Preparing your Semester 1 2015 course

29 January 2015

This update is focused on helping you prepare your Semester 1, 2015 course. It includes an overview of eLearning support available at UQ and eLearning workshops available.

Teaching and Learning Support (ITS)

The ITS Teaching and Learning Support team is responsible for running UQ's central eLearning services and for providing technical training and support.
Our Team:

• Manages the eLearning systems - hosting, support, vendor management and upgrades,
• Provides an eLearning Helpdesk for UQ staff,
• Provides staff with technical training and resources on eLearning tools,
• Facilitates new technology evaluation and deployment. 

Explore:

• Resources on the eLearning website http://www.elearning.uq.edu.au
• Self-paced guides on eLearning tools: Guides
• Enrol in eLearning workshops: Teaching and Learning Technologies
• Current projects http://www.elearning.uq.edu.au/projects

ITaLI

The Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation:

• Leads the UQx project working with UQ academics to develop MOOCs ( on edX.org) and SPOCs,
• Collaborates with UQ teachers on TEL funded projects,  faculty priority projects, and teaching fellowship projects,   
• Supports UQ academics applying for national and international grants and awards, 
• Facilitates professional learning opportunities for UQ staff in relation to technology enhanced learning and
• Provides services to teachers to enhance the experience of their students.

Explore:

• The ITaLI website http://itali.uq.edu.au/  
• The UQx website http://uqx.uq.edu.au/  
• Online resources developed in collaboration with UQ teachers flipped classrooms http://www.uq.edu.au/tediteach/flipped-classroom/ and video for teaching and learning http://uq.edu.au/tediteach/video-teach-learn/
• Workshops to enrol in https://staffdevelopment.hr.uq.edu.au/program/TLETLS

Contact itali@uq.edu.au if you have any questions.

eLearning Educational Design Support

eLearning Educational Designers are based in schools and faculties. While their focus areas of support vary, they can generally assist you with:

• Developing online resources to support your face-to-face teaching,
• Transforming course content into active learning experiences,
• Bringing together instructional strategies, tools and technology for best performance,
• Advice on efficient and sustainable approaches to online learning,
• Best practice design balancing aesthetic quality, usability and technical requirements.

Ask I.T. Learn.UQ support for students

Liv an Information Technology helpdesk for students provided by the UQ Library. They offer face-to-face help, provide online Learn.UQ student guides and run Learn.UQ workshops for students.

• Add links to Learn.UQ online student guides to your course site https://web.library.uq.edu.au/library-services/it/learnuq-blackboard-help
• Encourage your students to attend an Introduction to Learn.UQ (Blackboard) workshop.

Course site design workshop

This hands-on course explores course site design and building. Bring your Blackboard course site, content and ideas. We will help you design and build a course that looks professional and supports your students' learning (this course is jointly presented by ITS and TEDI). Staff can enrol in the next course on 12 February at the Staff Development website.

Designing online quizzes

Online quizzes can be efficient and engaging learning activities. Designing quiz questions that push your students to demonstrate and engage in higher order thinking is a difficult challenge. This workshop will explore ways of using online quizzes and questions to challenge students and promote deep approaches to learning. We will discuss when quizzes can be most effective and explore the types of questions that can be most effective in different situations. Register for the 17 February workshop on the Staff Development site.

Designing an engaging virtual classroom session workshop

Explore how to design and adapt lectures and tutorials for facilitation online. Discuss ideas for including active learning activities in your online sessions and plan your own engaging tasks. Register for the 19 February workshop on the Staff Development site.

UQ active learning tools workshop

This course explores the different ways tools can be used to promote active learning in lectures and tutorials. Participants will develop an understanding of UQpoll, UQcloud, UQtext and Padlet can be used to support teaching and learning. Register for the 04 February or 23 February workshop on the Staff Development site.

Blogs workshop 

Explore how to design, create and implement collaborative and reflective activities using blogs (online journals). Hands-on skills in setting up and assessing blogs in Blackboard are also covered. Register for the 20 February workshop on the Staff Development site.

eLearning authoring software training - iSpring

ITS are helping pilot iSpring suite eLearning authoring software during 2015. iSpring integrates with PowerPoint and allows you to create video lectures, advanced quizzes with feedback, and interactive case studies. Licences are available for course coordinators attending training and willing to provide feedback. The online workshops facilitated by iSpring will be held on the 10 February, 3pm - 4pm, online. 

Please contact Ailsa Dickie, a.dickie1@uq.edu.au to register or for further information.

Practical ideas for using technology in teaching

Current and new staff are invited to drop in at a Teaching Technologies Showcase to be held from 9am–noon on Tuesday, 10 February, in the UQ Centre Boardroom (during the New Staff Expo). The showcase will focus on practical ideas for using technology to improve student engagement and learning. Interactive displays will cover a range of topics including: Flipped classroom; Using student response systems (web-based clickers) to support active learning; Video and audio content generation and integration (Echo360 and Kaltura); Virtual Classroom/Virtual Meeting (Adobe Connect); Course design and eAssessment (Online submission and marking).

Blackboard Analytics now available to all Teaching Staff

All teaching staff in Semester 1, 2015, have the option of including Blackboard Analytics reports within their course sites.   The reports are near real-time, and display both general and detailed data about activity within individual Learn.UQ sites including: course access, item access, interactions, and performance comparisons.  Training is recommended for staff choosing to use the reports in their courses.

Blackboard Analytics course reports were piloted in Semester 2, 2014, with positive feedback from the course instructors who participated.  For more information please visit the Overview of Course Analytics page. This page includes a link to the 2014 pilot information.

Transforming assessment online seminar and e-Exam trials

Transforming Assessment online seminar: 'Digital Badges to Curate, Credential and carry forward digital learning evidence', Wednesday 4 February, 5-6PM.
Further information and RSVP via http://bit.ly/webinar4feb2015

Call for participation: UQ Academics are wanted to host e-Exam trials in their 2015 courses.
Trials are running for short answer and essay style mid semester tests/exams worth up to 25% of a course.
Further information is available http://transformingexams.com/uq_trials/
Contact Dr Mathew Hillier, ITaLI, m.hillier@uq.edu.au to express interest.

Next Blackboard upgrade in July 2015 Inter Semester Recess

ITS has approval to schedule the next Blackboard upgrade for 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 web-page, and the eLearning newsletter.