FLO Student Support
Site: | Flinders Learning Online |
Topic: | FLO Student Support |
Book: | FLO Student Support |
Printed by: | Guest user |
Date: | Sunday, 2 April 2023, 12:33 AM |
Navigate the Getting Started chapter using the table of contents
Logging into FLO - Your FAN and Password
Your Flinders Authentication Name (FAN) and its associated password is your key to computer-based resources and services at Flinders University, including FLO.
Your FAN is also your user name for logging into the OKTA Single Sign on Dashboard (https://flinders.okta.com/).
Your FAN is constructed from the first four characters of your surname (family name) followed by four numeric digits to make each FAN unique. If your surname has less than four characters then your FAN will have less characters as appropriate. As an example, the FAN for the seventeenth person with a surname beginning with the letters Blog within the University would be blog0017. If you have previously studied or worked at Flinders under a different name, your FAN may reflect your previous name.
If you have forgotten your FAN or need to activate it, please follow this link: https://activate.flinders.edu.au/main
If you have forgotten your password go to the Okta sign in page at https://flinders.okta.com and select Need help signing in?
Introduction to FLO
New to Flinders?
FLO (Flinders Learning Online) is the learning and communications tool that you will use to complete the work in your topics. Watch this short introduction about FLO is and what it is used for.
Can't view from YouTube? Click here to watch
Getting to know FLO
Learn how to navigate your way around FLO and locate all the important resources you will need to complete your topic.
Require subtitles or can't view from youtube? Click here to watch
Jump to a section in the video
What is FLO? (0:17 secs)
Accessing FLO (0:44 secs)
Understanding your FLO dashboard (1 min 17 secs)
Finding your topic in FLO (2 min 2 secs)
Topic blocks and Topic Coordinator details (2 min 46 secs)
Finding your Readings (3 min 6 secs)
Other important resources in FLO topics e.g., SAMS, topic guide, announcement, and discussion forums (3 min 47 secs)
Assessment tasks and activities (4 min 21 secs)
Submitting assignments (4 min 33 secs)
Finding help (5 min 15 secs)
Your Topics in FLO
Are your topics starting within the next week? To head straight to these topics, use the 'in progress' filter.
A couple of quick tips:
- 'star' important topics that you will use regularly, then use the 'starred' filter for direct access
- 'sort' your topics by 'last accessed' to keep regularly accessed topics at the top of your list
Access to your topics
Topics in FLO are made available to students 7 days before the start date of the topic. You can access these topics with the 'all' filter, or you can filter to 'in progress'.
After most topics end you will have continued access for a further 730 days (24 months), after which time you will no longer be able to access your topic or its content. Before you lose access to your topic it is highly recommended that you make a copy of any content that you might like to refer to later.
Organising your topics
Your FLO dashboard will show your recently accessed topics at the top of the screen, with all topics available from your 'my topics' list below.
Make sure you are looking at the 'My Topics' section in the main part of the FLO dashboard, rather than the abbreviated MyTopics list available from your Navigation menu (down the left side of your page), in order to see your full list of topics and to see filtering options.
You have a good deal of control over how your 'My Topics' list displays, and can customise it to your preferences. The following customisations are available,
- Sort preferences - select if you would like to sort your topics by 'topic name' (alphabetical) or 'last accessed'.
- Filter your topics - 'star' favourite topics for quick access or 'hide from my topics' to hide infrequently used topics. Alternatively, filter by 'past', 'present' and 'future'.
- 'Star' favourite topics.
Click the elipses by your chosen topic and select 'star this topic'. Filter by 'starred' to see only those topics you have starred.
- 'Hide from view' topics that you don't wish to access everyday. These topics will then be removed from your default 'all topics' list.
Click the elipses beside your chosen topic and select 'hide from my topics'. Filter by 'hidden from my topics' to access these topics if needed.
To later restore these topics, filter by 'hidden from my topics' then use the elipses to select 'restore to view'.
As soon as your topics are added to your FLO (7 days before their scheduled start date), they can be found using the In Progress filter. Past topics are those that have past their topic end date (normally after the supp exam period has finished), or if topic completion is turned on, those that you have completed.

- Display preferences - select how you would like to view your topics.
- Choose 'Card' to see your topics in a grid with the coloured tile or image visible
- Choose 'list' to see your topics in list form
- Choose 'summary' to see your topics in a list, with a description of the topic if one has been included
Personalising your FLO
As a user in FLO you have a profile with a number of settings that control the way FLO displays certain information about you.
Please see the instructions to upload a profile picture and change the colour of your FLO.
Upload a profile picture by first clicking on your name then selecting 'profile' from the drop-down menu.
Click 'edit profile' on the next page
Upload a profile picture by either using drag and drop or file browse
Click 'update profile' to save- Change the colour of your FLO by clicking 'customise this page' on your FLO homepage.
Select one of the four colour options then click 'stop customising this page' to save your selection.
Time zones in FLO
If you are studying online from a different time zone, your Topic Coordinator can provide the best guidance for your success in your topic. There are also things that you can do in FLO that can help you manage your study.
How is time displayed in FLO?
FLO reflects the current local time in Adelaide, South Australia. This is automatically determined by the server that FLO is hosted on. This time is called server time. Server time automatically adjusts for Adelaide daylight savings time.
Why does time matter in FLO?
Some activities in FLO may ask you to access or submit resources at specific times.
Examples of these activities are:
- Submitting assignments by due dates and times
- Submitting draft submissions and reports (e.g. Turnitin)
- Applying for assignment extensions
- Participating in synchronous online activities (e.g. Live lecture streaming, Collaborate)
- Accessing time-based releases of content and digital resources
- Engaging with online activities with specific dates/times for participation
- Completing quizzes that have time and date limits
- Participating in online scheduled assessment activities
- Synchronous collaboration for group work activities
- Presentations or consultations with tutors or topic coordinators
- Experiencing downtime of FLO or related tools and accessing FLO help and support
Changing your FLO user profile time zone setting
We recommend that you set your FLO profile time and local computer time to the same local time zone whenever possible.
You can set your own local time zone within FLO. This will automatically display dates/times in most FLO activities that use dates/times. This can be helpful if you need to be online at particular times for synchronous online sessions.
Changing your FLO user profile time zone will affect all your FLO topic sites because the time zone setting is part of your FLO user profile settings.
To change your time zone in FLO
- Look for your name in the top right hand corner of your FLO, and click on the down arrow to open the menu. Select profile.
- In the user details section, click edit profile
- Scroll down to the timezone setting and use the drop-down menu to select your local timezone.
- Click update profile to save changes.
Some dates and times in FLO are not automatically updated with your FLO user profile time zone
Not all activities and FLO tools will have dates automatically updated according to your time zone. These include,
- Collaborate sessions (set to the timezones on your device)
- Lecture recordings (set to Adelaide time)
- Assignment extension requests (set to Adelaide time)
Note: Your FLO profile time-zone will not automatically update when you travel to a new time zone. If you travel to a new time zone, please make sure you update your FLO profile time zone.
FLO clock block
Your FLO topic site may have a block on the right that displays a clock.
'Server time' is the current local time in Adelaide, South Australia (please see above for more information about Server Time). 'You' time reflects the timezone settings of your computer or device. Please note that some browser security software may prevent the clock block from displaying accurately.
Your computer
Make sure your computer is set up to use FLO and other Flinders services
Recommended browsers
For using FLO at Flinders we recommend that you use:
Mozilla Firefox (Windows & Mac)
Google Chrome (Windows & Mac)
Other resources
Flinders University provides software to students to assist in their studies. Follow this link for the list of available software which includes Office 365 and Endnote. Assistance downloading software is available at Flinders Connect.
Get connected to the Eduroam wireless network on campus or at a participating institution. Follow this link to simplified set-up instructions.
Flinders University provides all students with a student email account. Access to an email account is controlled by the student's FAN (Flinders Authentication Name) and password. Please see the Student email user guide for more information.
