university vle implementation project new university vle: progress update tony cobb vle technical...

University VLE Implementation Project

New University VLE: Progress Update

Tony Cobb

VLE Technical Team Leader

University VLE

Implementation Project

2

Agenda

• The 5-Year Vision and the 2-Year Initial Expectation

• What we have done so far – the evaluation & selection process

• Current activities

• The VLE implementation project

• After the implementation project - long term support & development of the VLE

University VLE


The Vision Statement

By the start of the 2011/12 academic year the use of the VLE and other learning technologies to provide a blended learning student experience will be the normal expectation for all staff and students. Face-to-face teaching will continue to be the main element of the student learning experience, with the use of technology enabling better use to be made of that contact time. All students will have online access to elements of teaching, learning, assessment and student support and guidance. The provision of appropriate technology will enable all staff and students to interact on or off campus with access to all necessary resources.

Approved by the University’s Learning & Teaching Board, February 2007

University VLE


2-Year Initial Expectation: At programme level

• Generic help and advice for students

Health & Safety

Staff/Student Committees


University VLE


2-Year Initial Expectation: Administration

• Printable module summaries

• Printable details of staff involved with a module

• Printable personal timetable

• Module sub-group details e.g. tutor groups

• Announcements

• Module feedback questionnaire

• Links to module review documentation


University VLE


2-Year Initial Expectation: Learning Resources #1

• A resource for every lecture e.g.

A brief summary of the content, or

Bullet points giving the structure, or

Key points to be presented, or

Full lecture notes

• A resource for every other planned activity e.g. workshops/tutorials

The questions

Directions for the reading

University VLE



• Links/RSS feeds to, for example, one or more of

Students’ PDP areas

Key online journals, databases, departmental software, etc.

Relevant generic skills resources e.g. maths support, referencing, avoiding plagiarism, presentation skills, note-taking, etc.

Reading list & library

Past exam papers system

Searchable FAQ section

University VLE



• Assessment information including

Timetable of deadlines linked to the student calendar

Assessment results & portfolio of marks

• Links to resources external to the module, e.g.

How the module fits into the programme

Research links (to emphasise T/R links)

Modules that might usefully follow-on

Ideas for more advanced study, not to be examined upon

University VLE



• At least one activity, as appropriate, which may include (but is not limited to) the use of one or more of:

Pigeonhole for online submission

Short multiple choice quiz, more elaborate assessments via QMP or

Maple TA, self-assessment exercise(s)

Chat rooms; Online discussion

Wikis

Polls

Blogs

Peer assessment tools

Simulations

University VLE



• With instructions for carrying out the activity, & details of contribution to module mark if assessed

• With assessment feedback, returned within a set timeframe


University VLE


The Procurement Process #1

• Following EU Procurement rules

• December 2006: Initial advertisement in the EU Journal

• January 2007: 12 expressions of interest received Canada, France, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, UK, USA

Evaluated the 12 companies looking at functional capabilities of the systems, technical attributes of the systems, capabilities of the companies to assist in the implementation & support of the systems, financial status of the companies

4 companies invited to tender: ANGEL Learning (USA)

Blackboard (USA)

Desire2Learn (Canada)

Unicon (USA): Implementation of Sakai

University VLE



• ANGEL failed to submit a tender

• Tenders from Blackboard, Desire2Learn & Unicon reviewed for:

Functionality

Technical requirements

Integration

Implementation support

Ongoing support

Company financial status

• VLE Steering Group met on 19 March & decided to continue with Blackboard & Desire2Learn

University VLE



Evaluation of Blackboard & Desire2Learn

• Face-to-face meetings

• Conference calls

• Access to test versions of the systems

• Companies submitted extra information and revised costs

• Prepared reports for VLE Steering Group on 14 May

University VLE


Current Activities

• Revised project budget now approved

• Negotiations with Blackboard over contracts taking place

• Exercise to recruit project staff commenced

• Establishing processes for providing the Blackboard system with staff & student data

• Establishing a project office

• Preparing for hardware purchase, installation & commissioning

• Commencing project planning

• Project Initiation Document

University VLE


Approach to the Implementation Project

• This is a University project

• Many responsibilities will be devolved to the faculties

Faculty VLE Implementation Teams

School VLE Implementation Teams (optional)

Faculty VLE Pilot Teams

• Central project team

Project Manager: Peter Bollands

Functional Support Team: Lead is Anne Ramsden

Staff Development & Training Team: Lead is Melissa Highton

Technical Team: Lead is Tony Cobb

• One overall project

University VLE


University VLE


Project Board (VLE Steering

Group)

Sponsor

(PVC L&T)

Learning & Teaching

Board

VLE Project Management

Team

Faculty VLE Implementation

Teams

Central VLE Functional

Support Team

Central VLE Staff Devt &

Training Team

Central VLE Technical

Team

School VLE

Implementation

Teams (optional)

Faculty

VLE Pilot

Teams

VLE Project Office &

Communication

Faculty

Learning & Teaching

Committees

Software supplier

L&T Systems Steering Group

(and ISSG)

VLE Vision Group

VLE Implementation Project Organisation

University VLE


The VLE Implementation Project: Integration

• Banner, Universal Programme & Module Catalogue, SAP

• Turnitin

• QuestionMark Perception, Maple TA

• Student Portal

• Blogs

• Wikis

• Others…..

University VLE


The VLE Implementation Project: Migration

• Use IMS standard format to transfer from Bodington

• Links to retraining of Bodington users

• Testing in the period before Christmas 2007

• Blackboard will be configured in academic years for content

University VLE


The VLE Implementation Project: Technical Areas

• ISS UNIX Systems Team will support the hardware, software & database

• Purchase & install UNIX hardware

• Failover system

• Backup system

• Link to SAN

• Oracle database

• Install patches, upgrades, etc.

• Extra member of staff recruited into ISS to support this area

University VLE


The VLE Implementation Project: Staff Training

• Commence in early 2008 (exact date to be confirmed) for Bodington users

• Will be delivered by the Project’s Staff Development & Training Team

• After the Project, training will continue to be delivered (probably by SDDU)

• Details of the ways that training will be delivered and what the training will be are to be confirmed

University VLE


Long term support & development of the VLE

• Closedown of Bodington at the end of the 2008/9 session

• New VLE support is within the project until the end of the 2008/9 session

• Post-project support commences in August 2009

• L&TSSG projects for VLE development in 2011/12 & 2012/13

University VLE


Questions

university vle implementation project new university vle: progress update tony cobb vle technical...

Documents

vle slide

learning resources

year initial expectation

learning technologies

student learning experience

year vision

reading slide

academic year