Join us on Wednesday 21st July (11:00 -12:30) for a presentation on the ADMINS project from Dr Tim Coughlan followed by facilitated discussion. All are welcome. For an invitation please contact openTEL. Recording Link (OU Staff)
ADMINS: Designing and evaluating a virtual assistant for disability disclosure and study support conversations Dr Tim Coughlan
Abstract
Many disabled students face substantial administrative burden and stressful processes to get the support they are entitled to for study. New students may also not be aware of how they will study or the support that can be available to them. These issues have the potential to impact on attainment and experience. In the ADMINS project, our goal was to work with students and staff to build an alternative approach. We designed ‘Taylor’, a chatbot virtual assistant who introduces OU study, asks students about their needs and answers their questions. The main project trial was devised to test Taylor in a realistic environment and compare the experience to an existing form-based process. 134 new students used Taylor as they disclosed disabilities to the OU. The results were positive about the potential for this type of solution and also suggest key areas for future work and improvement.
Bio
Tim Coughlan is a senior lecturer in the Institute of Educational Technology, and led the ADMINS project. His areas of research include designing and evaluating technologies for accessibility and inclusion, understanding student experiences, and supporting online teaching.
openAIED Special Interest Group 12th May (14:00 – 15:00)
We would like to invite you to the first openAIED SIG meeting of 2021. This informal meeting will allow you to participate in steering the upcoming plans of the openAIED SIG which will be introduced by Dr Duygu Bektik and Dr Francisco Iniesto.
Duygu and Paco will present their latest updates around their work as well as the direction of the SIG, which will be followed by roundtable discussions. We would be delighted to hear what you are doing in this area, what you would like to get out of this group, and how to steer the SIG’s future.
Join this meeting to decide together the openAIED SIG agenda for 2021!
Please email openTEL for an invite or to be added to the openAIED mailing list.
openTEL are pleased to invite you to join our first Learning@Scale SIG in OpenTEL. In this first event, Anna will present her research about online volunteer translation. After her presentation, we will have a roundtable to discuss the agenda for our SIG in the future.
You are welcome to join any of the programs. Please email openTEL or ShiMin for an invite.
Programme (26 May 2021) 15.30 Introduction
15.40 Dr Anna Comas-Quinn presents Learning beyond the classroom: online volunteer translation (see info below)
16.30 Roundtable: What do we want for our SIG
17.00 End
Speaker Bio Dr Anna Comas-Quinn is a Senior Lecturer at The Open University, UK, where she has been teaching languages and translation for the last 20 years. She has led teaching and research projects, edited two volumes on open practice in language teaching, and published on open education, technology-enhanced language teaching and the integration of online volunteering in language and translation education. Continue reading New Special Interest Group: Learning At Scale→
OpenTEL: Show & TEL Tuesday 4th May (09:00 – 13:00) Link to Recording
Agenda
09:00 – 09:25: Welcome and Introduction: Eileen Scanlon
09:30 – 10:00: Presentation 1: Module structure for student success Gerald Evans and Dot Coley, Learner and Discovery Services
10:05 – 10:35: Presentation 2: Younger students at the OU: background, motivations and early experiences Maria Aristeidou, Institute of Educational Technology
10:35 – 10:50: Break
10:55 – 11:25: Presentation 3: Where next for the Disability Disclosure Chat-bot? Nick Freear, Institute of Educational Technology
Open & Inclusive Special Interest Group Wednesday 24th March 2021
10:00 – 12:00
ONLINE: MS Teams
Join us online for the next Open and Inclusive Special Interest Group, with presentations from Sumeya Loonat and Dan Holloway. Please contact openTEL for joining instructions or for more information about this event.
Presentation 1: Language and Learning: Breaking Barriers to Success Sumeya Loonat, De Montfort University
Abstract: This session explores the intersectionality of race and language within a teaching and learning context. There are significant barriers faced by students of colour in higher education and the impact of Covid-19 has contributed to further disparities. Students of colour make up approximately 54% of the student body at DMU; while this current framing of students is homogenous under the contested term ‘BAME’ (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) there are similar connections between domestic students of colour and international students of colour who use English as an additional language. The mainstream framing of these students is usually viewed through a deficit model which is harmful as it perpetuates negative stereotypes. This session considers alternative approaches which enhance the student sense of belonging. Continue reading Open & Inclusive SIG: 24th March→
