Supporting education and research E-learning tools, standards and systems Sarah Porter Head of Development, JISC

Supporting education and research

E-learning tools, standards and systems

Sarah Porter

Head of Development, JISC


Overview

• Aim: set the e-learning framework, tools and standards in context. Explain why the JISC is funding this activity.– What is JISC? What are its priorities?– What does JISC develop and how?– What is the e-learning programme?– What is the e-learning framework and why

does it matter?


Joint Information Systems Committee

• Public funding body for post-16 and higher education

• Funded by Funding Councils in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales

• Supports post-16 (formerly FE) and HE

• Annual budget of approx £66 million


Core JISC Budget 2004-05 £m Networking 29.43 Integrated Info Environment 7.27 Content and Services 11.49 Learning & Teaching 3.99 Organisational Support 6.21 Support of Research 2.87 Central Services 5.25 66.51


HEFCE Spending Review Budget

2004-05 £m SuperJANET4 (residual funding to Regional Network Operators)

3.36 UKLight 2.50 Digitisation Programme 3.84 Virtual Research Environments Programme

0.90

Middleware in Services Programme

0.80

Distributed e-Learning Programme

3.70

15.20


Implementing the JISC Strategy 2004-6

• JISC is positioned to lead the field internationally in integrated technologies across research, learning and teaching, management, digital libraries;

• Also needs to consider needs of specific communities and innovate to support them;

• Works in partnership with key agencies and groups to share resources and experience.


Content

Information Environment

Middleware

NetworkM

IS

E-Learning

Dig

ital Library

E-research

Outreach with colleges, universities and other organisations

Advice and Guidance


JISC’S Role

JISC will build on its existing activities of providing a world-class infrastructure and promoting innovation through development programmes.


JISC Development Group

• Manages JISC development activities– Development programmes– Studies– Piloting of technologies– Working with post-16 and HE communities to identify

requirements from technology– Test out current technologies– Explore processes for implementation – cultural issues etc.– Over 200 current projects– Manages development services e.g. Centre for Educational

Technology Interoperability Standards (CETIS)


Areas of work

• E-learning• E-research• Integrated systems to support all communities• Middleware• Innovative technologies.

– Plans have to be dynamic to respond to changes in external environments;

– Adapt to what we learn from activities.


Outputs may include:

• Prototype user applications• Pilot technical or community services• Exemplars of good practice in deployment and use of

technology• Guidelines, case studies or toolsets • Projects and studies where a report is the main

deliverable• Projects developing new forms of content (e.g.

discovery tools or learning materials)• Technical standards and frameworks• Project management resources and other ‘by-

products’ of programme management techniques


Outcomes may include:

• Capacity development in the community• Targeted outputs from projects or studies that

set definitions or contribute to strategic thinking and decision making in the community

• Representation of community needs to commercial vendors

• New services.


prioritize requirements

scope activityCapture outcomes

and outputs

develop and pilot

Embedding or service development

monitor, evaluate and

review


JISC e-learning programme

• How might e-learning approaches might be used to facilitate learning and teaching?

• How might these approaches might be effectively implemented?

• Programme provides a link between learning and teaching practice and technology development.


E-learning programme

• E-learning and pedagogy

• E-learning framework

• E-learning and innovation

• Distributed e-learning

• Video clip


Standards and specifications

• Been active in this area for many years• Why?

– Standards bring commercial and educational sectors together

– We act as users and articulate our requirements• Hope to influence vendor community as well as

developing ‘community source’

– May do this by developing software, examples, standards …


The E-learning framework

• Roadmap to coordinate technical development activities– E-learning community and beyond (working

with research and Grid communities)– National and international

• Also a blueprint for institutions or organisations to use for planning


The e-Learning Framework



• Potential - not yet actual• A roadmap – to coordinate activities

– What we’ve already got– collaborate on overlaps– Identify where there are gaps

• Not set in stone – open to change; will go through different iterations

• Following emerging consensus in e-Learning standards bodies (especially IMS)

• Following emerging consensus in IT industry– Service oriented approach and web services



• Benefits:– Build on existing ‘monolithic’ legacy systems

• Don’t throw away investment in existing systems…• … add Web Service interfaces to them

– Develop incrementally– Start in the area of greatest need– Agree unified set of standards

• Minimise integration costs• Service components more widely usable• Mix commercial and open source systems

– Adaptable, extensible environment– According to size, priorities and budget– In a rapidly changing field


Where you come in …• ELF projects developing:

– Web Service Definitions for component services

– Implemented in Web Service Toolkits• Service and client ‘adapters’ • Mainly in Java and .NET, with standardised APIs• Derived from the Web Service Definition

Language

– Open Source• Liberal ‘commercial use’ licenses• Encourage wide adoption of specifications

– Service definitions submitted to specification bodies

• IMS only e-Learning body developing Web Service specifications.


Interoperability in practice

• How to create, re-use and share learning objects – RELOAD open source content editor– JORUM learning object repository

• Video clip from Exchange for Learning demonstration


Credits and contact details

• Thanks to Bill Olivier and Paul Hollins of CETIS for contributions and advice

• [email protected]

Documents

Supporting education and research E-learning tools, standards and systems Sarah Porter Head of Development, JISC