In an increasingly complex educational landscape, clear expectations and authentic staff development support for digital education are essential. Since 2011, UCL’s Digital Education Baseline has offered a framework for ensuring high-quality, consistent digital learning experiences. Over time and particularly during the transition to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, the baseline has evolved to meet emerging needs. Most recently, it has been updated to align with current effective practices.
The Digital Education Baseline is designed to:
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Establish clear, university-wide digital education standards (for all taught courses)
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Improve the consistency, design and accessibility of Moodle courses
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Direct staff towards targeted development opportunities
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Enhance the quality and inclusivity of the student learning experience
In this presentation, we will present the updated baseline, explore the research and institutional priorities that informed its revision, and share insights into the challenges and opportunities of embedding it effectively across a large, research-intensive university. We will also reflect on the role of a digital baseline in supporting pedagogical innovation, consistency, and student satisfaction.
As part of the session, participants will take part in a short activity to review and critique anonymised examples of course pages against selected baseline criteria. This hands-on exercise will prompt discussion about how the baseline can be applied in diverse teaching contexts and how it supports both staff and student needs.
Attendees will leave with:
- UCL’s Digital Education Baseline
- Insights into opportunities and challenges of using a digital education baseline
- Examples of how the baseline can be implemented through various staff development approaches
Authored by: Irina Niculescu and Antonella Veccia (UCL)