‘Spotlight on…’  is our way of showcasing a department, faculty or service to increase engagement, cohesion and an understanding of who does what at Macquarie. This week, we talk to Pedestal. 

Who are you?

Pedestal is the name of a learning and teaching web service developed as a bespoke teaching tool by a team from Learning Innovation and Computing (Science and Engineering). Led by Michael Rampe, the team also includes Peter Reeves, Ed Moore, Matt Cabanag and Weidong Pan. We have just graduated from the CSIRO ON Prime program and are an occupant of the University’s Pop-up incubator, soon to move to its new permanent location.

What do you do?

We have developed a learning and teaching tool specifically for utilising the rich 3D media being created across campus in a variety of ways.  Our 3D media platform helps educators improve and enhance object-based learning by reducing issues of access and limited handling and adding advanced tools for analysis through a simple web interface.  Pedestal is currently used across faculties and disciplines at the University, including History, Anatomy, Earth Science and Biology to name a few.  We are currently looking at expanding outside the walls of Macquarie University to commercialise our work, allowing the wider community to benefit as well.

Why do you do it?

At the core, we want to improve Learning and Teaching in an increasingly blended education model. We originally saw a massive opportunity for the 3D scanning investment that the University had made. There was no simple and flexible method for output and use by our online and distant students. After understanding more of the opportunities opened up by the development of Pedestal, we are now looking to future pedagogical improvements for the new end-users continually being discovered.

Who do you most frequently work with?

We are working closely with the Office of Commercialisation and Innovation, our colleagues within Learning and Teaching, IT departments, and various teaching and technical staff across the university.

Our direct end-users are those who want to use 3D images in their learning, which includes staff within the University and the students themselves, who clearly benefit from this new technology. We are also negotiating with third parties to see how far the impact can reach.

What’s a recent achievement you’re proud of?

Becoming Dux of the class at CSIRO Prime 2 (Sydney cohort), winning the Highest learning velocity prize.

The prize is wonderful, however we really appreciated the opportunity of going through the program, learning about commercialisation, business plans, testing and validating assumptions, and completing customer discoveries with an open mind. With all of us coming from non-business backgrounds, the culture, terminology and resilience strategies discovered through a supportive environment were just awesome.

What’s planned for the future? Anything exciting on the horizon?

We wish to leverage what we have learnt and continue to pursue avenues to develop the platform to meet both internal and third party demands.
Continue to:
* Work closely with the Office of Commercialisation and Innovation
* Apply for the more intense CSIRO Accelerate program
* Be there within the University Incubator to mentor others (ie. Pay it backward)

How can we engage with you? Where can we learn more?

If you are interested in learning more about Pedestal, please talk to Michael Rampe and check out Pedestal’s website.

We are supported by the PVC Learning and Teaching office (initially through an Enhancement grant a couple years ago), and are being assisted and mentored by the Office of Commercialisation and Innovation.  Over a year ago, Anna Grocholsky Director of Commercialisation and Innovation, saw the potential of our project and encouraged us to consider options and to apply for the CSIRO ON program.

Applications for the next cohort of CSIRO Prime 3; Defence, ON Prime: Cyber and ON Prime: Northern Australia are now open. 

Applications close 8pm Friday 28 July 2017.