Projects per year
Organisation profile
Organisation profile
Vision:
The Active Digital Education Centre will be a catalyst for the development of digital skills which will position the University of Northampton as a hub for innovation benefiting staff, students, and the wider sector including local businesses.
Proposed Centre Membership:
The centre will recruit members across all three Faculties and from relevant Professional Services teams within the University of Northampton. Initial membership will be from the existing Digital Technologies SIG but this will grow to include other relevant SIGs (e.g.Gamification, AI and eXtended Reality XR) and external members by specific invitation related to the strategic direction of the Centre.
Summary Description of the Centre:
Active Digital Education (ADE) is a pedagogical approach to designing and teaching using digital tools. This concept has been developed at the University of Northampton to complement their pedagogical approach of Active Blended Learning (ABL). The ADE approach recognises that digital tools can be harnessed to facilitate the co-construction of knowledge through technology-enabled exchanges of ideas. Such active co-creation has the potential for students to build employability skills consistent with the transformative ambitions of SDG4 and with changemaker values. It engages students in knowledge construction, reflection and critique, the development of learner autonomy and the achievement of learning outcomes using digital tools.
The Centre will bring together expertise throughout the University and beyond to become a beacon of excellence for development and dissemination in ADE and develop knowledge exchange opportunities with external companies (such as placements, projects and joint funding). It will build on the work and networks already developed through the existing Digital Technologies SIG. It will act as a unifying structure for relevant SIGs focusing on innovative digital technology themes such as chatbots, AI, inclusive technology, gamification, immersive technologies and eXtended Reality (XR), simulation and digital competencies.
As such, the umbrella of ADE and the Centre will act as a focal point and a vehicle for the creative deployment of technologies across disciplines.
Rationale and goals for the Centre:
The ADE Centre recognises that the use of digital technologies in higher education is poised to move into a new era and that the University of Northampton has the capacity to lead in the field. Innovative digital technologies can pave the way for new pedagogical approaches that emphasise active participation, social inclusion and collaborative innovation. The ADE Centre seeks to provide a multidisciplinary environment supporting and sharing research and innovation.
The ADE Centre intends to:
- raise the profile of scholarly debate about ADE.
- define ADE across educational sectors and stakeholder groups.
- become a hub for the development and exchange of ADE knowledge through a collection of SIGs that form partnerships between academics across disciplines and external stakeholders.
- nurture the production of a range of research related tangible outputs that contribute to PURE and feed into the REF.
- share, reflect and discuss all matters related to research and its practical application to ADE.
- support innovation across a broad spectrum of digital technologies in research, and research-led teaching and learning.
- foster an inclusive, interdisciplinary community that develops expertise and supports researcher development and wellbeing.
- encourage collaboration in scholarship and evidence-based practice in ADE to discover and share research informed solutions.
- sustain a bidding programme in the field of ADE for research and enterprise income that results in a shared repertoire of outputs.
- act as point of advice on relation to TEF and NSS developments which can be underpinned and supported by ADE activities.
- raise the reputation and visibility of the University of Northampton to students, local businesses, recruitment markets etc. as the modern university of choice.
- address local digital skills shortages and business growth challenges by working closely with external organisations. This will help businesses identify future opportunities and increase the employability of our students.
Introduction to the centre by Helen Caldwell:
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Profiles
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Dr Tereza Aidonopoulou
- University of Northampton, Education - Senior Lecturer in Education (SEN and Inclusion)
- Centre for Active Digital Education
- Centre for Education and Research
Person: Academic
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Michelle Bugby
- University of Northampton, Childhood, Youth and Families - Senior Lecturer in Education (CYF)
- Centre for Active Digital Education
- Centre for Education and Research
- University of Northampton, Graduate School
Person: Academic, Ph.D.
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Dr Helen Caldwell
- University of Northampton, Childhood, Youth and Families - Associate Professor in Education
- Centre for Active Digital Education
- Centre for Education and Research
Person: Academic
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Dr Cristina Devecchi
- University of Northampton, Education - Associate Professor in Education
- Centre for Active Digital Education
- Centre for Education and Research
Person: Academic
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Georgina Dimmock
- LLSS - Academic Services - Head of Library Systems, Skills, Collections and Archives
- Centre for Active Digital Education
Person
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STEP Outside: Supporting education students to use outdoor spaces in their professional practice.
Whewell, E., Richardson, T., Tiplady, H., Woolley, K. & Clanfield, J.
1/08/23 → 30/06/24
Project: Internal Fund › Other funding
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Pedagogical Tools and Techniques for ABL Phase 1: enhancing learners’ and educators’ potential
1/08/23 → 30/06/24
Project: Internal Fund › Other funding
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ENGAGE: Engaging’ students with education: promoting inclusivity through technology: Phase 2 (version 2 plus wider dissemination)
9/09/22 → 30/06/23
Project: Internal Fund › Other funding
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Bringing learning alive: empowering the use of immersive technologies to blend physical and digital spaces
Caldwell, H., Whewell, E., Lambert, R., Howe, R., Harris, J. & Aidonopoulou, T.
