Welcome to the CADI Connect newsletter

Your monthly update on all things learning, teaching and innovation at the University of Portsmouth

In this edition, we’re like to remind everyone to save the date for this year’s Annual Learning and Teaching Conference on Thursday 25th June in the Richmond Building, a great opportunity to connect, share practice and explore innovative, student-centred approaches.

We also highlight our growing CPD programme, offering interactive sessions on key topics such as AI in education, assessment and student engagement, alongside key insights from the latest CADI CPD Review.

You’ll find updates on the move of academic skills resources to the Library website, an important reminder to submit Moodle exam information by 8 May and news of our upcoming podcast, CADI CAST.

Finally, we wish the best of luck to colleagues taking part in the Staff v Student football match on 4 May in support of the Student Support Fund.

Thank you for being part of our community and we hope you find this edition both informative and inspiring.


Training and events

Save the Date for the L&T Conference


This year’s Annual Learning and Teaching Conference will take place on Thursday 25th June, in the Richmond Building. We look forward to welcoming you to what promises to be an engaging and stimulating event. To register, please visit Eventbrite.  
 

This year’s conference offers a full day of insightful and thought-provoking sessions, providing a valuable opportunity for colleagues to connect, share effective practice and explore innovative approaches that enhance high quality, inclusive, and student-centred learning and teaching.  We look forward to seeing you there.  

Registration and further details
Image of two people talking

Book on a CPD session


Discover our programme of tailored CPD sessions designed to support and inspire staff across the University. Covering topics such as AI in education, assessment and feedback, closing awarding gaps, learning design, student engagement and the Connected Curriculum, our workshops focus on the themes that matter most to teaching and learning today.

These interactive sessions offer practical tools, fresh ideas and opportunities to connect with colleagues. 

Our CPD sessions are open to internal University staff and can be booked via Docebo.

Please see a full list of sessions including new workshops and dates below ...

AI in the Classroom: Foundations and First Steps

The pace in which AI is developing is faster than most could have projected and it’s easy to feel left behind. Focused on those new to AI, this interactive and collaborative session will explore what AI is and identify the AI tools that are available to you.  

Next session(s): 12th May, 15th June, 13th July, 4th August.


Harnessing AI: Enhance Teaching, Empower Learning

In this session you will explore how generative AI tools can be meaningfully integrated into teaching practice to enhance engagement, personalise learning and streamline tasks. 

Next session(s): 12th May, 16th June, 14th July, 5th August


AI and Assessment - Academic Integrity and Innovation

In this session, you will explore how generative AI tools can be meaningfully integrated into assessment tasks to enhance student assessment literacy and alignment. 

Next session(s): 13th May, 17th June, 22nd July, 5th August


NEW - From Outputs to Insight: Building Ethical and Critical AI Practice

As AI tools become increasingly embedded in higher education, the need to engage critically and ethically with their use has never been greater.

In this session, you will explore how to evaluate AI outputs, question their reliability, and understand the ethical principles that underpin responsible use in teaching, learning, and assessment. Drawing on current sector guidance and research, we will unpack issues of fairness, transparency, privacy, and academic integrity through collaborative activities.

Next session(s): 14th May, 17th June, 22nd July, 6th August


NEW - Beyond Words: AI, Creativity, and Multimodal Learning Design

As generative AI tools make it easier to create images, video, audio, and visual learning materials, academic staff are increasingly faced with questions about how to use these tools purposefully, inclusively, and responsibly.

In this session, you will explore how AI can support the design of multimodal teaching activities and resources that enhance student engagement, accessibility, and understanding. Through hands-on activities and examples from across higher education, you will consider how creative AI tools can be used to redesign learning tasks, support diverse learners, and offer students meaningful choices in how they engage with content and demonstrate learning.

Next session(s): 11th May, 16th June, 16th July, 6th August

Feedback That Clicks: Empowering Students to Engage and Act

Tired of feeling like your carefully crafted feedback goes unnoticed or unused? Do students seem to treat feedback as a box to tick rather than a tool for growth? Join this collaborative and interactive workshop to explore how to write feedback that resonates with your students, inspires reflection and drives meaningful action.

Next session(s): 11th June


Revitalising Assessment and Feedback

If you’re looking to breathe new life into your assessment design and craft purposeful feedback while enhancing student engagement and success, this is the workshop for you.  Have you ever wondered if your students even read your feedback or if your assessments truly enhance the student experience and prepare them up for the world of work.

