Trace Id is missing
May 14, 2020

University of Central Lancashire embraces digital learning with Microsoft 365 and Surface

When the University of Central Lancashire identified its desktop computers as a major impediment in its quest to deliver modern education, the search for a more flexible teaching solution was on. Adopting a wide range of Surface devices, the university not only empowered its educators to deliver more engaging classes, it granted similar flexibility to students. And when the COVID-19 crisis forced a sudden shift to remote teaching, the familiarity and flexibility of Surface and Microsoft 365 helped the university deliver connected, high-quality learning scenarios.

University of Central Lancashire

“Microsoft Surface is at the core of our technology strategy. Together with Azure, Windows 10, and Microsoft 365, Surface gives us the ideal platform.”

James Crooks, Director of Learning & Information Services, University of Central Lancashire

One of the largest higher education institutions in the United Kingdom, the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is dedicated to helping talented people from all walks of life realize their full potential. With a student and staff community approaching 38,000, the university is steadily on the hunt for ways to maximize the efficacy of its educators.

To that end, UCLan launched a new learning and teaching strategy in 2018, the focus of which was providing inspirational student learning experiences. In its first year, the program invested in developing the university community through continued education sessions. During the second year, the university environment itself was refined. Now in its third year, the program has begun to examine how technology can be embedded in curriculums across the university to reinforce the advancements already on display there.

Teachers and staff were consulted regarding their needs and concerns, as was university leadership, on its expectations of what their new technologically-infused classroom sessions were to exemplify. The chief ask from these educators was for increased flexibility, both technologically and with regard to their pedagogical methods. At the time, desktop computers were the standard at UCLan, and they severely limited teacher mobility. A growing number of laptops and even tablet devices were being deployed to address the issue, but for the university, the costs of maintaining three devices per educator were too high. Beyond the cost of devices, educators also asked for the time and resources to train themselves on any new tools adopted by the university.

By discussing these issues with their academic leaders, UCLan administrators were able to refine their list of ideal technologies. The decision of which hardware to select was a simple one. UCLan adopted a combination of Microsoft Surface Book, Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio 2 devices, each of which would fulfill a specific need. This new fleet of Surface devices opened the door to new, more flexible and connected learning and teaching scenarios at UCLan.

Touchscreen and pen-enabled Surface devices suit every style of teaching, and their lightweight, portable form factors make them ideal for teaching in multiple classroom and office settings. Teachers can also share their ideas more easily on Surface devices by digitally inking handwritten notes, recording verbal feedback, and using Microsoft Whiteboard to set up class materials and presentations in a rich, interactive space that can be shared in real time and revisited during future class sessions. “Microsoft Surface is at the core of our technology strategy,” says James Crooks, Director of Learning & Information Services at the University of Central Lancashire. “Together with Azure, Windows 10, and Microsoft 365, Surface gives us the ideal platform.”

An adaptable solution

All of this work and development recently resulted in some important, but unexpected benefits. As the COVID-19 crisis mandated the closure of university campuses worldwide, UCLan’s staff and students were able to swiftly transition to remote teaching and learning scenarios. Educators in particular were able to weather the change swiftly, simply bringing their now-familiar Surface Pro devices home with them. As restrictions ease, with these same devices, users will be able to easily adjust to hybrid on/off campus schedules as well. “In a matter of weeks, we had 28,000 students supported by 3,000 staff using a combination of Teams, OneNote, and Whiteboard,” says Crooks. “The ease of the technology and the ability to communicate and collaborate has been a huge benefit for students to be able to continue their studies.”

Regardless of what challenges might await educators and students down the road, Crooks believes that UCLan and Microsoft have laid the groundwork to adapt. “Microsoft’s mission to empower every person on the planet to achieve more really chimes so nicely with ours,” he says. “Our cooperation plays a huge role in our ability to empower our staff and students to reach their full potential.”

The right device for every scenario

At the core of UCLan’s new hardware landscape is the Surface Pro. Every one of the university’s over 2,000 educators is equipped with a device. On campus, educators are also equipped with a Surface Dock, full-size monitor, keyboard, and mouse at their desks. Educators can dock their Surface Pro devices at their desks, creating a traditional working environment, or they can bring their Surface devices to the classroom, where they can be used to better interact with students.

Across the university’s campus, 270 classrooms and meeting rooms have also been provisioned with Surface Docks. Connected to projectors, these docks make it easy for educators to deliver presentations, charge their devices outside their offices, and engage with student groups and their peers more deeply. In addition, UCLan has deployed Surface Studio 2 devices in 10 lecture halls across campus, so lecturers can easily incorporate cloud-based content and solutions like Microsoft Stream for video capture, Whiteboard for shareable note taking, and Teams for live question and answer sessions.

For power users, like engineering professors, whose processing needs routinely exceed those of the average user, UCLan has deployed Surface Book devices. As the needs of these users steadily increase, incorporating apps built through Microsoft Power Platform, UCLan has also begun exploring the scaling opportunities offered by Azure virtual machines, which can be spun up and utilized only when their considerable heft is required. If adopted, this solution would enable power users to gain the flexibility of form represented by the Surface Pro while also making use of more processing power than any single device can muster.

“We invested across all the academic community and we now have approximately 2,100 devices with our academic staff and 800 devices with our professional services,” says Kevan Williams, Technology Enabled Learning & Teaching Manager at the University of Central Lancashire, adding “It's a culture shift that everyone is embracing.”

The university’s new line of Surface devices is also being used as an equalizer, granting increased access to digital learning tools to students through a campus library-based Surface Go loaning program. Because not every student has access to a modern device, UCLan has provisioned 70 Surface Go devices for use in the university library. These devices can be used while moving about the building or at a number of dedicated study stations equipped with Surface Docks and monitors, facilitating comfortable long-term study sessions.

Growing together

To support its educators during the adoption of these new devices, UCLan developed a support platform dubbed “Digilearn.” As part of this program, digital learning specialists were paired with educators, with the goal of developing lasting relationships that reinforce shared campus-wide best practices, increasing digital literacy, and the creation of an online community capable of organically sharing knowledge. Microsoft Teams is a major part of this platform, and UCLan has created numerous channels, including those dedicated to assessment and feedback, cross departmental communication and collaboration, and the provisioning of resources.

The Digilearn platform also makes use of the Microsoft Educator Center, where educators can learn how to use many of their new solutions, including OneNote and Stream. "I look at the opportunities we're creating and the technical development of our academic staff and I feel a huge sense of pride" says Williams. "We've had staff who were moving toward end of career, who have now reinvigorated and relaunched themselves because of what we're now able to do with the tech. It's been nothing short of transformational for our organization.”

Find out more about the University of Central Lancashire on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

“In a matter of weeks, we had 28,000 students supported by 3,000 staff using a combination of Teams, OneNote, and Whiteboard. The ease of the technology and the ability to communicate and collaborate has been a huge benefit for students to be able to continue their studies.”

James Crooks, Director of Learning & Information Services, University of Central Lancashire

Take the next step

Fuel innovation with Microsoft

Talk to an expert about custom solutions

Let us help you create customized solutions and achieve your unique business goals.

Drive results with proven solutions

Achieve more with the products and solutions that helped our customers reach their goals.

Follow Microsoft