Unicard Systems is now providing all student copy and print services throughout Flinders University Adelaide Campuses. Please see the UniCard website for contact details, services and prices, and to log in to the online printing portal.
If you are experiencing difficulty accessing FLO on an older ios mobile device (like an older iphone or ipad), please ensure you have updated your operating system to ios13. If you are unable to update to ios13, you may need to use a different device to access FLO.
If you are experiencing difficulty accessing FLO on a macbook, please either (1) upgrade your operating system to ios13 or (2) use a browser other than Safari.
Finding your textbooks and readings
The following video has been created for new students. Learn how to find your Readings and navigate your Readings list.
Require subtitles or can't view from youtube? Click here to watch
Jump to a section in the video
What are Readings? (0:14 sec)
Accessing your Readings (0:42 secs)
Understanding your Readings list (1 min 15 secs)
What do you do if you can’t find a Readings list? (2 mins 15 secs)
Purchasing textbooks (2 mins 42 secs)
Where to go for help (3 mins 12 secs)
You can find required and recommended textbooks listed on the Topic textbook site. Not all topics will use a textbook.
Find the link to your Readings list on your FLO topic page.
Your Readings list can include a variety of resources and formats, including textbooks, eBooks, articles, videos and websites.
Most of your Readings will be available electronically, for 24/7 access on or off-campus.
From the Reading list, click 'View online' to access the full-text.
Some eBooks have simultaneous user limits, the Accessing eBooks (PDF) has some tips on how to best access eBooks online.
Some citations on your Reading list will have an e-Resources/EZYProxy notification or Copyright notice. To access the full-text, click on 'Click here to login' or click 'Continue'.
Studying online from outside of Australia
When you begin your topic, your topic coordinator will advise you on
the expectations for successfully engaging with the topic and assessment
materials. Topic coordinators have tried to ensure teaching content is in a
form that should be available in your home country. The Learning Online guide can help you engage in active learning
while studying online, and includes success factors such as being present
online, self-managing, communicating, participating and reflecting.
Flinders University does not recommend the use of a VPN service. We expect that our systems will be accessible from your location and VPN will not resolve internet performance issues. For best results you will need a reliable fixed line internet connection and use a PC or laptop to access our systems online. Avoid using a mobile phone and mobile network. If you would still prefer to use a VPN, please check your local regulations to ensure that you are allowed to connect to our services in this way prior to making a purchase.
If logging in via the Flinders dashboard (Okta) is problematic, login directly to FLO https://flo.flinders.edu.au
Available technology/service* |
Technology/service may NOT be available |
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How to get help
If you are having problems accessing your learning materials, please email the FLO student helpdesk (flo.student@flinders.edu.au), including:
- A description of the problem
- Your FAN and that you are outside of Australia (overseas)
- The topic code/name
Tip: If logging in via the Flinders dashboard (Okta) is problematic, login directly to FLO https://flo.flinders.edu.au
Tips for online learning
As well as being prepared to engage with your learning online, below are some tips for you to optimise your online learning experience.
System/Application |
Tips |
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Collaborate |
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Lecture recordings |
o Try the audio only option located below the video. The lecture slides should have been uploaded to your FLO site (contact your topic coordinator if the lecture slides are not available). o Try to download the video (icon top right of video player) |
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Videos in FLO
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Readings (Leganto) |
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eSAMs & Assignment extension requests Turnitin |
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Keeping track - upcoming due dates in FLO
Due dates for specific activities in FLO can be found by clicking into the activity (such as an assignment or quiz), where you will be able to see the due date. The below tools can help you keep track of your deadlines in FLO.
The FLO Timeline
The FLO timeline on your My FLO homepage can give you an indication of upcoming due dates of the most common FLO activities for the topics that you are enrolled in.
The dates that you are likely to see listed in your timeline are due dates for activities including Assignments, Quiz, Feedback and Forums.
The timeline can be sorted by dates or topics and can be filtered to display dates from the next 7 days up to six 6 months ahead.
Depending on how your Topic Coordinator uses dates for activities in their FLO site, your timeline may also display opening, closing or expected completion date of some items too.
The FLO timeline is a handy snapshot, but not a complete list of all the important dates related to your topic. It is still important to check your Topic Information, SAMs and any groupwork commitments to understand the dates and deadlines your topics.
The FLO Calendar
The Calendar is another great tool for keeping on top of dates in your topic.
You can choose to view events for all your topics, or you can filter the Calendar so it will only display events for a specific chosen topic. If you would like to, you can add your own additional private events to the calendar for your topic.
The Calendar can be accessed from the Navigation Menu on the left hand side of your FLO page. If you would like to access your Calendar outside of FLO, you can export it to another calendar such as Google Calendar or Outlook Calendar.
The 'Upcoming events' block
The upcoming events block is a useful companion to the
calendar, and will show events for the next month from your topic's calendar. It’s different to the timeline block as it shows any upcoming events in the topic calendar, whereas the timeline block only shows deadlines.
The Upcoming Events block is accessed from the 'Topic Blocks' section within your topic. If your topic doesn't have the Upcoming Events block, you might like to ask your Topic Coordinator if they would like to add it.
Navigate the Submitting assignments chapter using the table of contents.
Submitting your assignment
This page will help you with the process of preparing and submitting your assignments in electronic format.
If you require closed captions, or if you can't access Youtube, please click here to watch
- For more detailed step-by-step information, click here. You will need to log into these instructions using your FAN and password.
- Please use this checklist to ensure that you are organised and avoid any last-minute dramas with assignment submission.
- You may need to submit your assignment as a PDF file. Please see our instructions for converting to PDF.
Text Matching Software
Follow this link to the Text Matching Software FLO page for information on:
You will need to log into these instructions using your FAN and password.
Troubleshooting the text-matching software (Turnitin)

Full information and step by step instructions on the use of Text-Matching software can be found at the following link.
What do I do if my Turnitin report has shown as 'pending' for more than 24 hours?
Sometimes your Turnitin report has been returned, even though the status still shows 'pending'.
First, please try clicking on the title of your uploaded document, as this will often open your Turnitin Report.
If this doesn't resolve your issue, please contact the FLO Student Helpdesk for assistance. Please remember that it may take up to 24 hours for a report to be returned.
How do I upload a second or subsequent document to the draft box in my topic?
Please use the same 'submit paper' button you used for your initial submission.
Your new upload will replace your previous upload, so please save a copy of the previous report if you wish to refer to it later.
Do not be concerned if you read a blue message reading 'you have already submitted a paper to this assignment ....'. Read more about this message in the next tab.
I am submitting my RHD thesis through Turnitin, and am having trouble downloading my report.
Your RHD thesis may be a very large document, which can cause difficulty when it comes to downloading your report.
Please make sure you have read the instructions included with the 'Turnitin - check your drafts' dropbox in the REST topic. There are several tips there for managing large files. For further help, contact the RHD email provided within the draft submission box in the same topic.
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You must upload a supported file type for this assignment. Accepted file types are; .doc, .docx, .ppt, .pptx, .pps, .ppsx, .pdf, .txt, .htm, .html, .hwp, .odt, .wpd, .ps and .rtf
Why am I seeing this?
Turnitin is text-matching software, and is designed to read text-based documents like Word Documents and PDFs with machine readable text. Other types of documents, like image, video, or audio files, cannot be read by Turnitin, and a text-matching report will not be returned.
Do I need to do anything?
If you have been asked to upload a non-supported file type, like an image file, please don't worry if a report is not returned. Turnitin was not designed for these file types, so you are not expected to receive a text-matching report.
If you are uploading a text based file, please double check the file extension is (1) visible and (2) an accepted file type.
- If the file extension is hidden, please unhide it and resave the file before re-uploading it to FLO.
