Professor Stephen Brown Acting Head JISC Technologies Centre 24 May 2001 University of Hertfordshire Selecting and Using MLEs and VLEs.

Professor Stephen Brown

Acting Head

JISC Technologies Centre

24 May 2001 University of Hertfordshire

Selecting and Using MLEs and VLEs

Overview

• UK developments

• Key decisions

• e-tools

• Criteria

UK developments

• http://www.jisc.ac.uk/jtap/• http://www.jisc.ac.uk/jciel/mlesg• http://cetis.bangor.ac.uk/cetis/intro.html• http://www.jisc.ac.uk/dner• http://www.jtap.ac.uk/techwatch/• http://www.jisc.ac.uk/jcas/• JISC Technologies Centre• http://www.jisc.ac.uk/mle/7-99/

JCIEL projects

• CoManTLE• MARTINI• The Virtual Desk• SMILE• INSIDE• Student focus• Generic integrated

MIS

• Integrating CAA into an MIS

• Towards an Integrated Student Record

• Content packaging and management

• CO3 • TIRCs

UK developments

• http://ferl.becta.org.uk

• http://www.hefce.ac.uk/partners/euniv/

• http://www.ufiltd.co.uk/materials/qualified.htm

• http://www.ltsn.ac.uk

• NHS

Key decisions

• VLE or MLE?

• Buy or DIY?

VLE?

or MLE?

MIS tools

• EBS• Genesis• HEMIS• MicroCompass• SAP• SCT/Banner

MLE/VLE tools• AdminSTAR• Blackboard• British Aerospace• CBT Campus• Campus Pipeline• Centra Symposium• ClassAct• Colloquia• CoMentor• COSE• First Class CC Gold• inClass• Ingenium• Interactive Training Manager• LearnWise • Lotus Learning Space• Lotus Pathware • Manager’s Edge

• Merlin • MENTOR• Mindlever• PARS• PHOENIX Networks• PHOENIX Web• Registrar 7 for Windows• SABA• SkillVantage Manager• Solstra• STAR• The Learning Environment• TopClass• Virtual Campus• Virtual Learning Network• Virtual U• WebCT

• WISDOM

Buy or DIY?

• Proprietary systems– cost– speed of implementation– performance

• Open standards/“best of breed”– cost– speed of implementation– performance

Criteria

• Accessibility• Usability• Functionality• Robustness• Scalability

• Sustainability• Portability• Cost• Strategic fit

Accessibility

• Platform

• Software

• Network types

• Bandwidth

• On/off campus

• On/off line

Usability

• Interface design

• Badging

• Navigation model

• Language, spellings, terminology

• Support for learning?

• Pedagogic neutrality?

Functionality (learners)

• Course schedule

• Course content

• Assignments

• Feedback

• Class lists

• Student home pages

• Individual student records

• Multimedia resources

• E-mail

• Conferencing tools

• Noticeboard

• Chat

• Off-line working

• Search tools

• Bookmarking

• Print

• Customisable?

Functionality (tutors)

• Add/create/edit courses

• Class lists• Student grouping• Assignment marking• Progress recording• Course/class

statistics

• Communication– individuals– groups

Functionality (admin)

• Student and staff registration

• Links to MIS• Authentication• Authorisation • e-commerce

• System performance– availability– response times– usage volumes– usage patterns

Robustness

• Reliability

• Authentication

• Authorisation

• Systems integration

• Installed user base

• Support 24 x 7

Scalability

• Single server?

• Single site?

• Network requirements?

• Staff development

• Technical support

• Content management

• 3rd party content

Sustainability

• Product development

• Market position

• Strategic alliances

Portability

• Content

• Pedagogic style

• Navigation models

• Interface design

• Standards

• Copyright

Cost

• Per user

• Per server

• Per site

• Per level of functionality

• Indirect costs

Strategic fit

• MLE/deployment strategy

• Institutional vision

• L&T strategy

• IT strategy

• Resourcing strategy

Motivators

1.Technology

2. University goals

3. Student expectations

Goals

• Strengthen on-campus delivery

• Expand off-campus delivery, esp. Asia

• Market share in Global markets

• Efficiency gains/cost reductions

• Improving teaching quality

• Being seen to be current

• Graduate employability

History

• In-house RBL

• Limited impact of earlier schemes

• Web site proliferation

• Started 1996-1999

Management

• Strong VC with vision

• Top down leadership

• Central budget

• Senior champion

• Integrated IT Services/Educational technology units

Strategy

• Best of breed• DIY• Compulsory/voluntary• Standards

– mixture

• Tools– generic– simple

• Single sign-on• Authentication hub• Active server pages• Re-usable objects

Conclusions

• MVLEs here

• Strategic tool

• Proprietary systems temporary fix

• DIY

• Best of breed

• Standards

Help

• http://www.jisc.ac.uk/mle

• http://www.focus.ac.uk

• http://multimedia.marshall.edu/it/cit/webct/compare

• http://www.ctt.bc.ca/landonline

[email protected]

http://www.ecampus.dmu.ac.uk

Professor Stephen Brown

Acting Head

JISC Technologies Centre

[email protected]