New Improved WebLearn Service Adam Marshall, Learning Technologies Group, OUCS, Oxford University.

Topics Covered Current situation Current situation Factors for change Factors for change The new WebLearn service The new WebLearn service What’s new for What’s new for –Teachers (& students) –Researchers –Administration users Summary of new features Summary of new features Data migration Data migration Pilot service Pilot service

Introduced 2003

WebLearn Usage

Bodington - Solid & Functional

What problems are looming?

Users!

Seriously: Any service must constantly improve Any service must constantly improve Lots of requests for enhancements Lots of requests for enhancements Time-consuming to address Time-consuming to address Small community – just us! Small community – just us! We looked into how to satisfy requests.

Enhanced Bodington

Solution Any solution must retain best aspects: Toolset Toolset Devolved admin Devolved admin Access control Access control Flexibility Flexibility Structure Structure MyWebLearn MyWebLearn So change the framework

The answer is Sakai!

Why Sakai? Satisfies original requirements tinyurl.com/yvf3mj Satisfies original requirements tinyurl.com/yvf3mj LOTS of new tools - later LOTS of new tools - later Enterprise scalable Enterprise scalable Open source Open source Good community Good community –Worldwide –Europe –UK

Stakeholders

Who Are The Stakeholders? Teachers Teachers Researchers Researchers Administrators Administrators

Top 10 Stakeholder Requests 1. Better interface 2. Improve usability 3. More effective search 4. Mailing lists 5. More comprehensive tracking 6. Calendar 7. Announcements 8. Better management of documents 9. Simpler access control 10. Better discussion forum

Teachers

5 Features for Teachers Better ‘uploaded files’ Better ‘uploaded files’ Site members* (class-list) Site members* (class-list) Discussion forum Discussion forum Announcement Announcement Tracking Tracking * Bodington ‘Room’ = Sakai ‘Site’

Resources (Uploaded files) Short movie demonstrating fileupload Short movie demonstrating fileupload Short movie demonstrating fileupload Short movie demonstrating fileupload

Site Members

Discussion Forum

Public / Private Announcement

Tracking movie movie

Facebook (& iGoogle)

Researchers

5 Features for Researchers Collaborative wiki Collaborative wiki Calendar Calendar Mail list Mail list Research diary Research diary Public access (google search) Public access (google search)

Calendar

Mail Lists / Mail Archive

Research Diary

Research Diary - Entry

Administrators

5 Features for Administrators Search really works (Word, PDF, PPT) Search really works (Word, PDF, PPT) Much simpler access control Much simpler access control Upload easier – webDAV - can organise documents in folders and edit ‘in-place’ Upload easier – webDAV - can organise documents in folders and edit ‘in-place’ archive (‘mail list’) archive (‘mail list’) Can easily customise toolset to match purpose Can easily customise toolset to match purpose

Search Short movie demonstrating search Short movie demonstrating search Short movie demonstrating search Short movie demonstrating search

Easier Access Control

Groups (Basic)

Resources

Customisable Toolset

Other Tools

Web Links Web Links News (RSS) News (RSS) Syllabus Syllabus Chat Chat Questionnaire / Quiz – more question types Questionnaire / Quiz – more question types Evaluation Evaluation Poll Poll Tutorial sign-up (coming!) Tutorial sign-up (coming!)

Tool Comparison

Bodington tools are bettered Bodington tools are bettered No Buildings / Floors! No Buildings / Floors! We are writing We are writing –Hierarchy / devolved admin –Translate to UK English –SSO login (‘Webauth’) –Groups Service interface –Bring tools in line with Bodington, new EasyWriter –Content migration code

Moving Rooms? Users want us to do it Users want us to do it We want users to do it! We want users to do it!

We will provide tools

An opportunity to tidy up!

Other Initiatives Groups Service (sysdev) Groups Service (sysdev) Accessibility study (ACDT) Accessibility study (ACDT) –“Better than WebLearn” Training (ITLP & VLE team) Training (ITLP & VLE team) –Courses –Videos –Documents (with Cambridge & Hull)

Timeline – Key dates

Now: Mini-pilots Now: Mini-pilots Jun 2008: Pilot year (Sakai v2.5) Jun 2008: Pilot year (Sakai v2.5) –Data migration –Try out some training Sep 2008 Production hardware starts Sep 2008 Production hardware starts Jun 2009 Production service (Sakai v2.6?) Jun 2009 Production service (Sakai v2.6?) –Dual service, single login –Read / write Groups Service –Training starts week 8 –Data migration Sep 2011 Bodington becomes read only. Sep 2011 Bodington becomes read only.

Pilots – We need you Mini pilots NOW Mini pilots NOW Year-long pilots start June 08 Year-long pilots start June 08 Will offer personal attention: Will offer personal attention: –Training –Help with content migration –Initial assistance with site set-up –Best practise tips You give us feedback! You give us feedback! ‘Early adopters’ site ‘Early adopters’ site Training: next week (ITLP DB) Training: next week (ITLP DB)

THE URL beta.weblearn.ox.ac.uk

Fin