User Roles and Permissions in VU Collaborate

As a VU staff member, you have access to VU Collaborate. You may also have access to ‘spaces’ for a unit or course, particularly if you are involved in teaching or supporting learning and teaching. This guide outlines the roles available in VU Collaborate and the types of staff these roles best apply to. For instructions on how to enrol teaching and support staff (e.g. Tutors, Academic Support), refer to the Enrolling Users guide.

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Glossary of terms used in this document

• Space: An online collaborative area where you can build and deliver your unit or course (known as a shell in WebCT).
• Enrol: Refers to enrolling users into the VU Collaborate space, not into the unit or course itself.
• Classlist: A VU Collaborate tool that allows you to view who is enrolled in the space, and depending on your permissions, add participants to a space.
• View-Only: Refers to the permission to view space content but not to add any modifications. 

 

VU Collaborate Block User Roles and Permissions

For units delivered in block mode, Unit Convenors, as listed in CAMS, will be automatically enrolled into Master Spaces (MS) as Block Convenors. Block Convenors can then add and remove additional teaching staff. To understand the roles and permissions, refer to the table below.

*MS: Master space
*DS: Delivery space

Access permissions for staff roles (updated Jan 2025)	Block Convenor		Block Key Academic	Block Instructor
	MS	DS	MS	MS	DS
Manage teaching staff enrolment.	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Import/copy unit components.	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Export unit components.	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Add content to learning space (e.g. modules and topics).
Delete content from learning space and manage files.
Draft/publish content in learning space.
Create, delete and edit assignment dropbox settings.
Manage assignment dropbox settings(e.g. change dates, Originality check, add special access).
Create, copy, delete and edit Rubrics.
Create, copy, delete and edit Quizzes.
Create, copy, delete and edit Grade Items.
Setup and modify attendance register.

 

VU Collaborate Roles

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Block Instructor and Instructor

Block Instructors have full control of a unit space, they are able to create and modify course content, and perform grading and assessment. They can enrol the Space Reviewer into their space, but cannot enrol/un-enrol students or other teaching staff. The Instructor will appear in the Classlist for students to contact.

Who might use this role? 

• Instructors
• Teachers
• Sessional staff

Example: You are a teacher (sessional or contract), delivering a unit as part of a teaching team or independently, and are responsible for designing course content and facilitating learning activities.

 

Block Convenor and Convenor

The Block Convenor is responsible for managing and supporting the space at an administrative or oversight level. This includes enrolling and un-enrolling Block Instructors, Tutors, and other roles in the space. They have full rights in the space as per the Block Instructor role, therefore, can manage content and activities.

Who might use this role?

• Education managers
• Unit coordinators
• Course or unit convenors
• Other non-teaching administrators

Example: You are a Unit Coordinator, coordinating one or more units, or perhaps a teaching team member, and need to support the space at an administrative level.

 

Block Key Academic

The Block Key Academic is responsible for managing and supporting the administration and oversight of unit Master Spaces on VU Collaborate. This includes enrolling and un-enrolling Tutors, and other roles within the Master Space. They have full rights in the Master Space as per the Block Convenor, therefore, can manage content and activities within the space. Once in the delivery space, this roles automatically changes to Block Instructor.

Who might use this role?

• Block Instructor or Instructors - providing extra support to the Block Convenor 
• Teachers
• Sessional staff 

Example: You are a Block Instructor providing support to the Block Convenor with content development, or perhaps you are just a member of the teaching team that needs administrative-level access to the Master Space.

Please note that the Block Key Academic role is only available in Master Spaces.  

 

Tutor

Tutors are able to interact with students via email and discussions, manage student groups, and grade students. Tutors can view content but are not able to create and modify content or assessment tasks. The role is visible in the Classlist.

Who might use this role?

• Tutors
• Teaching assistants
• Offshore teaching staff

Example: As a Tutor, you work with an instructor who coordinates multiple tutors within one large unit. The Instructor designs the space by creating content and assessment material but you are responsible for communicating with students and assessing their work.

 

Space Reviewer

The Space Reviewer role is designed to enable information exchange between teaching staff members. Space Reviewers have view-only access to content but cannot view student grades. They are added by the Space Convenor or Instructor and do not appear in the Classlist.

Who might use this role?

• Teaching staff
• Staff responsible for reviewing and auditing

Example: As an Instructor, you would like a colleague to give you some feedback on the space you have designed. You enrol your colleague as a Space Reviewer so that they can view the content.

 

Course Chair

Course Chairs are view-access only similar to Space Reviewers, but with the added ability to see assessment submissions, marks, and feedback (in Dropboxes and Quizzes not in the Grade Book). Higher access in either delivery spaces or master spaces always can be provided by the Unit Convenor as required.

Who might use this role?

• Course Chairs
• Course Coordinators

Note -  all Course Chairs who are listed on CAMS should be automatically added to the current and previous 5 years of relevant course delivery spaces.

 

Guest Instructor

Guest Instructors are able to interact with students and view content. They are not able to add or modify content, and cannot view or edit grades. Guest Instructors are visible in the Classlist and will require a staff number to be enrolled. If someone from outside of VU needs this access, provide the information to ITS at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Who might use this role?

• Guest speakers
• Industry partners

Example: A key speaker is invited to address and engage with your students.

 

Non-Teaching Roles

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Learning Support

The Learning Support role is enrolled in a unit space through negotiation with the Block Convenor and Block Instructor. They provide support to teaching staff in the development of content for the unit space or support for students (particularly those in need) and are visible in the Classlist.

 

College Librarian

The College Librarian is enrolled by the ITS eLearning team, in all spaces within a College and is designed to assist teaching staff with the development and distribution of content. The College Librarian can add content and interact with students but is unable to view student grades or assessments. The role is visible in the Classlist.

 

College Coordinator

The College Coordinator is automatically enrolled in all spaces within a College with the ability to view and modify content. This role is not visible in the Classlist. The College Coordinator is able to assist with reporting on learning and teaching activities across a College.