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Drop-in for reading list help

By Hazel M Ingrey, on 4 September 2018

Changes to module codes and new Moodle have prompted quite a few questions this month.

If you would like a hand sorting through how this affects your reading list, or would just like a reminder on how to edit your list, then come to our Wednesday afternoon drop-ins which continue as usual in the TLS office.  Each Wednesday, Pam or Hazel will be available from 2.30 – 4.30 pm to:

This way!

  • Walk you through getting started
  • Set up a new reading list and add readings
  • Troubleshoot any issues, such as linking from Moodle to your reading list
  • Give a quick refresher if you haven’t used the lists in a while
  • Provide a quiet seat to get away from your email and telephone to organise your readings!

 

The TLS office is in UCL Senate House, room 318.  If you aren’t familiar with this UCL Library Hub, come to the South block, third floor and ask at the UCL reception desk; or call the TLS office on 020 3549 5729 (internal x65729).

If Wednesday doesn’t suit, or you would like to set your office computer up for working on reading lists, then we are very happy to visit you in your department: do get in touch to arrange a visit!

 

UCL E-learning Baseline

By Hazel M Ingrey, on 7 February 2018

Some rights reserved CC BY NC https://www.flickr.com/photos/65172294@N00/8736954584 ; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/

‘Tribute to Roger Ebert’ by get directly down

Our colleagues in Digital Eduction have recently been working on updating the UCL E-Learning Baseline.

The e-learning Baseline is now included in the Academic Manual, and offers a best practice template for taught courses at UCL, setting out the minimum expectations of a module.  One of the drivers is to support students who need consistent and clear information on their module, readings and assessments.

The baseline includes a requirement to have a reading list for students and recommends ReadingLists@UCL; it also clarifies that UCL policy is to have reading materials available for students 48 hours before teaching (both in section 5: Resources).

 

Providing consistency across programmes, and clarity of what reading is required, is one of the most positive feedback messages we have had from students about ReadingLists@UCL.  For some modules their reading requirements are spread over a handbook, with sometimes different or additional information in Moodle, and by email: having one consistent place to check makes their life much easier.  This also helps the library ensure books and journals are provided in time, and can translate into good feedback for your module.

Though reading lists themselves don’t have a baseline, we do run ‘Best practice’ sessions for academics.

In a Best Practice Reading Lists session last year we spoke to teaching staff in the Engineering department about recent research around how students use reading lists, and what potential barriers they find in understanding what is required of them, or accessing their essential readings in time.  All barriers are very simple to overcome, for example by using the controlled language provided by the ‘Essential’ ‘Optional’ tags on each reading; and dividing the list into sections by topic or by week needed.  Enriching your list with personal annotations really helps students understand whether you are pointing to a few readings that could be useful, or a seminal text they can’t get by without.  Some academics even like to point to readings they don’t believe have very good arguments, or are based in another library to oblige the student visit another institution: this is also helpful to make clear!

This is the Best Practice reading list of a very few resources used during our session.

Would you like a similar session for your department, or a quick 1:1 to look at your module?  Or would you find a baseline for reading lists a helpful guide?  You can reach us by email, or call or visit the TLS.

 

Drop-in sessions

By Hazel M Ingrey, on 19 January 2018

Wednesday afternoon drop-ins at the TLS office continue as usual.  Each Wednesday, Pam or Hazel will be available from 2.30 – 4.30 pm to:

  • Walk you through getting started
  • Set up a new reading list and add readings
  • Troubleshoot any issues, such as linking to Moodle
  • Give a quick refresher if you haven’t used the lists in a while
  • Provide a quiet seat to get away from your email and telephone to organise your readings!

 

The TLS office is in UCL Senate House, room 318.  If you aren’t familiar with this UCL Library Hub, come to the South block, third floor and ask at the UCL reception desk; or call the TLS office on 020 3549 5729 (internal x65729).

If Wednesday doesn’t suit, or you would like reading lists set up on your office computer or laptop, then we are very happy to visit you in your department: get in touch to arrange a visit!

