supa graduate school

Scottish Universities Physics Alliance

SUPA Graduate School

Jim SheachManager, Learning and Teaching Spaces Technology

The University of Edinburgh

www.ed.ac.uk/is


Graduate School - Remit

Technical Courses across themes• Astronomy / Space Physics• Condensed Matter & Materials Physics• Nuclear and Plasma Physics• Particle Physics• Photonics• Physics and Life Sciences

Transferable Skills

Workshops, Summer Schools, Meetings, Distinguished Visitors

Prize Studentships


Graduate School - Delivery

Flexible ApproachFlexible Approach

• Videoconference linked lectures

• Face – to – face

• Workshops

• Summer schools

• On-line, web based


Graduate School - Metrics

PhD Students 09/10

107

121

6215

72

89

711

Edinburgh

Glasgow

Heriot-Watt

UWS (Paisley)

St Andrews

Strathclyde

Aberdeen

Dundee

Postgraduate Students 09/10

137

123

122

72

95

11715


Videoconferencing


Videoconferencing

ResourcesResources

• Eight dedicated videoconferencing seminar roomsEight dedicated videoconferencing seminar rooms

• JVCS Multipoint Service for site interconnectivityJVCS Multipoint Service for site interconnectivity

• JVCS Recording ServiceJVCS Recording Service

• Other organisations videoconferencing facilities as Other organisations videoconferencing facilities as required: required:

CERNCERNRutherford LaboratoriesRutherford LaboratoriesUniversity of DurhamUniversity of Durham


Videoconferencing

Scale of Operation 2010/11Scale of Operation 2010/11

• 8 Institutions8 Institutions

• 61 courses delivered by videoconference61 courses delivered by videoconference

• 607 registered students607 registered students

• 774 videoconference session hours774 videoconference session hours


Videoconferencing

A Typical DayA Typical Day


Videoconferencing

How did it begin?How did it begin?

• SUPA Founded in 2005SUPA Founded in 2005

• Target to have dedicated facilities up and running Target to have dedicated facilities up and running for session 2006/7for session 2006/7

• Individual institutions provided with funding to Individual institutions provided with funding to build a dedicated videoconferencing seminar roombuild a dedicated videoconferencing seminar room

• Some institutional experience of trying to teach in Some institutional experience of trying to teach in inappropriate videoconferencing meeting rooms inappropriate videoconferencing meeting rooms


Videoconferencing

Design and Tender ProcessDesign and Tender Process

• Agreed in mid 2005 that a collaborative approach Agreed in mid 2005 that a collaborative approach should be adopted to system design should be adopted to system design

• Group of technical experts and academic Group of technical experts and academic colleagues set up to develop system specification colleagues set up to develop system specification

• OJEC tender issued September 2005OJEC tender issued September 2005

• VC installation contractor appointed March 2006 VC installation contractor appointed March 2006


Videoconferencing

Design ObjectivesDesign Objectives

• Facilities should be self-drive by the lecturer and Facilities should be self-drive by the lecturer and students students

• Ease of use with minimum trainingEase of use with minimum training

• Intelligent control system which ensured that the Intelligent control system which ensured that the system automatically defaults to a standard set up system automatically defaults to a standard set up on call connectionon call connection

• All rooms should have the same technical system, All rooms should have the same technical system, facilities and control system menu structurefacilities and control system menu structure


Videoconferencing

ConstructionConstruction

• Mid 2006 work on fabric work in the rooms Mid 2006 work on fabric work in the rooms commenced. commenced.

• Several rooms running late Several rooms running late

• Limited commissioning, test, and training Limited commissioning, test, and training

• Started sessions in September 2006 Started sessions in September 2006


Videoconferencing

The Student ViewpointThe Student Viewpoint


Videoconferencing

The Presenter ViewpointThe Presenter Viewpoint


Videoconferencing

Did it all work like magic in year one?Did it all work like magic in year one?

• Network Issues Network Issues

• Interoperability with JVCS issues Interoperability with JVCS issues

• Equipment issues Equipment issues

• Training and familiarisation issues Training and familiarisation issues


Videoconferencing

Did it all work like magic in year one?Did it all work like magic in year one?

• SUPA Learning TechnologistsSUPA Learning Technologists

• Institutional AV and IT ExpertsInstitutional AV and IT Experts

• JVCS Technical ExpertsJVCS Technical Experts

• VC Equipment and Installation SupplierVC Equipment and Installation Supplier

• VC Equipment ManufacturerVC Equipment Manufacturer

• Academic StaffAcademic Staff

• Students Students


Videoconferencing

Year one was a bumpy rideYear one was a bumpy ride

• Technical and network issues resolvedTechnical and network issues resolved

• Rooms completedRooms completed

• Training material developedTraining material developed

• Self help fault finding guides createdSelf help fault finding guides created

• User confidence increasedUser confidence increased


Videoconferencing

Final ThoughtsFinal Thoughts

• Collaborative process and design principles were Collaborative process and design principles were correctcorrect

• Timetable very challengingTimetable very challenging

• Institutional estates issues created greatest delayInstitutional estates issues created greatest delay

• Commissioning, test, and training period was Commissioning, test, and training period was squeezed squeezed

• The students were here so teaching had to start The students were here so teaching had to start


Videoconferencing

Scale of Operation 2010/11Scale of Operation 2010/11

• 8 Institutions8 Institutions

• 61 courses61 courses

• 607 registered students607 registered students

• 774 videoconference session hours774 videoconference session hours


Graduate School - Vision

The Five Year Vision:

Over the next 5 years, the SUPA Graduate School will raise its position as a world leading location for advanced post-graduate training in physics.

To achieve our vision, we will

1. increase the total number and access of post graduate students entering Scottish physics departments

2. ensure excellence in education, training and supervision of SUPA PhDs (define and measure SUPA standards;

compare with world leading HEIs)

3. increase the impact of Scottish post graduate and post doctoral physicists world-wide

4. realise the true benefits of pooling in seizing the advantages of scale in funding and collaboration


SUPA Graduate School

Avril MannersDirector, SUPA Graduate School

[email protected]

www.supa.ac.uk

supa graduate school

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