- If your file was created by a program outside of the MSOffice suite, your file may have saved as an alternate (unsupported) file type. Check the file extension and see if it is possible to save or export the file as a supported file type (like .docx or .PDF). Re-upload your new file to FLO.
Turnitin has returned an error with your submission: Your submission must contain 20 words or more
Why am I seeing this?
You have uploaded the correct file type, but your file does not contain the minimum 20 machine readable words needed to return a Turnitin report.
Do I need to do anything?
- Is your file a scanned copy of a physical document like a paper form?
If you have been asked to upload a scanned copy of a physical document, please don't worry if a report is not returned.
- Is your file a scanned copy of your essay or assignment?
If you scanned a printout of your essay or assignment in order to upload it as a PDF document, Turnitin may not be able to read your file and a report may not be returned. Consider saving your original file as a .PDF instead.
This file has not been submitted to Turnitin. Please consult your tutor for further details.
Why am I seeing this?
This message typically indicates that a technical error or outage prevented your file from being submitted to Turnitin.
Do I need to do anything?
Contact the FLO student Helpdesk, who will investigate the issue. You do not necessarily need to resubmit your file, as it may be possible for technical support staff to re-trigger your report manually.
This file has not been submitted to Turnitin because there is a problem editing the module settings in Turnitin which is preventing submissions, please consult the API logs for more information
Why am I seeing this?
This message typically indicates that a technical error or outage prevented your file from being submitted to Turnitin.
Do I need to do anything?
Contact the FLO student Helpdesk, who will investigate the issue. You do not necessarily need to resubmit your file, as it may be possible for technical support staff to re-trigger your report manually.
You have already submitted a paper to this assignment and Similarity Report was generated for your submission. If you choose to resubmit your paper, your earlier submission will be replaced and a new report will be generated. After 3 submissions, you will need to wait 24 hours after a resubmission to see a new Similarity Report.
Why am I seeing this?
This message will appear whenever you upload a second or subsequent file to your draft drop-box or to an Assignment. This is not an error message, and does not indicate an error or problem with Turnitin or your upload.
Do I need to do anything?
Please go ahead and make your next upload.
Remember that a new upload to a draft dropbox will replace the previous upload, and that your report may take up to 24 hours to be returned.
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Before you start planning and filming your video, it’s really important to find out what the submission method is for your assignment, because this might impact how you record and edit your video.
Submission via My Media is typically the preferred submission method. If you have been asked to submit a video, but can't see the online text box in your Assignment submission page, please ask your teacher to enable it.
Submitting a video assignment via MyMedia is a two-step process:
Step 1. Upload video to MyMedia
Step 2. Embed the link in the online text box.
Please refer to video instructions below.
Submission method | What the submission section looks like | What you need to know |
---|---|---|
Upload to My Media, then embed link to your video in an online text box ![]() | ![]() | My Media is your private audio and video repository in FLO where you can upload, store and view your media. Only you can view your media, until you embed it in a FLO topic site. Once you've uploaded a media file to My Media you can embed it anywhere on a FLO topic site where the text editor box is available, like an assignment or discussion forum. All common video formats are accepted, including those produced on mobile devices. There's no file size limit; you won’t need to compress your video before submitting it. But, really large media files can take a while to upload to My Media, so please allow plenty of time before the submission deadline to do your upload. |
If you need to submit an additional file alongside your video (like a Word Doc or PPT presentation), use the file submission box on the same page as your video upload.
Make sure you upload all files before you confirm your submission on the next page, as once you submit your assignment you will not be able to edit your submission or add additional files
Submitting your video assignment via My Media is a 2-step process. Can't view the videos below? Log in to FLO for access.
Step 1. Upload your video from your mobile or computer into your My Media in FLO
Upload a video from a laptop or desktop computer
Upload a video from an Android device (phone or tablet)
- Please avoid using the Okta App for this process, and access FLO directly via your browser
Step 2. In your assignment submission, embed the link
, then submit
If you have been asked by your Topic Coordinator to upload a video file directly to the assignment submission box check out the More on Videos guide for instructions.
Express Capture allows you to create a video using no equipment other than the camera and microphone on your computer and MyMedia in FLO. The video is automatically saved to MyMedia.
To use Express Capture:
Go to MyMedia, and select “Add New”, then “Express Capture”.
Grant your web bowser permission to use your camera and microphone.
To begin recording, click the big red button.
A countdown will be given, and recording will commence.
A timer will display how long recording has been running.
The stop button will stop the recording.
When recording has stopped, three options become available.
- “Record Again” allows re-recording.
- “Download a Copy” allows saving the video to computer.
- “Use This” uploads and saves the video directly to MyMedia.
Enter the requested details to name the video, then click the “Save” button.
Go back to your MyMedia homepage, and you will see the video in your list of MyMedia items.
The best option for recording and editing depends on the kind of video you need to produce for your assignment.
If you use a mobile phone, you can borrow a mobile compatible tripod from the Central Library to stabilise your device.
Type of video | Options for creating and editing | Help resources |
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A simple "present to camera" style video You or your group to talk directly to camera, and the footage will only need basic editing | Film on your phone or tablet, then upload the footage to MyMedia in FLO. Film on your computer / laptop with Express Capture in FLO. Select this option from MyMedia and record using your inbuilt camera and microphone.
| Refer to the help videos on the main video assignment page for how to upload videos from Apple iOS and Android devices into MyMedia. Learn how to use the Desktop Recorder and more about editing video in MyMedia How-to guides for editing with iMovie on Mac, iPhone and iPad are available here. |
A narrated presentation video You've created slides and want to add narration and export as a video | PowerPoint on both Mac and PC have this functionality built in. You’ll need to use a device with an inbuilt mic. Upload the PowerPoint file to MyMedia in FLO and embed the link in the assignment submission box. Mac's Keynote application also provides these tools. But, Keynote only allows you to export a video as an .m4v file. Depending on how your topic teaching team have set up the assignment submission, you might need to convert the file type before submitting. If the submission method is to upload to MyMedia then embed the link, you shouldn't need to convert it. If the assignment uses the standard file upload method, you'll need to convert it first - check out the information on using Handbrake on Mac to do this. | Turn your Powerpoint into a video on PC and on Mac Video tutorial: Create a movie file from Keynote |
A narrated screen recording You want to record other content on your screen (a website, software, document images etc), add narration and export as a video | If you have a computer / laptop has an inbuilt mic, you can use the free Desktop Recorder in MyMedia to record any content on your screen, while you narrate. You can use the MyMedia editing tools to chop/trim before submitting. PowerPoint has a screen recording function that lets you record & narrate content on your screen outside of PowerPoint (e.g. websites, other software, images, documents). Upload the finished PowerPoint file to MyMedia in FLO and embed the link in the assignment submission box. | Learn how to use the Desktop Recorder and more about editing video in MyMedia |
A practical skills demonstration or live scenario You need to film some ‘live action’ and then do additional editing, like adding voiceover, annotations or splicing in other content like slides/graphics, etc. | If you need to move around to film the 'action', it's best to film on a mobile device like a phone or tablet, rather than a webcam. For editing your footage, you’ll probably need access to more sophisticated editing tools than what’s available in FLO. If you have the following devices available to you or your group, here’s some options:
| How-to guides for editing with iMovie on Mac, iPhone and iPad are available here. |
A recording of you or a group presenting in a teaching space, including recording the lectern and screen, etc | Most lecture theatres & some tutorial spaces are equipped with the University's lecture capture system, which includes a ceiling mounted camera and lapel or handheld microphones. This means you can film the teaching space, including the presenter/lectern area, the screens, and if applicable to the teaching space, whiteboards and the document camera. The recording system can be activated via a USB, which you should bring along. This could be an option if you don't have access to other devices to record footage on. Upload the finished video file to MyMedia in FLO and embed the link in the assignment submission box. | If you're interested in this option, you'll need to:
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Make simple videos with MyMedia Desktop Recorder in FLO.
