Welcome to the MSc in Learning Technologies! Diana Laurillard (IoE) & Alex Poulovassilis (BBK) Programme Directors, and Admissions Tutors

Why an MSc in learning technologies?  academic grounding for the profession of Learning Technologist in all its forms  technical and pedagogic knowledge to be able to critique, develop and improve on the use of technology  state-of-the-art AI and computer science techniques, learning theory, teaching practice, and curriculum design  twin focus on the computer science and the learning theory that together underpin the optimal use of learning technologies  all tutors are involved in interdisciplinary research on learning technologies

Administration  The programme is administered by the Department of Computer Science and Information Systems at Birkbeck  Diana and Alex are the Programme Directors: (BBK),  The programme administrator is Thomas Epineau (MAL 263): Please contact him in the first instance with any problems you may be facing – he will direct you to the appropriate person.  Queries can also be directed to Tara Orleanes-Angelopoulou (MAL 263) Akua Afriyie (IoE 767)

Location and seeking help  The lectures are located in the Birkbeck main building, at the London Knowledge Lab, and possibly other buildings of the Bloomsbury Consortium institutions – please see the programme booklet for the final (?) timetabling and location information  Please make sure that you give yourself plenty of time to find each new location – if you need help, please call in at the My Birkbeck help desk (ground floor of Birkbeck Malet Street building)  If you have a problem regarding a particular module, please discuss this with the Module Lecturer  If not resolved, or for more general academic issues or concerns, please see Diana or Alex  For help with the department’s computer systems, please contact the Systems Group

Programme Enrolment  You will have been sent enrolment instructions by Birkbeck’s Registry  Please complete enrolment by 1 st October if you’ve not done so already.  You will not be able to access the Bloomsbury Learning Environment (BLE) until you have completed enrolment  You may be assigned a temporary id for access to the department’s computers for the first two weeks of the programme if you have not completed enrolment. However, these will be suspended after 15 th October.

Programme Structure  You need to take 120 credits of taught modules the 60-credit Project please note that the programme booklet wrongly mentions “8 taught modules” on page 4; the description on page 5 is correct!  There are two routes through the programme: Route A, for those without significant prior experience of computing Route B, for those with significant prior experience of computing, including prior experience with using an object- oriented programming language (e.g. Java or C++) Which are you?

Core Modules – taken by everyone  Introduction to Software Development (ISD) – 15 credits  Pedagogy, Adaptivity and Technology (PAT) – 30 credits  Research Methods in Learning Technologies (RMLT) – 30 credits  Project – 60 credits

Optional Modules – Route A  Route A students need to choose 45 credits of optional modules selected from: Learning and Teaching with Technologies (LTT) – 30 credits Semantic Web (SW) – 15 credits Technologies for Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning (TMUL) – 15 credits Object-Oriented Design and Programming (OODP) – 15 credits; needs high level of achievement on ISD Component-Based Software Development (CBSD) – 15 credits; needs high level of achievement on ISD and preferably OODP to be followed as well

Optional Modules – Route B  Route B students need to choose 60 credits of optional modules selected from: Learning and Teaching with Technologies (LTT) – 30 credits Technologies for Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning (TMUL) – 15 credits Semantic Web (SW) – 15 credits Intelligent Technologies (IntTech) – 15 credits Object-Oriented Design and Programming (OODP) – 15 credits Component-Based Software Development (CBSD) – 15 credits; needs OODP to be preferably followed as well

Making your module selections  Use the blank timetables on pages 9 and 10 of the booklet to plan your whole programme and make your module selections  Discuss and agree your selections with Diana or Alex at this Induction Session, or soon after  Complete the module enrolment form and hand it in to Thomas Epineau, by Friday 15 th October at the very latest  Please note you will not be able to access the Bloomsbury Learning Environment (BLE) resources for a module until you have completed the module enrolment process

Award of the MSc Degree  Both the taught module and the project element must be passed (i.e. be awarded a mark of at least 50% in each of these two elements)  Up to 30 credits of taught modules can be failed provided a mark of at least 40% is obtained in these  Assessment is by coursework only for PAT, RMLT, the Project, TMUL, LTT  There is a 2-hour written exam in ISD, OODP, CBSD, SW and IntTech (in May/June, during the day); there is also a coursework component in all of these except IntTech.  Please see page 18 of the programme booklet for full details, and for information about the award of the MSc with Merit and Distinction

Late submission of coursework  All assessed coursework will have a deadline associated with it, as set by the Module Lecturer  Please contact both the Module Lecturer and Thomas Epineau if you wish to seek an extension to the deadline. You will need to need to fill in a Mitigating Circumstances form (obtainable from Thomas) and submit accompanying documentary evidence. All such requests are considered by a sub-group of the Exam Board. This sub-group, called the Mitigation Sub-Committee, meets prior to the Exam Board and its results are presented to the full Exam Board.  Any work submitted after the deadline will be capped at 50% unless the Mitigation Sub-Committee recommends otherwise  Any work submitted later than 10 days after the deadline will be awarded a mark of 0 unless the Mitigation Sub-Committee recommends otherwise

Accessing Birkbeck, IoE and LKL Facilities  In addition to an account on the department’s computer systems, you will be allocated an account on Birkbeck college’s computer systems once you have completed enrolment  You can forward from this address to your departmental account, or other account (see ITS website for details about this)  You will also be sent a Birkbeck College ID card which will allow you access to Birkbeck Library.  Please contact Akua Afriyie for information about how to access the IoE  For access to the London Knowledge Lab, please contact Tara Orleanes-Angelopoulou for an entry card

Any Questions?