10 March 2015
View your Grade Centre by Tutor Group
Speed up the entry of marks into Grade Centre or the checking of assignment submissions by creating Smart Views based on SI-net tutorial / practical groups. Smart views can be used to filter the Grade Centre so only students from a particular group are displayed. Any changes to enrolments in SI-net tutorial / practical groups automatically flow through to your Learn.UQ course. Follow the Smart Views for SI-net Tutorial / Practical groups guide.
Observe UQ's best teachers
The Open Course Scheme is an invitation to UQ staff to visit other teachers' classrooms and observe some of the learning our teachers inspire.
This semester classes are available from all faculties. Opportunities for you observe include: psychology, mathematics, biology, engineering and business analysis. Classes range from small practical sessions to large lectures and flipped-classroom workshops.
For more information and to book your place visit the Open course scheme webpage.
Simultaneous viewing of lectures in different venues
Live streaming allows students to watch a lecture live from home or another campus using a web-enabled device. Just like an Echo360 recording students can view what is displayed on the lecture screen and listen to audio. If you are interested in using the system this semester, or would like to place an expression of interest to use the service in Semester 2 log a job with HelpDesk using the subject line: AV Services Echo360 live streaming.
Communication in large courses
Dr Gwendolyn Lawrie teaches a large first year Chemistry course of 1500 students. View her tips on using weekly announcements to improve communication in a large course. Watch Video (2:14)
For further information refer to the online Announcements guide.
Online submission and marking for group assignments
Last semester Dr Bryan Morgan successfully managed and marked a group assignment in his ECON7020 course using the Blackboard Groups and Assignment tools. View his thoughts about the advantages of these tools and tips for managing group assignments. Watch Video (2:33)
The Blackboard Assignment tool allows one student to submit for the whole group and online feedback is automatically available to all group members. The disadvantage of this tool compared to Turnitin is that there is no plagiarism check, and no comment banks. For further information refer to the online guides Groups and Blackboard assignments.
Reuse assessment items
Turnitin assignments, Blackboard assignments and Tests are copied into your current course from the previous semester for reuse by default, unless deleted. It is therefore very important to adjust settings for due dates and the link availability. If you don't wish to reuse an assessment item, you will need to delete it individually, so the column is removed from the Grade Centre. For further information refer to the online guides: Reuse Turnitin Assignments, Reused Blackboard Assignments and Reuse Tests.
Next Blackboard upgrade in July 2015 Inter semester Recess
The next Blackboard upgrade will occur on the first weekend in July 2015. This will be during the Inter Semester Recess on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 July. There are no additional scheduled upgrades until November 2016. We will provide further details though emails, our upgrade webpage, and the eLearning newsletter.
Mid Semester break maintenance will occur as follows:
- Blackboard will be unavailable on the first Saturday morning (4 April) from 5:00am to 7:00am.
- Recorded lectures will be unavailable for the first Saturday morning (4 April) 6:00am to 12:00pm for major maintenance (Echo360).