The most recent developments by the Teaching and Learning Support team are listed below:

• Educational designers can now pilot Safeassign on the staging system (March 2012).

• Instructors can now use the new virtual classroom tool (Adobe Connect) from inside Blackboard (Feb 2012)

• Instructors can now make use of a Become Student tool, to see what their site looks like as a student. Details here. This "building block" was put together by Brian Sullivan (Jan 2012)

• A new tool to add external users is now available for instructors. The External User tool guide is available on the Resources page.  This "building block" was put together by Adam Murray (Jan 2012)

• UQ instructors can now pilot a new online marking tool that allows annotations in text, handwriting and audio formats here (requires UQ login) (Jan 2012)

• UQ's Learning Management System has now been upgraded to Blackboard Version 9.1 SP7 - Training in the new system available here. (Jan 2012)

• Instructors now have access to a wide and expanding range of technical eLearning training courses that form part of a comprehensive face to face and online training plan for 2012. Detail here.

• UQ has a new Virtual Classroom system called Adobe Connect, to replace Wimba Classroom (Jan 2012). Book your training here.

• Audio recording functionality (Gong) has been integrated into UQ's Blackboard LMS to replace Wimba Voice Tools (Jan 2012). Training will be provided pre Sem1-2012

• All UQ year 1,2,3,4,5 courses are now created automatically in its Learning Management System, with students and instructors enrolled and a standard template applied. This is part of the Minimum Presence Initiative from Semester 1 - 2012

• All staff and students now have access to course materials of all UQ courses through the Guest Access Initiative (Jan 2012)

• A new lecture recording system, Echo 360, is being installed for Semester 1 - 2012

• An overview of desktop lecture recording options has been posted. The intention is to help inform course coordinators on the technology issues and provide a basis for debate that will help inform the enterprise strategy (Sept 22nd)

•  An overview of classroom clickers and their use has been posted to help inform enterprise strategy (Sept 21st)

• A developer environment and guidelines have been created to allow UQ for organisation units to develop in the enterprise LMS (Blackboard) (Sept 16th)

• Mobile Learn was adopted as a mobile solution for the UQ Learning Management System. Student feedback during the pilot was extremely  favourable. Advice is available for instructors on how to design courses to improve the student’s mobile experience. More information for staff here and students here (Sept 6th)

• A comparison of Turnitin and SafeAssign text matching and electronic marking systems published (August 24th)

The full list of current initiatives is available here: www.its.uq.edu.au/elearning