Service Level Description

The IT Learning Centre's activities are delivered by teams from the Customer Services group at IT Services. These activities are open to all full members of Oxford University (academic, non-academic, graduate or undergraduate) and provide and support classroom-based and online courses and workshops in practical computing and research skills.

The IT Learning Centre provides the link between Information Technology and academic teaching, research and support roles. The skills taught to students and staff are a foundation for the research, teaching and support activities within the University. The range of courses reflects IT Learning Centre’s teachers’ understanding of the IT skills needed by University members inside and outside academia and those skills that departments and colleges have identified as being required to support learning.

Courses are available on a wide range of topics including research skills, programming, database design, academic use of office software and fundamental and beginner courses. Courses are delivered on Windows, Apple Mac and Linux Operating Systems.

The IT Learning Centre courses, workshops and online resources are promoted via this website. Course information is actively disseminated via print, email and social media channels and face to face induction events.

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Hours of Service

The service operates throughout the year. The scheduled classroom-based IT Learning Centre course programme is available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday during term and outside of term where appropriate. Our online video based courses are available on demand, 24/7. The Thames Suite is available for use throughout the year. Support and advice is available throughout the year.

Classroom-based Courses and Teaching

The IT Learning Centre delivers offers a schedule of over 150 different courses per term to approximately 12,000 attendees per year. In addition the IT Learning Centre offers closed and tailored courses for departments and colleges by special arrangement for which a charge is made. 

Courses are developed and delivered by the IT Learning Centre teaching staff, who have a wide range of experience of teaching in H.E, F.E and industry.

New courses developed by the IT Learning Centre teachers are peer-reviewed, and undergo a process of continual enhancement. Courses are improved and developed in response to changes in software, new innovations, University projects and feedback from attendees.

Most courses are modular with the majority being three-hour sessions. Full descriptions are available on the IT Learning Centre website so that members of Oxford University can clearly identify what is appropriate for their needs. They can then map their own preferred path through the learning programme to achieve their desired skills.

Some modules are offered as lunchtime sessions. These cater for those members of the University who need a brief introduction to a topic, perhaps before enrolling on a longer module. These sessions are also a useful vehicle for more academic discussions of the application of IT.

Each course is accompanied by extensive support material typically a course book with notes, slides and course exercises.

Online Courses (Molly)

Online courses are offered under the umbrella 'branding', Molly, which is made up of:

LinkedIn Learning

This is a huge library of online video courses is provided via a subscription to LinkedIn Learning. Full and current University members can access this resource for free using their Single Sign on account.

IT Learning Portfolio

Teaching materials from our popular courses are available online for members of the University to refer to and download for personal study. The IT Learning Portfolio includes course books, exercise files, helpful videos and other support materials.

Other Activities.

The IT Learning Centre also:

  • offers pre and post course support to course attendees.
  • organises and delivers engagement events such as Breakfast at IT Services for new staff members of Oxford University and gives Induction Talks to new graduates of around 45 departments at the beginning of each academic year.
  • works closely with all other areas of IT Services in providing teaching and learning support.
  • In line with The Joint Skills Statement (2001) and Government's Robert's Report recommendations (2002), in collaboration with the Bodleian libraries runs a workshop “Skills Toolkit for Research Students”, which supplements PhD students core research objectives in the area of IT skills and information skills.
  • gives advice on provisioning and designing learning spaces and the effective use of classroom technology.
  • advises on instructional design in support of projects and departmental activities

Support and Administration

The IT Learning Centre is responsible for the Course booking system, timetabling of courses and the day to day operations of the programme including responding to initial enquiries, resolving booking queries, managing the provision of course materials, enrolling students on the day, obtaining post-course feedback, all of which ensure that the learning process flows smoothly for attendees and teaching staff.

The IT Learning Centre supports the wider training and engagement activities of other groups in IT Services.

The IT Learning Centre provides event management and support to a wide range of national and international conferences, award ceremonies and regional workshops for delegates from across the UK higher and further education sector.

The IT Learning Centre uses a commercial course management system, Accessplanit, locally 'branded' as CoSy. This online system offers a front-end, self-service interface for booking and cancelling places, and expressing interest in courses , The system sends automatic reminders and notifications and users can login to check their bookings. The back end administration system enables efficient management of course bookings and rooms and resources.

For full University members the following charging regime applies to the open schedule. Charges are advertised at the time of booking.

Not charged for:
  • LinkedIn Learning courses
  • 'Quiet' sessions, where people can come along and work through LinkedIn Learning courses with light touch support
  • Online resources made available through the IT Learning Portfolio
  • All 1 hour sessions
  • Courses that directly cover an IT Services’ service, e.g. the HFS back up service, the University's VLE (Canvas), Lecture Capture (Replay), High Performance Computing sessions.
  • User groups, such as those for Canvas and Replay.
Charged for:
  • Other open courses and workshops. Undergraduate and postgraduate students are generally charged a reduced fee for these sessions
  • Closed courses for departments

Members of other organizations affiliated to Oxford University can attend IT Learning Centre courses subject to availability and software licencing conditions. Charges on application.

The Thames Suite, used for the delivery of the IT Learning Centre courses and events, comprises seven teaching and training rooms where new technology is incorporated into the learning environment. Each room has interactive whiteboards, a projection system, sound systems, high-specification computers, hearing loops and good accessibility.

The Thames Suite can be hired by other departments and external organisations for IT-oriented events.

Further information about the Thames Suite is available on this website.

Members of Oxford University who wish to take a classroom-based course must first book online (using Single Sign On), via email, or via telephone. 

Access to online resources are also controlled by Single Sign On.

On attending, members may be asked to produce their university cards as proof of their identity and their eligibility for the course. They are responsible for:

  • turning up for courses that have been booked
  • cancelling any booked courses in reasonable time if they cannot attend
  • paying advertised course charges and cancellation fees
  • completing an online evaluation form at the end of each course

Full terms and conditions are available are available on this website.

Course enquiries


Use our online contact form

Email us at courses@it.ox.ac.uk

 

Thames Suite enquiries


Use our room enquiry form

Email us on thames.suite@it.ox.ac.uk

Compare the rooms

 

Instructional design enquiries


Use our instructional design enquiry form

Email us on instructional.design@it.ox.ac.uk

 

CoSy enquiries


Contact CoSy Support us via our form

 

IT Services


The IT Learning Centre is part of Customer Services at IT Services