2. Franklin Consulting A framework for reviewing the strategic options for virtual environments Tom Franklin Franklin Consulting Jonathan Darby Oxford Insight Limited

3. Franklin Consulting Russell University  Good reputation  Students mostly school leavers with good A levels  Little distance learning (especially at undergraduate level)  Reputation based on face-to-face teaching  Want to free up lecturer time for research

4. Franklin Consulting Key Questions  What is the learning and teaching strategy?  What is the e-learning strategy?  should there be a separate one?  How important is e-learning to the University strategy?  How does the VLE affect this?

5. Franklin Consulting Key questions  What is the VLE for?  Distance learning  Support new teaching methods  Support existing teaching and learning  Reduce costs  Reduce staff contact time  Support pedagogic research  Kudos  Because everyone else has one

6. Franklin Consulting Current status  Home grown VLE  Very little investment in it (ever)  VLE has fallen behind others  VLE has some worrying vulnerabilities  VLE has some interesting features  Very few staff have seen any VLE other than the one at Russell University  Other than staff who have seen alternatives staff are fairly happy with the functionality offered

7. Franklin Consulting Possibilities (1)  Allow Faculties / Schools / Departments to select their own  Have a single institutional one  Have an institutionally supported one but allow faculties etc. to use their own at their expense  Do not support any

8. Franklin Consulting Possibilities (2)  Continue with existing VLE  Develop existing VLE  Create new VLE  Create a new VLE in partnership with others  Adopt an Open Source VLE  License a commercial VLE

9. Franklin Consulting Issues (1)  Costs  Development  Support of Open Source system  Licensing  Integration with other systems  Functionality  Core (required) functionality  Desirable functionality  Development strategy for system  Scalability of system  Integration with other systems

10. Franklin Consulting Support  What support  Technical  Course development  Staff development  Level  Staff support  Student support  Location  Departments / schools / faculties  IS  Library  Learning support  Staff development