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

sbrown@dmu.ac.uk

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

Professor Stephen Brown

Acting Head

JISC Technologies Centre

stephen.brown@ltsn.ac.uk