1. E-Learning in the Future Professor Paul Bacsich Sheffield Hallam University Great Britain Ramkhamhaeng University 28 February 2002

2. 2 Overview – –Exemplars in the UK – –Vendor views – –Training views – –Standards views – –Research views – –Conclusions

3. 3 eUniversities in the UK UK eUniversity UK Open University UK University for Industry Russell Group - consortia New universities - Virtual Campuses Scottish Knowledge

4. 4 UK e-University www.ukeuniversitiesworldwide.comwww.ukeuniversitiesworldwide.com Holding company collectively owned by HEIs Joint venture with corporate world (PPP) - Sun Microsystems Potential market of 100,000 students: – –UK postgraduates and CPD – –corporate universities and businesses – –selected non-UK markets – individuals, companies or governments

5. 5 UK e-University - approach Web-based learning delivered via Internet to PCs across the world – –includes not just e-content but also – –e-collaboration – –e-assessment – –e-navigation and advice Some use of f2f for teaching and examinations

6. 6 UK Open University www.open.ac.ukwww.open.ac.uk “ We will be an e-university too ” (Sir John)“ We will be an e-university too ” (Sir John) 150,000 students online, via FirstClass150,000 students online, via FirstClass One e-course has 13,000 studentsOne e-course has 13,000 students Corporate University initiativeCorporate University initiative US Open University (not)US Open University (not) Relationship to eUniversity?Relationship to eUniversity?

7. 7 University for Industry www.ufiltd.co.ukwww.ufiltd.co.uk Classic Broker model …Classic Broker model … Oriented to colleges not universitiesOriented to colleges not universities –e.g. adult literacy and numeracy Somewhat prescriptive approachSomewhat prescriptive approach Standardised technology and systemsStandardised technology and systems Fretwell-Downing “ Learning Environment ”Fretwell-Downing “ Learning Environment ”

8. 8 University for Industry New Directions Bite-sized learningBite-sized learning New focus on Web not CD-ROMNew focus on Web not CD-ROM New focus on cCollaborative learningNew focus on cCollaborative learning New focus on corporate marketsNew focus on corporate markets –big and small Worldwide strategic partnerships?Worldwide strategic partnerships?

9. 9 Oxbridge and Russell Group Cambridge-OU alliance (eUniv pilot)Cambridge-OU alliance (eUniv pilot) Oxford with Stanford, Princeton, etcOxford with Stanford, Princeton, etc World University Network (WUN)World University Network (WUN) –Sheffield, Leeds, York, Bristol, etc (eUniv pilot) –www.wun.ac.uk Universitas21:Universitas21: –Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Nottingham –www.universitas21.org

10. 10 New Universities Sheffield Hallam (eUniv pilot):Sheffield Hallam (eUniv pilot): –FirstClass and Blackboard; and soon Sun... Coventry:Coventry: –first large UK WebCT site Robert Gordons (Scotland)Robert Gordons (Scotland) Middlesex (London)Middlesex (London)

11. 11 Scotland University of Highlands and IslandsUniversity of Highlands and Islands –consortium of colleges - www.uhi.ac.uk Scottish University for Industry:Scottish University for Industry: –focus on linking learners to learning opportunities –“ a broker and facilitator, providing information, support, guidance, advice and encouragement to learners ” Scottish KnowledgeScottish Knowledge –consortium of many Scottish universities

12. 12 Selection of MLE (LMS) for Thai universities - issues I will draw on a study for HEFCE UK eUniversity Planning Team (Summer 2001) and later work done for PWC to specify the eUniversity MLE (January 2002) and work for other institutions and companies (M&A etc)

13. 13 Managed Learning Environments Pre-assessment Interaction with learning content Self-assessment Tutorial support Automated progress-chasing External assessment Group communications Learning support material (e-library)

14. 14 The task was to … Determine what “ e-tools ” are suitable for the UK eUniversity And what exemplars are relevant Looked at related areas (training etc) Looked at Standards Looked at Research

