ultiBASE In-Site, September 1997

ISSN 1328-1798

In September we present the following new materials:

In September the emphasis is on variety. This month we present a diverse range of material representing all our current publishing areas: Choice Clicks, Workshop, Articles and interviews, and Reviews.

Mary Lou Maher and Bradford Skow from the Department of Architectural and Design Science at the University of Sydney have contributed an innovative article entitled Learning inside the virtual campus. Before exploring their own use of a Multi-User Virtual Environment (MUVE) they examine the history and uses of virtual communities and MUVEs. The article is rich with examples quirky and straight, links and illustrations of these new methods of communication, their teaching possibilities and applications.

Last year Margaret Small, University of New England, visited universities in the US and Canada to investigate the role of libraries as electronic services and as physical facilities in the context of the virtual university. Virtual universities and their libraries is a report of her discoveries, for example that 'the developing virtual universities were generally ... unaware of the electronic services and resources of libraries (and) were not interested in exploiting these services and resources'. Ms Small sees that the 'challenge for libraries of all universities, virtual and real, is to find ways in which printed and electronic sources of information can be integrated in a coherent and seamless way'.

Exchanging cultures and classrooms is a brave endeavour and offers both personal and professional challenges. Last year Rob Moore, from St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia, worked on exchange at RMIT University in Melbourne. His interview with Diane Baird is called Attuned to the background. Issues of global culture, socialisation and teaching are explored against a background of Rob's impressions of working in a new university and living and travelling in a new country.

Interactive multimedia and good teaching, a substantial Workshop contributed by David Kennedy and Carmel McNaught, demystifies the confusion surrounding the definition, use and creation of multimedia. Written from a pragmatic point of view the Workshop covers issues of design, technical matters relating to hardware and software, financial planning and project management. These are placed within the context of multimedia for effective learning. A particular strength is an extensive table setting out relationships between criteria for effective teaching and modes of interactive multimedia. There is a Glossary of terms as well as a substantial list of references.

Our September Choice Clicks are selected by Rachelle Heller. Some of her current roles include Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at George Washington University and Co-editor of Computers and Education: An International Journal. Her Choice Clicks are divided into Teaching, Good work and good art, and Current culture.

The Resources section has this year featured reviews of new book and software titles, new editions and enduring titles. This month for the first time we release a pre-publication review: Learning to Lead in Higher Education by Paul Ramsden. Routledge will publish this book internationally in early 1998. Our reviewer Patricia Roessler expresses relief that leadership can be learned and whets the appetite by providing glimpses into the stucture and content of this timely and 'great resource for academic leaders'.

As usual our Events have been updated to provide the latest information.

We have made available the full text of our UniServe Humanities and Social Sciences Clearinghouse (ultiBASE) Progress Report by Ern Reeders, Director of ultiBASE. This was submitted to DEETYA in June as part of our contract obligations. It provides background and analysis of our work for ultiBASE.

Regards from Wendy Pryor.

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