Teaching staff at Coventry University were informed on 9th April that 100 modules would be moved for Semester 3 (May 2020) from the Moodle platform to a new ‘social learning platform’ called Aula. UCU Coventry has received numerous emails from members concerned with the hasty move and lack of training. Why in the midst of a pandemic has the university decided to make this move and pile more onto staff workloads?

UCU Coventry has written to the University Leadership Team asking them to reconsider the implementation and highlighting the need for a ‘New Technology Agreement’ moving forward. Have a read of the email below:

May intake and Semester 3 delivery, plus roll-out of Aula for September

Dear ULT

Further to your email on 9th April 2020 concerning the migration of modules from Moodle to Aula. Staff have only just adjusted, at short notice, their modules for online delivery on Moodle and are now pressured to learn a completely new platform (Aula) for semester 3.

Although ULT praise staff for world class online delivery and efforts of staying “true to our values and the Coventry Way in the face of the current challenges”. Yet in the middle of a pandemic and national emergency, you have suddenly instructed staff without adequate consultation to migrate over to Aula for semester 3. There has been no consideration of staff workload, welfare and personal circumstances in making your decision. Members have raised concerns such as:

“As someone who has inherited a Semester 3 module and now has to develop a full semester on-line, my heart sank when I heard this module might be also being forced onto Aula, with staff having had no training.  I wondered whether we all had enough to cope with as it is re: working remotely, caring for relatives, etc.”

In addition, there has been no university wide coordinated programme of training to staff in the use of Aula. You also need to urgently clarify if students can submit assessments through Aula.

In conclusion, why have you decided to change the learning platform halfway through the academic year for January intake students? We ask that you urgently reconsider your decision in light of the ongoing national emergency and your duty of care to all staff. 

Going forward we require openness and transparency. There needs to be a negotiated ‘New Technology Agreement’ with UCU for each new platform, prior to introduction. 

We await your urgent response.

Regards

UCU Committee