The Digital Boom

If you have a longer assignment, dissertation, or extended project coming up, it’s never too early to start planning your research methods. For many of you, this may involve collecting data using a quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-method approach.

One option worth considering is a questionnaire delivered via an online platform. Depending on the types of questions you include, this can be a flexible and effective way to gather data:

Quantitative questions produce numerical or multiple-choice answers that can be counted (e.g., “Rate this product from 1 to 5”).

Qualitative questions are open-ended, allowing respondents to share detailed answers in their own words (e.g., “Please describe your experience”).

Why do people dread surveys?

In my experience, when that survey request email appears in my inbox, I hesitate. Often, I will only respond if I feel strongly about the issue or maybe if there’s an incentive or a requirement to complete it. I don’t think I am alone in this feeling, known as respondent fatigue.

Design Matters

If you plan to use a survey for your research, invest time in its design. A well-structured survey improves response rates and data quality. Here’s where to start:

• Your module reading list – It’s the best foundation for understanding research methods.

  

• Also, check out the Skills for Success Research Methods and Design skills guide [link].

3 tips for writing your survey questions

1. Keep questions clear and simple.

   Avoid overly complex wording. Respondents should understand the question immediately without needing clarification.

2. Ask one thing at a time.

   For example, try not to ask, “How satisfied are you with the product and customer service?”. Break it into two separate questions.

3. Use neutral wording and randomize questions.

   Avoid leading or biased language that pushes respondents toward a particular answer. Randomize answers so respondents are not just choosing option 1 to get it finished. 

Why use Jisc Online Surveys?

Online Surveys [link] (formerly Bristol Online Surveys or BOS) is LSBU’s digital survey tool of choice. All LSBU students and staff have free, unlimited access to it.

Benefits include:

• Comprehensive help and support guides, including access to online webinars.
• Randomizing questions and the ability to apply logic (branching).
• A wide variety of question types.

• Compliance with stringent ethical requirements.

  

To be set up on the LSBU Institutional Account for Jisc Online Surveys, email the Digital Skills Training Team – digitalskills@lsbu.ac.uk

It’s safe to say that AI is the talk of the town. Whether it’s voice assistants on your phone or smart features in your favourite apps, most of us have already used some form of Generative AI. But when it comes to using AI in an academic context, the conversation is still evolving. Some find it confusing; others see it as polarising - but one thing’s for sure: it’s developing fast.

At LSBU, there’s official guidance on how to use AI ethically and effectively in your studies. You can read it here: [Link].

One of the best metaphors I’ve heard for using tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, and others is this:

Think of Gen AI as a personal tutor in your pocket.
 

Ask it questions. Get help understanding complex ideas. Use it to generate examples you can learn from. But remember - it’s not there to do the work for you.

Why Use Copilot Through LSBU?

Students are encouraged to access Copilot using their LSBU student IT account via Office 365. This gives you:

• Access to extra features like chat history and more prompts per topic

• Enhanced security and data protection

   

My Top 3 Ways to Use Copilot

1. Summarising Journal Articles
   Academic articles can be long and wordy. Copilot can break them down into clear, plain-language summaries that highlight the key arguments.
2. Creating Exemplars
   Whether it’s reflective writing, qualitative research, or crafting a strong conclusion - if you’ve never done it before, it can be tricky. Copilot can generate example documents to help you understand the structure and tone.
3. Generating Practice Data
   Want to improve your Excel skills? Copilot can instantly create realistic practice datasets - saving you hours of manually typing names, values, and tables.

There’s So Much More

Copilot can support your learning in many ways. Want to explore further?

• Join a Skills for Success workshop [Link]
• Check out the self-directed course on Moodle: AI for Learning [Link]

Final Thought

Copilot won’t do your work for you - but it can help you do your best work. It’s another powerful tool to add to your academic toolkit.

At this stage in the semester, your lecturers have probably started sharing details about your Semester 1 assessments. For some of you, this may include group work, which can be both exciting and challenging. One common hurdle is finding time to meet in person, especially when schedules clash. That’s where Microsoft Teams can really come in handy.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to some of the collaboration features in Teams that can help your group stay connected and productive, even when you're working remotely.

