Learning Environments Progress Report now available

A report outlining achievements from the Learning Environments Project up to July 2008 has been released. Arguing the case for ongoing funding, the report showcases many of the activities and products coming out of the last 12 months.

The report can be downloaded from this link.

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Online Resources Site for Staff and Students

We are delighted to announce the launch of a comprehensive set of Staff and Student resources to assist with online and elearning activities. Covering everything from Blackboard to planning to teach online, the resources are available at:

http://medusa.ballarat.edu.au/lews/drupal/resources/

The resources have been published within Drupal, an open-source Web 2.0 application that is being implemented to support the Blackboard environment and which will offer podcasting, wikis, blogs etc. all within a locally hosted environment. We will be providing more information about Drupal and how teaching staff can utilise it shortly. Meanwhile, explore the resources now available and let us know of any additional ones you'd like to see.

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Bragging Rights: Be among the first to see the LEWS Movie

Mad Max and Bollywood it isn't. A bite-sized overview of LEWS it is. Check it out!

LEWS on tUBe

The platform running this video is tUBe, UB's own version of YouTube. You can upload and stream your own video content using this system. Content can be public or limited to internal UB audiences. For more info contact Steve Pallett on 9797 or Eammon Jones on 8175.

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About LEWS

Learning Environments and Web Services is the team that includes the staff associated with UB's corporate and staff/student web infrastructure, our online learning platforms and our media technology services. While there are two distinct streams within the group the common element is digital content production and publishing through web access for academic and professional staff at UB and the support and maintenance of various systems supporting this goal.

The Learning Environments and Web Services Team is responsible for online and web-mediated course delivery at UB including Blackboard, web based resources, media and classroom technologies, media production, our corporate website and staff and student website infrastructure.

Learning Environments In 2007 funding was allocated to enable a significant boost to UB's capacity to support academic staff with planning and populating their online courses. Specialist staff are being recruited to this end and 2008 will see a dramatic increase in quality content and design in our flexible, web-based programs.

Web Services Also in 2008 Web Services will be undertaking an all-encompassing redevelopment of our corporate website. Starting with a student portal, we will be rolling out greatly enhanced functionality for students. Later we will follow that with a redeveloped corporate website. Both these developments will be built on Oracle Portal with its backend content management systems and integration with mainstream corporate systems. In parallel with this will be the continuing task of supporting the current infrastructure and providing support to Site Coordinators who maintain most of the content.

Website Development

If you have suggestions for additional content, please email your ideas to Ian Wright, i.wright@ballarat.edu.au.