Developing a VLE on MS SharePointUwe Matthias RichterPhil Self

Welcome

• Background– E-learning benchmarking exercise– VLE Review

• From VLE to PLE and Cloud Computing

• A VLE development on SharePoint – the ARU case study– Conceptional overview– Show and Tell – Closed Pilot– Preliminary Route map

• Questions

The Background• WebCT 4.1 is dated and needs to be replaced

• The VLE Review: Four VLEs were initially reviewed (June 2008 – December 2008):

– WebCT VISTA (undertaken in 2005-6)

– Blackboard Learning System (Campus Edition)

– Moodle

– Sakai

>>Decision for Blackboard 9

• One VLE was later added after Blackboard 9 did not deliver on time

– Fronter

>>Decision for a SharePoint based solution (January 2009)

• SharePoint LMS reviewed (February 2009 – August 2009)

>> Decision for a bespoke development on SharePoint

Your Learning Technologies Experiences

List them on the PowerPoint slide and rank them by frequency of use in your context.

Which Learning Technologies (LT) do you know and use in your context?

Use and Frequency of Learning Technologies

Rare use• Wikis•Formative assessment

Some use•Surveys Videos (U-Tube)•Forum Interactive Video•..Tests Chat, glossariesFrequent use•Quizzes, Assessment, •Forms•Learning ModulesHigh use•Materials, Resources Communication Calendar•Assignment ILP•Journal (some courses)•..

The LT Pyramid

Learner-centred

Teacher-

centred

CollaborationVirtual World, Games

m-LearningWiki

BlogsE-Portfolio

(E-Submission)

CommunicationSynchronous Text, Audio & Video Chat

Asynchronous Discussion BoardShared Resources

Interaction with content, feedback Communication, Quizzes, and Surveys

Contents (repository)

VLE Evaluations – Software Issues

Top Three Software Issues with reviewed VLEs•Learning Path Student Functionality

• Difficult to navigate, activities/attempts functionality flawed

•Learning Path Preparation Processes• Construction of Learning Path

unacceptably complex

•Course Creation Processes• Automated / templated Course Creation

issues

VLE Evaluations – Pedagogic Issues

Top Three Pedagogic Issues with reviewed VLEs•Lack of Student Centeredness

– Few or no Web 2.0 technologies integrated, students can not manage their own learning (e.g. using shared spaces)

•Static rather than evolving systems– Difficult to integrate new technologies

•Restrictions on users– Some licence and / or access restrictions to

“non core” students (e.g. Students not on student information system)

Where are we at ARU

Virtual Learning Environments (VLE)

• All tools in one box approach

• Interface with student management and other systems

• Support by commercial provider

• Little user control – instructivist learning & teaching model

• Not easy to expand functionality beyond what (commercial) provider offers

Personalised Learning Environments (PLE)

• Different tools available some out of the box

• Interface with student management and other systems

• Mixed support (out- and in- sourced)

• More user control and learner-centred

• Easier to expand functionality by linking up different technologies (?)

The future in the Cloud?•Tools and environments on the web (open source)

• Social networking (Web 2.0)

• Virtual worlds • Mobile learning• Game based

learning

•Support by community of practice

•Full learner control – Little institutional control??? (legal?)

Definition• VLE – Virtual Learning Environment• MLE – Managed Learning Environment

“Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) refers to the components in which learners and tutors participate in online interaction of various kinds including online learning. Managed Learning Environment (MLE) include the whole range of information systems and processes of the college (including the VLE if it has one) that contribute directly or indirectly to learning or learning management.” (JISC - http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/programmes/buildmlehefe/lifelonglearning/mlebriefingpack.aspx)

• PLE – Personalised Learning Environment• Cloud Computing

“It is a general concept that incorporates software as a service (SaaS), Web 2.0 and other recent, well-known technology trends, in which the common theme is reliance on the Internet for satisfying the computing needs of the users. An often-quoted example is Google Apps, which provides common business applications online that are accessed from a web browser, while the software and data are stored on Google servers.” (Wikipedia)

Solutions in the cloud

http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/business/index.html

http://thesocialmediabible.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/google_apps_logo.jpg

Your SharePoint Use?

1. How many of you use SharePoint?

2. How many use SharePoint as– Portal?– Document Management System?– Intranet?– Others?

The SharePoint VLE Implementation

• Direction

1. Review of Market Developments since Feb2009

2. Review of Development Capabilities (Internal, External)

• Discovery & Design Specification

1. Specification of Future VLE Solution & Strategy

2. Develop Business Requirements (Nov 08 to Dec 09)

• Development & Deployment

1. Collaborative Module-based Sites (for Closed Pilot) as well as setting up on server and interfacing with other systems (e.g. SITS, Active Directory, etc.)

2. ‘Umbrella’ Navigation and Hierarchy (for Open Pilot)

3. VLE Solution (for Open Pilot, Developed further for Live Use)13

The SharePoint VLE Landscape

VLE Implementation - Options and Actions

• Route Forward

1. SharePoint-based core framework development in-house

2. Integration of SharePoint-based commercial products

3. Integration of SharePoint-compatible commercial products

16

The SharePoint VLE (Closed Pilot)

VLE features:

• Module Guide• Module Content tool• Module Documents

repository (library)• Shared Documents repository

(library)• Web links

• Announcements• Calendar• Discussion Board• Wiki Pages• Blog (Journal)• Surveys

Enhanced Functionality• Communications

– Synchronous (OCS-based text, audio, video chat, whiteboard*)

– Asynchronous (Discussion Forum)• Collaboration

– Wiki, Blog• Assessment and Feedback

– Quizzes– Survey – Formative Submission

• Integration– Summative Submission

Demonstration

Access the Anglia Ruskin VLE here:https://vlepilot.anglia.ac.uk/sites/vle6/Pages/Default.aspx

• Closed Pilot Main Access– http://vlepilot.anglia.ac.uk

• Closed Pilot Module Site Access– http://vlepilot.anglia.ac.uk/sites/vle1

• Closed Pilot Information Pages (Link to ANET pages)– www.anglia.ac.uk/vle

Basic Information & Communication• Basic Mode 0

• Information Landscape

– Module Home Page• Description, Tutor, Location, Date

– Module Guide• Module Guide, Assessment/Marking Criteria, and any

other information– Announcements

• Single Important Notices– Calendar

• Dates, locations, Key Events (e.g. submission dates)– Discussion

• Support information, FAQs about the module

Where next?

• Adding functionality:– Learning Path– Assessment Management

System– VLE Student Management– Conferencing (text, audio, video

chat, whiteboard, file share)– e-Submission – e-Portfolio– Enhancement (discussion

forum, wiki, blog, survey)

Enhancing Learning and TeachingProvides the opportunity to develop a conceptual

framework:

• Vision and Strategy• Enhancing Learning and Teaching with

Technology– Especially Flexible and Distance Learning

• Embedding in Module / Pathway Lifecycle• Curriculum Development, Review and

Validation

• Extending the provision of learning technologies in future using an active piloting approach

Thank you for your interests

Questions?

Contact: • Uwe Matthias Richter uwe.richter@anglia.ac.uk• Phil Self phil.self@anglia.ac.uk