Sharing our collective teaching knowledge and experience can help achieve this goal, and upcoming improvements to iLearn will allow staff to share and access this knowledge more easily.

An integral part of the Learning Commons Project, Opening iLearn will see parts of iLearn units being made available for viewing by internal academic and professional staff from December.

This change will offer benefits to a wide range of staff. Program leaders will be able to find interdisciplinary examples to help students connect the dots between their units and other units. Unit convenors will have a wealth of fresh ideas and inspiration at their fingertips, and be able to find better ways of working that don’t require reinventing the wheel. And professional staff members will have a greater understanding of our learning environment and be better able to answer student enquiries.

Professor Sherman Young, Pro Vice-Chancellor Learning and Teaching, says Opening iLearn is all about enabling colleagues to connect.

“There’s a tremendous amount of fantastic learning material created and delivered by Macquarie staff,” he says. “In improving our sharing of best practice, we are finding new ways to learn from each other and finding more opportunities for collaboration.”

What will you be able to access in iLearn?
From December, staff will be able to see the main content in iLearn units, such as topics, Powerpoint slides and instructions to students. In other words, you’ll get a good idea of the content that is being covered in each unit and what tasks students are required to do.

The content will be read-only and you won’t be able to see any student contributions, such as responses to forum questions and assignments, or any other information related to students.

What does this mean for unit convenors?
Unit convenors aren’t required to take any additional action. Faculties will circulate detailed information about how Opening iLearn will work, including FAQs. In the meantime, faculty staff can contact their Associate Dean of Learning and Teaching if they have any questions:

• Faculty of Arts: Dr. Peter Keegan, peter.keegan@mq.edu.au, W6A 236, Ext. 8819
• Faculty of Business and Economics: Dr Leigh Wood, leigh.wood@mq.edu.au, E4A 714, Ext. 4756
• Faculty of Human Sciences: Dr. Mitch Parsell, mitch.parsell@mq.edu.au, W6A 701, Ext. 1040
• Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences: Professor Cath Dean, catherine.dean@mq.edu.au F10, Ext. 6620
• Faculty of Science and Engineering: Dr James Downes, james.downes@mq.edu.au, E6B 710, Ext. 8900

The National Indigenous Science Education Program (NISEP) is aimed at fostering and developing the confidence and leadership potential of Indigenous youth, using science as an engagement tool.

NISEP started as a best ethical practice extension of bush medicine research undertaken by myself and Associate Professor Vemulpad, following Aboriginal Elders expressing concern to us about youth in their communities not completing their high school studies. Their simple request of asking “can you help us help our youth?” is what led to the establishment of NISEP and its primary focus being on Indigenous youth at secondary school level.

NISEP has developed into a consortium with school, community and university partnerships. It has also enhanced its sustainability through participation in the PACE program.

This week NISEP will run the Indigenous Science Experience @ Redfern. This is an official part of National Science Week and the Sydney Science Festival, and is supported through an Inspiring Australia National Science Week grant.

The experience will culminate with the Family Science Fun Day, a free event for the public held at the Redfern Community Centre on Sunday 21 August from 10am to 3.30pm. Highlights will include yarning with Wiradjuri and Yaegl Elders on bush foods and medicines, making Aboriginal tools, learning about the science of ochre and Aboriginal astronomy, taking part in hands-on science shows led by Indigenous youth, and participating in maths puzzles, robotics activities, 3D printing and lots of other science and technology activities.

This annual event is a celebration of Western and Indigenous science in a fun and interactive way and is a unique opportunity for the public to learn more about traditional Indigenous knowledge directly from the custodians of that knowledge – the Aboriginal Elders.

NISEP was recently chosen as one of 20 programs for PwC’s Australia-wide 21st Century Minds Accelerator Program, giving us the capacity to provide its benefits to more schools and communities.

To learn more about NISEP, visit our website or join us on Facebook or YouTube.