Meeting / Educational Technology Advisory Group
Date / Tuesday 16November 2010
Time / 2.30 pm to 4.00 pm
Location / Building 56 Level 7 Room 80A
Attendees / Amgad Louka (Chair),Rod van den Akker, John Benwell, Robert Hollenbeck, Garry Allan, Rod McCrohan, Rodney Noble,Bernie Broom, Tom Molyneaux,Greg Plumb (attended on behalf of Warren Nageswaran), Deidre Gillespie, Angela Carbone (notes).
Invited: Mark Shortis and Muyi Taiwo.
Apologies / DVC (Academic) Gill Palmer, Warren Nageswaran,Mark Smithers, Joyce Kirk,Craig Anderson, Ron Wakefield,Brian Corbitt.
Item / Discussion/Outcomes / Action
Previous Minutes / Notes from previous meeting were accepted as true and accurate.
Business Arising / 2.1Proposed Framework for the Implementation of Educational Technologies at RMIT University (Mark Smithers)
The gateway process went through VCE two weeks ago and was approved.
Action: Mark to uodate the paper to incorporate the gateway process and present it at the next ETAG meeting. / Mark S.
NewBusiness / 3.1AV Services Outsourcing updateon status and SLA
Bernie Broom gave an update on progress in establishing service level agreements for preventative and reactive maintenance. This should be in place by the end of November. Presentations about the changes are taking place across the University. On call support will be from 8.30am to 9.30pm Monday to Friday. Support will also be provided over weekends. The maximum response time would be 15 minutes for City Campus and 20 minutes for Bundoora Campus. ITS are close to finalising a support model for events and they are also establishing a procurement model.
3.2Semi Automated Online Assessment Project (Mark Shortis & Muyi Taiwo)
Mark and Muyi reported on their project, looking at systems in the market to address issues related to the labour-intensive process of providing personalised and detailed feedback to students.
Their model for evaluation was against the following functions:
  • Student upload of documents
  • Online assessment using rubric
  • Marking collaboration
  • Feedback returned to students
  • Results returned to students
  • Enterprise integration
Thirty-six systems were reviewed. More detailed investigations are taking place from the perspectives of student, course coordinator and markers. Mark spoke in detail about some of the products. This could be used as a system academics opt into. Only Higher Education courses have been looked at in this project. Very large classes would benefit.
Suggestions made to Mark and Muyi included looking at new version of PebblePad and future versions of Blackboard 9.Alignment with RMIT Vietnam should also be a consideration.
3.3ETAG Capital – Update on Remote Labssubmissions and TeamBoard Review(Amgad Louka & Rod van den Akker)
Amgad spoke briefly about submissions made for Remote Labs. Assessment will take place shortly with representation from College ADGs and the DVC (Academic).
Rod spoke to his document summarising the brief review conducted on TeamBoards. He highlighted a need to improve staff development and training on this technology. RMIT’s supplier, AV Unlimited, can assist with fixing the technical issues raised. All members present agreed with the recommendation to retain TeamBoards as the standard Interactive Whiteboard and review this in 12 months. More Teamboards to be acquired pending requirements and budget remaining after reviewing the Remote Labs submissions .
There was discussion around whether these are supported in the new AV service level agreement.
Action: Bernie Broom to confirm if the support of TeamBoards is included in SLA.
Action: Need to review the current AV Standards document that Property Services refers to for teaching space upgrades or new building projects.
3.42011 ETAG Priorities
Amgad invited feedback as he read through the list of possible 2011 ETAG projects to be sponsored by the DVC (Academic).
On the first project listed, Learning Hub/PeopleSoft Modifications, it was agreed that the Learning Hub needs to be looked at in the new year with a broader perspective aimed at potentially eliminating the Learning Hub (front-end) if feasible..
Action: Amgad to ask Mark Smithers for a presentation in 2011 on the continued need for the Leaning Hub and the feasibility of eliminating the front-end .
The project No-fee Student Email and Document Management Services was removed from the list as it has already been approved by the ICT Strategy Committee as a 2011 ITS project. / Bernie B.
Amgad L,
Mark S.
Other Business / There was no other business discussed.
Date, Time & Location of next meeting / Tuesday 14December 2010
2.30pm – 4.00 pm
56.7.80A(The Hermitage)

ETAG Notes 16 November 2010 V2.doc

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