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Academics left stranded by ongoing travel delays have been rescued by teaching and learning technologies at The University of Nottingham.
Despite the resumption of flights following the volcanic eruption in Iceland, backlogs and delays mean many academics have been unable to fly.
Professor Fiona Broughton-Pipkin, an expert in obstetrics and gynaecology based at City Hospital, was due to lead an important research conference in Chile, until her flight was cancelled because of the ash cloud.
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“I was due to give the lead lecture in Santiago, around which there was to have been a full day research meeting. I was very concerned to learn I couldn’t travel, since I knew that it would disrupt the work of colleagues at the conference.”
Professor Broughton-Pipkin was helped by the University’s learning team to use an Interactive Teaching Room (ITR) to capture her lecture and deliver it to the conference on time.
ITRs automatically record lectures in audio and video, and make them available online, helping students to revise and prepare for exams.
There are five Interactive Teaching Rooms across the University’s campuses.
In this case though the system was used to help an academic in trouble and to keep an international conference on track.
By that evening the video had been viewed by the organizer who said that while it obviously wasn’t the real thing, the lecture was excellent.
“The only drawback of course was that I wasn’t able to answer questions directly,” Professor Broughton-Pipkin said, “but it is good to know the University has a system and support team in place who are able to deal with the challenge quickly and effectively.
“I would have no hesitation at all in using the system again should the need arise.”
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Notes to editors: More information the ITRs is available at http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/is/teaching-research/teaching-rooms.aspx
The University of Nottingham is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 100 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) and Times Higher (THE) World University Rankings.
More than 90 per cent of research at The University of Nottingham is of international quality, according to RAE 2008, with almost 60 per cent of all research defined as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. Research Fortnight analysis of RAE 2008 ranks the University 7th in the UK by research power. In 27 subject areas, the University features in the UK Top Ten, with 14 of those in the Top Five.
The University provides innovative and top quality teaching, undertakes world-changing research, and attracts talented staff and students from 150 nations. Described by The Times as Britain's “only truly global university”, it has invested continuously in award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia. Twice since 2003 its research and teaching academics have won Nobel Prizes. The University has won the Queen's Award for Enterprise in both 2006 (International Trade) and 2007 (Innovation — School of Pharmacy), and was named ‘Entrepreneurial University of the Year’ at the Times Higher Education Awards 2008.
Nottingham was designated as a Science City in 2005 in recognition of its rich scientific heritage, industrial base and role as a leading research centre. Nottingham has since embarked on a wide range of business, property, knowledge transfer and educational initiatives (www.science-city.co.uk) in order to build on its growing reputation as an international centre of scientific excellence. The University of Nottingham is a partner in Nottingham: the Science City.