Editorial
Rachel Forsyth

WebCT at MMU: progress and possibilities
Rachel Forsyth

Developing Links Using Online Learning
Rachel Harradine

Of Mice and Pen
John Pal and Mark Stubbs

Using online learning to disseminate disability-related materials to Learning and Teaching Staff
Mike Wray

Independent Online Learning: Enhancing the Student Experience
Mike Cole

Introducing Online Learning in the Curriculum - Ensuring an Inclusive Learning Experience
Kate Kirk

Adding an extra dimension: the experience of using WebCT for the Literature and its Readers unit
Margaret Kendall

WebCT in the Arctic - evaluating the first module for a new university
Bill Johnston

Developments in Lecture Theatre Technology
Robert Ready

MS PowerPoint for Lecture Delivery: Staff and Student Perspectives
Dawn Nicholson

The European Computer Driving Licence Pilot Scheme
Jerry Niman

Report from HSS Faculty Seminar on Online Learning
Philip Lloyd

Faculty Learning and Teaching Reports

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Rachel Forsyth Learning and Teaching Unit

Editorial

For the second issue of Learning and Teaching in Action, we're taking the opportunity to review the exciting and effective uses to which Information Technology is being put at MMU. Whether you are an IT enthusiast, or just thinking about dipping your toe in the water of using technology in teaching, I hope you will find something to motivate you as you read about what colleagues have done. Even if you are a sceptic about the benefits of IT in learning and teaching, I hope that you will read these contributions with interest and that you will be prepared to engage in debate with the authors.

The issue covers two main areas of Information Technology use at Manchester Metropolitan University: online learning and lecture theatre technology. In the online learning section, Rachel Forsyth summarises what has been happening with WebCT, the software the University supports centrally to facilitate web-based teaching. There are papers from Rachel Harradine, John Pal and Mark Stubbs and Mike Wray about their experiences of planning and developing online course materials, and from Margaret Kendall, Mike Cole and Kate Kirk about the implementation of online learning with students. Bill Johnston describes his role in the evaluation of an online course in the Arctic.

The new lecture theatre technology is being increasingly used for teaching and Robert Ready gives a summary of what this involves and how it can be used to good effect. Dawn Nicholson complements this with the results of a recent study carried out on staff and student attitudes to the use of Microsoft Powerpoint software.

In case you're worrying about your own IT skills after reading all this, an interview with Jerry Niman on the subject of the European Computer Driving Licence summarises the way in which the University is planning to support staff as they acquire the computing skills to make the most of our facilities.

Finally, we've added a new section to this issue of Learning and Teaching in Action: a round-up of Learning and Teaching news from the Faculties. If you'd like to contribute to this section for future issues, please contact the Chair of your Faculty Learning and Teaching subcommittee.

The autumn term issue of Learning and Teaching in Action will cover Student Support in all its forms, and for the Spring of 2003 we plan to consider Assessment. If you would like to contribute to either of these issue, please contact me at the email address below, or via the Learning and Teaching Unit, All Saints.

I hope you enjoy reading Learning and Teaching in Action, and look forward to receiving your comments and contributions to future issues. If you would like a printed copy, please contact Lesley Hamoodi at the Learning and Teaching Unit, All Saints (l.hamoodi@mmu.ac.uk, ext. 3474), who will send you one if she has any left, or you can print articles off individually by clicking on the .pdf link at the top of each one and printing the resulting document from Adobe Acrobat.

July 2002
ISSN 1477-1241