There’s an iPad Oxford Bookworms trial currently running at HCT from Oct 21 to Nov 8th. There’s also an OUP App available called ‘How good is your English’ which helps students find their Bookworm reading level. Click here for the trial Click here for the App

The latest edition of Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal is just out with some great new articles such as the Impact of Teacher Training for Autonomous Learning. Covers Scaffolding Students’ Initial Self-Access Language Centre, Readiness for Self-Access Language Learning: A Case of Iranian Students, Supporting the Development of Autonomous Learning Skills in Reading and Writing

  The Ed Tech Innovations team has mapped these desirable teaching and learning practices onto HCT’s LMS tools (Bb Vista 8 and/or Bb Learn 9.1) to demonstrate the potential of the VLE to enhance teaching and learning practices.   The following examples of good academic practice using e-learning are outlined below to support Policies 3.1,

Migrations from Vista to Learn 9.1 will happen starting September 2012, to be completed by January 2013. Here are some quick directions on migrating your course from Bb Vista on over to Blackboard Learn 9.1.   Find your course in VISTA (http://bbvista.hct.ac.ae) In the Course Manager of your course choose ->Backup ->Backup your course. Refresh

There is a growing need for in-house professional development opportunities for faculty and staff. The research shows that while professional development and learning networks enhance teaching practices and support improved student academic achievement professional development opportunities does not keep pace. The National Staff Development Council in the USA launched a research study with The Stanford

There are new changes on the horizon to Blackboard’s interface, features, and overall functionality. These changes will be ushered in when HCT upgrades to Blackboard Learn, Version 9.1, Service Pack 8 (SP8) this April.   Blackboard Interface: SP8’s interface changes will be immediately noticeable and more in-line with today’s Web 2.0 experience. Most apparent will