Xerte Conference 2018

by Martin Nosek.

A welsh version of this blog post is available below.

This year Xerte Online Toolkits is celebrating its 10 year anniversary. It was first launched at Nottingham University and the conference celebrated a growing user community and again showcased good practice from the UK and abroad.

CEI developed a new Xerte theme about a year ago together with good practice guide. Since then, the CEI have collaborated on many interesting projects across the university and has also developed a new approach to training. After a short discussion with our Xerte consultant Ron Mitchell, we have decided to present the CEI theme (both development and approach to training) during this years’ conference. Moreover, Ron worked with us to develop theme solutions and integrated them into the upcoming “Xerte X” version.

The conference was split in 3 days (26-28 June) and included a training day, main conference day and a developer day. I attended the main conference day and was excited to present CEI theme and some key projects directly after the keynote from Ian Dolphin (Executive Director of the Apereo Foundation). This keynote was themed around learning analytics – where we are, and where we need to go. It was interesting to hear that learning analytics will be available in new version of Xerte, and will help educators to track users’ progress, achievements and success. This development is a very powerful one.

My session was very well attended and I was excited to share some of our successful projects and CEI theme development. I wanted to engage the audience so I used a few Mentimeter (audience response tool) questions as icebreakers, and used the opinion tool to capture audience feelings before and then after my presentation. I embedded the questions into my Xerte using an iFrame, which also demonstrated the ease of using Xerte with other technologies. Next, I presented reasons as to why we have developed the CEI themed template, and showcased some projects within the theme. The audience appreciated the student project element, and I received quite a few questions about student involvement. The audience also were interested in our staff Xerte training approach, which Owen Crawford has been developing of the past couple of years. The final element of the presentation was around developing library resources, where I shared examples by Neil Pollock, who has been creating resources around academic writing and study skills. Overall, I feel my presentation generated many questions and also, I received very positive feedback afterwards. The presentation is available below the text.

The next session I attended presented some interesting work that has been taking place in Belgium and the Netherlands.

I was particularly interested in the presentation given by Inge Donkervoort (managing director at Integrat-ED) about micro-learning. The concept of micro-learning within the project was to create small, media rich Xerte learning objects that last no more than 5 mins. Inge shared some useful tips for creating these learning objects and also shared some examples of promotion and distribution of the objects. She used QR codes to make the objects available by coffee machines or places that people are likely to spend time.

Have you ever thought about learning Xerte in Xerte? Examples from Toll-net showed Xerte resources that guide you through the Xerte interface and page types. They also presented the use of Microsoft Office forms to deliver more personalised objects.

The second keynote presented work around the European funded project – FutureTeacher 3.0. It was interesting to hear different perspectives around issues related to international collaboration and how collaboration will be easier within the new version of Xerte. The project showcased a new page type called “opinion” that can be used to build questionnaires in Xerte. They used the questionnaire within the project to capture staff digital capabilities. The discussions around re-using Xerte were also very productive.

The Erasmus University Medical Centre in Rotterdam have been creating interesting Xerte customizations. As well as the useful improvements, I was impressed by their numbers of Xerte objects. They produced 250 objects in the past 2 years. Among some of the useful customizations was colour highlighted answers within quizzes.

One session I missed, but had very positive feedback (as I realised during coffee breaks) was around accessibility issues in Xerte. Alistair McNaught from Jisc pointed out that even though Xerte has accessibility tools, you have to be careful while embedding external sources. An example he used was embedding a twitter feed, which makes it hard for screen readers to read through effectively. I am looking forward to watching a recording of his presentation.

The conference was a great opportunity to meet new colleagues with an interest in education and learn from them. I felt very positive about my input and was very proud of presenting some great projects from Cardiff, and the work we have done around the CEI template. It was a really positive day for me.

I have to thank to Owen Crawford, Karl Luke, Marianna Majzonova and Neil Pollock for their support and provision of all the interesting projects. Just to update you on some numbers – over the last 5 years, we have created over 7000 projects within Cardiff University, with almost 1.2 million plays, with usage growing every year. It’s fair to say that Xerte is now firmly embedded as an e-learning development tool within the institution.

