December 2024 - We're relaunching the Learning Lab website!
In 2023, RMIT's popular foundation skills resource the Learning Lab website was migrated from its original Drupal 7 platform (now retired), and it temporarily became a static website. Meanwhile, the Library Digital Learning Team has been extremely busy in the background redeveloping the over 700-page website to make some much-needed improvements to the overall design, accessibility, and navigation, as well as streamlining and uplifting its content. This will give all users a much better experience and broaden its application in teaching and learning.
Changes include:
migration and uplift of the structure and style of the site from the legacy system and emedia server which is no longer accessible.
uplift of legacy content and creation of selected new content where gaps have been identified.
significant reduction of page numbers to create a better user experience
Redesign of pages and whole sections of content have been undertaken with the following in mind:
Removing accessibility issues
Considering needs of at-risk students
Simplifying language – making it more readable for a diverse audience
Ensuring the content addresses foundational skills – aiming to help student improve skills to the next level
Reducing the time commitment that students will need to work through content
Making the flow of the site easier to follow and navigate
Removing and replacing unattributed images.
New features
The new Learning Lab website can be found here at the same location and you will notice some new features including:
Design
a new on-brand homepage layout with custom graphics and a simpler, more user-friendly selection of options designed for all screen sizes
Navigation
Improved accessibility based on user exeperience testing and best practice - see the Accessibility page for more details
Improved site navigation via a hamburger menu that is always present at the top-right corner of the page – you can open and close it at any time to find your way around the website
Improved navigation panel on the right-hand side of each content page so you always know where you are within a section
Previous and next buttons at the bottom of the page for better flow of information
Pathways to further resources where they exist for students to deepen their knowledge or to see an example with real life application.
The improved information architecture places content in more logical order on the page such as further resources below the main content of the page so flow of information is not disrupted.
Sharing
Creative Commons licensing (under development) which enables this website to be an Open Education Resource and reusable in many contexts
Ability to embed pages directly into Canvas without headers and footers
Documentation: a section which details our design system and rationale for creating/editing content on the Learning Lab.
Content improvements are continuing in a staged process with the most popular content uplifted for this soft launch in 2024 – Getting started, Writing fundamentals, Assessments and Referencing. Other improvements to subject area resources such as Nursing, Maths and Law will continue across 2025. We will promote these changes to students, educators and the wider University as they happen.
We will also be adding selected new content to the Learning Lab based on current student needs and the redefining of the assessment landscape. This includes content on digital portfolios, creating infographics, life sciences and more.
We welcome your feedback and hope you can share the Learning Lab with your students, other educators and anyone who is interested in foundation skills and knowledge resources.
