1. The future of online learning environments at Stirling From WebCT to …

2. Simon Booth CRDLT Centre Manager Information Services WebCT Administrator

3. Current Position: Usage Using WebCT (Web Course Tools) 2.1 (current WebCT version 3.6) –3,000 students taking at least a single course –80 courses –Education, Social Work, French, Film & Media, Dementia, Nursing, CLI, others

4. Current Position: Integration WebCT is stand-alone system –No integration with NT password data –No integration with Registry data (students or courses) –The integration you see is a sleight of hand

5. Working Party Looking at upgrade/replacement for WebCT –WebCT Campus Edition –Blackboard –Virtual Campus –SABA –And many, many others

6. Definitions VLE - Virtual Learning Environment – content, communications, assessment (standalone system) MLE - Managed Learning Environment = VLE + Integration with back office systems (i.e. NT password/LDAP & Registry data) Stirling considering move from VLE to MLE

7. Definitions IMS - Information Management Systems –Collection of specifications (not standards) –Enterprise spec broadly about staff, students and courses (could be used to tie together SAP and SRS and VLE) –LIP = Learner Information Profile (interests, qualifications, competencies) –Content Packaging is to move materials between systems (learning objects) –Based on XML

8. Definitions SCORM – Sharable Content Object Reference Model –Focussed on moving content from system to system (like content packaging) –XML Based AICC – Aviation Industry CBT Committee –Focussed to moving information between SRS and VLE (like enterprise) –Series of tests

9. Web Addresses IMS – http://www.imsglobal.org/ SCORM – http://www.adlnet.org/ AICC – http://www.aicc.org/

10. The Future All proposed systems are MLEs and “support” IMS specifications All support enterprise deployment –Tools to automatically handle courses (i.e. course backed-up and removed from system at set date) –Can be integrated with back office systems

11. A Possible Future All students automatically registered with system All courses have “basic” site (can be used as standard web site or exploit system’s tools) System automatically knows what courses/units particular student is taking

12. A Possible Future Integration with portal –Students see area of portal with their current courses –Calendar containing all course dates (with the ability for student to add personal materials) –Course based announcements

13. Summary University looking at online learning Do nothing (2.1 -> 3.7 Q1 2002) Upgrade –Better interface –Tighter integration with existing systems –Scalable solution

14. Web Addresses WebCT – http://www.webct.com/ Blackboard – http://www.blackboard.com/ Virtual Campus – http://www.teknical.com/