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Educational Technology Committee

Meeting 03/08

Thursday 10 April 2008, 11 am
Chair: PN_A_2.341
Video conferenced to: CA_H7.82; VCP_Sisson Room; CL_75.G21.

1.

Welcome

Attendance:

  • Peninsula: Phillip Steele (chair)
  • Caulfield: Gayle Nicholas, Jeff Janet, Des Casey
  • Clayton: Lawrence Maskill, John Hurst, Simon Huggard (for Janette Burke), Gordon Sanson, Melissa de Zwart, Aidan Lister
  • VCP: Paul White

Apologies: Rajendran Parthiban, Bernard Holkner, Maria Garcia de la Banda, Nathan Bailey, Len Webster, Janette Burke, Dash Jayasuriya, Cameron Nicol, Kate Roth.

2.

Confirmation of minutes and business arising

  2.1 Confirmation of minutes
   

The minutes of meeting 02/08 on 11 March were confirmed.

  2.2 Business arising

2.2.1 EVO Demonstration ETC 0208-3

Phil asked for feedback and commented on the EVO Demonstration given by Paul Bonnington on the 27 March. Attendance at the session included staff from ITS and the Faculty of Information Technology.

Comments included:

  • using the software was not intuitive
    • and
  • the collaboration space would be highly useful

A recording of the session is to be made available. A discussion thread is available in Staff Connect / ET Projects Forum at http://sakai.med.monash.edu.au/ .

3.

Horizon Report 2008

The Horizon Report was noted as being useful information. It was recommended that Kate be asked to summarise the findings of the report for the committee and that this become an annual agenda item. Melissa offered to summarise findings in future years.

If Kate has particular items from the report she would like to raise the item will be placed on the agenda for the next meeting.

4.

Service Oriented Architecture for EdTech at Monash

John raised the question of how the university structure might better support ed tech innovation. Service architecture is the basis for a lot of information management. The approach would be to identify data and provide a framework that makes it more accessible. The focus would be on giving better technical support to ed tech initiatives. John indicated that in the past the infrastructure has not been there when funding applications have been made. Issues with funding such a project were discussed, and a funding submission comprising the development of a new tool or service for teaching in conjunction with the infrastructure was suggested.

5.

Reports from sub-committees and SIG

  5.1 Policy subcommittee
No report
  5.2 Lecture capture and broadcasting subcommittee
Paul requested feedback from members on the Lecture and Broadcasting requirements document. The importance of the work done by Paul was noted.

It was noted that no feedback had been received via the Staff Connect forum. Some members reported that time only allowed for the use of email and not to access forums and wikis. John espoused the benefits of wikis.

Aidan referred to one location using RSS feeds as an efficient management method.

Actions

  • Gayle to email a copy of the document to Phil and Gordon.
  • Gayle to provide at elbow support for accessing and using the Staff Connect to Phil and any other member who requests it.
  • Aiden to demonstrate the one site with RSS feeds at the next meeting. Simon will provide input.
  5.3 Digital Media SIG
No report
  5.4 Conference subcommittee
Des asked members to forward information on conferences to Gayle for inclusion on the web page at: http://calt.monash.edu.au/Quality/ETC/conferences.html

A listing, with optional email notification, of 2008/9 conferences is available through Staff Connect at http://sakai.med.monash.edu.au/

6.

Reports and updates

  6.1 Monash University Services Online (MUSO) Steering Committee
  6.2 AuSakai08
Nathan forwarded a report to announce the forum for AuSaka08 has been established at http://sakai.med.monash.edu.au/

  6.3 Australasian Council on Open and Distance Education (ACODE)

Monash University is not a member of ACODE. Alan McMeekin has expressed interest in a Monash membership. 30+ universities are members of this group. Institutional membership is approximately $2,000.

The meeting did not express any disadvantage to an institutional membership but wanted to know more about ACODE and wanted a cost / benefit analysis. The issue will be considered again once the new Chair is appointed.

7.

Business Arising

  7.1 PebblePAD demonstration
John Hurst is giving a PebblePAD demonstration on May 2, 11 am on the Caulfield campus. The demonstration is intended for Faculty of IT colleagues, however other staff are welcome to attend.

  7.2 Video conference set up
Members expressed discontent with the video conference screen set up, preferring to have another campus on the large screen and their own campus on a small screen.

Gayle will investigate the possibilities.

Phil reported the multi campus teaching pilot with the Faculty of IT will trial Media Site in semester 2. He will report on progress throughout the year.

  7.4 ETC Chair
Phil noted that he expected the appointment of the ETC Chair to be resolved by the next meeting.

8.

Next Meeting


The next meeting of the ETC will be on Thursday 15 May, 2.30 - 4.30 pm.