Flinders Learning Online (FLO) is the core educational technology at Flinders.  FLO is a collection of online tools (e.g annoucements, discussion, mail, chat, quizzes etc.), which is fully supported for teaching and learning at Flinders.

Note:  In 2012, FLO is being upgraded and the names of many of these tools will change, and more tools will be available. Find out more about this on the FLO Upgrade pages.

ICT tools available at Flinders

A list of all of University-wide educational ICT tools available at Flinders can be found on the Centre for Educational Information and Communication Technology (CEdICT) pages.  These technologies are fully supported by a range of ICT support teams at Flinders, and data is secure and backed up. These differ from emerging technologies which Flinders also strategically supports.

The following links examine the strengths and weaknesses of tools that are available as part of Flinders Learning Online (FLO). These tools are available in every Flinders University topic.
 

What does this FLO tool do best? 

FLO tools and their attributes

Which tools do this best?

FLO tools and educational principles  (based on Seven Principles for Good Practice)

Discussion tool

Mail tool

Chat spaces

Quiz/self-test/survey tool

Learning module

Web links

Files

Announcements

Calendar

Search

Glossary

Index

Roster

Video

Goals

Assignment dropbox

Syllabus

Gradebook

Tracking

 

 


Encourage contact between student and teaching staff

Develop student to student cooperation

Encourage active learning

Give prompt feedback

Emphasise time on task

Communicate high expectations

Respect diverse talents and ways of learning

Other educational ICTs

Some of the tools listed below are also integrated into FLO, in that they can be accessed from within FLO by request.

Some of these tools are integrated with FLO (Flinders Learning Online) meaning that they can be accessed by staff and students via a FLO site. 

FLO Live

What is it? 
  • synchronous (participants must be present at the same time)  - although sessions can be recorded and made available for download
  • web-based communication software, uses voice-over-internet (VoIP)
How can you use it? 
  • use with students or staff for collaboration - share audio, software applications, presentation slides, free-form whiteboards, text-chat 
  • available from within FLO as part of a topic site, or outside of FLO for research collaboration
More information 

Text matching software

What is it? 
  • electronically matches text in student assignments with other electronic sources of text
  • Turnitin currently available 
How can you use it? 
  • can be used as a plagiarism detection tool, but more importantly, be used as an educative tool.
  • providing students with access to the software, they can learn more about the process of academic writing thereby improving their skills
More information 

ePortfolios

What is it? 
  • electronic portfolio, digital portfolio
  • collection of electronic information (text, Word and PDF files, images, multimedia, blog entries, Web links etc)
  • compiled by an individual and usually stored online.
How can you use it? 
  • can provide evidence of acheivement and can be maintained and updated in a manner similar to a curriculum vitae 
  • students can allow access to potential employers or use ePortfolios during their studies as a learning record
More information 
  • ePortfolios (using PebblePad) are currently being trialled at Flinders University
  • contact Grette Wilkinson at the Centre for Educational ICT

Lecture recordings/video lectures

What is it? 
  • face to face lectures can be recorded using audio or audio/visual equipment
  • made available to students in a variety of methods (eg video or audio tape/CD/DVDs on loan from library, video streaming via the web, audio files available for download).
How can you use it? 
  • most large lecture theare teaching spaces are set up for lecture recordings
  • booking system 
  • lectures are made available to students via video lectures link in FLO topics 
More information 

Wikis

What is it? 
  • collaborative web-site creation tool, allows multiple authors/editors to create, edit, link pages
  • runs in a web browser 
  • keeps a 'history' or log of activity and edits
  • allows commenting 
How can you use it? 
  • when one or more staff or students need to collaboratively author content for an audience
  • useful for group work 
More information 

Video conferencing

What is it? 
  • synchronous (participants must be present at the same time) 
  • uses telecommunication network
  • allows two or more location to communicate via video and audio, national and international coverage
How can you use it? 
  • locations need to have video conferencing equipment
  • collaboration - useful for communicating with large, gathered groups 
More information 

Interactive whiteboard (SMART board)

What is it? 
  • an interactive whiteboard
  • uses a computer, projector and screen and special software 
  • projects image onto a screen and users touch the screen to interact (using finger or smartboard pens)
  • can save, print, email content from it 
How can you use it? 
  • collaborative, interactive presentations/sessions
  • available in some teaching spaces/computer pools around the University  
More information