Developing the e-environment: to support learning, research and communication

Professor Trevor Sheldon25th November, 2005

Student Network Service

• High speed network access (>broadband) from study bedrooms

• Access to: web, VLE, central filestore, printing, email and STVS

• All on-campus rooms now covered + Fairfax House (>98% of University-managed student accommodation)

Other Network Services• Network Access Service (NAS)

– Hard-wired connections for portable devices– Range of locations around campus

• Wireless– Much of campus covered

• Video-conferencing– Access GRID – Computer Science– HYMS and DOFM facilities– Web meetings from PCs

Teaching rooms

Range of PC classrooms:– 1276 PCs

– Some bookable for formal teaching

– Some general access

– Developing ideas on flexible working spaces• Student collaboration & joint projects

Supporting Collaboration• Investigating collaboration tools• High performance workplace for

‘knowledge workers’• Group projects and collaborative research• Technologies:

forums, shared workspaces/discussion databases, calendars, video & web conferencing, instant messaging, shared visualisations

• Need to address home-working – related to collaboration tools

• Social Issues

Developing a new YorkWeb

• New portfolio of software and set of publishing procedures to create a world class web site.– Institutional Portal (unified gateway to online

information systems)– Content management system offering

streamlined publishing

Benefits of a new web

• Promote student recruitment

• Support fundraising

• Increase efficiency

• Support e-payment

• Enhance delivery of services

• Improve internal/external communication

• Reputational effects

A Virtual LearningEnvironment for York

Richard Walker25th November, 2005

What is a VLE?

An on-line space to support:• access to learning materials• collaborative activity• learner-tutor contact• course organisation and management

Managed Learning Environment

QualityProcess

BusinessSystems

OtherAgencies

OtherColleges

LearningResources

Student Record System

Virtual Learning Environment

Off-lineLearning

Registers

CurriculumMapping Delivery

Assessment TutorSupport

Communication Tracking

IMS

IMS

VLE development across UK HEIs

Access to course materials 97%

Access to web resources 90%

Assignment submission 77%

Collaborative working 74%

Formative assessment 74%

Summative assessment 68%

Peer support 61%

York’s approach

• Promote teaching innovation• Competitive edge in teaching

excellence• Expand markets• Meet expectations of diverse

student body• Encourage sustainable growth• Improve efficiency of learning and

teaching

VLE’s contribution

• End-to-end student system• Supporting flexible & personalised

learning• Supporting sharing and reuse of

learning resources• Fully embedded within university

information systems & resources

VLE procurement process

• Extensive internal consultation• Consultation with other HEIs• Working party of key stakeholders• Rigorous 4-stage procurement process• Commercial and open source systems• Blackboard Academic Suite – best of

breed system selected

Philosophy of implementation plan

• Learn from other HEIs• Lead in new areas • Phased deployment vs ‘big bang’• Central coordination (VPIG)• Devolved management & organic

development• Use departmental champions

Deployment timetable

Phased rollout leading to full availability by Oct 2008

Jan - Mar 2005 install integrated system

April – Dec 2005 system testing & prototype courses

Jan - Oct 2006 2 waves of pilots

Project management & evaluation

• VPIG management of rollout • Monthly budget reports and KPIs• VLE Advisory Group advice on end-

user requirements• External evaluation: HEA sponsored

research project• Internal evaluation: survey/case-

based research

Pilot projects

Chemistry scientific writing project / plagiarism detection

History resource discovery / links to archives

Physics interface to robotic telescope supporting lab work

Psychology formative assessments for data analysis

YCAP/GTU staff & graduate training

Student Login

Library

PORTAL

Programme

Help

Content(CMS)

Communities

Portal overview

VLE Personal tab

Programme features

Announcements

Tasks

PROGRAMME

Assessment

Collaboration

Help andInformation

On-lineCourseContent

VLE Programme tab

CMS Features

My Content(PDP)

ALL Universitycontent

CONTENT(CMS)

CMS Tools(Workflow &

Bookmark etc)

Collaborativecontent store

Direct accessto courseresource

Search(ResourceDiscovery)

VLE Content (CMS) tab

Challenges

• Managing expectations

• Making optimal use of functionality

• Changing culture of academic practice

• Quality assurance and consistency, whilst supporting discipline-specific innovation and best practice