Videos created using the Desktop Recorder are ideal for submitting via the MyMedia method, but you also have the option to download the video if you need to.
You can use it to capture screen recordings, webcam and audio. When making screen recordings, you can also add annotations like drawing and highlighting to the slides, webpages or applications on screen as you record. It also has a whiteboard mode where you can record yourself drawing basic diagrams & graphics.
How to get the Desktop Recorder
Student computers on campus should have the Desktop Recorder installed. Be aware, not all student computers have webcam and microphones, so you may not be able to use the full functionality on every computer on campus.
You can also download the Desktop Recorder onto your personal laptop or computer as shown below. You need user admin rights on the computer to install it.
Please be aware that Chromebook devices currently cannot support the installation of the Desktop Recorder.
IMPORTANT! If you are using Desktop Recorder on a Mac, you will need to give permission to Kaltura to access the screen capture function. If you do not allow this permission, you may receive an error message similar to 'failed to stop recording. Please try again'.
1) Close Kaltura Capture.
2) Go to 'System Preferences' then click on 'Security & Privacy'.
3) Go to 'Screen Recording' and check the box next to 'KalturaCapture' .
Create a video with Desktop Recorder
- Open the Kaltura CaptureSpace Desktop Recorder, either:
- from the icon on your desktop(PC) or from Applications (Mac)
- or, from within FLO. Open the drop-down menu next to your name and profile picture, click My Media > Add New > Desktop Recorder
- The Recorder opens. Select the recording inputs for the type of video you'd like to create. You can click an icon to toggle the input on/off. See the table below for which inputs to use for different kinds of video.
If you choose to use the screen recording function, you have the additional options to annotate your screen or use the whiteboard tool.Video type Recorder inputs to select Screen recording (no audio)
Screen only. Click Camera and Audio to turn them off.
If you have multiple monitors, you can use the drop-down menu to select which one to record. Choose whether you want Full Screen recording, or to select a specific area on your screen.Screen recording (with audio) - Record presentation slides with narration
- Record yourself using a website or database, software application, etc
- Show an image, diagram etc and talk about it
- Optional: use the annotation tools to overlay a markup over the content on screen.
Screen and Audio. Click Camera to turn it off.
If you have multiple monitors, you can use the drop-down menu to select which one to record. Choose whether you want Full Screen recording, or to select a specific area on your screen.Talking head, presenting directly to camera Camera and Audio. Click Screen to turn it off. Multi-stream recording (screen recording plus webcam talking head)
The Desktop Recorder will create two video streams - one for the screen recording, and one for the webcam. When your TC or tutor watches the video, they'll be able to choose how the two streams are displayed, and change it as they watch (it's interactive).
They can view it as:- picture in picture view, with one stream displayed in the bottom corner and the other filling the screen.
- side-by side: splits the screen in half and plays both streams side by side.
You don't need to do any additional editing to make this interactive viewing experience possible. When you create a multi-stream recording, the video player in FLO just provides the functionality.
All three inputs - Screen, Camera and Audio.
If you have multiple monitors, you can use the drop-down menu to select which one to record. Choose whether you want Full Screen recording, or to select a specific area on your screen.
See the video below for a step by step demonstration.Audio only Audio only. Click Screen and Camera to turn them off. - Click the red Record button. You'll see a 3-2-1 countdown, then the recording begins.
- The recording toolbar will reduce in size and display in the bottom right of screen. You may need to move it or minimize it to make sure it isn't included in your video. As you record, you can pause and resume at any time. If you make a mistake and want to discard what you've recorded, click the cross icon to cancel the whole recording.
Note: if you make a mistake while recording, don't worry! You can always cut it out after uploading your video to FLO, with the the editing tools available in My Media. - When you're done, click the Stop button then Yes, Stop it to confirm.
- A preview of your video opens in a pop-up window. Enter a name and description (both mandatory fields that are required to submit your video to the assignment later).
- Click Save and Upload. This saves the recording and uploads it directly into your My Media repository in FLO.
Note: the Save option saves the video into your Desktop Recorder library, but won't upload to FLO. You can always access the video in the Recorder library at a later stage and upload it. - You'll see the upload progress percentage displayed; it may take a few minutes to complete.
- When the upload is complete, you can click the URL displayed under the video to access it in My Media. From there, you can preview the video and edit if necessary.
The Assignment Extension Tool
There may come a time when difficult or unforeseen circumstances may prompt you to request extra time to submit a particular assignment.
University policy regarding extensions can be found here (please refer to section 4).
Many, but not all, FLO topics use the Assignment Extension Tool in FLO to manage such requests - please check each topic individually to make sure you are following the correct extension request procedure.
Please see the steps below to request an extension via the Assignment Extension tool in FLO.
- If your Topic uses the Assignment Extension Tool in FLO, you will be able to locate it on your Topic homepage
- Log in with your FAN and password (the same as your Okta login).
- Click 'Request Extension'
- Complete the online form and click 'submit request' to finalize.
Note: Make sure you propose a new due date AND time. The form needs both to submit successfully.
You may need to upload supporting documentation, pay attention to any on-screen prompts. - Check the status of your submission in the 'requests of current topic' tab. Your request will initially have the status of 'pending' - this will update once your teacher has assessed and either approved or declined your request.
You will receive an email to your student email inbox once your request has been either approved or declined.
If you are granted an extension, but fail to make your submission by the new deadline, you may experience difficulty submitting. In this instance, please contact your Topic Coordinator.
- Use the recommended browsers
Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox are recommended for FLO, and are the best option to complete assignment extension requests. - Requests of more than three days beyond submission date require supporting evidence to be uploaded
If you are requesting an extension of more than three days beyond the original due date for unforeseen or exceptional circumstances, you must attach a supporting document to your request in one of the approved formats (pdf, jpg, png, or gif). Your request will not proceed without an attached document.
If you do not attach a document, the following message will appear.
Once you have attached your document, you will receive a pop-up screen that asks you to click OK to confirm your submission, or cancel to upload further documents.
Assignment Resubmission
Under certain circumstances, you may need to make changes to an assignment submission after you've submitted it for grading. This could be the case if you accidentally submitted the wrong file, or if your teacher requests that you resubmit the assignment. In both cases, your teacher will need to manually allow you to make changes to your submission. This can be accomplished by either reverting your status to 'draft' or by 'reopening' your submission.
If you have arranged a re-submission with your teacher, but do not see one of the below options immediately, please give your Topic Coordinator a little time to make the manual change to your submission. If you continue to be unable to process your re-submission, please check in with your Topic Coordinator before contacting the FLO Helpdesk for assistance.
If your assignment has been reverted to draft status
If your teacher has reverted your assignment to draft status, you will see that you once again have the option to 'edit submission' or 'submit assignment'. To make changes to your assignment, click on the 'edit submission' button. To delete a file, right click on it then select 'delete'. When you are ready to finalise your submission, make sure you click on the final 'submit assignment' button.Tip: FLO won't let you leave the submission box empty, so only delete your original file when you are ready to upload its replacement.
If your assignment has been reopened
If your assignment has been reopened, you will see that your submission status will have changed to 'reopened', and you will be provided new submission options. You will see your previous attempt at the bottom of the page.
- Select 'add a new attempt based on previous submission' to copy the contents of your previous submission into a new submission for you to work on.
- Select 'add a new attempt' to open a blank submission for you to work on.
A note regarding the 'attempt number' field: If your teacher has enabled resubmission for an assignment, you may see text reading something along the lines of 'this is attempt 1 (2 attempts allowed)'. This alone does not indicate that you have been granted a second or subsequent attempt, but rather that the assignment has been set up to allow for resubmission inline with the assessment variation procedures.
If a resubmission has been enabled for you, you will also see the 'add a new attempt based on previous submission' and 'add a new attempt' buttons.
