Internet assessment tool to be launched

Paper-based exams could be a thing of the past as a newly-launched product at the University of Queensland takes off.

On Wednesday, May 28, the University's Educational Multimedia Services will launch BrainZone, a new World World Wide Web (WWW) assessment tool.

With BrainZone, lecturers can enter questions, answers and detailed feedback and then devise an exam/assessment exercise to run on the WWW.

About 200 guests are expected to attend the launch in the Senate Room, Brian Wilson Chancellery, University of Queensland, St. Lucia at 3.30pm.

Speakers will include University Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Ted Brown and Mal Bryce, Executive Director of the Australian Centre for Innovation and International Competitiveness and special consultant with the UQ Ipswich Campus Planning Group.

Head of Educational Multimedia Services Beth Cavallari said BrainZone was versatile, easy to use for both lecturers and students and provided multimedia capabilities making it suitable for use in every department at the University.

Staff and students have access to BrainZone 24 hours a day, seven days a week from anywhere in the world provided they have an Internet connection.

'The flexibility and ease of use offered by BrainZone demonstrates innovation in the University's commitment to quality in teaching and learning,' Academic Board president Professor Andrew Lister said.

'BrainZone offers a very efficient way of testing students and presenting questionnaires,' Director of the Teaching and Educational Development Institute Denise Chalmers said.

'It is a valuable addition to the range of assessment tools as it gives students the opportunity to check their learning and receive immediate feedback. Because of this it can facilitate independent learning and study.'

The product will also be made available to interested external parties. Information about its pricing structure will be released at the launch.

For more information, contact Beth Cavallari, Head, Educational Multimedia Services by phone on (07) 3365-6725 or via email at b.cavallari@mailbox.uq.edu.au. For a demonstration via the World Wide Web go to http://www.ems.uq.edu.au/BrainZone/demo.htm.