 

 

Summer drop-in sessions

By Hazel M Ingrey, on 9 August 2017

 

This way!

This way!

Wednesday afternoon drop-ins at the TLS office in Senate House continue each Wednesday, despite the building work in UCL Senate House Hub.

Pam or Hazel will be available from 2.30 – 4.30 pm each Wednesday to:

  • Walk you through getting started
  • Set up new reading lists with you
  • Troubleshooting any issues, such as links to Moodle not working
  • A quick refresher if you haven’t used the lists in a while
  • A quiet seat to get away from your email and telephone, and organise your readings!

 

If you would like to drop by, give us a call on 020 3549 5729 (internal x65729), and we will meet you in reception to guide you to the TLS office! Or get in touch to arrange us to visit you in your office.

 

 

Annual rollover complete!

By Hazel M Ingrey, on 19 July 2017

The online reading lists have rolled over succesfully, creating copies of all lists ready for the 2017-18 session.  The reading lists for 2016-17 have been archived.

You are able to continue editing as usual.  In fact, this is the perfect time to update your list: students look at their readings over the summer and it is very easy to add a section of ‘Summer reading / research’.  Even if you haven’t finalised changes to all readings, you can still set up the structure and update dates and notes.  Though students are very positive about their reading lists, a couple of complaints have been about currency; the previous year’s dates were still on display.

Do you feel too busy to get re-acquainted with how to update your list?  Drop-in to us on a Wednesday afternoon and we will help you log in and make a few basic changes; or ask us for a quick refresher to get started again.  We are also happy to visit you in your office.

 

Drop us an email if you would like to:

  • re-use a previous version of your reading list (for example, for those modules that run every other year)
  • Archive a reading list if it is not being run in 2017-18
  • Change a module title / name on an existing reading list
  • Set up a new reading list

 

One final thing. Your ‘My Lists’ page may still contain 2016-17 lists.

  • To remove older lists: Go to ‘My Lists’. Check the box left of the list title; at the top of the page click ‘Action’ -> ‘Remove’
  • To add new lists to your ‘My Lists’ area: navigate to the 2017-18 list and click the button ‘Add to my lists’ (top right hand side).
  • All reading lists are at the same module URL each year (e.g. http://readinglists.ucl.ac.uk/modules/publg084.html ), this does not change.  The link from Moodle to the reading list (via the ‘Library Resources’ block) is also stable and won’t need updating.

Annual reading list rollover

By Hazel M Ingrey, on 11 July 2017

Summer reading

Summer reading

 

In TLS we are preparing for the annual ‘rollover’ of ReadingLists@UCL.

This is the final task of the academic year for us: the CLA report of UCL’s digitised readings was sent in June, the majority of teaching has finished, and the exam period too has ended.

Each summer the reading lists have a new copy made for the September term, much like the Moodle snapshot.  This year the rollover is scheduled for Tuesday 18th July 2017.  In brief:

  • Reading lists for 2016-17 will have an exact copy made for 2017-18, which will publish immediately
  • Students and staff will have continuous access to their reading lists
  • Editing rights remain constant, so academics and teaching support staff are able to edit the new lists straight away
  • The old version of the reading list (2016-17) will archive, which means it will disappear from public view but can be found and re-used in future years if needed
  • Existing 2017-18 lists will be totally unaffected.

Please note:

  • Unpublished changes will not be copied onto the new list: please publish your lists before 18th July if you wish the changes to be carried forward.
  • If you would like reading lists removed – for example if a course is no longer being taught – please email us any time
  • Similarly, if any courses have updated titles or course codes, email us to request the details are updated.

Do you need a refresher on how to edit and manage your lists?  Drop in to our office in Senate House on Wednesday afternoons, 2.30 – 4.30pm for a quick session. The ReadingLists@UCL webpages also have guides, FAQs and contact details.

