The Learning Place has undertaken a significant review process over the past 2 years resulting in a range of new eLearning spaces including edTube, edStudios and the provision of personalised staff and student spaces.

To ensure Learning Place systems remain current and offer improved functionality and usability the Learning Place will have upgraded eLearn (Blackboard) from version 7.2 to version 9.1 and Content Management System (Equella) from version 4.0 to version 5.0. This required the unavailability of some systems over the holiday period, including:

• eLearn (Blackboard)
  From: Thursday, 8 December 2011, 3.30pm
  To: Monday, 9 January 2012, 7.30am
• Course and community Access Management System (CAMS)
  From: Thursday, 8 December 2011, 3.30pm
  To: Monday, 9 January 2012, 7.30pm
• Content Management System (Equella)
  From: Monday, 12 December 2011, 7.30am
  To: Monday, 19 December 2011, 7.30am

Blackboard version 9.1 will provide Learning PLace clients with an improved experience through:

• providing enhanced navigation tools
• drop down menus and links to the control panel in the left-hand navigation pane will improve navigation efficiency
• improved assessment and grade management functionality
• the new Grade Centre allows for extensive customisation through filters, allows owners to enter data directly on the page, and cleanly displays each assessment item and student's status
• drag-and-drop capability in various pages
• participants and owners will be able to drag and drop content into place
• the ability for participants to self-enrol into groups for team work activities
• creating and managing multiple groups is much easier through bulk creation and naming options, with the added option allowing participants to self-enrol into groups
• a contemporary and user-friendly look and feel
• the new look and feel is contemporary and contains new usability functions.

A comprehensive list of help materials is available in the Learning Place Help Centre .