UCL Digital Education Baseline

The UCL Digital Education Baseline sets out the minimum expectations, or baseline, for blended or online learning for all taught programmes and modules at UCL, with a focus on Moodle.

What is the UCL Digital Education Baseline?

The UCL Digital Education Baseline sets out guiding principles for the design and delivery of Moodle courses, whether they are campus-based or fully online. It supports the design of accessible, consistent, and coherent learning experience for students across all modules and programmes.

Who is the baseline for?

The UCL Digital Education Baseline is designed for all UCL staff involved in delivering and/or supporting teaching and learning. It provides a shared foundation to ensure consistency and quality across Moodle courses, regardless of discipline or teaching approach.

How should staff use the baseline?

The Digital Education Baseline is designed to be flexible and adaptable, supporting a wide range of teaching styles and subject areas.

Staff are encouraged to:

• Use it to inform Moodle course design and updates, including departmental templates if applicable.
• Prioritise implementing baseline considerations which suit local teaching practices and priorities.
• Collaborate with colleagues to ensure a consistent approach across programmes.
• Optionally, use it in quality assurance reviews and as part of early-stage programme/module design workshops.

Do we have a template for Moodle courses?

A Moodle Course Template has been developed in alignment with the baseline and this is used by default when new courses are created, unless a departmental template is specifically requested.

For guidance on requesting a course with a template, see Requesting a Moodle course or course with template.

How are the Baseline and Moodle Template connected?

The Moodle template course was developed based on the Digital Education Baseline, translating its principles into a practical structure. While helpful, the template is not exhaustive, it’s a starting point that staff can adapt to suit their specific teaching context and needs.

What is the Baseline informed by?

The Baseline aligns with key frameworks, metrics and principles including: National Student Survey, Teaching Excellence Framework, UCL’s Curriculum Design Principles, Excellence in Education and Student Experience projects, Digital Accessibility Policy, Blended and Online Learning Regulation from Office for Students, QAA and JISC blended learning recommendations.

Endorsement and Governance

The Baseline has been endorsed by: Digital Education Steering Committee (DESC), Education Committee (EdCom) and Senior Education Team (SET).

Available Support

Baseline Implementation Guidance

The Digital Education Guidance SharePoint is organised around the six sections of the Digital Education Baseline. Each principle includes signposting to relevant guidance which could support practical implementation.

Moodle Course Review and Template Development

To review your Moodle course against the Baseline or develop/update a departmental template, contact the Digital Education team. Support will be provided in collaboration with your Faculty Learning Technology Lead.

Curriculum and Module Design Support

For new course or module development, or to redesign existing ones, reach out to the Programme Development Unit.

Digital Education Baseline

1.Moodle structure and navigation

Help students navigate and engage with course content and activities.

1.1 Use a consistent template with headings and grouped resources and activities.

1.2 Organise content with descriptive and short titles and overviews to convey purpose and relevance.

1.3 Help students track their progress independently by enabling completion tracking.

1.4 Avoid overloading the course homepage or including excessive text-based content.

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2. Orientation, communication and support

Clarify engagement expectations and foster a sense of community.

2.1 Provide learning aims and outcomes, a course overview, and include a welcome message.

2.2 Communicate how staff and students are expected to use Moodle and other relevant tools, and signpost available support.

2.3 Provide staff roles, contact details, preferred communication channels, and expected response times.

2.4 Communicate regularly and provide opportunities for students to ask questions and receive answers from staff and peers.

2.5 Direct students to available services and support, such as disability and neurodiversity support, IT assistance, and academic resources.

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3. Learning and teaching resources and activities

Organise resources and activities for ease of access and engagement.

3.1 Ensure digital learning resources are up to date and reflect current research, subject developments, and industry standards.

3.2 Indicate which readings, activities, and resources are essential, optional or recommended, and provide an estimated time for each.

3.3 Offer a variety of interactive learning activities and appropriate feedback and provide alternative formats when required.

3.4 Provide guidance and support on how to use digital tools for successful engagement with the course.

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4. Assessment, feedback and academic integrity

Clarify assessment requirements and promote academic integrity.

4.1 Communicate assessment details, including assessment type, weighting, deadlines, marking criteria, penalties, submission methods and feedback timelines.

4.2 Offer clear guidance on what digital tools are used for submitting assessments and receiving feedback.

4.3 Outline and set expectations for academic integrity, including policies on plagiarism and direct students to relevant support.

4.4 Clarify the recommended use of generative AI tools according to UCL guidance.

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5. Accessibility, copyright and data protection

Observe accessibility, copyright, and data protection standards.

5.1 Provide accessible learning resources and use tools to check for usability and accessibility where available and offer alternative formats as required for accessibility and RAAs.

5.2 Include a brief accessibility statement which includes guidance for students who require additional support.

5.3 Share lecture materials as much as possible in advance to help students prepare.

5.4 Adhere to copyright and intellectual property legislation and direct students to relevant resources.

5.5 Ensure all student data is securely stored and communicate any data protection considerations.

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 6. Continuous module dialogue and quality assurance 

Support ongoing evaluation of digital learning.

6.1 Use continuous module dialogue to encourage student feedback and to provide anonymous evaluation opportunities.

6.2 Ensure students are aware of relevant course evaluation deadlines and surveys.

6.3 Involve key stakeholders, including students, academic and professional services staff in relevant module and programme evaluations.

6.4 Work together with colleagues to agree a common implementation of the baseline across programmes or departments.

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This guide has been produced by UCL Digital Education for the UCL Arena Centre for Research-based Education toolkits. You are welcome to use this guide if you are from another educational facility, but you must credit the project.