Next session(s): 8th June


Marking with Confidence: Using Categorical Marking and Assessment Criteria

Are you looking to enhance the transparency, consistency and fairness of your assessment processes? This interactive and practical workshop will equip you with strategies to apply categorical marking while linking to effective assessment criteria and rubrics. Whether you’re aiming to refine your marking practices, ensure alignment with the categorical scale, or better support student success, this session offers valuable insights and tools to elevate your approach.

Next session(s): 3rd June

Mind the Gap! Guidance and Tips for Tackling Awarding Gaps with Confidence

Do you want to ensure your students have an equitable opportunity to succeed? This practical workshop explores awarding gaps and what you can do in your day-to-day teaching to create a more inclusive learning environment.

Next session(s): 2nd June, 3rd September, 3rd December


Access All Areas: Incorporating Inclusive Learning Design

Want to make your teaching more accessible and engaging for all students? Join our interactive CPD workshop where we’ll explore practical ways to create more equitable learning experiences that support the diverse needs of your learners. 

Next session(s): 4th June


Fair, Flexible and Feasible: Inclusive Approaches to Assessment

How can we ensure that our assessments are fair, flexible, and feasible, both for our students and for us as educators? Join us for a hands-on, practical session on inclusive assessment, where we’ll explore how to design fair and supportive assessment experiences for all students.

Next session(s): 7th May, 3rd June

NEWMentimeter: an interactive tool to enhance engagement and interactive participation

In this hands-on workshop, you’ll experience the functionality of Mentimeter from both sides of the screen: first as a student, then as a creator/presenter. You’ll explore a wide range of interactive features, such as live polls, word clouds, quizzes, Q&A, and slide design tools including the PowerPoint add-in, and see how its AI features, such as grouping text responses, can enhance your sessions. We’ll also look at how Vevox question types can be recreated in Mentimeter to support transition between the two systems.

Next session(s): 13th May, 11th June

The Enterprise Programme

This interactive workshop will explore what we mean by ‘being enterprising’ and put this into action. The research and academic environment offers many opportunities for enterprising individuals. You might be contemplating how you can build a business from your research using your researcher capabilities or perhaps you have never contemplated this. Whatever stage you are at, this workshop will help you analyse and develop your enterprising capabilities through self reflection and practical activities.

Next session(s): tbc

Let's be reasonable: anticipating and integrating reasonable adjustments

This session will explore the statutory requirements for University of Portsmouth staff regarding reasonable adjustments, the role of anticipatory duties, and practical strategies for supporting diverse student needs.

Next session(s): tbc

NEWGlobal Mindsets Academic Programme 1

The Global Mindsets Programme provides an informative and reflective space for participants to learn more about internationalisation, what that means for the University and how we can each contribute to creating a welcoming and supportive learning environment for our students and each other.

Please note this is a set of 3 sessions that are required to be completed to achieve programme 1:

  • Global mindsets academic - Session 1: Introduction to Internationalisation - tbc
  • Global mindset academic - Session 2: Internationalising teaching and learning - tbc
  • Global mindsets academic - Session 3: Global Mindsets in International Research Collaboration - tbc

Getting the Basics Right: Teaching Well, Consistently Well at Portsmouth

Are you new to Portsmouth or looking to refresh your approach to teaching and learning? Whether you’ve inherited a module, are navigating blended learning for the first time, or simply want a chance to review your learning and teaching strategy, this interactive and collaborative workshop is your starting point.

Next session(s): 18th June


Engage to Learn: Design Context-Rich Activities for Active Blended Learning

Do you find it challenging to get students to engage in the classroom or participate in asynchronous activities? Are your teaching strategies feeling a bit stale, or are you unsure how to design learning experiences that truly resonate? This interactive and collaborative workshop is your chance to refresh your approach and create context-rich, sense-making activities that inspire engagement, foster belonging and enhance student understanding.

Next session(s): tbc


Discover your Teaching Identity: Professional Values & Personal Pedagogies

Are you considering applying for Fellowship or struggling to articulate your approach to Professional Values in your APEX claim? This interactive and collaborative workshop is designed to guide you through reflecting on your teaching identity and aligning it with the Professional Standards Framework 2023.

