A conversation with Adrian Burden on leading DELTA in Science & Engineering

Dr Adrian Burden is Reader in Sport and Exercise Biomechanics in the Department of Sports and Exercise Science and DELTA lead for both his department and the wider Faculty of Science and Engineering.
Dr Rod Cullen is Reader in Digital Education based in the Digital Education Team, Principal Fellow of AdvanceHE and a Lead Innovation Scholar.

In this video podcast series, Rod talks with colleagues across Manchester Met about how they are implementing the DELTA strategy in their teaching. Each episode features a conversation about flexible active learning in practice, covering what works, what’s challenging, and how digital tools can help students balance their studies with their lives outside university.

In this episode, Adrian shares how he designs teaching for three distinct student groups: campus-based undergraduates, final year project students, and distance learners. He explains his practical approach to active learning, including pre session activities, collaborative Miro boards, and using Moodle as a live tool during teaching. Adrian also discusses his role bridging digital education specialists and academic colleagues, and the work being done to achieve greater consistency across the faculty through the Moodle baseline and templates. His key advice for colleagues: plan thoroughly and communicate clearly with students about how and why things are structured.