Navigate the Online lectures, tutorials and recordings chapter using the table of contents
Collaborate
Collaborate is an online live collaboration space integrated within FLO. It has a range of functions, including chat, audio, video, and screen-sharing.
Collaborate is a multi-purpose tool with many uses. You may use it to participate in an online lecture or tutorial, present a presentation, participate in direct consultation with a teacher, or hold a group discussion.
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Yes you can, although you may find that you prefer to access Collaborate on a device with a larger screen.
- Do
I need to use an app to access Collaborate on my device?
Accessing Collaborate on your mobile device is just
like accessing Collaborate on your laptop or computer, you will not need to
download an app.
We recommend that you avoid using the Okta app to access FLO, instead, access
FLO directly via your browser (for an ipad or iphone use Safari, for other
devices use Google Chrome).
Open your browser, navigate to your FLO topic and locate the Collaborate icon
inside. Click on the session and select ‘join
session’.
While we normally recommend that you use Google Chrome to access Collaborate, if you are using an iOS mobile device you will need to use Safari instead.
Enter your topic in FLO and look for the Collaborate icon. Click on the purple Collaborate icon to enter
Your teacher will schedule Collaborate sessions to be held at specific times on specific dates. By default, scheduled sessions open 15 minutes before the session start time
To join a scheduled session, wait until the session opens (is in progress) then click on the session name. You will then see the option to join session.
To join a session that forms part of a recurring series, click on the down arrow next to the series to reveal the sessions within. Click on the session to join.
If joining the room outside of a scheduled session, click 'Course Room' then 'join course room'
Tip: Make sure you plug your webcam and microphone / headset into your device before you enter Collaborate. If you plug these in during the session, Collaborate may struggle to locate them. If plugging in new equipment, just quickly exit and re-enter the session to make sure Collaborate recognises it.
To set up your audio and video, click on 'my settings and status' and then the settings cog. Select 'set up your camera and microphone' from the menu that opens.
You may need to give permission for Collaborate to access your microphone and camera.
This may look different depending on your browser. Please remember that Google Chrome is the preferred browser for using Collaborate.
Watch the audio bar moving as you speak to ensure that your mic is working. If you have more than one microphone available, select it from the drop-down menu.
Click 'yes - its working' when you are happy to proceed
Watch the video test and make sure you can see yourself in your webcam. If you have more than one webcam available, select the correct one from the drop-down menu.
Click 'yes - its working' when you are happy to proceed.
To test your speakers, play something with sound (like a song or a youtube video) and make sure you can hear it. If you cannot hear it, make sure you have your volume turned up and un-muted.
Your microphone and webcam will not audible or visible until you chose to share them.
Toggle the audio and video icons to start and stop sharing.
As a participant in a Collaborate session, basic tools that you might use include audio, video, chat, raise hand and set status and feedback.
For a full-list of tools, see the following webpage
- Toggle the share audio button to turn your microphone on and off
- Toggle the share video button enable and disable your webcam
- To text chat, open the Collaborate panel and select the Chat tab.
Type your message into the chat bar, or select an emoticon. Press enter to send your message.
- Raise your hand to indicate that you would like to answer a question, or to get the attention of a moderator.
- Set status and feedback to show how you feel, or to indicate if you are away from your computer.
Feedback statuses are temporary, and display for less than a minute.
- To facilitate collaboration within smaller groups of students, your teacher may set up and assign you to a breakout room within the Collaborate session. Each breakout room has its own private chat, audio, video, whiteboard, and application sharing. Your teacher can move between groups to facilitate. For more information about breakout rooms, click here.
Your teacher may choose to record your Collaborate sessions, and make them available to watch later.
Collaborate recordings can be both watched online or downloaded. For instructions, watch the short video below.
Please note that the 'download' option may not appear if your teacher has chosen not to enable it.
By default, Collaborate will only display recordings from the last 30 days. To view an older recording, select recordings in a range from the drop-down menu then use the calendar to broaden the date range
General tips
- Preferred Browser. Google Chrome is the recommended browser for using Collaborate. Collaborate works best in recent versions of your browser, so update your browser if you are using an older version. If trying an alternate browser, we recommend Mozilla Firefox.
- Only turn on your microphone or webcam when you need to. Multiple audio and webcam streams can cause excessive bandwidth consumption, with the potential to cause problems for you and other participants. Leave your webcam off unless you need it.
Having trouble hearing?

- Check your volume control.
You will find volume controls in Collaborate itself, on your computer, and sometimes on your headset. Check them all!
Tip: Check if you can hear other audio through your speakers or headset - play some music or a youtube video with audio as a test. - We are currently aware that users of Internet Explorer may have difficulty hearing in Collaborate. If you are using Internet Explorer, please switch browsers.
- After checking all the above, if you are still having trouble hearing participants in Chrome, try clearing your cache. Instructions on how to do this can be found here.
Having trouble being heard?
- Do you have a microphone connected? If your device does not have an inbuilt microphone, please connect a headset with a microphone.
If you don't have a microphone, others in Collaborate will not be able to hear you. - Make sure you have enabled your audio by checking that the audio icon is green.
- Perform the audio test detailed in the 'set up your audio and video' tab above.
- If multiple microphones are available on your device, make sure you have selected the right one from the drop-down menu.
- Check your microphone volume in Collaborate.


- Double check your microphone hasn’t been blocked by your browser. Look for a padlock or camera icon in your URL bar. Clicking on this icon will open settings where you can adjust permissions. See an example of this in the tab “Set up your audio and video”.
Camera not working?
- If you are confident your camera should be functioning but Collaborate does not recognise it, make sure your camera isn’t being blocked by Chrome. You can check this here: chrome://settings/content/camera. If Collaborate is listed as blocked, click link to see permissions and change Camera permissions to “Allow”. Once this is done, restart Chrome and attempt to access Collaborate using video again. More troubleshooting advice can be found here.
Can’t see your Collaborate session, even though other students can?
- Settings on your device, such as the time set and time zone you are in, can affect your ability to view available sessions. If you know a specific session should be showing when you enter Collaborate, but you can’t see it, look at your time and time zone. Are they both correct? Even if they are, it is worth switching to another time zone and then switching back to the correct time zone in order refresh the system. Once this has been done, open Collaborate again and see if your session has appeared.
Can't see your Collaborate session, even though you know one is scheduled?
- Each Collaborate space has a 'course room' which is available at all times. Rather than scheduling separate sessions, your teacher may choose to use the Course Room for your class. If you know you have a Collaborate session that should be in progress, but you can't see a session listed, click into the Course Room to see if your teacher and fellow students are meeting there.
Being prompted to login?
- You do not need to login to Collaborate when you access it via FLO, however refreshing the 'sessions' list may result in redirection to a login screen.
To resolve this issue, please close the tab in your browser, then re-enter Collaborate via your Topic page.
Struggling to stay connected?
Collaborate allows users to listen / talk into a session by dialing into a telephone number and enter the session PIN (please note: each pin is unique to a session and an individual user in that session) - commonly referred to as teleconferencing. This is useful if a participant does not have the correct equipment, or is struggling to enable their microphone.
Each participant receives a unique PIN for each session they enter (PIN is available within the Session Menu) and can dial into a local or international number to participate within the session. For help using this functionality click here
The local number for Adelaide is +61 8 7100 1859. Call charges will apply.

Trying to log onto FLO but keep being taken to Collaborate instead?
- Try clearing your cache. Instructions on how to do this can be found here
- Can I use Collaborate on my tablet or phone?
Yes you can, although you may find that you prefer to access Collaborate on a device with a larger screen.
- Do I need to use an app to access Collaborate on my device?
Accessing Collaborate on your mobile device is just like accessing Collaborate on your laptop or computer, you will not need to download an app.
We recommend that you avoid using the Okta mobile app to access FLO then Collaborate, instead, access FLO directly via your browser.
For an ipad or iphone use Safari, for other devices use Google Chrome.
