Uni students log on as they return to lessons
Students at the University of the West of Scotland have returned to teaching.
The new academic year formally began on September 28 with an online induction Welcome Week, before learning and teaching started on Monday.
Paisley students are now experiencing a flexible hybrid model of learning with a blend of online and on-campus learning and teaching experiences.
In term one, lectures will be online, however, UWS will be offering all students the opportunity to attend campus to access a variety of learning resources and support on a managed basis to ensure a covid-secure environment.
In addition, in line with public health guidance, timetabled on-campus learning activity is being put in place for students on programmes that can’t be delivered remotely, such as nursing, midwifery and biomedical sciences students.
The intention is that each student will have the option of at least one on-campus experience per week, in line with the latest national government guidance.
Dr Lucy Meredith, UWS provost and deputy vice-chancellor, said: “We have had some really positive feedback from students and staff as to their Welcome Week activities, which we developed in partnership with our Students’ Union, in order to help everyone quickly make friends and build connections across the UWS community.
“As well as being fun, this also included academic school and programme activities, to ensure UWS students received all the information they need to succeed in their studies, and how to easily access the wide and comprehensive range of support available to them.
“Of course, we know this has been an unusual start to the new academic year, however, we’re totally committed to doing everything we can to help our students quickly adjust, allowing them to hit the ground running and really get the most out of their university experience.”
In addition to Welcome Week, the Students’ Union has also created a sixweek freshers’ programme of online events and social activities for students across all five campuses, designed to allow students to get to know each other and find out how to get involved in societies and future events.
Dr Meredith added that the university has made a significant number of adaptations to ensure physical distancing and appropriate hygiene measures are in place across campuses in preparation for the return of students.
Students have been given detailed and regular guidance on how to access campus safely – including the use of a dedicated Study Spaces app.
This can be used to book study and social spaces to help the university safely manage access to campuses, as well as advice on booking gym slots, using the library’s click-and-collect system, new buildings access systems, wearing face coverings in circulation areas and accessing takeaway services at catering outlets.
The uni has also introduced a new free smartphone app, called SafeZone, that promotes staff and student safety across all of the UWS campuses.
Once downloaded, the app allows users to easily check in and share their location on campus, which will help with the national contact tracing efforts.
Staff from across UWS have been working hard to create engaging hybrid learning experiences using cutting-edge digital learning technology.
Dr Meredith, added: “In July, we introduced a new, state- of- the- art learning experience platform, Aula, to support our transition to hybrid learning and teaching.
“With Aula, we aren’t just hosting traditional lectures online.
“Instead, the platform allows colleagues from across the university to reshape and redesign their course content in ways which best suits online learning, enabling us to continue to deliver memorable and impactful teaching, giving students the best possible hybrid learning experience.
“Thanks to the tremendous efforts and dedication from UWS colleagues across the university, we are ready and looking forward to providing students with a dynamic, engaging and accessible experience which truly caters for today’s modern student.
“The global pandemic has provided a significant lever for a positive shift in the delivery of teaching and a greater realisation of the benefits technologyenabled curriculum provides to learning, teaching and the student experience.”
Dr Meredith has stressed that all members of the uni community have access to all the information and guidance they need on how to stop the spread of covid.
“Alongside the implementation of practical health and safety measures and guidance for staff and students, UWS has the wellbeing of our community uppermost in our minds at all times, and our comprehensive and detailed range of Covid-19 safety measures cover all aspects
We’re totally committed to doing everything we can to help our students quickly adjust