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Useful learning technology tools

Recommendations:

  • Where possible, use tools supported centrally by Imperial College (marked [IC]) or IC School of Medicine [ICSM].
  • IC or ICSM supported tools do not cover all the teaching scenarios and circumstances, therefore it may be appropriate to use other external tools. The tools included here have been used effectively by FoM staff.
  • For tools that are not centrally supported, or may require licences or extra training, please speak to your learning design lead or the Digital Learning Team.
  • If these tools don’t meet your requirements, please speak to your learning design lead or the Digital Learning Team.

I want to create engaging and interactive GOL (Guided Online Learning) materials

Effective and engaging self-study materials typically consist of a combination of text, multimedia, interactive activities and quizzes. This guide provides useful advice and tips.

Recording screencasts (e.g. PPTs with voice over): 

  • Powerpoint [IC]
  • Panopto Recorder [IC]

Recording yourself talking to the camera  

  • Use your phone or laptop camera and the built in recorder
  • Panopto Recorder [IC]

Content authoring (text, interactions) 

Most VLEs and content platforms provide the option of adding text, images and videos:

  • Insendi [ICSM]
  • Blackboard [IC]

More advanced interactive resources can be created in dedicated content authoring tools. Speak to a Learning Designer if you are interested in finding out more about:

Quizzes and knowledge checks

  • Built-in platform quiz tools (Insendi [ICSM], Blackboard [IC])
  • Mentimeter (for polls, wordclouds etc.) [IC]
  • H5P (see examples above; speak to your learning design lead)

Online discussions and Q&As

  • Ed Discussion: College-wide advanced discussion tool [IC]
  • Built-in discussion forums: Insendi [ICSM], Blackboard [IC]
  • Padlet

More advanced videos and animations (speak to your learning design lead)

  • Camtasia
  • Panopto [IC] (interactive videos with built-in quizzes)
  • Adobe Premiere
  • Adobe After Effects
  • Assets can be developed by the Digital Media Lab (speak to your learning design lead for details of the application and development process)

Generating subtitles/captions for video content

Panopto [IC] generates subtitles automatically. Like any automated output, they need amending for accuracy. See this guide.


I want to deliver a live online session (a LOL): a tutorial or a lecture, with interactivity and possibly team work.

Video conferencing tools

There are certain GDPR considerations when using these two platforms (e.g. sessions with patient data cannot be conducted on Zoom).

Polls and other types of audience interactions

Collecting students’ questions, responses to tasks, outputs (e.g. posters) etc. (consider who should see the submissions)

  • Built-in chat or Q&A feature in the video conferencing tool
  • Padlet
  • Email
  • Folder in OneDrive [IC] or Sharepoint [IC]
  • Panopto [IC] (for video submissions, speak to your learning design lead)
  • Some activity types in VLEs (e.g. Insendi [ICSM])
  • LAMS [ICSM], especially activities with the Gallery Walk function

Other

  • PeerWise (revision: students’ self-generated quizzes)


I want to deliver on online TBL session

TBL software

  • LAMS (speak to your learning design lead)


I need to deliver online assessment

Speak to your Assessment Team or Programme Administrator in the first instance.

There are various options, depending on the type of the assignment, such as:

  • Turnitin [IC]
  • LAMS [ICSM]
  • Practique [ICSM]
  • Insendi [ICSM]
  • Blackboard [IC]


I need to provide online lab simulations

Speak to your learning design lead: we will discuss the latest tools with you and put you in contact with colleagues that have used such tools before.

I need to provide online clinical placement simulations

Speak to your learning design lead: we will discuss the latest tools with you and put you in contact with colleagues that have used such tools before.

Useful contacts