1/08/22 → 30/06/23
Project: Internal Fund › Learning Enhancement & Innovation Fund
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Interconnectedness, place and growth: a visual essay on transformative learning
West, A., Caldwell, H., Tiplady, H. & Whewell, E., 9 Apr 2024, In: Visual Studies. p. 1-6 6 p.Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
The ethical implications of generative Artificial Intelligence on students, academic staff and researchers in Higher Education.
Howe, R., Machado, L. & Sneddon, S., 22 Mar 2024, (Accepted/In press) • Artificial Intelligence Applications in Higher Education: Theories, Ethics, and Case Studies for Universities. Crompton, H. & Burke, D. (eds.). RoutledgeResearch output: Contribution to Book/Report › Chapter › peer-review
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Bringing Learning Alive: empowering the use of immersive technologies to blend physical and digital spaces
Howe, R., Caldwell, H. (ed.), Whewell, E. (ed.), Achtypi, A., Aidonopoulou, T. (ed.), Harris, J. (ed.), Ellis, H., Love, Y. & judge, S. (ed.), 23 Jun 2023.Research output: Contribution to Conference › Poster
Open AccessFile -
Datafication in Education in England: A children’s rights-based approach to human data interaction theory
Meechan, D., 1 Aug 2023, Human Data Interaction, Disadvantage and Skills in the Community: Enabling Cross-Sector Environments for Postdigital Inclusion. Hayes, S., Jopling, M., Connor, S. & Johnson, M. (eds.). 1 ed. Springer, p. 223-241 19 p. (Postdigital Science and Education).Research output: Contribution to Book/Report › Chapter
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Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Competency 1: Advocating for young children’s rights and participation
Meechan, D., 1 Jun 2023, A Practical Guide To Early Childhood Studies Graduate Practitioner Competencies. Bradbury, A., Musgrave, J. & Perkins, H. (eds.). SAGE Publications Inc.Research output: Contribution to Book/Report › Chapter
Datasets
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Interconnectedness, place and growth - photographic dataset
West, A. (Creator), Caldwell, H. (Creator), Tiplady, H. (Creator) & Whewell, E. (Creator), University of Northampton, 14 Mar 2024
DOI: 10.24339/d164dbe0-772b-4628-9c34-aa0156c43805
Dataset
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The power of pause: experienced and novice teachers experienced and novice teachers developing dimensions of expertise through video collaboration software
Whewell, E. (Creator), Caldwell, H. (Creator), Tiplady, H. (Creator) & Garrett, B. (Contributor), Technology, Pedagogy and Education Association, 22 Dec 2022
DOI: 10.24339/a861eb97-529a-44d7-8762-a9fc242d46c7
Dataset
File
Activities
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Association for Science Education Annual Conference
Emma Whewell (Speaker) & Helen Tiplady (Speaker)
4 Jan 2024 → 6 Jan 2024Activity: Academic Talks or Presentations › Seminar/Workshop › Research
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Hearing the student voice: universal design for learning (UDL) as a framework for pedagogical reform in Higher Education
Emma Whewell (Author) & Alison Power (Author)
4 Feb 2024 → 6 Feb 2024Activity: Academic Talks or Presentations › Conference Presentation
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ALT East England - This house believes that Education has control of the technology, policy and processes being used.
Rob Howe (Chair), Neil Dixon (Member of programme committee), Uwe Richter (Member of programme committee) & Jennie Dettmer (Member of programme committee)
21 Jun 2023Activity: Organising a conference or workshop › Research
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Bringing Learning Alive: empowering the use of immersive technologies to blend physical and digital spaces
Emma Whewell (Author) & Helen Caldwell (Author)
3 Jul 2023Activity: Academic Talks or Presentations › Invited talk › Research
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Sci-fi 2 Sci-fact: Can AI create the perfect tutor?
Rob Howe (Author)
24 May 2023Activity: Academic Talks or Presentations › Invited talk › Research
File
Student theses
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Evaluation and proposed enhancements in learning undergraduate computer programming using visual Problem Based Learning (PbBL) visual Project Based Learning (PjBL) and visual computer programming
Author: Hill, G., Jul 2018Supervisor: Devecchi, C. (Supervisor) & Turner, S. (Supervisor)
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis
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Social Innovation in Higher Education: The Application of Carspecken’s Critical Qualitative Research Methodology to Understand Social Innovation as Systems Change in a University Context
Author: Irwin, W., May 2022Supervisor: Devecchi, C. (Supervisor) & Watson, M. (Supervisor)
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis
File
Press/Media
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An introduction to copyright law and practice in education, and the concerns arising in the context of GenerativeAI
Rob Howe, Georgina Dimmock & Darren Flynn
11/03/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media
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The ADRIAN PRYCE DL (Associate Professor)'s Open45Business show on NLive Radio
27/09/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media
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Beyond the Technology: demonstrating digital transformation - rethinking learning and curriculum design at the University of Northampton
Rob Howe, Shan Wareing, Kate Coulson, Jim Harris & Elizabeth Newall
30/08/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media
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Curiosity and culture: blending digital and physical at the University of Northampton
Rob Howe, Kate Coulson, Shan Wareing & Jim Harris
30/08/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media
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Artificial Intelligence and eXtended Reality impact on society
14/06/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media