Links and resources:

Conference main page with available resources

My presentation

Xerte project twitter

Gan Martin Nosek

Cynhadledd Xerte 2018

Eleni mae pecynnau cymorth ar-lein Xerte yn dathlu eu degfed pen-blwydd Fe’u lansiwyd gyntaf ym Mhrifysgol Nottingham, ac roedd y gynhadledd yn dathlu cymuned gynyddol o ddefnyddwyr ac unwaith eto’n arddangos arferion da o’r Deyrnas Unedig a thramor.

Datblygodd CEI thema Xerte newydd tua blwyddyn yn ôl, ynghyd â chanllaw arfer da. Ers hynny, mae CEI wedi cydweithio ar nifer o brosiectau diddorol ar draws y brifysgol ac hefyd wedi datblygu ymagwedd newydd at hyfforddiant. Ar ôl trafodaeth fer gyda’n hymgynghorydd yn Xerte, Ron Mitchell, rydym wedi penderfynu cyflwyno thema CEI (datblygu ac ymagwedd at hyfforddiant) yn ystod cynhadledd eleni. At hynny, bu Ron yn gweithio gyda ni i ddatblygu atebion thematig a’u hintegreiddio i’r fersiwn “Xerte X” sydd ar y gweill.

Rhannwyd y gynhadledd dros 3 diwrnod (26-28 Mehefin) ac roedd yn cynnwys diwrnod hyfforddi, prif ddiwrnod y gynhadledd a diwrnod i ddatblygwyr. Bues i ym mhrif ddiwrnod y gynhadledd, ac roeddwn yn llawn cyffro wrth gyflwyno thema CEI a rhai prosiectau allweddol yn uniongyrchol ar ôl y prif anerchiad gan Ian Dolphin (Cyfarwyddwr Gweithredol Apereo Foundation). Thema’r prif anerchiad oedd dysgu dadansoddeg – lle’r ydym ni arni, a lle mae angen i ni fynd. Roedd yn ddiddorol clywed y bydd dysgu dadansoddeg ar gael yn fersiwn newydd Xerte, a bydd yn helpu addysgwyr i olrhain cynnydd, cyflawniadau a llwyddiant defnyddwyr. Mae’r datblygiad hwn yn un pwerus iawn.

Daeth nifer dda i fy sesiwn ac roeddwn i’n llawn cyffro wrth rannu rhai o’n prosiectau llwyddiannus a sôn am ddatblygiad y thema CEI. Roeddwn eisiau i ennyn diddordeb y gynulleidfa, felly defnyddiais ambell gwestiwn Mentimeter (offeryn ymateb y gynulleidfa) i dorri’r iâ, a defnyddio’r teclyn barn i gasglu teimladau’r gynulleidfa cyn ac ar ôl fy nghyflwyniad. Fe wnes i ymgorffori’r cwestiynau i Xerte gan ddefnyddio iFrame, a oedd hefyd yn fodd o ddangos pa mor rhwydd yw hi i ddefnyddio Xerte â thechnolegau eraill. Yna, cyflwynais resymau dros ddatblygu templed ar thema CEI, gan arddangos rhai prosiectau o fewn y thema. Roedd y gynulleidfa yn gwerthfawrogi’r elfen prosiect myfyrwyr, a chefais nifer o gwestiynau am gyfranogiad myfyrwyr. Roedd gan y gynulleidfa ddiddordeb yn ein hymagwedd at hyfforddi staff Xerte, y mae Owen Crawford wedi bod yn ei ddatblygu dros y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf. Elfen olaf y cyflwyniad oedd datblygu adnoddau llyfrgell, lle bûm yn rhannu enghreifftiau gan Neil Pollock, sydd wedi bod yn creu adnoddau yn seiliedig ar waith ysgrifenedig academaidd a sgiliau astudio. Ar y cyfan, rydw i’n teimlo bod fy nghyflwyniad wedi ennyn llawer o gwestiynau, a chefais adborth cadarnhaol iawn wedyn. Mae’r cyflwyniad ar gael o dan y testun.

Roedd y sesiwn nesaf y bûm ynddi’n cyflwyno gwaith diddorol sydd wedi cael ei wneud yng Ngwlad Belg a’r Iseldiroedd.

