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The Heads of eLearning Forum (HeLF) is a network of senior staff engaged in promoting, supporting and developing technology enhanced learning (TEL). We have 140 nominated Heads from UK higher education institutions and a regular programme of well attended events.

27 Feb 2014

HeLF Steering Group: New Members

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On behalf of Neil Ringan, Chair of HeLF.


As I mentioned at the HeLF meeting at Birmingham last week, the term of office for the previous HeLF Steering Group expired at the end of December 2013 and you will recall that I emailed the list for expressions of interest from HeLF members to serve on the new Steering Group

Following discussions amongst those people who put themselves forward, I’m delighted to be able to report that we have been able to form the Steering Group without the need for elections. We have decided to expand slightly the size of the steering group (from 9 to 10 members). The main reason behind this is so we can formally allocate 2 members of the Steering Group to work on the 2 core areas of our activity – HeLF events and the web site. The intention is that going forward we will have 2 Events Co-ordinators rather than 1 (currently undertaken with great dedication by Kyriaki Anagnostopoulou from Bath) so that 1 person will work on one session with the other event co-ordinator working on the session after that, and so on.

Specific roles for members of the Steering Group will be agreed at the next SG meeting on April 1st, but for now I’d like to formally welcome the members of the HeLF Steering Group
  • Phil Alberts – Brunel
  • Kyriaki Anagnostopoulou – Bath
  • Martin King – Royal Holloway
  • Lindsey Martin – Edge Hill
  • Scott Miller - Sunderland
  • Barbara Newland – Brighton
  • Mark Pelling – Cardiff Metropolitan
  • Andt Ramsden – University Campus Suffolk
  • Neil Ringan – Manchester Metropolitan
  • Mark Wetton – Edinburgh
I’d also like to formally thank Susannah and Martin who have stepped down from the steering group for their input, advice, guidance and hospitality over the past.

I will be update the Steering Group Members page in the next few weeks.

With Thanks: Image: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7218/7172553967_8b6cdb0212_o.jpg

21 Feb 2014

University of Birmingham: Summary 19th February, 2014

Many thanks to University of Birmingham for hosting your 31st workshop. The theme for this event was, e-Learning at Scale: Tensions for the Head of e-Learning.

A number of key questions where addressed throughout the day, including;


  1. Where are you up to as an institution with MOOCs?
  2. Why are you engaging or not engaging with MOOCs?
  3. What impacts have their been / do you foresee on your role as a Head of e-Learning?

The presentational slides are below, and in no particular order. These have been automatically converted by Google, so there might be a few rendering issues. If you encounter any problems please contact us.



Why Universities are investing in MOOCs: Hugh Davis





Establishing capacity to deliver MOOCs at Leeds: impacts on the University: Neil Morris





Exploring Educational Boundaries: A MOOC based reflection on quality and impact: Amy Woodgate





MOOCs ... all you need to know (in 10 minutes …): Darren Marsh






The MOOC experiment: An academic's view: Momna Hejmadi





With thanks: Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/47572798@N00/8397808475/

5 Feb 2014

Thanks to Susannah Quinsee and Martin Oliver

This is posted on behalf of Neil Ringan, Chair of the HeLF Steering Group

Thanks to Susannah Quinsee and Martin Oliver who are stepping down from the HeLF Steering Group.

The HeLF Steering Group term of office runs for 3 years, at the end of which all members of the Steering Group stand down and can put themselves forward for re-election.
The current HeLF Steering Group term of office ended in January 2014 and we are currently in the process of recruiting a new Steering Group membership.

Two members of the existing Steering Group will be stepping down and not putting themselves forward for re-election, and I’d like to take this opportunity to extend my personal thanks as Chair of HeLF, and on behalf of the Steering Group and wider HeLF membership for their input and support.

Martin Oliver, from the Institute of Education has been on the Steering Group for 3 years and as well as providing us with a fantastic venue in Central London on several occasions, has contributed his wide-ranging knowledge and expertise in a broad range of e-learning pedagogy, research, implementation and evaluation. HeLF members will be very familiar with much of the work Martin has contributed to the e-learning sector over many years (sorry Martin !) and one of the first e-learning events I ever went to was one he ran with Grainne Conole to discuss their evaluation toolkit way back in 1998 (both Martin and I were still in short trousers at the time, of course :-)

Susannah Quinsee from City University London was one of the founding members of HeLF and has been a member of the Steering Group from day one, seeing HeLF through from a very informal group of like-minded individuals trying to set up a mutual support group, right through to the major organisation which we are today, with membership from over 130 UK HEIs. Throughout her role Susannah has brought her experience of supporting the implementation of e-learning within institutions and managing e-learning teams to the Steering Group and HeLF more widely. Personally I’ve learnt a massive amount from Susannah and have been through similar pains and tribulations during our joint membership of HeLF – with the exception that I haven’t had to endure the pain of childbirth !! Susannah has also hosted many HeLF meetings and Steering Group events at City, for which we thank her as well.

So a massive thanks to both Martin and Susannah for your support, input, advice and counsel to HeLF.

Image: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thank_you_001.jpg