Webwatch – SWAPbox
By Webwatch,
SWAPBox is a digital repository that brings together open educational resources – social work and social policy learning and teaching materials – that can be freely used and repurposed for use with students in the classroom or in working practice. Examples of some of these materials includes handouts, exercises, podcasts and videos.
The repository is free to use and individuals or organisations can create an account in order to quickly and easily upload resources to the collection. A ‘Getting Started’ area of the site offers step-by-step guides on how to use the different features of SWAPBox and how to easily customise them to your own needs. Topics include registering, searching and downloading open educational resources, and finding SWAPBox users with similar interests. 
 
The repository can also be browsed in different ways, for example by creator’s name, keyword, resource type, region, creation date and groups. Groups include Sexuality in Social Work UK Interest Group; Mental Health in Higher Education; SCIE; Centre for Research on Ageing; and IRISS (we have uploaded many of our learning materials).
 
A nice feature of the repository is its online community or forum, where educators can engage in conversations with each other, and share their thoughts, views and ideas. SWAPBox can help raise teaching profiles, allow users to meet and network with individuals sharing particular teaching and research interests, seek and provide peer reviews, and build up a catalogue of high quality resources.
 
Funded by JISC, SWAPBox is managed by the Subject Centre for Social Policy and Social Work (SWAP) at the University of Southampton in collaboration with six project partners: SCIE, IRISS, CEIMH, CHST, ECS and Southampton University Library. The Project Director is Helen Carmichael, SWAP, University of Southampton.
 
Visit the website: http:www.swapbox.ac.uk