New WebLearn Service – Feb 2008New WebLearn Service – Feb 2008

Adam Marshall,Adam Marshall,

Learning Technologies Group,Learning Technologies Group,

OUCS,OUCS,

Oxford University.Oxford University.

Objectives of TalkObjectives of Talk

Sakai Sakai vsvs Bodington Bodington ToolsetToolset Content migrationContent migration Timeline / PlanTimeline / Plan PilotsPilots How to follow progressHow to follow progress

Current SituationCurrent Situation

Based on Bodington OSS Based on Bodington OSS (http://tinyurl.com/2ldmny)(http://tinyurl.com/2ldmny)

Campus metaphor: buildings, floors, rooms Campus metaphor: buildings, floors, rooms OUCS introduced in 2003-2004OUCS introduced in 2003-2004 Production service from 2004 Production service from 2004

– 2004: 3411 users, 19464 resources, 614109 hits/week2004: 3411 users, 19464 resources, 614109 hits/week– 2005: 4781 users, 33040 resources, 1020362 hits/week2005: 4781 users, 33040 resources, 1020362 hits/week– 2006: 6790 users, 41317 resources, 1831079 hits/week2006: 6790 users, 41317 resources, 1831079 hits/week– Med Sci (32%), Life Sci (22%), Humanities (18%)Med Sci (32%), Life Sci (22%), Humanities (18%)– 50% registered Oxford users have logged in50% registered Oxford users have logged in– most departments and 1/3 colleges on boardmost departments and 1/3 colleges on board

Same team for both systems: less Bodington Same team for both systems: less Bodington development now. Thinner upgrades.development now. Thinner upgrades.

Why Change?Why Change?

Bodington community too small: Bodington community too small: 3 HEIs 3 HEIs

Leeds & UHI replacing Bodington Leeds & UHI replacing Bodington anywayanyway

Out of date software: poor Out of date software: poor architecturearchitecture

Lack of toolsLack of tools Current situation is unsustainableCurrent situation is unsustainable

WebLearn FutureWebLearn Future

Strategic decision to shift delivery Strategic decision to shift delivery framework to Sakai (sakaiproject.org)framework to Sakai (sakaiproject.org)

Called ‘WebLearn Beta’Called ‘WebLearn Beta’ Will run in parallel with Bodington for Will run in parallel with Bodington for

2 years. Dual service: ‘WebLearn’2 years. Dual service: ‘WebLearn’ Addresses many user requestsAddresses many user requests Will maintain Will maintain mostmost Bodington tools / Bodington tools /

servicesservices

Why Sakai?Why Sakai?

Sakai satisfies all original requirements:Sakai satisfies all original requirements:– FlexibilityFlexibility, devolved administration, group , devolved administration, group

management, news, calendars, tracking, management, news, calendars, tracking, assessment, personal space, timed-release, assessment, personal space, timed-release, syllabus info, …. http://tinyurl.com/yvf3mjsyllabus info, …. http://tinyurl.com/yvf3mj

Enterprise applicationEnterprise application Better OSS model & community Better OSS model & community

(Affiliates: Oracle, IBM, Sun; Support: (Affiliates: Oracle, IBM, Sun; Support: rSmart, Unicon)rSmart, Unicon)

Large user-baseLarge user-base Good UK community (Cambridge, Hull, Good UK community (Cambridge, Hull,

CCLRC, Lancaster)CCLRC, Lancaster)

Sakai USPsSakai USPs

Cleaner interfaceCleaner interface Better usability and accessibilityBetter usability and accessibility Simpler access control!!!Simpler access control!!! Extensive documentation incl. videos Extensive documentation incl. videos More tools (see later)More tools (see later) File management vastly improvedFile management vastly improved

– Easy bulk upload: webDAVEasy bulk upload: webDAV ‘‘Proper’ search (indexes Word docs, PDF, PPT)Proper’ search (indexes Word docs, PDF, PPT) Site statisticsSite statistics Facebook iGoogle integrationFacebook iGoogle integration Oodles more…….Oodles more…….

