Benchmarks for the use of technology in learning and teaching

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These benchmarks provide guidance and exemplars for the effective use of the university’s new Virtual Learning Environment (hereafter referred to as ‘learning environment’ or Brightspace) and other technologies for learning and teaching in pedagogically sound and evidence-based ways. They are aligned with the university’s Learning and Teaching Enhancement Strategy, and will enable the embedding of the Learning and Teaching Enhancement Values in how we use the learning environment and other technologies to support learning, teaching and assessment.

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Key components of the Benchmarks

  1. Overview of the university’s Learning and Teaching Enhancement Values.
  2. Definition of the learning environment benchmarks for the module and unit spaces in Brightspace that have been approved by the university. This includes the Threshold benchmark that establishes the minimum requirements for how modules and units will utilise Brightspace and associated technologies to support learning and teaching, and the Developed and Exemplar benchmarks for reflecting a further embedding of the Learning and Teaching Enhancement Values in the use of technology.
  3. Overview of the evidence-based 3E Framework for guiding the design and implementation of technology-enhanced learning activities for face-to-face, blended and online contexts, and informing the selection of appropriate technologies.
  4. A mapping of illustrative examples, for a broad range of learning, teaching and assessment activities, that are aligned to the 3E Framework and which are intended to provide ideas for how you may use the learning environment and other associated technologies to support and engage your own learners in appropriate ways.
  5. A mapping of the university’s Learning and Teaching Enhancement Values to a range of the tools and features in Brightspace, and aligned to the 3E Framework, to provide further guidance contextualised specifically to the new learning environment.
  6. A planning matrix that colleagues can use in conjunction with the benchmarks and mappings above, to identify how they can utilise the learning environment and other technologies in their own modules and units in ways that are consistent with the guidance provided in the benchmarks document, and with the Learning and Teaching Enhancement Values that are relevant to their modules or units.