day

Thursday 10th April saw a busy day at the Learning Gateway as members of the Faculty of Education met to engage in developmental activities with a view to the future and the Faculty's strategic direction in research and enterprise.

The Away Day, introduced by Dr Neil Simco, Dean of Faculty, made use of nearly every room and space in the Gateway, with sessions focusing on a wide range of topics including; Getting a Book Published, Capturing Creativity using Digital Video, Empowering Beginning Teachers, Teaching in the Classroom of the Future and Developing an International Profile.

On Tuesday 18 March 2008 at 4.15pm the Learning Gateway lecture theatre hosted the 'Mathematics is a problem-solving discipline' lecture led by Mike Ollerton.

The event was well attended and our lecture theatre facilities were very well utilised with Mike Ollerton presenting with two different laptops, one on each screen and the lecture was recorded to the web using our IPVCR system.

Festival of Learning

The Festival of Learning was held in the gateway from Tuesday to Thursday last week. The event was a celebration of different learning techniques and featured lectures from many experts in best teaching practice.
This was a very prestigious event and we were honoured it took place in the Learning Gateway.

Students have your say - Student Union election 2008 vote at the LG

The University of Cumbria Students’ Union had a voting stand on the ground floor of the Learning Gateway today, Students could vote for all jobs, from cross campus positions including the SU president to officers for Carlisle specific posts. If you haven’t had your say or your free lolly-pop, please come and see the lovely voting lady later this week.

Digital Art Showcase

The Digital Art Showcase was a great success and plans are now in motion to make it an annual event.
With each flexi-room and the lecture theatre showing work produced by undergraduate Fine Art students there was plenty of diversity and lots to see.
We will be posting pictures of the event very soon - watch this space!
Thanks to all those involved in the event and to everyone who came to see the work on display.

Participants in the 2008 Showcase

Below are a selection of images taken from undergraduate Fine Art students work:



Ami Stoker


Jennifer Brooks


Hannah Stewart


Adam Fine


Jennifer Martin


James Hamilton

Digital Art Showcase 2008

On Friday 7th March at 6.30pm the Learning Gateway hosts its second Digital Art Showcase organised by our staff; Heather Benson and Claire Foster.

This years exhibition is made up of work from Fine Art BA(Hons) undergraduates, and we will be showcasing their films in the flexi-rooms around the building.
Refreshments will be provided, so why not come along?!

Launch of the Institute of Policing and Criminal Justice Studies

We were thrilled to be the hosts for the launch of a new degree 'Policing and Criminal Justice Studies'. Border TV's Fiona Armstrong was filming in the building and spoke to a few willing students about their thoughts on the new course. At 6pm on Lookaround tonight there will be a report featuring numerous shots of our wonderful building and our even more wonderful students.

Hooray for Border Telly!

Interview Days for the University of Cumbria

The Learning Gateway is a brilliant venue to hold the University of Cumbria Interview days.
Staff involved are always friendly and helpful.
It's great to see perspective students getting a preview of how they might use the Learning Gateway.

Flexible learning in the open space

Students erected this tee-pee in the Learning Gateway ground floor open space on Tuesday 26th February. I think it makes a nice addition to the sofas and bean bags.

Webcams back on the website

After a sudden surge of students going into the Lecture Theatre this morning, life in the Gateway is quite quiet and relaxed on this sunny morning.
It has been a good opportunity to test the webcams on the ground and first floor for our colleague - Andy in Ambleside. Our staff have been walking past the webcams and giving him a wave to make sure they are working ok.
So keep an eye out for this new addition to the Learning Gateway website - which should be coming soon - and check out just who's working hard on the first floor desking and who's lounging downstairs in our beanbags with a laptop.

Open day 06.02.08

Yesterday the Learning Gateway was the venue for the Fusehill Street open day for prospective students. Applicants for the PGCE, Radiography and Occupational Therapy courses had a taster of what life is like for students based at the campus, with a presentation in our Lecture Theatre and interviews held in the building.