Best Practice 2: Online Discussion Groups

What is Online Discussion Groups..?

Many universities operate their own software solutions to facilitate e-learning. However, such institutions has to meet the cost of acquisition, modification and operation of the software. Therefore, these higher learning institutions have another options which is to opt for a free software solution which hosted by several internet companies such as Google, Yahoo! and Microsoft.

With these free software solutions, the interactive group of learning can become more superior towards individual performance. This is because of the group's ability to pool their resources, to correct errors and to use qualitatively different learning strategies. As long as students have computers and are connected to the internet, they can have a 24-hour access to the service. And of course, what is more interesting is that the service is FREE!

Success Story
Monash University is Australia's largest university with 58,000 student and 7,000 staff. The research university is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and has a strong international focus. It has campuses in Malaysia and South Africa Malaysia, South Africa and Italy and over 250,000 alumni around the world.

In November 2009, Monash University has gone Google. The university set to offer customised “Google Apps for Education” to all of its students. Monash University Vice-Chancellor Professor Edward Byrne said adopting Google and applications was a clever solution to the ongoing challenge of providing accessible, user-friendly and cost-effective e-communication tools to a growing Monash community. Professor Bayrne also stated that online communication is one of the dominant mediums through which their students and staff exchange information, build knowledge and interact with the global community. The university was also aiming to provide students with the best online tools in order to boost their communication and information sharing capabilities.

Monash University Vice-President (Administration) Peter Marshall said the move reflected the University's commitment to using the best technology available and to continually find better ways to facilitate quick, efficient and versatile communication and information-sharing capabilities.Among the advantages of switching to "Google Apps" from the current in-house email system included increased storage capacity which is up to 7GB from the current 40MB for each user. Also instant chat functionality, the integration of email with online calendar and the ability to work collaboratively on shared documents.

A By July 2010 all students were on Google Apps. Between June 2010 and December 2010 the university has migrated over 20,000 staff from 3 systems. Going Google also has helped the university to turn nine campuses across four countries into one University by providing a platform of greater opportunities for active engagement between students, staff and researchers in order to produce ‘world and work ready’ graduates.

Source: http://www.monash.edu.au