Expressions of Interest
The BMU is keen to continue working with faculty staff to assist with the development of innovative educational technology programs. With this goal in mind, approximately every six-months, the BMU asks faculty staff to submit expressions of interest for educational technology development projects.
The Expressions of Interest program aims to support faculty staff in the development of educational programs or systems that apply technology appropriately to address the teaching needs of staff and the learning needs of students.
Types of Projects
Expressions of Interest are called for in three categories: Development Projects, Modification Projects and Widget Projects. Each of these projects is explained below.
Development Projects
Development projects are medium to large developments aimed at predominantly undergraduate subjects, course(s) or curricula. These projects could support the development of new interactive multimedia programs (CD-ROM or web-based) for specific teaching and learning environments. Alternatively, development projects may be content-free; relating more to the infrastructure that supports teaching and learning in the Faculty (eg. developments related to learning management systems, databases of resources, or more generic applications). It is expected that these projects would take between 12 and 18 months to complete and, therefore, a relatively small number of these projects can be undertaken each year.
Modification Projects
Modification projects are small to medium sized projects for the extension, maintenance or re-purposing of existing educational technology resources. For technical reasons it is preferable that the resources to be modified were originally created in association with the BMU, but this is not essential. Modifications may be either content or technically based and could include adding or updating sections of content, updating operating systems, changing platforms, revising interactivity or functionality, or modifying graphics.
Widget Projects
The most common teaching and learning environment in the faculty is lectures. The rationale behind Widget Projects is to help Faculty staff develop small media elements that can be used in lectures (embedded in a PowerPoint presentation or accessed via the web). Widgets are small media elements - often a single-screen - and may be interactive, highly graphical and/or animated. They would typically target a relatively discrete educational concept, principle or process. For example, an animation could be used to show a process of homeostatic or reflex control, or a manipulable simulation could be used to show how various factors interact to affect filtration rates in the kidney.
If you would like to see some Widget examples please contact Gregor Kennedy.
How to Register an Expression of Interest
Faculty staff need to fill in a short application pro forma. BMU staff are happy to work with applicants to refine the educational goals of proposals and to help improve the quality of applications. Once expressions of interest in any given round are received, they are prioritised by a review panel within the BMU (in consultation with School Multimedia Representatives and an Education Unit where necessary). Individuals and/or groups who are successful in their bids will receive support from BMU staff to develop their educational technology project.
Due to a large number of ongoing Faculty commitments, the next call for Expressions of Interest is expected in early 2008. For more information please contact Gregor Kennedy
Advice and an application pro forma will be available from this page approximately six weeks prior to the due date.