Image: Ms Sue Crew, Executive Principal Education Futures; Dr Martina Linnemann, Manager Digital Landscapes; Sarah Thorneycroft, Director Digital Education; Greg Dorrian, Manager Learning Media; Professor Grace Lynch Learning Analytics and Steph Toole, Manager Learning Design. 

UNE’s next generation eco-learning system, myLearn, was officially launched last week after going live with T3 units on 16 October.

The university-wide project, first conceptualised in 2020, represents a major shift and upgrade in UNE’s delivery of quality education and drew on the large-scale efforts of many people across the University.

“myLearn supports education that caters to the diverse needs of our students regardless if they are studying online, on campus, hybrid or a mix of any of the above,” Ms Suzanne Crew, Executive Principal Education Futures said during her Welcome speech at the launch event.

The myLearn platform, in conjunction with the work of the broader Project Uplift, follows a comprehensive review of UNE’s learning systems and student feedback commenting on the lack of a set standard for Moodle use and difficulty in navigating the user interface. The new platform offers a significantly improved, consistent and engaging user experience for students and adaptable and efficient tools for staff.

As well as the enhanced features and integrations, the new platform also offers improvements in support and hosting, leading to greater technical sustainability.

During her delivery, Ms Crew said that there are very few initiatives across the University that involved such a huge collaborative effort to deliver a project on time, within the budget envelope and with remarkable few issues. She credits the team’s inclusive approach for their success.

“So many groups have, and continue to play a role, in delivering myLearn. Students have offered us user insights as well as essential and ongoing feedback. Academic colleagues have shared their subject matter expertise, educational strategies and what’s working for them and what’s not. Our learning designers have crafted the instructional framework and user experience and will act as a pivotal link between stakeholders. Colleagues in ICT and TDS have provided technical infrastructure and support and administrative staff oversaw logistics, coordination and change management. Lastly, our leadership provided strategic oversight.”

Ms Crew concluded her speech by saying that the UNE difference came from ongoing emphasis on careful learning design and student-centred educational strategy as well as ongoing support for students.

The next speaker, Dr Martina Linnemann, Manager Digital Landscapes, provided a more technical overview of the project saying the team focused on uplifting units rather than a platform transition. This approach ensured effective project delivery as well as achievement of outcomes at scale in a complex organisational context.

Associate Dean Teaching & Learning for SABL, Dr Leopold Bayerlein, speaking on behalf of the Universities Faculties, thanked the Digital Education team for a well-managed project delivered with a minimum of friction.

With Phase 1 successfully delivered, the team will next work with Schools and other stakeholders on uplift for Trimester 1 and 2, 2024. Lessons learnt in Phase 1 will also be incorporated in subsequent phases.

Ms Crew, on behalf of Education Futures, extended heartfelt gratitude to the project team, unit coordinators, academic and other staff who have played such a pivotal role in the project’s success.