{"id":354,"date":"2022-08-24T17:14:51","date_gmt":"2022-08-24T16:14:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/alumni\/?p=354"},"modified":"2022-10-18T12:38:28","modified_gmt":"2022-10-18T11:38:28","slug":"then-and-now-from-floppy-disks-to-webchat-we-look-at-how-life-for-uwe-students-has-changed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/alumni\/then-and-now-from-floppy-disks-to-webchat-we-look-at-how-life-for-uwe-students-has-changed\/","title":{"rendered":"Then and now: From floppy disks to webchat, we look at how life for UWE students has changed"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

From a time when Frenchay Campus\u2019 only computer room boasted just ten \u2018computer terminals\u2019, it\u2019s safe to say things have changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of UWE Bristol’s campuses opened back in the 1960s and 70s as Bristol Polytechnic. During the past five decades the facilities available for students use have drastically changed. From word processing to digital technology, we take a look at how life for our students has transformed over the years.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teaching facilities transformed<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From science, sound and nursing to filmmaking and fashion, how we teach and the equipment we use has changed greatly over the years.  We\u2019ve gone into our archives and matched up some before and after pictures from across our faculties to highlight some of the changes that have reshaped how students learn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Midwife training, 1997 prospectus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Midwife training 2022 with simulated newborn mannequin on replica ward at our Skills and Simulation Centre <\/a>at Glenside Campus

<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Fashion studio in 1980<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Fashion studio in 2010<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Film and TV studio in 1979<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Film and TV studio in 2018<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The audio room in 1979<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The sound studio in 2018<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The building of Frenchay’s science department<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Biology students in the lab in 1980<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Biology students in the lab in 2020<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Computer Appreciation\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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From a 1989 prospectus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Back in 1979 we ran one course on computer programming and one named \u2018Computer Appreciation\u2019. Frenchay Campus possessed one \u2018line printer\u2019, a \u2018graph plotter\u2019 and ten computer terminals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Frenchay computer room 1979<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

From Xerox machines, floppy disks and CD ROMs to artificial intelligence and smart technologies, things have certainly moved forward. Who remembers the sound of an AOL dial up, or when we were excited about the information superhighway?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Frenchay computer room 1980<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Nowadays laptops, smart screens and open-access learning spaces proliferate. There\u2019s a whole department dedicated to Computer Science and Creative technologies. We run an MSc in Artificial Intelligence, a BSc in Digital Media and MSc Cyber Security to name just a few.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Systems Analysis course 1979<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Computer room in 1995<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sport through the years<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Long before Frenchay Campus\u2019 Centre for Sport opened in 2006, the all-weather hockey pitch was one of the campus\u2019 original features and the only place to go to play team sports. Now students have access to an array of state-of-the-art sports facilities<\/a> including the Centre for Sport and Hillside Gardens, which provides two artificial floodlit pitches, undercover seating for spectators and dugouts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Frenchay Campus hockey pitch in the 1970’s<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The hockey pitch in 1975<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Frenchay campus astro pitch in 2014<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hillside Gardens in the late 2010\u2019s (part of Frenchay Campus)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The changing face of our best loved librar<\/strong>y<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the heart of student life, Bolland Library<\/a> is an original feature and has been on Frenchay campus since its completion in 1975. In 1980 the library held over 100,000 volumes and subscribed to over 12,000 journals, now the library has around 165,000 volumes and 249,000 electronic journals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bolland library in 1979 and 1995.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Two students studying individually, 1982.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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A student uses the microfilm reader, 1982.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In recent years the library has had around \u00a31.9 million investment. Now there are ways to read the books of Bolland Library without even setting foot in it. With the database of access to online resources, over half a million books and e-books can be consumed remotely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell us your story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What facilities did you use as a student or staff? Have things developed much since you were at UWE? What do you remember most vividly?  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019d love to hear your stories. Tell us what you’re doing now, share an old photo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can get in touch through our memories<\/a> form or post on social media \u2013 tag us and use #30yearsofUWE<\/p>\n\n\n\n