(Back row, from left) Acting Manager ACUonline, Ingrid DSouza; Ann Applebee, Director of Flexible Learning and Teaching. (Front row, from left) Jay Hutchinson, Technical Support Manager NetSpot; And, Donna Gronn, NetSpot winner.

NetSpot winner announced

Dr Donna Gronn, Melbourne Campus (St Patrick's) lecturer, has won the inaugural NetSpot competition, which recognises staff excellence in the creative use of the Learning Management System that supports student-centred learning.

The competition reflects ACU National's commitment to providing a quality student learning experience in both face-to-face and online environments and is an initiative of NetSpot and the Flexible Learning and Teaching Committee.

Director of Flexible Learning and Teaching, Ann Applebee, said there was often a disconnect between the student experience of face-to-face and online classes.

"It is important to have strong quality in online learning," she said. "Dr Gronn's entry showed clear evidence of a well-written and convincing application that was solidly underpinned by theory and research, and was student-centred in design."

Dr Gronn's winning entry was her unit EDST411 Teaching with Information Technology, a fourth year upgrade and undergraduate elective designed so that students can actively construct meaning themselves as they progress through the unit at their own pace.

Examples from Donna's unit will soon be made available on the eLearning site.