Comparison of VLE’s Mediamaisteri Ltd PO Box 82 (Pyynikintie 25) Tampere Finland

Definition Web learning environments = software, that has been developed to support the education and the learning process. –Operates through the Web browser and makes partly use of the same services as being used in the web in generally (e.g. chat, ), and partly the services developed especially to support the learning process (e.g. exercise tools, controlling of students).

Features of web learning environments Teaching and web technology are tools, which can be used to create didactic more or less functional learning environments Reserves of material including teaching materials and a lot of materials for research purposes Flexible functioning and schedules Functional and social aspects are important Learner’s needs and ideas form a basis for learning

Learning platforms Edulink, Edusolutions Oy Generation, R5 Vision WebCT, WebCT Inc. Opit, eWSOY Verkkosalkku, Mindcom Oy Efodi, Elisa Communications Humap Tools, HAC Human Application Consulting Oy Humap Kids, HAC Humap Application Consulting Oy Future Learning Environment 3, TaiK, Helsinki Internetix, Otava Opisto Lotus LearningSpace, IBM Optima, Discendum Woppi, HCI Productions Moodle Blackboard, Blackboard Inc. Saba, Saba Inc. Docent, Docent. Inc. Tiimi.net, Media Control Modelling Oy BSCW Peda.net, Jyväskylän yliopisto (Koulutuksen tutkimuslaitos) Työporukka, Turun yliopisto (Opetusteknologiayksikkö) Dyn3W, Dynaaminen ryhmäkommentointi WWW:ssä - projekti TopClass, WBT Systems Knowledge forum, Learning in Motion Inc. FirstClass, Centrinity Inc. Luvit, Luvit Ab

How to choose a learning environment? Strategic premise Need analysis Comparison between learning environments Competing and selecting Making of implementation plan Implementation – training, content production

What should be taken into consideration? Organisation’s development strategy –What will be the role of eLearning in the organisation in the short- and long-term? –What are the expectations for the eLearning? –For what purpose and training needs is the solution searched for? –Who are the primary users of the system for the moment and in the future ?

What should be taken into consideration? Technical requirements –Web hosting or own server? –Supporting standards? Portability of data? –Server solutions and operating system (on own server) –What are the material production formats the environment is supporting? –Usability e.g. for modem users? –Data protection solutions –Database solutions

What should be taken into consideration? Cost factors –Price –Maintenance costs –Support service costs –Costs for the needed technology (servers etc.) Expected cost savings Supplier’s reliability and stability on the market Product development resources

What should be taken into consideration? Usage possibilities of learning environment –Ways of interaction –Production and managing of materials –Control over students –Features related to the student administration (number of user levels, e.g. expert, tutor, student…) –Possibilities to assess the learning process Usability and user interface logic

What should be taken into consideration? How many users the learning platform will have? Are other language versions needed? –What language versions of the learning platform are available? –What is the quality of available translations?

What should be taken into consideration? What kind of skills and knowledge does the prospective user group have? Is it possible to use the platform when the user has only little technical expertise?

What should be taken into consideration? Pedagogical requirements –The underlying pedagogical outlook. What is the outlook the platform should support? –How does the learning environment support different learning styles and strategies? –Motivation and feedback in a web learning environment? –How does the learning environment support users of different levels (e.g. by tailoring the material) –How to define the level of a single learner and avoid the offering of unnecessary material?

Maintenance of a learning platform Maintenance of the environments can be shared in two parts: –Administrative maintenance (e.g. user maintenance and creating of courses) –Technical maintenance (server installations and maintenance) Administrative challenges increase with the number of users and courses

Challenges of learning environment Technical problems –Server –Data communications –”Inexplicable” errors resulting from the program (Have to be solved with the supplier) User support User training for the environment (also pedagogical)

ASP or own server? Maintenance of own server is not needed in ASP service > requires expert knowledge In ASP service the material is produced completely outside the own organisation (may be a risk, e.g. if the supplier disappears from the market etc.) In ASP the functionality of the service is affected also by the problems in data communication outside the own organisation Maintenance of own server is a challenging task and requires a professional to take care of it (server competence)

Future trends and challenges Diversifying and opening of learning environments –Developing of diversity in learning as a challenge – different instruments, methods, materials and organizing formats Open Source > future trend!!