[2003]		The Learning, Teaching and Assessment Newsletter of the Faculty of Science, LJMU
Ab		stract #4.2
1849		… to be no more than 624 words.	8^th November 2019
Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) We have submitted our university Access and Participation Plan 2020-2025 to the Office for Students (OfS). This sets out our targets in respect of access, attainment, continuation and progression (into further study and employment). It shows how we intend to address differential outcomes for students with identified characteristics including gender, ethnicity, disability, age and socio-economic background. The latter is measured using the fourth iteration of the participation of local areas (POLAR4) statistic and the index of multiple deprivation (IMD). These are each divided into quintiles, Q1 representing our most socio-economically disadvantaged students.
> There is a network of professional services staff who are involved in the delivery and evaluation of activities within the Plan. This network would welcome representations from academic staff at the next meeting to provide a perspective on planned activities. If you are interested, please email Natalie Holland. > We offer a range of EDI workshops for staff and these are listed on the University’s staff development calendar. The ‘category’ filter can be used to find themes of interest.
> The EDI champions within the Faculty are Jon Bielby/Nicola Koyama (BES), Stuart Borthwick (Registry), Shaqil Chaudary (PBS), Phil Denton (SCS), and Tori Sprung (SPS). We meet bimonthly and welcome the discussion of EDI-related matters.
	Teaching and Learning academy news > Our new teaching observation scheme will now start in 2020/21. > The latest version of Vevox’s PowerPoint add-in is installed on all PCs: you no longer need to launch it from the app player. An alternative to the add-in is to use the windows overlay technique (video at 8m 30s). > In her RAP seminar, Dr Morgan focused on national PGT data but her findings may resonate with your own experiences at LJMU.
Classroom news > Fixed attendance monitoring devices (one per 100 seats) are to be fitted in 63 rooms across the campus, on basis of scheduled teaching hours and room size. > Many of your larger rooms now have radio microphones built in and students, particularly those with ISLPs, have welcomed this development. Please use these resources wherever they are available. > If you select ‘1’ on Rate My Room when logging off from a classroom PC, you can enter a reason and this will be followed up. If no Rate my Room dialogue appears when logging off in a classroom, please note the PC base number and contact HelpMe.
See My Tutor A reminder that staff should advertise four hours of availability each week through this platform. This code will colour your availabilities in green, appointments in red, and alert you if you have no forthcoming availabilities.
Canvas grades is about to change (thanks to Chris Gillies and Ruth Nagus) Canvas grades is changing for staff; the students’ view of my grades is unchanged. > Mid November new grades becomes default > January our current classic grades (above) is turned off What are the key changes? > Muting assignment is now called Hide Grades – the process is slightly different. This change allows you to manage the release of marks and feedback by assignment or by course. > How you access a student’s assignment in SpeedGrader from the grade cell is slightly different. > Filter Gradebook by Groups – Useful if there are multiple markers. > Gradebook Settings and Filters have moved. This video provides an overview of the changes. To turn on the new grade book in a course go to Settings > Feature Options and select the New Gradebook option.
Phil Denton, Faculty of Science Associate Dean (Education)

Maintained by SCSADE@ljmu.ac.uk. Last Update: 08/11/2019.