OxTALENT: in support of professional development

Dr Sharon Mickan, Director of Studies for our MSc in Evidence-Based Healthcare, and her team have won an OxTALENT award in the category 'Using WebLearn to Support Continuing Professional Development'.

WebLearn is Oxford's Virtual Learning Environment, which contains induction information, course material and tools for learning for students on University programmes. It's an indispensible tool for distance learners and local students alike.

Sharon, as academic lead on the MSc in Evidence-Based Health Care, has taken the initiative to ensure that WebLearn supports our part-time students before, during and after their residential weeks in Oxford.

In particular, she has championed a paperless approach to making module learning materials available.

The OxTALENT blog describes Sharon's initiatives: 'To prepare students before the residential week, Sharon organises WebLearn forums for introductions and exchanging information. During the residential week she makes presentations available before each lecture in order to encourage students to use their laptops in the classroom to make their own enhanced notes. She also makes journal articles available for download from WebLearn so that students can manage their own set of resources on their laptops. Once the students have returned home, Sharon runs online activities to keep the group working together. She encourages other module leaders to adopt similar practices, in order to promote consistency in students' learning experience.'

OxTALENT, which stands for Teaching and Learning Enhanced with Technology, is an interest group dedicated to raising awareness, promoting interaction, and stimulating the use of IT in teaching and learning across the University. OxTALENT awards are presented annually to staff and students who have been innovative in their use of technology to enhance teaching and learning.

For more information on the MSc in Evidence-Based Health Care, please see: www.conted.ox.ac.uk/B900-39

You can hear students talk about their experience of the MSc in Evidence-Based Health Care in our online video.

For full information on the OxTALENT awards, please see: blogs.it.ox.ac.uk/oxtalent/oxtalent-competition-2014/

Published 21 July 2014