{"id":8672,"date":"2024-09-11T16:13:27","date_gmt":"2024-09-11T16:13:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/?p=8672"},"modified":"2024-09-26T12:27:14","modified_gmt":"2024-09-26T12:27:14","slug":"stress-free-submissions-how-practice-can-transform-digital-assessments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2024\/09\/11\/stress-free-submissions-how-practice-can-transform-digital-assessments\/","title":{"rendered":"Stress-Free Submissions: How Practice Can Transform Digital Assessments"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>In today\u2019s digital age, many students face the challenge of mastering unfamiliar digital skills, especially when it comes to submitting assessments online. Providing students with opportunities to practice these tasks not only helps them build confidence but also reduces the stress associated with last-minute technical issues. Hands-on demonstrations and early exposure to digital platforms are essential to ensuring that students can navigate these tools with ease, ultimately enhancing their academic performance.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During a recent committee meeting, Hafiz, the Student\u2019s Union VP Education, shared how his tutor, Alfred Akakpo, a Senior Lecturer in Business Analytics, had excelled in supporting students through the digital assessment process. His feedback illustrates how effective tutor engagement and practical demonstrations can positively impact students&#8217; experiences with online submissions. As a representative of the student body, Hafiz provided valuable insight into how this approach significantly boosted his peers&#8217; confidence in using digital tools for their assessments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hafiz explained, \u201cAlfred taught us how to use Kaltura Capture to record and upload videos. If I\u2019m not mistaken, he also provided a demo link that allowed us to practice uploading. This was incredibly helpful for us to understand how the app works beforehand.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From Hafiz&#8217;s perspective, here are a few key strategies that tutors can adopt to better support students:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Tutors should demonstrate how to submit an assessment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Clearly communicate the importance of deadlines to students.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Provide students with opportunities to practice the submission process during class.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Share a link to guidance that students can follow at their own pace.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ensure that this guidance is directly associated with the assessment brief.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Early Communication and Demonstration<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Early communication plays a crucial role in reducing stress and anxiety among students. As Hafiz highlighted, \u201cEarly communications help a lot. If tutors demonstrate how to submit assessments and communicate the importance of early submission, it helps students reduce their mental pressure.\u201d By proactively showing students how to use these platforms, educators can give them time to familiarise themselves with the tools, which in turn builds their confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Timing of Support Sessions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hafiz also suggested moving support sessions to around three weeks before the deadline. \u201cPersonally, I think if we can move that to around three weeks, it might help and motivate students to start the assessment early,\u201d he proposed. This shift could encourage students to organise their time better and reduce the common last-minute rush, providing more space to focus on the quality of their work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Creating Demo Videos<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to live demonstrations, Alfred provided students with video tutorials that guided them through the submission process. This approach allowed students to practice at their own pace. \u201cThe demo link left by Alfred gave us the chance to try beforehand and understand how the app works,\u201d Hafiz remarked. Such resources can significantly enhance students\u2019 comfort with digital tools, especially when included with assessment briefs or accessible via the course platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Encouraging Staff to Follow Suit<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alfred\u2019s success in supporting students serves as a model for other staff looking to improve their students\u2019 digital skills. By offering practical, hands-on guidance, tutors can reduce student anxiety and ensure that technical issues do not become barriers to academic success. Hafiz&#8217;s feedback highlights how impactful these interventions can be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Supporting Data and Institutional Strategies<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This approach aligns with broader institutional strategies, such as those outlined in the University of Northampton\u2019s Access and Participation Plan. The plan underscores the importance of tailored support to enhance student engagement and success, particularly for those from underrepresented backgrounds. This strategic focus highlights the need for proactive and practical training to address digital skills gaps and ensure equitable access to educational opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By incorporating strategies like early communication, timely support sessions, and demo videos, tutors can significantly improve students\u2019 ability to handle digital assessments. Hafiz&#8217;s experience as a student leader demonstrates the benefits of proactive support from staff like Alfred. This approach not only eases student stress but also equips them with valuable skills for the future. Educators are encouraged to follow Alfred\u2019s example and explore similar methods to ensure their students feel supported and empowered in the digital landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are a member of teaching staff and you would like training and support in offering this level of support to your students, get in touch with your Learning Technologist to arrange a 1:1. In my experience, the better you know how to use these digital tools, the more you can reduce student anxiety and ensure students achieve their best outcomes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In today\u2019s digital age, many students face the challenge of mastering unfamiliar digital skills, especially when it comes to submitting assessments online. Providing students with opportunities to practice these tasks not only helps them build confidence but also reduces the stress associated with last-minute technical issues. Hands-on demonstrations and early exposure to digital platforms are [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8672","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-learntech-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Stress-Free Submissions: How Practice Can Transform Digital Assessments - Learning Technology Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2024\/09\/11\/stress-free-submissions-how-practice-can-transform-digital-assessments\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Stress-Free Submissions: How Practice Can Transform Digital Assessments - Learning Technology Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In today\u2019s digital age, many students face the challenge of mastering unfamiliar digital skills, especially when it comes to submitting assessments online. 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