UOW's web-based technology wins excellence award

Dec 23, 2004

In Australia's higher education sector, technology is at the centre of innovation.

The University of Wollongong is helping set the standard, having recently been announced the winner of the Health and Education category in the 2004 Computerworld Excellence Awards for an innovative new web-based orientation module.

The program is entitled 'Getting Started @ UOW' and was managed by David Reynolds and assisted by Lorraine Denny from the Career and Development Unit. They partnered with The Learning Group for the development of the module.

The program covers a wide range of topics including HR information, workplace rights and responsibilities and career development. There is also a timeline that enables new staff to find out interesting historical information about their new place of employment. An assessment section consisting of 15 questions allows users to test what they have learnt and the University to measure results.

Mr Reynolds said the module's target was all new academic and general staff members and that there were a number of key challenges in the development of the module.

“We had to make it accessible for users with disabilities, especially visually. We also had to make it run from the variety of different web browsers and operating systems that exist in UOW's computing environment including Macintosh and different Windows platforms.

In addition, the module had to be integrated with the University's existing user login processes to enable user data tracking,” he said.

“It had to also present a range of information from how to get paid at UOW to where to find the best coffee,” Mr Reynolds said. “And all in a format that holds user attention.”

The award-winning module can be accessed at: Getting Started @ UOW

-RP