21 July 2015
Make your course available to students
Remember to make your course available to students as soon as you think it’s ready. This is something the course coordinator has to do, following the instructions below. Most students start looking for their courses in Learn.UQ during O-Week (now).
Control Panel > Customisation > Properties > Set Availability and select the Yes radio button. Refer to the Course Availability guide or video for step-by-step instructions.
Not finished setting up your course? Just hide the menu links and create an announcement to welcome your students.
Course site design tips
Tip 1: Welcome message
Your first announcement should welcome and orientate students to your course. Refer to the Announcements and Kaltura guides for step-by-step instructions.
Tip 2: Menu design
In a number of surveys UQ students have requested a more consistent navigation scheme across courses. To achieve this please consider the following recommendations:
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Use the default content areas of Learning Resources and Assessment.
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Use the UQ colour scheme or ensure your colour scheme meets accessibility guidelines. For more information refer to the accessibility guidelines webpage.
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Keep the number of menu items to a minimum.
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Use a divider line and subheading to break the menu content into sections.
For more information refer to the Course menu webpage.
Tip 3: Weekly folders/ learning modules
Organise your content from the students' point of view i.e. By week (or by topic). For more information refer to the Content area webpage.
Tip 4: Assessment folders
Create a folder for each assessment with the same name as that used in the ECP. Include all resources needed for the assignment and an online submission link. Refer to the Turnitin and Blackboard assignments guides for step-by-step instructions.
Tip 5: Label all resources
Label all resources with a description of its contents and purpose. For more information refer to the Content area webpage.
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 the Learn.UQ Basics workshop.
Setting up for a successful semester workshop
This workshop will cover tips and tricks for how to best use your Electronic Course Profile (ECP) and Learn.UQ site to minimize hassle as well as examples of implementing a communication strategy and managing expectations of students. This will be useful for coordinators, lecturers, tutors or anyone who is involved in course management.
To register for the 23 July workshop visit the Staff Development website.
Open Course scheme
The Open Course Scheme showcases some of the excellent teaching that takes place every day in the classrooms around UQ. Visit an open classroom to observe a colleague teach; it’s a wonderful opportunity to pick up new ideas, see different strategies, rediscover old favourites, reflect on your own teaching, and be inspired. Book your visit at the Open Course Scheme.
Lecture recordings
All centrally controlled teaching spaces with 20 seats or more are equipped with lecture recording (Echo360). Lectures in equipped venues are automatically recorded, processed and linked to the associated Learn.UQ (Blackboard) course. Coordinators can view the list of equipped venues online.
Although student feedback and research indicate recordings help students with revision, a range of options are available to disable recordings if an instructor desires. Coordinators may view the lecture recording and theatre operation guides for further information.
View the Questions about: Lecture recordings paper for an overview of research regarding the use of lecture recording.
SCORM packages
SCORM packages (i.e. a format that can be generated by Articulate, Adobe Presenter and iSpring) are known to be unreliable in most Learning Management Systems and therefore should not be used for summative assessment where marks need to be transferred to Grade Centre. If you are already using SCORM packages you should replace any summative quizzes with Blackboard tests.
Digital rubric design
Planning to mark your assignments online with Turnitin this semester? Check your rubric format is compatible with Turnitin before you publish your ECP.
Help with designing digital rubrics is available from ITaLI (formerly TEDI), email: itali@uq.edu.au or check the Practical guidelines for designing rubrics resource.
eLearning Solutions Service
Course Coordinators, would you like:
- a one-on-one consultation tailoring eLearning solutions for your course?
- ideas on how to deliver your course more effectively with technology?
- to save time, improve student engagement, or give better feedback?
...then consider the eLearning Solutions Service
The eLearning solutions service is designed to help staff implement the UQ eLearning tools that most successfully solve common teaching and learning problems. The solutions are based on success stories from UQ academics, who reported significant time savings, improved student engagement, and improved SECATS.
For further information refer to the eLearning Solutions Service webpage.