Open your browser, navigate to your FLO topic and locate the Collaborate icon inside. Click on the session and select ‘join session’. - Tips for using Collaborate on iOS devices (iphone or ipad)
While we normally recommend that you use Google Chrome to access Collaborate, if you are using an iOS mobile device you will need to use Safari instead.
Watching Lecture Recordings in FLO
Topics taught at Flinders University that contain a lecture component are generally recorded for use by students. Your topic coordinator will advise you of arrangements for each individual topic. The recording is made available within 24 hours of the lecture concluding and can be accessed through FLO.
Before attempting to stream lectures it is important to ensure your computer has the latest version of Adobe Flash installed and that your internet connection speed is fast enough (1 Mb/sec minimun is recommended). If your internet connection is not fast enough to view the stream you can download a copy of the lecture recording for use in other media player software: see download or Pod / vodcast lectures.
1. Once you have logged into FLO, select the Topic for which you want to view a lecture. Each Topic will be organised into weekly modules.
You will notice links entitled ‘Lecture recording’. Although each week’s lecture will appear under each week’s separate module, the name of the link will always indicate the time of day, the date and the location where the recording was made. To access the recording click the link.
2.A video window will appear in the middle of the screen. To view the lecture, simply click the play button and the lecture will begin streaming.
If you'd prefer to listen just to the audio you will find the audio module in the bottom left corner of the video window. If you have any problems contact the FLO Helpdesk.
Download or pod/vodcast recordings
Video content made available for watching online via FLO may be available for download, subject to the settings chosen by your teacher.
As there are several different platforms for publishing video content to FLO, the method and availability of downloadable files can vary.
Download individual recordings
Individual recordings can be downloaded as an .mp4 file by clicking the 'download' button in the top right of the recording window.
If a Collaborate recording has been set to allow downloads, you will see a download option when you click the elipses beside that recording. Please note that downloads will only be available if your teacher has specifically enabled that functionality.
The file download location will depend on your browser and device set-up, and might sit at the top or bottom of your browser window.
If you can't see the file, check your downloads folder.
Subscribing to Podcasts/Vodcasts
You can subscribe to Podcasts/Vodcasts within FLO. You will need to do this in each topic for which you wish to subscribe.
Note: this feature is only available for 'Lecture Recordings' proper. Look for the yellow and white icon
1. Once inside a topic on FLO select any lecture recording to reach the lecture stream window.
2. Beneath the video window you will see the options "subscribe to" and "open in itunes".
Note: Select a podcasting option if you just want the audio onlySelect a vodcasting option if you want the video too
To subscribe directly via iTunes, click either "open in iTunes: Podcast" or "Open in iTunes: Vodcast".
To subscribe using an alternate podcasting platform, select 'subscribe to: podcast' or 'subscribe to: vodcast'. Copy the url from the address bar and paste it in to your chosen podcasting software's url subscription option.
Navigate the Activities and assessments chapter using the table of contents
Quizzes 
- Google Chrome and Firefox are the preferred browsers for accessing FLO, and in particular, accessing quizzes.
- Before you start a quiz, make sure you check how many attempts are allowed, and any time limit set.
In the example below, only one attempt is allowed, with a one hour time limit.
Note: If your quiz has a time limit, you will see a 'time left' timer counting down to the right of your screen. Please note that the timer will continue to tick down even if you close the quiz. You can't stop the clock by closing or exiting the quiz attempt.
- When you are ready to start your quiz, click attempt quiz now.
- Navigate your way through the quiz by using the 'next' and 'previous' buttons, or by using the 'quiz navigation' panel.
Please do not use the 'back' or 'forward' buttons in your browser while completing a quiz.
Please note: your teacher may set your quiz to be 'sequential', meaning you must answer the questions in order without the option to go 'back'.
Your teacher will normally let you know if this is the case, but you will also notice there is no 'back' button and that the quiz navigation shows the questions with the top half coloured light grey.
- The Quiz Navigation Panel will count down the timer, letting you know how much time you have left.
- Your answers will auto-save every minute and each time you move to a new page
- When you are finished, click finish attempt, then submit all and finish.


- If you experience technical difficulty during a quiz, you may need to refresh your page or try an alternate browser. Remember that Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox are recommended browsers, and please avoid using Safari.
Before you do so, its a good idea to take a screenshot of any answers on the current page, as they may not be saved. If you encounter an error message, its a good idea to screenshot that too. - If you have a computer/browser/internet issue and you leave FLO, you can log back into FLO and you will be able to continue the last attempt provided the time limit or availability period hasn’t ended, in which case the quiz will have automatically submitted.
The quiz countdown timer will continue, so you should re-establish access as soon as possible. (Note, you can use a different browser or a different computer.)
- The specific feedback settings your teacher chooses will determine the types of feedback available after you finish your quiz, and also when they become available to you.
- You might find that can review your quiz attempt or see your grade as soon as you finish the quiz, or these could become available to you later at your teacher's discretion.
- Please see the below example quiz summary screen, where the options to view 'marks', 'grade' and to 'review' are available.
- Click 'review' to see detailed feedback. The type of feedback available can vary, and will be chosen by your teacher
Forums 
What is a forum?
A forum is a place to communicate ideas and thoughts. Generally each of your topic's will have a number of forums in which you can communicate with other students and the teaching staff. Some topics also utilise forums for assessment purposes.
What is it for?
Forums have many uses, such as
- A social space for students to get to know each other
- For topic announcements (using a news forum with forced subscription)
- For discussing topic content or reading materials
- For continuing online an issue raised previously in a face-to-face session
- For teacher-only discussions (using a hidden forum)
- A help centre where tutors and students can give advice
- A one-on-one support area for private student-teacher communications (using a forum with separate groups and with one student per group)
- For extension activities, for example ‘brain teasers’ for students to ponder and suggest solutions to
Keeping track of new posts
When visiting your FLO topic, you will be visually alerted to the presence of new forum posts. A message next to the forum will notify you of unread posts.
You can also subscribe to a forum to receive notification of new posts. Some forums, like the Announcement forum, are set to 'forced subscription' mode, and will automatically be set to send email notifications. Other forums may have optional subscription.
To change your forum preferences, click on your name at the top right of your screen then select preferences then forum preferences. Here you can select the type of email notifications you would like to receive (individual emails or a daily digest), and edit your auto-subscription setting.
To edit your subscription to a specific forum, enter that forum then look to the Actions cog. If Optional Subscription is enabled, you may be able to subscribe or unsubscribe.
The Announcement forum is found in most topics, and is used by your teacher to post important announcements or updates.

By default, the announcement forum is set to 'forced subscription' mode, meaning you will receive email notifications of all Announcements to your University email address.
Unlike many other forums, the Announcement forum does not support replies.
To post to a forum, first you will need to locate it in your FLO topic page. Click on the title to enter the forum.
- If discussion has already started, you will see a list of ongoing discussions.
- If you wish to start a new discussion, click Add a new discussion topic
- To read or reply to an existing discussion, click on the discussion title

Reading and replying to a discussion
- To read or reply to a forum post, enter the forum and click on the title of the discussion you would like to read or respond to.
- To post a reply, look for the reply option at the bottom right of the post.
- Enter your reply and click submit. If you would like to access additional editing features (like Kaltura or file upload), click advanced.
Add a new discussion topic
- If you wish to start a new discussion, click Add a new discussion topic.
- Enter your post's subject and message. If you would like to access additional editing features (like file upload), click advanced
- Note: if you are using footnotes in forums, please ensure that you use plain text, ie. no hyperlinks
- Click post to forum when you are ready to upload your post
Content in the message field will auto-save every 60 seconds, however we do not recommend that you rely on the auto-save feature to save your content.
You may like to compose your blog post in a program like Word, and copy and paste your text into the message field once you are ready to post.
You have 15 minutes to edit your post after clicking the 'post to forum' button. After this time has lapsed you will not be able to make any further changes.
