North West Regional College (NWRC) is committed to fostering a dynamic, technology-enhanced learning environment. The Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) team has curated a suite of innovative tools designed to empower our educators and enrich student learning experiences. Below is an overview of some of these tools, highlighting their benefits and applications in modern education.
Core Learning Platforms
Canvas Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)
Canvas serves as NWRC’s primary digital learning hub, offering a centralised platform for course materials, assignments, and assessments. Its user-friendly interface supports multimedia content, fostering interactive and engaging learning experiences. Integration with tools like Blackboard Ally enhances accessibility, ensuring all students can navigate and benefit from course content effectively.
Microsoft Teams
As part of NWRC’s Office 365 suite, Microsoft Teams facilitates real-time communication and collaboration. Educators can conduct live classes, host discussions, and share resources seamlessly. Its integration with other Microsoft tools streamlines workflows and supports a cohesive digital classroom environment. It’s not just for meetings as we now have the ability to delivery teaching content, set assignments, collect student work and provide grades.
Interactive Content Creation Tools
ThingLink allows for the creation of interactive images and videos by embedding multimedia annotations. This tool enriches learning materials, making them more engaging and informative, and caters to diverse learning styles.
Video and Screencasting Tools
MS Stream – is our enterprise video management service that provides educators and students a platform to create, store, share, and view videos securely, within the college. Be it a screencast or demonstration of a web site or software, or a recording of a presentation, MS Stream is an easy platform to record and distribute video content.
Student Engagement and Assessment Tools
PADLET
Padlet is a web-based pinboard that supports class discussions, projects, and more by allowing users to post, move, and connect ideas in a digital “wall” space 1. It enables real-time collaboration, where multiple users can simultaneously contribute to the same board, brilliant for Idea generation, can even knowledge checking within the class.
Microsoft Forms
Microsoft Forms enables the creation of surveys, quizzes, and polls, providing immediate feedback and insights into student understanding. It supports formative assessment strategies and data-driven instruction.
MENTIMETER
Mentimeter is an online presentation tool that enables interactive presentations by allowing the audience to participate in real-time. It offers various question types and features to enhance engagement and collaboration.
Kahoot
Kahoot! is an interactive learning platform that allows educators to create quizzes, surveys, and games to engage students in a fun and competitive way
Turnitin
Turnitin is a text-matching software that generates similarity reports by comparing student submissions to published works, web content, and a library of student assignments across the globe.
ThingLink
ThingLink allows for the creation of interactive images and videos by embedding multimedia annotations. This tool enriches learning materials, making them more engaging and informative, and caters to diverse learning styles
By integrating these tools into teaching practices, NWRC educators can create a more engaging, inclusive, and effective learning environment. The TEL team remains dedicated to supporting staff in leveraging technology to enhance educational outcomes.
NWRC TEL HUB 