Roedd gennyf ddiddordeb arbennig yn y cyflwyniad a roddwyd gan Inge Donkervoort (Rheolwr Gyfarwyddwr Integrat-ED) am ficro-dysgu. Cysyniad micro-dysgu o fewn y prosiect oedd creu gwrthrychau dysgu Xerte bach, yn gyforiog o gyfryngau cyfoethog, sy’n para dim mwy na 5 munud. Rhannodd Inge gynghorion defnyddiol ar gyfer creu’r gwrthrychau dysgu hyn a rhannodd rai enghreifftiau o hyrwyddo a dosbarthu’r gwrthrychau. Defnyddiodd godau QR i drefnu bod y gwrthrychau ar gael wrth beiriannau coffi neu fannau lle mae pobl yn debygol o dreulio amser.

Ydych wedi meddwl erioed am ddysgu Xerte yn Xerte? Roedd enghreifftiau o Toll-net yn dangos adnoddau Xerte sy’n eich tywys drwy ryngwyneb a mathau tudalennau Xerte. Roedden nhw hefyd yn cyflwyno defnyddio ffurflenni Microsoft Office i gyflawni gwrthrychau mwy personol.

Cyflwynodd yr ail brif anerchiad waith ynghylch prosiect wedi ei gyllido drwy arian Ewropeaidd – FutureTeacher 3.0. Roedd yn ddiddorol clywed safbwyntiau gwahanol ynglŷn â materion yn ymwneud â chydweithredu rhyngwladol a sut bydd cydweithio yn haws yn y fersiwn newydd o Xerte. Roedd y prosiect yn arddangos math tudalen newydd o’r enw “opinion” y gellir ei ddefnyddio i lunio holiaduron yn Xerte. Roedden nhw’n defnyddio’r holiadur yn y prosiect i gael cofnod o alluoedd digidol staff. Roedd y trafodaethau ynglŷn ag ail-ddefnyddio Xerte yn gynhyrchiol iawn hefyd.

Mae Canolfan Feddygol Prifysgol Erasmus yn Rotterdam wedi creu addasiadau Xerte diddorol. Yn ogystal â gwelliannau defnyddiol, fe wnaeth nifer eu gwrthrychau Xerte gryn argraff arnaf. Maen nhw wedi cynhyrchu 250 o wrthrychau dros y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf. Ymhlith rhai o’r addasiadau defnyddiol roedd atebion wedi eu hamlygu mewn lliwiau mewn cwisiau.

Un sesiwn a gollais, ond a gafodd adborth cadarnhaol iawn (fel y sylweddolais yn ystod yr egwyliau coffi) oedd un ynglŷn â materion hygyrchedd yn Xerte. Nododd Alistair McNaught o Jisc er bod gan Xerte offer hygyrchedd, mae gofyn bod yn ofalus wrth ymgorffori ffynonellau allanol. Un enghraifft a ddefnyddiodd oedd ymgorffori cyfrif twitter, sy’n ei gwneud yn anodd i ddarllenwyr sgrin ddarllen y cynnwys yn effeithiol. Rydw i’n edrych ymlaen at wylio recordiad o’i gyflwyniad.

Roedd y gynhadledd yn gyfle gwych i gwrdd â chydweithwyr newydd sydd â diddordeb mewn addysg, a dysgu ganddyn nhw. Rydw i’n teimlo’n gadarnhaol iawn am fy mewnbwn ac roeddwn i’n falch iawn fy mod i wedi cael cyflwyno prosiectau gwych o Gaerdydd, a’r gwaith rydym wedi ei wneud ar y templed CEI. Roedd yn ddiwrnod gwirioneddol gadarnhaol i mi.

Mae’n rhaid i mi ddiolch i Owen Crawford, Karl Luke, Marianna Majzonova a Neil Pollock am eu cefnogaeth ac am ddarparu’r holl brosiectau diddorol. I roi syniad i chi am niferoedd – dros y 5 mlynedd diwethaf, rydym wedi creu dros 7000 o brosiectau ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd, gyda deunydd yn cael eu chwarae bron i 1.2 miliwn gwaith gyda’i gilydd, ac mae’r defnydd yn cynyddu bob blwyddyn. Mae’n deg dweud bod Xerte bellach wedi magu gwreiddiau cadarn fel offeryn datblygu e-ddysgu yn y sefydliad.

Cysylltiadau ac adnoddau:

Prif dudalen y gynhadledd a’r adnoddau sydd ar gael

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