JISC

To achieve student and course data exchange between component parts of the MLE to enable the VLE to deliver specific study material to identified groups of students and the generation of appropriate reports on student activity.

Executive Summary

The MIS/MLE Interoperability Pilot aimed to establish the feasibility of transfer of data between the various components of a Managed Learning Environment (MLE) being:

Student Record System (MIS), Student Registration/Attendance Monitoring Systems (MIS), Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and Learning Materials Content Repositories.  This pilot was concerned with MIS (Capita-Dolphin/Unit-e) and VLE (Blackboard).

It was agreed that XML would be the means of transferring data between systems.

It was agreed that the ISR data set as published by the (then) FEFC would form a basis for the fields to be transferred.

It was agreed that extensions to the ISR data set would be required to identify elements and concepts not included within the ISR data set.  These would be known as the "F.E. Extensions".

It was agreed that the IMS standard would be used.

The project partners of Myerscough College, Capita and Blackboard agreed early in the pilot to concentrate on achieving transfer of student data from the Unit-e MIS product into the Blackboard VLE preferably by a single action by the user.  If there were time within the period of the pilot, work would commence on the transfer of data from the VLE back into the MIS.

It was agreed that transfer of data from the VLE to the MIS should not automatically amend data that the college relied upon for its funding, but that some form of data holding are would be created where human intervention could be made to decide the context of data in relation to any differences within course structures in the VLE and MIS.

The VLE marketed by Blackboard wass offered in several levels, from level 1 to level 3.  Each increase in level offered more facilities to the college and/or user.  Myerscough College has the lowest level, level 1.  Blackboard is now offered in two levels, Blackboard Learning System and Blackboard Learning System Basic.

Blackboard Learning System contains all the functionality needed for Interoperability. The Blackboard Learning System Basic (formerly called level 1) does not offer integration or interoperability. This left Myerscough unable to test any Interoperability at the College, though Blackboard made a server available across the Internet.

The export software created by Capita came as a separate piece of software addressing all of their products and ran into problems with the Myerscough data.  This was found to be due to missing data which had not affected internal reporting or production of ISR and that the college was unaware of.  It is possible therefore that there could be similar consequences for other colleges.

Import of student data into the VLE from CSV format files from the MIS has been simple and successful and serves current college needs.

Development has started on receiving retention/achievement data back from the VLE and will be ongoing following the end of the project period.

Report available electronically only. Read the final report below.