Peer review of e learning initiatives at Charles Darwin University: The DSA project

The Diversity and Structural Adjustment Fund (DSA) project at Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory Australia, aims to peer review current teaching and learning practices and resources to evolve recommendations for ‘best practice’ in e learning. A staged approach over two years was planned to evaluate current practices used in e learning across the University and „to begin a process of building expertise in flexible and e learning at the discipline level’ (Terms of Reference, DSA, Part 3b, v3.0 p2). During 2010-11 I was invited as a consultant on the project to peer review nursing and social work e learning initiatives within the School of Health Sciences. The project, now completed, has had several favourable outcomes. Regular and ongoing quality assurance of e learning sites carried out centrally within the University by the Office of Teaching and Learning has brought greater uniformity through quality assurance processes to the e learning sites across the Faculties. The current version of the internet platform, Blackboard, has been extended and enhanced. Through the purchase of new software, the previous use of WIMBA or the Wireless classroom which posed technical difficulties for the majority of teaching staff, has been replaced by ‘Collaborate’. This later software has enabled face to face teaching in tutorials for students in all areas of the University. Other lessons learned include the integration of information about student support services and a more uniform structure to e learning sites as well as the availability technical assistance for academic staff.