15. 15 Vendor views Survey of 76 leading vendors for UK eUniversity; 40 responses Vendor orientation to universities, not training or high schools Generalised criteria Vendors included Blackboard, WebCT, Centrinity, Fretwell-Downing, SmartForce, Cisco, Sun, Microsoft

16. 16 New Procurement Paradigm “ conversation ” between customer and supplier business models, iterating to BAFO Generalised features: – –system information (such as architecture, scalability, standards) – –user information (such as “ industrial- strength ” reference sites) – – “ futures ” on pedagogy and technology

17. 17 Features 1 thru 6 Architecture Standards & interoperability Costs over life cycle Scalability User interface & compatibility Reference sites - relevant, big

18. 18 Features 7 thru 12 Reliability - 5 9 ’ s and global User empowerment Company size and stability Ease of support and training Ability to embed new technology Ability to embed new pedagogy

19. 19 Vendors - conclusions Co-operative learning in most of the products But little grasp of new technologies e.g. wireless and ITV Even less grasp of new pedagogies (with some exceptions) IMS and standards making an impact But very few oriented to scalability

20. 20 Other thoughts on procurement TMG Corporation (US) report – –gap analysis – –“ off-the-shelf (with modifications) ” approach eArmyU (US) – –Two-stage procurement process SYeLP (Yorkshire) – –four e-schools pilots leading to BAFO for one

21. 21 Suggestions for Thai universities Form a consortium to lead discussions with small number of key vendorsForm a consortium to lead discussions with small number of key vendors –leverage on bulk buying power –and multiplier effect of country Add to my analysis key features needed for Thai environmentAdd to my analysis key features needed for Thai environment –alphabet, language, culture

22. 22 Future of e-learning: links to corporate training Increasing convergence between HEIs an and corporate training – –eg Oracle and SAP MSc courses at SHU – –and SHU e-MSc offered via eUniversity The practice: – –Training vendors The theory: – –Hambrecht report

23. 23 Criteria from Hambrecht report Leveraging on standards Scalable to any size enterprise Flexible technology Easy integration with client systems “ Media rich ”

24. 24 Hambrecht views on e-training Higher retention of content through personalised learning Improved collaboration and interactivity among students Live (synch) Web-based course delivery expected to surge (TV … ) Online training is less intimidating than instructor-led courses Trend toward IT certification growing rapidly

25. 25 Training - conclusions Practice: – –Training vendors following along ever more closely behind university-oriented vendors in co-operative learning – –but in advance in other areas, eg personalisation and assessment Theory: – –Hambrecht report validates group communication!

26. 26 Standards - views and conclusions IMS - good work; but major untouched challenge is co-operative learning EU PROMETEUS work - early days EML (Dutch Open universiteit) - interesting Easy to over-focus on IMS UK HE approach - CETIS

27. 27 Research This may be too much of a personal view as conf. organiser, evaluator, reviewer,... Look at impact from EU research work Look at impact of work elsewhere – –UK – –TL-NCE – –Australia, Singapore, New Zealand, Hong Kong ….

28. 28 Research - conclusions European research: FP3 set the scene; FP4 added little, FP5 too early to judge Canadian work more integrated, but lacks evidence of scalable approaches Too much gap between computing theorists and industrial-strength pedagogic practice – –theorists usually in universities not seriously active in e-learning services US too synchronous and transmissive

29. 29 Conclusions from input Vendor views confirm co-operative learning in universities is important Gaining ground in e-training too Many exemplars confirm this Standards: little to say yet about collaborative learning Research: new paradigms not clear

30. 30 Conclusions for research Focus on co-operative learning – –Start with basic asynch “ BBS ” model – –Allow new models to be supported, especially those with business potential Develop scalable approaches – –more focus on assessment? Support multiple media and devices

31. 31 Open source issues Exemplars: – –Linux, MIT, Canadian, Finnish, IMS, UK interest Purpose: – –Challenge commercial vendors – –Facilitate research by providing flexible system Professor Paul Bacsich p.bacsich@shu.ac.uk