If you need to delete your post for any reason, and the 15 minute window has lapsed, please contact your Topic Coordinator directly for assistance.
If you use the HTML editor for a prolonged period of time you may experience a time-out. If this occurs, log back into FLO and straight back to the content you were editing. FLO will try to auto-recover your content. If you fail to log back in or if you navigate away from the content it will not be recoverable.
A Question and Answer forum is one where you are asked to reply to a specific post before you can see the replies posted by other students.
Question and Answer forums can be identified by the text reading 'this is a question and answer forum. In order to see other responses to these questions, you must first post your answer'.
To read and reply to the original post, click on its discussion title.
Select the reply button to the below right of the original post
Enter your response, then click the submit button when you are ready to post
Your post will be visible to other students after the 15 minute editing window has lapsed. Wait for the 15 minute window to lapse to see other student's posts.
Troubleshooting
If you see the text 'there are no questions yet in this forum', this indicates that your teacher has not yet posted a discussion for you to respond to. Please let your teacher know if you see this message.
Blog tool 
To contribute a post to the blog, click new blog post.
Enter a title and message, plus any tags or attachments required. Click add post when you are ready to finalise your post.
To add a comment to a blog post, click add your comment.
The HTML (text) editor
Whenever you post to a discussion forum, create a wiki page and in many other situations, you will see the HTML Editor.
You can use the html editor to embed a youtube video, or to share a video uploaded to your My Media.
To see additional tools and features, click the show more buttons arrow.
If you use the HTML editor for a prolonged period of time you may experience a time-out. If this occurs, log back into FLO and straight back to the content you were editing. FLO will try to auto-recover your content. If you fail to log back in or if you navigate away from the content it will not be recoverable.
It is recommended that you compose your content outside of the HTML editor - in a word document for instance. You can then copy and paste your content into the HTML editor when you are ready to post or submit.
To learn how to structure your wiki, please see our 'adding pages and content' guide.
Mahara ePortfolio
Click the following link for information about the Mahara ePortfolio.
To request an increase to your Mahara ePortfolio storage capacity, please complete this online form and select 'FLO' from the Area menu.
Your grades in FLO
Your Assessment Grades
- Your assessment grades are made available in FLO once your teacher has released them. To view your grades, click on the specific assessment activity (Assignment, Quiz, Forum, et), to see your grade
and any feedback.
If checking an Assignment for Feedback, please make sure you scroll down to the bottom of the page to ensure you have seen all feedback, particularly feedback files.
For more information on Quiz grades and feedback, click here.
- You may also find your assessment grades in the grades section of your FLO topic, via the Navigation Menu. Please note that what you see here may be a simplified view, and that additional feedback may be available
by visiting the assessment activity directly (see above).

- You will not necessarily see a grade for each topic listed, as only those topics with a visible 'topic total' will display a grade
- Your grade in the Overview Report does not necessarily reflect your final grade, which you will instead find in the Student System (see below).
- The Overview Report may list topics you have un-enrolled from, and it is unfortunately not possible to remove these.
Your final Topic Grades
- For your final topic grades, please visit the Student Information System via the Okta Dashboard. For more information, please see the exams, assessment and results webpage.
Your exam/quiz/test may be conducted online in FLO during the designated exam weeks. An exam/quiz/test may be in the form of a quiz, an essay response or another online method.
Before you take an online exam/quiz/test, there's some important preparation you can do:
- Familiarise yourself with the exam/quiz/test rules and information provided by your Topic Co-ordinator in the lead up to the exam/quiz/test. These will give detailed information about the exam/quiz/test conditions, such as how long you will have to complete the exam/quiz/test, or what reference materials are permitted (if any).
- Charge your device fully ahead of your exam/quiz/test
- Recommended browsers to use with FLO are Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox
- Download a second browser onto your device (e.g. Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox), in case you encounter technical issues and need to switch to a different browser during your exam/quiz/test
- Start your computer or laptop up well ahead of your exam to check for any updates that may interfere with your exam/quiz/test
- Check for any scheduled or planned network or power outages in your local area from your internet service provider's website or your electricity supplier's website ahead of your exam/quiz/test start time
- Learn how to use your smartphone as a wifi hotspot in case your internet connection drops out on your computer
- If you require access to the Library’s electronic books for an open book exam/quiz/test, please be aware that some eBooks have simultaneous user limits and may not be available during your exam/quiz/test. Ensure that you are familiar with how to access the eBook and download chapters that you may need ahead of your exam/quiz/test. For tips on how to access and use common eBooks (ProQuest and EBSCO) click here.
If your exam/quiz/test is structured as an online quiz, you can find information about navigating and completing quizzes here.
If your exam/quiz/test is structured as an online assignment, you can find information about submitting your assignment file here.
In order to access your online exam/quiz/test, you must first agree to the Academic Integrity Declaration located directly above your exam/quiz/test. Access to your exam/quiz/test is restricted until you successfully complete the Declaration.
Click into the Academic Integrity Declaration and agree to the statements by selecting yes.
Click Finish attempt then select Submit all and finish on the next page.
Return to your topic page and you should now be able to access your exam/quiz/test.
If you continue to find that your exam remains restricted, please double check that you have completed the declaration above.
- If you see the option to continue the last attempt, you may not have completed the declaration. Click ‘Continue the last attempt’, make sure you select ‘yes’ to agree to the statements, then click ‘finish attempt’ then ‘submit all and finish’.
- If you accidentally submitted the declaration without agreeing to the statements (or if you accidentally selected ‘no’), click ‘Re-attempt Quiz’, make sure you select ‘yes’ to agree to the statements, then click ‘finish attempt’ then ‘submit all and finish’.
If you encounter an error in the content of your exam/quiz/test questions, you should:
1. Re-read the question carefully a few times.
2. Make your best attempt at an answer.
3. Take a screenshot or note which question contained the error.
4. If the suspected error is such that you cannot attempt an answer, leave the question and continue with the rest of the exam.
5. Once you have completed the exam, report the error using the Online Examinations Incident Report form
If you need to leave the exam for medical, compassionate or technical reasons, you will need to submit an Online Assessment Incident Report form.
If you require assistance logging into FLO, please contact University IT support on 8201 2345 (available 8am to 5:30pm weekdays).
If you run into technical difficulties during your exam/quiz/test, please first take a moment to record the incident or difficulty, and take any useful screenshots. If you choose to report the issue later, these details will be very useful.
The information tab 'Take your exam' has some helpful trouble-shooting tips if you encounter technical difficulties with your exam.
If you have attempted the self-help tips in the 'Take your exam' tab, and still require assistance, please contact the FLO Student Help Desk.
For prompt assistance, please call us on 1300 354 633 (select option 3)
Q. Will time to complete the academic integrity declaration be included in the exam/quiz/test time?
If you have a quiz exam, the quiz timer does not start until you start the exam quiz.
If you have an assignment exam, an additional 5 minutes has been added to the duration to allow for the time to accept the academic integrity declaration. There is also a 30 minutes submission period after the due time.
Q. How long do I have to wait after I accept the Academic Integrity declaration before I can start my exam/quiz/test.
The academic integrity declaration will be available at the start of the published exam/quiz/test time. Your exam will be available immediately after you accept the declaration.
Q. How do I know if I have been allowed extra time that I am entitled to?
For a quiz exam, the information just above the 'Attempt Now' button are your conditions and will reflect any additional time granted.
For an assignment exam, the submission status information will reflect your conditions and will reflect any additional time granted.
Q. I have just started the quiz and the timer says I only have 2:45 mins. This exam is supposed to be a 3 hr exam. Why is this?
Quizzes have a time limit which has been set as the exam duration. Quizzes also have a close time. When you are taking a quiz, your answers will automatically submit once the time limit has been reached or the quiz close time has arrived, whichever comes first.
