Topic outline

  • General

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  • week 0 (2014/15)

    Dear MSCCT Teaching Team,

    welcome on board and thank you for joining the MSCCT programme.

    I have chosen this additional Moodle space for communications, time tabling, planning and as a repository for all relevant course materials after Dropbox was hacked last week and didn't appear secure anymore for sharing information. This is our shared space for online teaching, learning and assessment support on the MSc in Clinical Trials.

    Your turn!

    1. Please could I ask that ALL TUTORS not familiar with Moodle complete the Foundation module 'Technology toolkit' activities in CT Foundation Course (currently being updated-03082015). We will be using the discussion board and wiki here as well-communication tools central to our students' learning experience. On the Foundation skills course you are enrolled as a student and you will experience (the trials and tribulations of) Moodle as our students do-that's the idea!
    2. As you know we will be meeting in Adobe Connect at least twice/academic year for discussion board facilitation and marking/feedback support-using the tools in Moodle takes a bit of getting used to. I'm here to help. In our first session I will introduce you to the MOodle forum, Turnitin and GradeMark. Watch for the email invite in week 0.
    3. Before the start of the course please be sure to carefully review the following information held in the 'Course information & further resources" section on the course homepage in Moodle:
      • course guide for PG regs and programme handbook
      • course planner and calendar for scheduling time for discussion board support and assessment marking
      • assignment specifications for detailed descriptions of assessed assignments including marking criteria. Your marking guidance and rubrics will be sent in an email together with your allocated submissions shortly after each due date.

    For now I will be using each of the topic blocks below to introduce you to selected course resources and general elearning guidelines that are relevant to the design approach taken on the MSc in Clinical Trials.

    With many thanks for your support-please do not hesitate to raise problems or concerns with me in an email or just call.

    Kindest regards,

    Christina

  • Getting started with Adobe Connect

    • Communications area

      Find here our dedicated Adobe Connect virtual meeting room (live meetings). It is important that we all communicate about student support, marking etc. issues. Should there be problems with individual students we can discuss them here. I have invited Michelle Evans as well for help and support. You will be invited to meet us (and the course leaders) in Adobe Connect at least 2x/ academic year.

    • URL icon
      Adobe connect virtual meeting room link (URL)

      Please check your access and computer settings as laid out in the help docs below! Sign in as a guest.

    • File icon
      Adobe Connect induction activity File

  • Curriculum design approach

    Find here some background information on the online design, student support and assessment approach which the MSc in Clinical Trials has taken and which tutors are expected to familiarise themselves with. The MSc in Clinical Trials is driven by the active student, where your role is to encourage, motivate and support.

    • The online pedagogy on the MSCCT

    • URL icon
      Biggs' SOLO taxonomy & constructive alignment (URL)

      The  MSCCT takes a communications driven, constructively aligned design approach  in which students are encouraged to be active learners and where all assignments and assessments are aligned to the course learning outcomes. The SOLO taxonomy, as an evidence-based taxonomy (unlike Bloom) that measures the level of higher order thinking skills, serves as our  frame of reference for evaluation.

    • URL icon
      Feedforward rather than feedback (PDF) URL
    • File icon
      Assessment guidelines by Phil Race (PDF) File

      Rich feedback and feedforward is key to improved student performance. On the MSCCT students can expect constructive and timely feedback to all assessments (within 14 days).

  • Information for students

    Find below a selection of the information sent out to students before the course begins. These may be outdated exemplars - the material is updated each year for each course which you will find in the respective course guide folder in the Moodle section "Course information and further resources".

  • Online participation

    Active online participation on the MSc in CT is central to students' learning. Student feedback clearly demonstrates the relevance of the Thought discussions for knowledge construction well beyond the Unit lessons. Your job is to be there to encourage, prompt and provoke.

  • Assessment submission, marking and feedback

    Feedback guidance, marking instructions and resources will be added here.

    Please note from the course planner that Year 1 courses require 4 pieces of assessments throughout the term. You are expected to mark/feedback to each within 15 days of the due date. Due to the novel format of assessment in Year 2, course assessment guidance for Year 2 will be discussed in a dedicated Adobe Connect session.

  • Reflective practice

    On the MSc in CT reflection holds an important role and constitutes students' assessed activities on selected courses. Marking reflections is not straightforward and exemplars and guidance are made available here. Remember: Simply reviewing what happened does not constitute reflection-reflection is the process of interrogating the experience with searching questions.