JISC

Overview

This project will build on existing VLE development work and good practice to meet the following identified current and projected needs:

• Expand the pedagogic models VLEs support, allowing more student-centred learning than the traditional hierarchical folder-structure offered by VLEs.
• Improve portfolio functionality of VLEs for teaching and assessment purposes and individual use. Explore the relationship between these portfolios and the Higher Education Achievement Record (HEAR) and the portability of portfolios beyond graduation.
• Simplify content distribution and share across platforms to allow resources and data held and generated outside the VLE to be used seamlessly within the VLE

Aims and objectives

• Develop a tagging facility for VLE content items allowing alternative presentation and exploration of materials
• Extend the content which can be used within our VLE
• Improve the interoperability of our VLE and student record system to support PDP and assessment and feedback processes
• Improve e-Portfolio functionality of our VLE to better support student PDP and the recording of student achievement.
• Ensure that wherever possible all developments follow open standards, are transferable to other users of the same VLE and more widely.
• Embed these developments within our own institution and as widely as possible

Project methodology

After an initial phase to establish the project and the project team, scoping work will be carried out to refine user needs and technical approaches. Tools and widgets will then be designed, developed and tested using a rapid prototyping methodology. A piloting phase will implement and pilot the tools in the institution and others, supported through the project’s engagement with the community. The project will undertake evaluation activities to evaluate the success and impact of the project and disseminate the project outcomes, experience and knowledge gained. Finally the project will develop and implement an exit and sustainability plan.

Anticipated outputs and outcomes

• A set of widgets, including: Tagging widget, Recommender Widget, content Widgets, Portfolio Template widget, Portfolio Feedback widget, Portfolio Export Widget
• Documentation covering technical development aspects of the project, any training materials developed and cases studies of pilots covering technical and pedagogic issues.
• Workshops and events to disseminate the project outputs and support their wider use
• Further expertise in the development and addition of new functionality to a VLE system and integration with other systems.
• Methodologies for supporting a wider range of student-centred teaching and learning approaches within the VLE

Technology / Standards used (if applicable)

Likely technology and standards to be used are: Leap2a, e-Framework/SOA, RSS/ATOM/RDF. Widget API (e.g. Netvibes, Google Gadget API or Wookie API)