A centralised system monitoring attendance and performance among first year students in Biomedical Sciences has been established at Newcastle University. Early signs of absence and poor performance trigger immediate intervention by academic staff, with the aim of providing support for students at risk of failure or withdrawal. Difficulties…

The use of technology to capture the audio and visual elements of lectures, to engage students in course concepts, and to provide feedback to assignments has become a mainstream practice in higher education through podcasting and lecture capturing mechanisms. Instructors can create short podcasts or videos to produce "nuggets" of information for…