A fully online research portal for research students and researchers

Aim/Purpose This paper describes the context, development, implementation, and the poten-tial transferability of an integrated online research environment that allows its users to conduct all aspects of research online. Background While the content of most traditional courses can be delivered online and learn-ing outcomes can be achieved by adopting equivalents to face-to-face pedagogic approaches, certain courses, such as those that require a substantial research component, present significant constraints for delivery online. To overcome these limitations, Australia's largest university developed and implemented a Research Portal. Methodology The development team conducted a functional requirements analysis, identified the components that would be necessary to meet user needs, and reviewed ex-isting solutions. The Monash University Psychology Research Portal was de-signed, tested, developed, tested for user experience, implemented, and re-viewed. The Research Portal is structured according to the usual research se-quence and provides users with access to supporting information and integrated capacities including research supervision, participant acquisition, and data col-lection, analysis, and storage. Contribution This integrated online research environment is equivalent to and, in some ways, superior to an on campus/non-online research capacity. Findings The usage of the Research Portal has grown rapidly and has satisfied the re-quirements and met the research needs of students of an online course that includes a research project, providing a common, ubiquitously accessible, and integrated online research environment. Recommendations for Practitioners Further refinement, personalization, and expanded implementation and dissem-ination of the Research Portal components are required. The formation of networks and working partnerships to operate, maintain, and promote Research Portal initiatives is recommended to reduce operational costs, increase access, and create an impact. Impact on Society The Research Portal is an efficient resource that provides easy access to a stand-ard interface at any time and from anywhere and can potentially be used by oth-er online research courses, as well as by online and non-online researchers.