Better, faster, more: Strategies for the next generation of broadband Federation University Australia through the Centre for eCommerce and Communications (CeCC) is delivering a dynamic awareness and skills development program. The Centre assists businesses and not-for-profit entities to leverage opportunities from broadband technologies and deliver learning programs to internal university stakeholders. One of the trends predicted by international experts in digital communication is the transition from text based information to content that is viewed spatially, in 3D and other visual formats. Helen will discuss: • How next generation broadband creates new opportunities • Strategies: Using visual storytelling to deliver the message • Tools to create increased audience engagement

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Better, faster, more: Strategies for
the next generation of broadband
Dr Helen Thompson
CeCC Director
Office of Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and Innovation)
17 June 2014

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Background
• Federation University Australia was established on 1 January 2014
• The Centre for eCommerce and Communications (CeCC) is located
within the Office of Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and
Innovation).
• Key areas of applied research, commercial activities and community
engagement include eResearch, digital futures and spatial research.
• CeCC is also responsible for the corporate web team and
www.federation.edu.au
• This presentation explores strategies for next generation broadband
in a higher education context outside the normal focus on learning
and teaching

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Major trends
• Ubiquitous high-speed broadband being rolled out.
• The Petabyte Age… >50% of the world’s data is being collected
each year – how do we utilise it?
• Open data policies… raw data is more accessible, but how to
interpret it?
• Mobile technologies… everyone is spatially enabled and spatially
aware – we want to know about here and now.
• 3d visualisation technology is more commonplace than ever
before - television, cinema, printers…

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Significance of trends in HE context
• Ubiquitous high-speed broadband… Universities have the
connectivity that the rest of Australia is waiting for
• The Petabyte Age… >50% of the world’s data is being collected each
year – how will this change current research practices? What do we
need to access, publish and share?
• Open data policies… Opportunities for Universities and particularly
regional universities to play a significant role in generating insight from
data
• Mobile technologies… app development and responsive design – for
student and staff recruitment, engagement, knowledge transfer.
• 3d and visualisation technologies - massive innovation and research
opportunities

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Digital engagement in HE context
• Introduced social media policy
• With permission of Department of Justice produced FedUni
Social media video based on justice.vic.gov.au/socialmedia
• Created dedicated social media officer role
• Working toward development of Social media champions
• Opportunities to leverage learning from Central Highlands
Digital Enterprise Program
• Goal to build organisational capacity in social media so
diversity of University learning and teaching, research,
engagement and knowledge transfer activities reflected

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Producing FedUni news and events
content
• FedNews rolled out in 2013
• Enhanced workflow processes for Media Manager for corporate
news
• Distributed publishing and approval process for internal news
• Daily email digest to all staff
• Pull in content from other sources: careers; training
opportunities etc
• Enhancements in 2015 – Faculty and Portfolio news and digests
• Image gallery enhancements

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Research engagement in HE context
Interoperability
- Linking data sources
Spatial representation of data
- Place-based data
Visualisation
- 2D & 3D imagery and models
spatial.federation.edu.au

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Sport and Recreation Spatial
• A national geographic information
system (GIS) for presenting spatial
data.
• Provides the sport and recreation
sector with increased capacity for
research, strategic planning, and
development of participation
programs and facilities.
• Technology
– Map server, Open layers, Spatially
enabled database, Thematic maps, Large
dataset (ERASS 10 year survey),
queryable layers, sortable layers,
transparent layers

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Netball 2012
participation rate by
postcode

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Integrated Fire Management Planning
• An interoperable spatial information
system for Barwon South West
stakeholders
• Providing access to the most current
relevant information and fire risk data
• Supporting the community to develop
integrated regional and local fire
management plans.
• Technology
– Open layers, VicMAP API
• Features
– Layer stacking, layer transparency,
interoperable data

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DEPI fire history
and planned burns

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GRDC online farm trials research
• The Online Farm Trials Research
project is funded by the Grains
Research & Development
Corporation (GRDC)
• Aims to provide improved and
enhanced access to historical
and future farm trials information
and data using online systems.
• Interactive digital library and farm
trial information database

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Corangamite Soil Health Knowledge Base
• A project has been initiated by the
Corangamite Catchment
Management Authority, to construct
an online repository of soil health
information and knowledge
• Includes reports, research papers,
maps and descriptions related to:
• current and past soil series
mapping
• land capability and suitability
assessments
• agricultural trials
• soil research and investigations

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Historical maps
• The Eureka Stockade: An
Interactive History portal
contains historical overlays
and points of interest in the
Ballarat area around the time
of the Eureka Stockade.
• Dynamic map is an
interactive spatial interface to
the underlying information.

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Natural Disaster Research
In response to the landslide
events of January 2011 in the
Grampians National Park,
Federation University Australia
have been engaged by Northern
Grampians Shire to investigate
the social, economic and
environmental impact of the
events

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FedUni Commute
• A visualisation containing over
1250 FedUni staff members will
soon be released to illustrate the
benefits of telecommuting, and
the university's environmental
impact from staff commuting.
With the 2014 addition of the
Gippsland campus, this will show
more commute patterns than the
original UB Commute
visualisation (2012)

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Regional ICT studies
Extensive experience in coordinating regional and local ICT
planning projects:
• Great South Coast Regional Communications Strategy
• Yarra Ranges Opportunity Assessment for Economic and
Community Growth through the Broadband Economy
• Wimmera Southern Mallee and Central Highlands ICT
studies
• Moorabool Community Broadband and
Telecommunications Strategy
• Ballarat ICT 2030 strategy
Research results presented using innovative approaches:
• Live geographical analysis of business and community
survey data
• Technologies : Customised Lime Survey package, Google
Maps API

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Australian Digital Soil Mapping
• OzDSM is a collaborative workspace for
researchers working on digital soil
mapping (DSM) in Australia.
• DSM utilises numerical methods and
information technologies to produce
predictive maps of soil types and their
properties.
• Technologies include Map server, Open
layers with features incorporating
• Features: Spatially enabled database,
Layer querying

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Soil landform map

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Visualising Victoria’s Groundwater
• The VVG portal provides
access to groundwater data
from across Victoria.
• It features a unique state-
wide map of over 275,000
bores, providing access to a
user-friendly database
offering the most
comprehensive view of
groundwater data in Victoria
• Web-based 3D Visualisation
tools.

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Visualising Victoria’s Groundwater
• Documentary produced to demonstrate value of eResearch,
knowledge management and spatial research
• Target audience internal stakeholders, current partners and future
investors
• Strategies for next generation broadband practically demonstrate
relevance of better, faster, more broadband in a HE context
• Visual story telling has been very effective in communicating the
opportunities but lots of traditional communication still utilised

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http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=l5mUYGPK1TI

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More info
• FedUni www.federation.edu.au
• CeCC www.federation.edu.au/cecc
• FedUni Spatial spatial.federation.edu.au
• Social media video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpyFarLoVAk&feature=
youtu.be
• VVG video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5mUYGPK1TI