1. Setting up a Teams Site for your group

To begin collaborating, you’ll need to create a dedicated space for your group:

Steps to create a Team:

Open Microsoft Teams.

Click “Teams” on the sidebar.

Select “Join or create a team” from the top right.

Choose “Create team”.

Use the “Other” template and choose the “Private” option (for invited members only).

Name your team (e.g., Group Project: Marketing Strategy) and “Create”.

Add members by typing their names or email addresses.

You can organise your work using channels (e.g., “Research,” “Presentation,” “Meeting Notes”).

2. Sharing files with your group

Teams makes file sharing seamless:

Go to the “Files” tab in any channel.

Click “Upload” to add documents, spreadsheets, or presentations.

Files are stored in SharePoint, so everyone in the team can access and edit them in real time.

3. Posting updates and communicating

Use the Posts tab in each channel to keep everyone informed:

Start a new conversation to share updates, ask questions, or post reminders.

Use @mentions to notify specific team members.

React to messages with emojis to keep communication light and engaging.

Pin important posts so they’re easy to find later.

4. Using the Interactive Whiteboard

Microsoft Whiteboard is perfect for brainstorming and visual collaboration:

To use it:

Start a meeting or go to an existing one.

Click “Share”, then select “Microsoft Whiteboard”.

Everyone in the meeting can draw, write, and add sticky notes in real time.

You can also add a Whiteboard tab to your channel for ongoing collaboration outside of meetings.

• Mind mapping ideas
• Planning timelines
• Sketching workflows

Microsoft Teams offers a flexible and intuitive environment for group work. By setting up a dedicated team, sharing files efficiently, posting updates, and using the interactive whiteboard, you’ll empower your group to collaborate effectively—whether you're working remotely or on campus.

Further training:

LinkedIn Learning Video [Link]

Welcome to the new academic year! 

The Digital Skills Training Team is here to support you with all your training needs in Microsoft Office and Moodle.

Weekly IT Skills Tips

This is our fortnightly blog, designed to help you enhance your IT skills and boost your confidence with digital tools. Whether you’re looking for guidance on creating professional PowerPoint presentations, getting started with Excel, or staying secure online, our blog will deliver practical tips and advice to help you succeed.

Please feel free to share your feedback or suggest topics you’d like us to cover. This is your chance to shape the content and make it as useful as possible for your studies.

This Week’s Tip: Email essentials for week 1

At LSBU, your university email is hosted on Microsoft Outlook via Microsoft Office 365. Your email address is your student number followed by @lsbu.ac.uk (e.g. S400000@lsbu.ac.uk).

Welcome to Week 1! Your Outlook inbox is probably already filling up with all sorts of notifications and messages from your lecturers. Here are three quick tips to help you stay on top of your university emails:

1. Switch Off Focused Inbox

Outlook’s Focused Inbox splits your emails into “Focused” and “Other” tabs based on what it thinks is important. While this can be helpful, it might hide key university messages—so we recommend turning it off to make sure you don’t miss anything.

2. Add an Email Signature

Your email signature should include:

• Your full name
• Student number
• Course and cohort
• Personal tutor (if known)

This helps lecturers and support staff know who you are and respond quickly and appropriately.

3. Delete Regularly

Don’t let old emails pile up. Delete messages you’ve already dealt with to keep your inbox clean and manageable. 

Further training and advice 

How to switch off the Focused Inbox and add email signatures [link to video]

Further training from LinkedIn Learning: Outlook: Efficient Email Management [link to training platform]

(Log in with your LSBU email and password) 

Need Help? Contact Us!

If you have any questions or need personalised support, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Digital Skills Training Team. 

Email: digitalskills@lsbu.ac.uk

Stay Connected

Don’t forget to check out our webpage for weekly tips and join us on campus for upcoming workshops and events designed to enhance your digital expertise. Let’s make this academic year one to remember!

The Digital Skills Training Team looks forward to supporting you throughout your journey at LSBU.