Term 2 Drop-in sessions

By Hazel M Ingrey, on 26 January 2017

Would a ‘getting started’ session help you get ahead?  Or perhaps a refresher in adding readings would save you some time?

Drop in to the TLS office on a Wednesday afternoon 2.30-4.30pm in Terms 2 and 3 this

year.  We are on hand to trouble-shoot problems, walk you through linking a reading list to Moodle, or you can just use it as time to set up an online list with someone on hand to speed things along!

This way!

This way!

Our office is in UCL Senate House, room 318.  If you aren’t familiar with this UCL Library Hub, ask at the UCL Senate House reception desk, or call the TLS office on 020 3549 5729 (internal x65729).

When you request a new online reading list we always offer a 1:1 orientation (just 20 minutes or so) at your own computer to get you started.  This way, you don’t have to read instructions and everything is tailored to you and your subject.

Other training

  • Hazel and Pam regularly visit Teaching Committee or Departmental meetings for a 10-minute introduction or demonstration.
  • In January we ran a small group ‘Best Practice’ session for an Engineering department.  In an hour we gave an overview, then invited academics to do the initial set up and add a few different resources into an online list.

If you like the sound of these or have other ideas, get in touch to request training, demonstrations, or for more information!

Back by popular demand! Summer drop-in training

By Hazel M Ingrey, on 1 June 2016

  • Need a quick reminder on how to update your online reading list for next year?
  • Would a ‘getting started’ session help you get ahead?
  • Or do you just want a few tips on setting up a list?

Drop in to the TLS office on a Wednesday afternoon 2.30-4.30pm from June 1st until October 2016.  We will be on hand to trouble-shoot problems, walk you through linking a reading list to Moodle, or just set aside some time to set up an online list with someone on hand to help if you get stuck!

Our office is in UCL Senate House, room 318.  If you aren’t familiar with this UCL Library Hub, ask at the UCL Senate House reception desk, or call the TLS office on 020 3549 5729 (internal x65729).

When you request a new online reading list we always offer a 1:1 orientation (just 20 minutes or so) at your own computer, to get you started.  Hazel and Pam also regularly visit Teaching Committee or Departmental meetings for a 10-minute introduction or demonstration.  Do get in touch to request training, demonstrations, or just for more information!

 

How do I add a pdf to an online reading list?

By Pamela Clarke, on 4 May 2016

Puzzled about how to add digitised readings to your online reading lists for students? Concerned about mysterious pdfs in Moodle?  Or worried about the copyright issues in course readings?

Then worry no more as the Teaching and Learning Services (TLS) are here to help! We offer advice and help to ensure course readings are copyright compliant, using UCL’s CLA licence, and other licencing schemes such as the NLA, and ERA where appropriate. Our course readings service will check readings are legally compliant under one of these licences and add the digitised readings to your online reading list.

To find out more feel free to “drop-in” to TLS (Senate House, room 317, 3rd floor, South Block) between 2.30-4.30 pm on Wednesdays. Contact us at: library-tlss@ucl.ac.uk. We also have webpages with information at your fingertips about the course readings service that you might find helpful.

 

How do I add a Lynda.com course to my Reading List?

By Sandra Bamborough, on 11 January 2016

Lynda offers a huge range of video tutorials supporting learning in software, creative and business skills – all free to UCL staff and currently enrolled students.

 

Lynda 5

 

Log on to Lynda, using your UCL username and password when prompted.

 

 

Lynda 4

 

 

Find the video or section of the Lynda course that you would like to add to your reading list and bookmark as normal, by clicking on the ‘Add to my Bookmarks’ button. (For further information on how to set up a list and add the bookmarking button please see our webpages).

 

 

 

Change the ‘Type’ to ‘audio-visual document’, then add any other metadata you think necessary, e.g. change the title to display the title of a section. Finally, check the ‘Online resource’ box is ticked, save the bookmark and publish your list: when your students now click on your reading list they will be taken directly to the video or section.

It is also possible to search for and bookmark Lynda resources from the library catalogue, Explore.