About UTSOnline

UTSOnline is the web-based online learning and teaching environment used at UTS. It builds on the Blackboard software and can be used in different ways to support students’ learning and staff teaching. The Blackboard software is often referred to as a Learning Management System (LMS) which usually consists of many features bundled together, such as online discussions, journals, blogs, wikis, announcements, email, virtual chat, quiz and survey tools, files and web links.

Overview of topics about UTSOnline:

Request a UTS Online Site

• Request a UTSOnline site

Organising your site

• Modifying the course menu and homepage
• Folder, tools & content
  1. Content folders
  2. Lesson plans
  3. Learning modules
• Good practice
  • Good practice in setting up UTSOnline
  • Good practice in managing UTSOnline during semester
• Resources & copyright
• Student view account
  • How to activate your student view account
  • How to enrol your student view account
  • View the student test account

Communicating and Collaborating Online

• Blogs
  • Using blogs for student learning
  • Types of blogs in UTSOnline
  • Help with creating and using a Campus Pack blog
  • Help with creating and using a Blackboard blog
  • Archiving blogs at the end of semester
• Discussions
  • Adding a whole-of-class discussion area
  • Adding a group discussion area
  • Creating ciscussion forums
• Discussions - posting & replying
  • Posting a new discussion thread
  • Replying to a post
  • Quickly finding which forum has new posts
  • Displaying threads
  • Moving from message to message 
  • Collecting threads
  • Moderating discussion board content
  • Identifying if students have been participating in discussions
  • Locking a thread in a forum
• Groups
  • Batch creation of groups
  • Creating Sets of Groups - Random enrolment
  • Creating a Single Group - Self enrolment
  • Creating a Single Group - Manual enrolment
  • Editing a group
• Group tools
• Netiquette
• Wikis
  • Using wikis for student learning
  • Types of wikis in UTSOnline
  • Help with creating and using a Campus Pack wiki
  • Help with creating and using Blackboard wikis in UTSOnline
  • Archiving wikis at the end of semester

Assignments, tests and Surveys

• Assignments
• Standard assignments
  • How to create an individual assignment
  • How to create a group assignment
• Standard assignment - downloading
• Standard assignments - grading
  • How to access submitted assignments from the Needs Marking page
  • How to mark assignments from the Grade Assignment page
  • How to mark assignments from the Full Grade Centre
  • How to import results from a spreadsheet
  • How to format the spreadsheet for correct upload
• Tests and surveys
  • How to create tests and surveys
  • Specify test settings
  • How to add questions to the test or survey
  • How to add a test or survey to a content area
• Turnitin assignments
  • What is Turnitin?
  • How do I create and use Turnitin assignment in UTSOnline?
  • Why is the list of students in my Turnitin assignment different to my UTSOnline course enrolment list?
  • How do I download student assignment submissions in Turnitin assignment?
  • Can I copy a Turnitin assignment?
  • More Turnitin resources
• Turnitin assignments - grading
  • How to grade an assignment
  • Providing comments and feedback to students

Grade Centre

• Smart Views
• How to view only Selected Tutorial Groups
• My Grades
• Grade Centre - entering results
  • Creating a new column in the Grade Centre
  • Entering results into an existing column in the Grade Centre
• Grade Centre - questions & issues
  • Removing obsolete columns
  • Making columns visible or invisible to students
  • Problems with displaying results to students
  • Total and weighted total columns
  • Displaying results as UTS grades

Re:View

• Re:View - Online Criterion Based Assessment

Spark PLUS

• Spark PLUS - Self and Peer Assessment

ePortfolios at UTS

• Chalk and Wire ePortfolios
• Campus Pack ePortfolio

How do I learn more about UTSOnline?

Discuss your ideas with IML staff. The Institute for Interactive Media and Learning provides support for the teaching and learning aspects of UTSOnline. IML has extensive experience in using UTSOnline and working with academics to design eLearning activities. If you would like to explore your ideas about eLearning contact Simon Housego or Jenny Pizzica.

Attend a Getting Started in UTSOnline workshop: The IT Support Centre provides introductory UTSOnline training session for staff. Contact Jann Joy for further information.