Tool ComparisonTool Comparison

Most Bodington tools are betteredMost Bodington tools are bettered– Maybe not: logbook and peer marking.Maybe not: logbook and peer marking.– Survey & stats tells us importance (WL wiki)Survey & stats tells us importance (WL wiki)– See: http://tinyurl.com/3ckxg8 (in progress)See: http://tinyurl.com/3ckxg8 (in progress)

No Buildings / Floors! No Buildings / Floors! We are writingWe are writing

– Hierarchy / devolved admin Hierarchy / devolved admin – Translate to UK EnglishTranslate to UK English– WebauthWebauth– Groups Service interfaceGroups Service interface– Bring tools in line with Bodington, new EasyWriterBring tools in line with Bodington, new EasyWriter– Content migration codeContent migration code

New ToolsNew Tools

AnnouncementsAnnouncements More question typesMore question types Site membership / user profileSite membership / user profile User poll (vote)User poll (vote) Wiki (based on SnipSnap)Wiki (based on SnipSnap) Mail list / archiveMail list / archive Tutorial sign-up sheet (2009)Tutorial sign-up sheet (2009) ChatChat Diary / course ‘blog’Diary / course ‘blog’ Usable forum!Usable forum!

So what about groups?So what about groups?

Groups service being written by OUCSGroups service being written by OUCS Essential for ODIT ‘Groupware’ projectEssential for ODIT ‘Groupware’ project Also for Uni’s ID Management projectAlso for Uni’s ID Management project Will be read / write: use cases from Will be read / write: use cases from

BodingtonBodington Will integrate with the New WebLearn Will integrate with the New WebLearn

service (but not Bodington)service (but not Bodington)

AccessibilityAccessibility

We are currently running trails We are currently running trails with Disability Officewith Disability Office

Promising comments: “Better Promising comments: “Better than Bodington”than Bodington”

No major issuesNo major issues Some small tweaksSome small tweaks

Documentation / TrainingDocumentation / Training

Courses will be similar to BodingtonCourses will be similar to Bodington– ITLP course (starts 2009/10)ITLP course (starts 2009/10)– VLE team coursesVLE team courses

Documentation: will modify existingDocumentation: will modify existing– Tool basedTool based– Activity basedActivity based– Working with Cambridge and HullWorking with Cambridge and Hull– Video tutorialsVideo tutorials– On-line (pop up) helpOn-line (pop up) help– FAQ (see WebLearn wiki)FAQ (see WebLearn wiki)– Look at Documentation / Help site in WebLearn Look at Documentation / Help site in WebLearn

BetaBeta

Data MigrationData Migration

Quite a task!Quite a task! Ideally users do itIdeally users do it

– Seems reasonable for MyWebLearnSeems reasonable for MyWebLearn– Opportunity for consolidation / tidying upOpportunity for consolidation / tidying up

Realistically we must help but manpower Realistically we must help but manpower limited!limited!

Pilot migration from Michaelmas 08 – initially Pilot migration from Michaelmas 08 – initially partially manual, zip up to desktop then partially manual, zip up to desktop then webDAV?webDAV?

Easy: files, HTML, links, RSSEasy: files, HTML, links, RSS What about Questionnaires? Forum? Logbook? What about Questionnaires? Forum? Logbook?

Deeply nested rooms? Must work out details.Deeply nested rooms? Must work out details.

User ConsultationUser Consultation

Stakeholders very importantStakeholders very important Survey – see WebLearn wikiSurvey – see WebLearn wiki

– Have also looked at usage stats Have also looked at usage stats (Wiki)(Wiki)

Will talk face to faceWill talk face to face Early adopters site: Early adopters site:

– http://beta.weblearn.ox.ac.uk/portal/site/early-http://beta.weblearn.ox.ac.uk/portal/site/early-adoptersadopters

Timeline – Key datesTimeline – Key dates

Mini-pilots nowMini-pilots now Jun 2008: Pilot year (Sakai v2.5)Jun 2008: Pilot year (Sakai v2.5)

– Read only Groups ServiceRead only Groups Service– Data migrationData migration– Try out some trainingTry out some training

Jan 2009 Production hardware startsJan 2009 Production hardware starts Jun 2009 Production service (Sakai v2.6?)Jun 2009 Production service (Sakai v2.6?)

– Dual service, single loginDual service, single login– Read write Groups ServiceRead write Groups Service– Training starts week 8Training starts week 8– Data migrationData migration

Sep 2011 Bodington becomes read onlySep 2011 Bodington becomes read only

Follow ProgressFollow Progress

Via wiki – lots of material: Via wiki – lots of material: http://wiki.oucs.ox.ac.uk/weblearnhttp://wiki.oucs.ox.ac.uk/weblearn

Tasks in Jira: Tasks in Jira: http://jira.oucs.ox.ac.uk/http://jira.oucs.ox.ac.uk/

Overview: Overview: http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ltg/vle/http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ltg/vle/

VLE news feedVLE news feed LTG newsletterLTG newsletter

FinFin