Monday 12 February
Make your Course Available to Students this Week
Learn.UQ (Blackboard) course sites and Electronic Course Profiles (ECPs) now need to be available to students at least one week before the first teaching activity. Blackboard course sites need to contain at least a welcome message at that point. Remaining online course requirements should be met by the time of the first teaching activity. For more information, please refer to the policies on course profiles and minimum course presence.
Activation of the course, to make it available to students, is the course coordinator’s responsibility, using the instructions below.
Control Panel > Customisation > Properties > Set Availability and select the Yes radio button. For step-by-step instructions, refer to the guide on Make a Course Available.
If you have not Ordered your Semester 1 Course yet
Complete the Course Request online form located on the Staff tab in Learn.UQ (Blackboard).
For step-by-step instructions, refer to the guide on Course Requests.
New Lecture Recording Link
Lecture Recordings are now available in your course via a link at the top of the Learning Resources area. Staff can also create links to individual recordings in their course. For step-by-step instructions refer to the guides on Lecture Recordings - Getting Started and Add a Lecture Recording link.
Course Site Design Tips
Tip 1 - Utilise the new Course Template
The standard Learn.UQ course template has a new layout with embedded help prompts and example content.
For step-by-step instructions refer to the video guide on Course Site Design (YouTube, 11:42mins).
Tip 2 - Add a Banner and Personalise your Site
Design a banner for your course to replace the placeholder image in the template. You can use the Banner tool to quickly create a banner image in a couple of minutes. Make your site more interesting and express your personality through the use of images and colour.
For step-by-step instructions refer to the guide on the Banner.
Tip 3 - Personalise the default Welcome Message
The new template contains an automatically generated announcement to welcome and orientate your students. Edit the message to personalise it or replace it with your own welcome message / video. Be careful to check the number of units mentioned in the message.
For step-by-step instructions refer to the guide on Create a Welcome Message.
Tip 4 - Use the Template Menu
To ensure a consistent navigation scheme across courses for students, ensure that you use the template menu items (Announcements, ECP, Course Staff, Course Help, Learning Resources, Assessment, Discussion Board, My Grades and Library Links).
- Use the UQ colour scheme that meets accessibility guidelines.
- Help students get to know the staff teaching in your course by including their photos and contact details in the new Course Staff menu item. An example 'contact' has been included in this menu for editing to help you get started. For step-by-step instructions refer to the guide Add or Edit a Contact.
- Advise your students where to seek help by including links, directions and information in the new Course Help menu item. Examples have been included in this menu to help you get started.
For step-by-step instructions refer to the guide on the Course Menu.
Tip 5 - Use Weekly Folders with Descriptors
Organise your content from the students' point of view i.e. By week (or by module).
The new template includes 13 weekly folders, with an example structure set up in Week 1 to help you get started. Remember to include a brief description of what students will be studying each week for each folder and delete the template text.
For step-by-step instructions refer to the guide on the Content Area.
Tip 6 - Use Assessment folders with Online Submission Links
Create a folder for each assessment with the same name as that used in the ECP. Include all resources needed for the assignment and place an online submission link at the top of the folder.
The new template includes 3 assessment folders, with an example structure set up in the first folder to help you get started.
For step-by-step instructions on creating online submission links refer to the guides Turnitin, Blackboard Assignments and ePortfolio.
Tip 7 - Label all Resources
Label all resources with a description of its contents and purpose. Tips and example text are included in the template.
Getting Started with Learn.UQ
The Getting started with Learn.UQ guide gives new staff information about ordering a course, adding content to their course, UQ eLearning tools and help available. It is also recommended that new staff attend a Learn.UQ Basics workshop.
Library eLearning Guides for Students
The library website has a series of instructional guides on using UQ eLearning tools for students. Include a link to the relevant guide when including online activities and online assignment submission links in your course.
ePortfolio Maintenance
Links
ePortfolio links in your course copied from a previous semester will need to be updated. For step-by-step instructions refer to the guide on Update an ePortfolio assignment submission link
Staff Accounts
Ensure all UQ staff who will be marking student ePortfolio work have an ePortfolio account. Staff just need to click on any ePortfolio link in your course to create an assessor account. Remember, if students need to select their assessor when submitting work the assessor accounts need to be set up in advance.
Course coordinators will need to log a job by emailing help@learn.uq.edu.au to change their access level to 'Administrator Limited'. This access level allows course coordinators to view all work submitted for their course. For step-by-step instructions refer to the guide on Create ePortfolio Staff Accounts.
eLearning Workshops
The eLearning team are offering a range of practical workshops on eLearning tools during 2018. For a description of each workshop, dates and to register, visit the Staff Development / Teaching and Learning Technologies site. Upcoming workshops include:
- UQ Active Learning tools, 10:00am - noon, 16 February, St Lucia
- Turnitin, 10:00am - noon, 26 February, St Lucia
- Grade Centre, 2:00pm - 4:00pm, 27 February, St Lucia
Custom Workshops for Teaching Staff, Tutors and Professional Staff
Custom workshops on centrally supported eLearning tools are available on request for faculties, schools and/or courses. Laptops are provided for the sessions. Course coordinators need only to book a meeting room and organise attendance. Contact elearningtraining@uq.edu.au with details of the preferred date, time, room booking and approximate numbers. Popular workshop options include:
- Turnitin Online Marking for Tutors
- Blackboard Group Assignments Online Marking for Tutors
- ePortfolio Online Marking for Tutors
- UQ Active Learning tools for Tutors
- Learn.UQ Grade Centre
ITaLI Workshops
- Coordinating Courses at UQ, 2:00pm - 4:00pm, 12 February, St Lucia
- Effecting Lecturing, 2:00pm - 4:00pm, 14 February, St Lucia
- Small Group Teaching, 2:00pm - 4:00pm, 1 March, St Lucia
- Enhancing Teaching with Educational Technologies, 2:00pm - 4:00pm, 23 March, St Lucia
Request Support
If you are having an eLearning technical problem, you can log a job with the UQ Staff eLearning Helpdesk at the address above. To enable a timely response please be sure to include as much information as possible with your request.