The Talis Aspire User Group award
At Talis Insight, we host the Talis Awards dinner to recognise achievements within the Talis Aspire community. As well as the three Talis Awards we gave out this year, we also asked our Talis Aspire User Group reps to give out one award, nominated and voted for by our user community.
The Talis Aspire User Group reps wanted to highlight interesting and new ways of using Talis Aspire, and this year gave out the ‘Talis Aspire User Group Award for Creativity’. They asked the community to look at what they had been doing within their universities, and nominate examples of creativity.
This award was won by the University of Kent, for submitting two different projects which both demonstrated exceptional use of Talis Aspire.
The first submission was an accessibility project, transforming workflows and creating a paperless system for reading lists, in doing this the team have also improved the availability of the lists for all students: “since September 2016, we have provided core and recommended texts in accessible formats for 63 ILP (Inclusive Learning Plan) flagged lists”.
The second submission demonstrated how they trialled innovative communications in 2016 to promote reading list engagement, mapping poor module evaluation scores onto modules with no lists. “With one school, this led to a 667% increase in the number of reading lists published for review during 2016, from 15 to 115”. Their ‘5 for the price of 1’ model, “illustrated how prioritised reading lists could support the delivery of the University Plan and university-wide projects”.
The Talis Aspire User Group reps who awarded the University of Kent, chose them as winners for the following reasons:
“Firstly on their inclusivity work, working with student support to ensure texts are in accessible formats to all students.” The judges “really liked this as it’s so important and goes to the route of what Talis is all about- accessibility. Will make a lasting impression and looks to have been a really collaborative project.
Secondly working with module evaluations to target low scores and correlating these with gaps in Reading List provision. This combined with a parallel development of the catchy ‘5 for the price of 1’ model to strategically engage academics. This was a real combination of creative thinking to have a widespread strategic impact.”
Here’s what the team at the University of Kent had to say:
“We are excited and delighted to have won the 2017 TAUG Creativity Award. It recognises the innovative ideas we’ve been putting into practice to promote engagement with academics and to deliver accessible resources to all our students and staff. We couldn’t have done this without the support of colleagues across the University, and a special mention must go to Ben Watson who works with us through the OPERA project. This award will definitely inspire us to keep up the momentum.”
Within this category, the judges also highlighted commendations, for other institutions that also stood out for doing great work in this area.
Anglia Ruskin University were commended for their Libguides for using ReadingLists@Anglia. One judge said: “Anglia Ruskin have come up with a pleasingly visual guide to collate the guidance available to staff using Talis Aspire which helps clearly signpost where to get help.”
And another said: “Really playful, fun and engaging…A great example of making things creative and fun.”
The University of Westminster were commended for their use of Talis Aspire Reading Lists for a whole range of non-academic lists, from schools outreach and pre-enrolment support through to referencing skills support. One judge said: “I liked the holistic outlook that Westminster have taken in providing reading lists for outreach and pre enrolment, as well as the subject specific lists.”
Congratulations to the University of Kent, Anglia Ruskin University and the University of Westminster from all of the Talis team!
Watch this space for more blogs on the Talis awards…
