Virginia Learning Objects Portal November 2007 Tutorials Blogs Podcasts Wikis Camtasia BlackBoard Virginia Learning Objects Portal November 2007 John Ulmschneider Chair, VIVA Outreach Committee University Librarian Virginia Commonwealth University

VLOP origins Desire expressed by many librarians throughout Virginia for improved instructional aids for VIVA resources Provide help to VIVA institutions which might have fewer resources for instruction and outreach Support effort to expand and strengthen use of VIVA resources Reduce costs: avoid reinventing the wheel Stimulate creativity and further development of learning objects for online resources

Leverage what’s already out there Vendor aids Work of faculty and staff at Virginia academic libraries National resources Other Virginia contributors

Operating and managing VLOP Many successful examples for technology foundation LOEX MERLOT SCOUT Portal Drawbacks: designed as repositories; not focused on Virginia resources Wiki Technology already widely established in academic libraries Excellent and easily-used content and editorial tools Strong design for instruction and providing assistance Well-suited to organizing, linking, and collaboration goals of VLOP Editorial and content oversight Nature of Wiki technology requires broad participation VIVA accomplishes all goals with a collaboration-and-contribution model Updated, renewed, and expanding content essential to success Broad scope is a goal: start with VIVA, but eventually contain Web-based learning aids related to teaching any online content or search system

What’s been done so far Develop proposal Reality check for concept VIVA Outreach: define goal and scope Endorsed by VIVA Steering Committee Explore design scenarios Reality check for concept Is there enough content, need, and support for this? Meeting of over 24 academic librarians from across the State, June 8, 2007 Meeting confirmed sufficient material and interest to go forward Identified two key issues Editorial control and oversight Publicity and awareness of portal key to success Create prototype as sandbox for VLOP Populate with diverse examples of learning objects

Prototype VLOP http://vlopprototype.pbwiki.com