Next session(s): 14th May, 8th June, 7th July

Behaviour Management to Relational Practice: Building Inclusive Learning Cultures in HE

This interactive workshop frames behaviour in higher education as linked to belonging, motivation and relational approaches to teaching. It builds on themes introduced at the Learning and Teaching Conference 2025 and invites colleagues to consider how assumptions, learning design and institutional culture influence student engagement.

Next session(s): 11th May


NEW The Art of Noticing: Awareness, Capacity and Everyday Resilience

This session introduces a practical and relational approach to resilience in teaching by focusing on awareness, nervous-system literacy and presence. Instead of viewing resilience as “coping harder”, the workshop explores how teachers can notice their internal states, understand common stress responses (fight, flight, freeze, fawn), and recognise how these influence their capacity to engage with students.

Next session(s): tbc


NEW - The Art of Collaboration: Awareness & Contribution in University Teams

This interactive, device free workshop explores how individual behaviours shape team culture within university settings. Drawing on the Prosocial Matrix as a practical reflective scaffold, the session examines how stress, internal narratives and institutional pressures influence collaboration.

Next session(s):  8th May, 26th June

CADI CPD review


Our latest CPD Review highlights CADI’s strong, well-regarded provision and its central role in enhancing teaching and learning across the University. While engagement compares positively across the sector, the review identifies key challenges including time pressures, workload demands and the need for more discipline-specific, flexible provision.

It also sets out clear opportunities to strengthen impact, including closer faculty collaboration, embedding protected time for CPD and aligning development more closely with career progression and teaching priorities.

Explore the key findings and recommendations
Image of people sat at a table, one looking directly at camera

Moodle

Academic Skills migration


From September, Academic Skills resources will move from Moodle and Google Sites to the Library website, making them easier to find and access in a familiar space. Support remains unchanged, with continued guidance from tutors and closer collaboration with Library staff under a new “Academic Development” section.
 

You can learn more about the changes by reading the article below.

Read the full article
Image of home page of the UoP Library website

Final reminder for Moodle exam information


CADI is preparing for the May 2026 Moodle exam period and your input is essential. Academic Service Centres will soon open invigilation sign-ups (expected by 24 April), but ahead of this, colleagues running computer-based exams must update the exam spreadsheets with required details.
 

If you’re running a Moodle exam, please complete the orange “Academic information” columns in your centre spreadsheet with questions and requirements.
 

Deadline: 8 May 2026 – late submissions may not be processed.

View full guidance and access spreadsheets
male student sat at desk with laptop studying

CADI on tour

Coming soon: CADI CAST – have your say!


We’re excited to share that we’ll soon be launching a brand-new team podcast: CADI CAST. This upcoming series will focus on engaging conversations around learning and teaching, creating a space to share ideas, experiences and practical insights from across our community.
 

As we begin planning, we want to make sure the podcast reflects what you want to hear. To help shape the content, we’ll be carrying out some short market research and would really value your input.
 

Have your say: please take a few minutes to complete our short form and let us know the topics, formats and discussions you’d find most useful. Your feedback will directly influence the direction of CADI CAST.

Complete the form and get involved!
Image of two people on a podcast

University of Portsmouth Staff v Student football match


Freddie and Jonny will be taking part in the University of Portsmouth Staff v Student Football Match on Bank Holiday Monday, 4 May 2026 (12:30pm kick-off), joining a mixed staff and student team in a friendly but competitive fixture at a historic Portsmouth venue. The annual match raises funds for important causes, including the Student Support Fund, which provides vital financial assistance to students facing hardship, often acting as a genuine lifeline during unexpected circumstances.

We'd like to wish Freddie, Jonny and the rest of the players all the best with the match and raising money for such a great cause. If you'd like to donate you can find the links to their personal Just Giving pages below:

Image of a football woth a stadium background

Keep up-to-date with CADI

Image of academic on laptop

Latest news

For all the latest news from the CADI team please follow us on LinkedIn and here on the CADI website - CADI News.


Contact us

Do you have a question or need some support with your teaching?

If you do, then please contact the CADI team who will be happy to advise you.

  • For technical queries relating to digital learning tools, please email: cadi-digital@port.ac.uk.
  • For questions relating to teaching practice or for one-to-one support, please email: cadi@port.ac.uk.