The new and enhanced
Learning@Griffith

In line with Griffith University's commitment to enhancing the quality of student-centred learning and teaching, Flexible Learning and Access Services (FLAS) staff are working with academic stakeholders to extend and improve the University’s online learning and teaching services. Using Learning@Griffith as the integrated delivery platform, the new tools and features will allow teaching staff to develop a one-stop-shop course resource to meet the requirements of the Academic Plan: that all courses have a minimum standard set of resources available via Learning@Griffith. Teaching staff will be able to take advantage of a broader range of eLearning tools, designed to further engage students in the online environment.

In the short term (Semester 1 2007), the most exciting enhancements (PDF 49kb) being made to Learning@Griffith are as follows:

• An upgrade to a later version of Blackboard software, allowing Griffith staff and students to take advantage of new and improved features such as improved Discussion Forums, Tests / Surveys, and Assignments.
• Introduction of a Podcasting tool (PDF 94kb), allowing teaching staff to podcast audio files such as lecture recordings or other media resources.
• Course Readings (PDF 439kb) can now be added via a specialised tool that allows teaching staff to search for digitised readings and add them to the course. If the reading required is not available, the request form can be submitted online right from within Learning@Griffith.
• Past Exams (PDF 185kb) can now be added via a specialised tool, giving course convenors more control over which papers are available, and when.
• The Learning Object Repository (PDF 168kb) allows discovery of Learning Objects for inclusion into Learning@Griffith course sites.

More information on Learning@Griffith can be found on the Learning@Griffith Support website.

Continuing research into a range of new and innovative services has been given an increased emphasis with the commencement of the EARS project (Electronic Assessment Repertory Suite). This project will investigate current trends in electronic assessment tools, including: plagiarism detection (PDF 22kb); methods of online assessment submission; electronic assignment marking; integration of the Learning@Griffith Gradebook with other central university systems such as PeopleSoft; and student assessment portfolios.

Vodcasting, more fully known as video-on-demand, is the means by which both video and audio educational content (such as lectures) is made available to students on their personal devices, including PCs, mp3 players, and mobile phones, by means of an RSS feed. A trial of vodcasting technology is proposed for Griffith in early 2007.

Students and staff have access to a wide range of online library databases and ejournals via Griffith University Library. In the past quarter, major purchases have included the following:

• EBSCO Business Source Premier available
• ProQuest Dissertations Fulltext
• MDConsult, MDFirst and Clinics package from Elsevier
• ClinicalResources@Ovid
• China Academic Journals
• Science Now Online and Science Classic
• BioMedCentral
• eMIMS
• Australian Accounting Standard

Many library databases can be searched simultaneously via the CrossSearch service. CrossSearch is Griffith's new generation portal, providing a gateway to a federated search service. Coverage has been expanded from 700 to over 1100 major library resources. OpenURL resolvers connect you from abstracts to appropriate full-text using the "Find" button when searching library databases. More information is available from the CrossSearch page.