Image above L-R: Jared Ambrozevich (SRUC Forestry student), Ali Hastie (SRUC’s e-Learning Developer), Professor Wayne Powell (SRUC’s CEO & Principle), Emma Harper (MSP), Alistair Mitchell (SRUC’s Vice-Chairman), Professor Nick Sparks (SRUC Barony Campus Dean) Euan Mckelive (SRUC Forestry student), Adrienna Quial (SRUC Forestry Student)
On Friday 15th of February 2019, the official SRUC Barony Campus kirkmichael Digital Classroom opening event took place. Guests included SRUC’s Chief executive and principle, SRUC Vice-Chairman, Dumfries and Galloway College and Emma Harper local MSP.
Professor Wayne Powell started the ceremony with welcoming guests and highlighted the importance of innovation to SRUC and the power of internal and external collaboration.
Belinda Haig (SRUC’s Group Manager Information and Digital Services) started with the SRUC Learning and Teaching Digital Dream, which began with a visit at Dundee University Learning Space rooms around 20-months previously.
Belinda went onto thank the Digital Classroom committee members, the local team and especially two members of the project team (Julie Parker and Ali Hastie) for their commitment and dedication in producing a state-of-the-art room and facilities for both staff and students.
With the great success with the Digital Classroom project and the Learning Teaching collaborative projects with staff and students at Barony Campus, SRUC officially announced future Digital Classroom installations with similar technologies throughout SRUC.
Once Alistair Marshall (SRUC Vice Chairman) officially opened the Kirkmichael Digital Classroom, with revealing the plaque, he stated: “Collaboration through technology is second nature to students at home and while studying. We need to constantly evolve to support their potential and create a world class teaching environment. The digital classroom isn’t just about today, it also reflects the working practices of tomorrow. Working with staff and students to create our first digital classroom has been brilliant and has offered us a real glimpse into the future”
With the Kirkmichael Digital Classroom officially opened, Ali Hastie took to the lectern and presented the Kirkmichael Digital Classroom journey. Practicing what we preach surrounding the use of technologies with the students, Microsoft Sway was used to present the Kirkmichael Digital Classroom journey:
The Advanced Certificate in Forestry students (Jared Ambrozevich, Adrianna Quail and Ewan Kckelvie) took the floor and showcased their ‘amazing’ digital evidence that they have been collaboratively working within their teams in the digital classroom. This included their high quality Tree Identification e-Portfolios within Microsoft Sway and Pests and Diseases of Trees within their team’s Padlets (online collaborative walls).
