Date of the Workshop: Thursday 12 June 2025
Location: University of Lancashire, Preston
Introduction
The integration of digital technologies into higher education, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, has transformed every aspect of teaching and learning mathematics. This workshop explored challenges and opportunities brought by this transformation, including strategies to enhance student engagement using platforms such as VLE, and ways to deliver meaningful online content, feedback, and formative assessment. We explored evidence-based strategies, tools like gamification, and adaptive learning platforms to personalise experiences and improve outcomes. The workshop also investigated the role of feedback and formative assessment in digital education, seeking innovative methods beyond automated grading.
Workshop Overview
The workshop ran from 10:00 to 17:00 on Thursday 12 June 2025 in person at the University of Lancashire Preston Campus. Lunch and refreshments were provided.
Invited Speakers:
- Dr Craig Alexander, Lecturer (Statistics), University of Glasgow. Exploring Online Learning Strategies & Technological Advancements in Mathematical Sciences Education.
- Dr Philip Walker, Associate Professor (Teaching and Scholarship), University of Leeds. Deploying digital tools to enhance an assessment strategy.
- Dr Richard Gratwick, Reader, University of Edinburgh. Technological Innovations in Course Design and Delivery at the University of Edinburgh.
- Lorena Zapata, Anthology. Including Mathematics in Blackboard Ultra.
Contributed Talks:
- Gareth Tribello, Queen’s University Belfast. Community Engaged Research for mathematics education.
- Danielle Bewsher, University of Lancashire. Technology Solutions for the Capture of Whiteboards during Teaching Events.
- Timothy Walton, University of Lancashire. Computer-Aided Assessment in Foundation Mathematics at University of Lancashire.
Number of Participants: 20 participants attended the workshop.
Main Themes and Ideas
It included two main sessions (morning and afternoon), each consisting of invited talks, contributed talks, and open discussions.
Themes:
- Increasing student engagement in the Digital Age. The morning session focused on innovative ways to increase student engagement through digital approaches. Key themes included the use of structured asynchronous learning and digitally enhanced content creation to foster deeper engagement, the role of gamification in flipped classrooms, and the importance of building student communities. Presenters also shared experiences with interactive STACK workbooks, in-class polling, and online discussion forums, highlighting how technology can promote meaningful interaction both within and beyond the classroom.
- Meaningful feedback and formative assessment. The afternoon session centred on meaningful feedback and formative assessment, with a particular focus on the use of digital tools to enhance scalability, integrity, and student experience. Key themes included designing assessment strategies that are both content- and cohort-appropriate, the role of technology in supporting holistic and ongoing assessment, and reflections on the use of computer-aided systems such as Mobius. Discussions highlighted the value of digital platforms in delivering effective feedback, maintaining academic integrity, and improving student engagement with formative learning opportunities.
Emerging Implications and Recommendations
The workshop highlighted the growing importance of aligning pedagogy with digital innovation to foster meaningful student engagement and scalable assessment practices. Emerging implications point to the need for further research into the effectiveness of gamification, flipped learning, and computer-aided assessment tools such as Mobius and STACK, particularly in relation to long-term student outcomes and academic integrity. For teaching practice, the talks emphasised the value of combining technology with authentic, real-world projects, as in community-engaged research and learning, and the potential of improved digital infrastructure such as MathJax support in Blackboard Ultra or enhanced whiteboard capture systems to make learning more accessible and inclusive.
Actionable recommendations include:
- Embedding structured digital tools into curricula while maintaining a focus on community and authenticity.
- Sharing good practice in scalable formative assessment across institutions.
- Encouraging collaboration between educators, technologists, and industry partners to refine tools that balance efficiency with pedagogical depth.
- Exploring future workshops on themes such as academic integrity in digital assessment, the role of technology in mathematics education, and cross-disciplinary approaches to digital engagement.
Resources and Links
The presenters did not share any direct links for the resources or their presentations but the details of the presenter and the abstracts can be found at the workshop website.
Acknowledgments
- IMA, LMS and RSS for their financial support.
- School of Engineering and Computing, University of Lancashire for their logistical and financial support.
- Organising Committee:
- Dr Davide Penazzi, Senior Lecturer in Mathematics, University of Central Lancashire
- Dr Daniel Brown, Reader in Solar Physics, University of Central Lancashire
- Dr Timothy Walton, Senior Lecturer and Course Leader in Mathematics, University of Central Lancashire
- Dr Subhrajyoti Saha, Lecturer in Mathematics, University of Central Lancashire.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the workshop underscored how digital tools and approaches can meaningfully enhance student engagement and assessment, while also opening new opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and authentic learning in the digital age.