For exams, quizzes will be open for 30 minutes more than the time limit. If a 3 hour exam starts at 9am, the close time will be set as 12:30, so you can start at any time up until 9:30am without losing time. If you didn’t start until 9:45 am there would only be 2 hours 45 minutes until the quiz closes and your answers are automatically submitted.
Q. Do I need to save and submit my answers after every quiz question?
FLO will
automatically save your answers, so you do not need to save after every question. If you do click 'submit all and finish' (and confirm), this will complete your quiz attempt and you will not be able to answer any more questions.
Q. What happens if I haven’t submitted when my exam time runs out?
If your exam is a quiz, when the time runs out,
your quiz will be automatically submitted. All answers that you have completed
at that time will be saved and submitted. If you have a question in progress it
will be submitted as it stands when the time limit expires.
Clicking 'submit all and finish' will finalise and submit your quiz. Do not click 'submit all and finish' until you are ready, as you will not be able to return to the quiz after clicking it.
if your exam is an assignment, when the due time is reached, you will have 30 mins to upload and finalise your submission. Your submission will be time-stamped. Once the 30 min submission period has passed, you will not be able to upload your submission.
If your exam is in kCloud: When time is up, the quiz stops and the work done up to that time is saved. Please note that there is no reminder built into kCloud.
If your exam is in Wiley+: When the time runs out, your quiz will be automatically submitted. All answers that you have completed at that time will be saved and submitted. However, it is recommended to save as you go and manually submit before the due time. Please note that there is no reminder built into Wiley+.
If your exam is in Mobius: Mobius will periodically auto save what has been entered. The last auto save is what will be submitted if no submission has been made before the cut-off time. Please note that there is no reminder built into Mobius.
Q. Why can’t I see an exam/quiz/test timer?
If your exam is a quiz,
the exam timer is part of the quiz navigation block which will be in the top
right corner of your page. If you cannot see this, you will have blocks hidden.
Look for “Show blocks” in the navigation bar at the top of the page.
If your exam is an assignment,
there is no FLO countdown timer. Instead, we suggest that you set your own
timer or ensure you have a clock in clear view.
At any time, you can check exactly how much time is left by clicking the
exam assignment link in FLO and reviewing the submission status information.
Q. My quiz navigation is not showing. How do I find it?
If you cannot see the quiz navigation, you have the blocks column hidden. To make the navigation visible click on “Show blocks” in
the navigation bar at the top of the page.
Q. Some parts of my question are obscured by the quiz navigation block and I can’t enter my answer. What do I do?
Check to see if your
browser is zoomed in. If it is, zoom out to normal view.
Tip: The keystroke ctrl+0 (ctrl+zero) returns your browser to normal size. For mac
users, cmd+0 is equivalent.
Q. Is there a way I can flag a question so that I know to come back to it if I have time?
In a FLO quiz, there is the ability to flag questions. In the question info box to the left of your question is a flag icon. Click on this icon to flag the question.
The flagged question will also be marked with a red corner in
the quiz navigation and will also be flagged on the summary page you see
immediately before finalising your submission.
Q. Is there an undo button I can use when I am writing text based answers in the quiz?
Yes, there are undo
and redo buttons in the editor. These buttons have recently been moved to make
them easier to find.
Q. The text editor for answering in a quiz doesn’t have many formatting options. Are there more options possible?
Yes. The left most
button on the editor expands a second row of formatting options.
Note – common
keystrokes also work. For example: ctrl+u
for underline, ctrl+b for bold etc.
(Mac users use cmd+u, cmd+b)
Q. I have a Mac laptop. What browsers can I use for my exam?
You should not use Safari, as it doesn’t work well with FLO. Chrome or Firefox are supported browsers. Ensure you have installed one of these browsers on your computer before exam day:
Mozilla Firefox (Windows & Mac)
Google Chrome (Windows & Mac)
Q. My exam/quiz/test is an assignment. Where do I find the exam/quiz/test questions?
The exam questions have been added as a downloadable file in the exam assignment. Once you have completed the academic integrity declaration, the assignment link will be active. Click on the assignment and you will see links to files below the description.
Q How do I get help during my exam/quiz/test if there is a problem with the exam/quiz/test?
If you require immediate technical support during your exam, please contact the FLO Student Helpdesk on 1800 354 633 (option 3). Phone support is available between 8:45am – 5pm, Monday – Friday during the exam periods, or you can submit an Online Assessment Incident Report.
Outside of these hours, you can still submit an Online
Assessment Incident Report, however you will not receive immediate support.
Q. What happens when I submit an incident report? Who does it go to and will I get a response?
The Online Assessment Incident Report is sent to the college (which you specify on your form) as well as Examination Services. Examination Services will monitor all submitted reports that are received during the examination periods.
If you submit an Online Assessment Incident Report you will automatically receive a confirmation email to confirm your form has been submitted.
Urgent issues that prevent you from accessing/completing your examination will be dealt with immediately and contact will be made with you (during business hours). You may also like to contact the FLO Student Helpdesk on 1300 354 633 (option 3) to seek immediate assistance.
Non-urgent issues such as the following listed below, will be dealt with by your college. Depending on the incident, college staff may be in contact with you for further information or instructions.
· Technical issues that didn’t severely impact on your ability to complete their exam
· Early departure reports
· Errors in the paper
If you submit an Online Assessment Incident Report as soon as practical to the incident taking place, it can be used to support a future application for deferred assessment. If you wish to apply for a deferred examination, a Deferred Assessment Application Form must also be submitted within three (3) working days of the examination taking place along with supporting documentation.
If an incident report highlights an error in the exam, the report is forwarded to the Topic Coordinator.
Self and Peer Assessment (Enhanced Workshop)
1. Start the activity by selecting the link in your FLO topic.
2. The Workshop (self and peer assessment) activity is divided into sequential phases. The first phase is Setup. At this phase, the activity description will be available, but you cannot yet make submissions. This tool does not always get set up for group peer assessment (but has been in this example).
3. The next phase of the activity is the Submission phase. Note the submission instructions before clicking Add submission.
4. If file upload has been enabled, the option to add an attachment will be available. Search for files via the folder icon or drag and drop files into the area indicated. Click Save changes.
5. Your submission will be displayed on the next page. If you wish to edit the submission (before the submission deadline), click Edit submission. Otherwise press Continue.
6. You will now see a green tick next to Submit your work. See Your submission to view your submission and modification history. Click Edit submission to make further changes (before the submission deadline).
7. The third phase is Assessment. During this phase you will be allocated with the work of your peers or group members, which you will be required to peer assess. To access the submissions allocated to you, click Assess.
8. Assessment instructions will be provided.
9. You will be provided with an assessment rubric or similar for each submission or group member you need to assess. Ensure you’ve made a selection for each of the criteria.
10. Provide overall feedback to the author/group member then click Save and show next.
Repeat these assessment steps for all submissions/group members assigned.
11. Prior to the Assessment deadline, you may click Re-assess to modify assessment.
12. The fourth phase is grading evaluation, where peer reviewed grades are automatically calculated before being evaluated by the topic coordinator . Please be aware, if the feedback you have provided on your peers is not deemed fair, the topic coordinator can make changes to grades during this phase if deemed appropriate.
13. The final stage is Closed, in which grades are made visible. To see detailed marks and comments, click on your submission. There are two grades, one grade for the submission and one grade for the assessment (how well you graded against the other graders).
The FLO Student Helpdesk can answer non-course related questions, such as difficulties accessing FLO topics and modules, uploading assignments, or if you are unsure how to use the tools within FLO, such as quizzes and discussions.
For questions about your topic content, assessment or due dates, contact your Topic Coordinator.




See our Learning Online topic for tips on studying in an online environment.
Contact Ask Flinders for information about enrolment, class registration or fees, or to submit a support request.
Contact the Student Learning Support Centre for help with study skills such as academic writing & referencing.