Sestri Sept 2009

Repositories and the Learning Experience: Using a Repository for Learning & Support

Prof Mark Stiles - Staffordshire University

Sestri Sept 2009

Sestri Sept 2009

Our initial drivers?

To store and manage the University and SURF collection of learning resources and other associated scholarly outputs.

– provide flexible delivery of e-learning content and resources

– facilitate re-use and re-purposing of learning content– improve archiving, auditing and version control

processes– facilitate avoidance of lock-in by freeing content from

vendor systems– provide workflow for quality assurance processes,

metadata, rights management, etc

Sestri Sept 2009

The VLE as straightjacket?

VLE use “can” be innovative but:

Are they creating a new orthodoxy?

Do they encourage the “mundane”

Are they tying us down for the future?

Are they now a barrier?

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What are we doing with VLEs?

From 2005 JISC MLE “Landscape Study” of UK HE and FE consultation document:

…the results also show two thirds of modules of study being web supplemented which would seem to indicate that the ‘stuff your notes into your VLE’ model is prevalent and increasing

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Are we producing bloated systems?

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Other drivers…

The “new” Web

• Sharing• Collaboration• Learner initiated• Informal learning• Diverse communities• Outside institutional control

Unstoppable?

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The future VLE?

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The future?Tutors and learners will build their own toolsets from:

• what is provided by the institution • what they have on their own (personal) computer• what is available on the Web

Learners will:• “opt out” of systems institutions and

tutors might prefer them to use for formal learning activities

• initiate “sharing” and “community” activities outside of formal learning using tools they have chosen

• engage with wider and more diverse communities

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What we decided in 05/06…

“Loosening the bonds”:

Diversifying delivery

• Repository based• Extraction of QAed resources• Promote reuse and repurposing• Include “novel” resources• Delivery to VLEs, Portals, Portfolios and Web 2.0 tools• Tested by JISC Projects (SURF WBL-Way)

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Consultant Recommendations…

• Choose a commercial ‘off the shelf’ solution

• Use internal resources to integrate repository with existing systems

• Ensure solution can support QA etc procedures and not impact negatively on them

• API functionality as selection criteria only for extending functionality or external integration

• Standards and specifications conformance for content and interoperability

• Integration with VLEs so resources may be delivered in a controlled environment

• Flexible and customisable set of features allowing different metadata schemes etc to be used

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Our Choice…

• Prime focus on being a learning repository

• Excellent integration with VLEs– Built in for Blackboard and

Moodle– Can extract existing content

and serve back to any system• IMS conformance• Technical compatibility with existing

expertise• Good workflow and metadata

features• Java-based APIs

• Successful demonstration of required features

• Flexibility in negotiation• Willing to provide additional

R&D licence• Made University a research

partner• Good deployment support

included

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So we…

• Training for “Propeller Heads” and “Repository Management”

• Updated to Hive 3.0 and contributed to revised BB integration

• Preparing for the “big suck” from Blackboard• Working on Configuration with project sub-groups• Developing ongoing roles, processes and policies• Harvest Road partner in JISC project with SURF

partners

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Some ways forward…

“Agility and Flexibility”

• A repository to: – promote use of new technologies– promote reuse & repurposing– deliver to diverse systems– provide access at point of need– remove “one size fits”– escape lock-in– resources for more than the learner

• Portals to support the facilitator and learner…– work-based mentors, employers, admin– access to learner information for learners– contextual access

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Work-Based Learning

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Work-Based Learning

Links to:

Resources in Hive

Thesis

Colleges

Twitter feeds

RSS Feeds

etc

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Managing Learning Resources

Hive – feeding the WBL Support Point:

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An “opportunity” arose!University Executive Business Plan 2007-2012 includes:

• To take a new approach to course and product development:• Increase engagement with employers on work-based learning and other workforce development initiatives• Establish a robust new product development process that is market-facing and customer-focused•To grow and sustain alliances, networks and partnerships• Further develop SURF college network and other appropriate FE partnerships• To enhance customer experience • Increase the number of students who stay and successfully complete their courses• Integrate systematic customer feedback mechanisms into a robust framework for the measurement and improvement of customer satisfaction• To exploit technological advances•Develop a technical infrastructure (networks, mobile technology) that supports integrated business systems, administration, formal, informal and flexible learning• Implement new and existing learning and teaching media to support effective e-learning and delivery

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I was empowered…

University Technology Supported Learning (TSL) Plan includes:

• Implement effective management of learning resources and course related information – XCRi built into Hive

• Expand TSL for Flexible Learning, WBL and BCE and the strengthening of SURF and other partnerships – Hive linked to WBL Portals and facilities for partner colleges

• Put in place a system of learner-focused Quality Enhancement for TSL and diversify the delivery of TSL – Validation outputs in Hive linked to CoP, all VLE content moved to Hive

• Disseminate good practice and build effective staff development in TSL – Hive linked to POOT, ELearning Models and other CoPs

• Improve the administration of TSL

• Implement a technical infrastructure to allow TSL applications to be introduced/removed in a flexible and responsive way

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From the TSL Plan:

• need to respect the need for appropriately distinct andindividual approaches by Faculties and course teams

• policy should be sufficient to guide practice but apply the minimum level of control necessary and avoid needless bureaucracy

It is all about sustaining innovation…

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Managing Learning Resources

Our repository – Hive from Giunti Labs

•Used for WBL, WBL-Way, DIVAS and ENABLE

•Media trials with Faculties

•Migration of Blackboard content tested

•Blackboard integration ready but waiting for BB and Hive upgrades

•Roll-out as full service by IS being organised

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Our “Hive” Experiences

• Single store of learning content - enables true management of content

• Scalability/distributed cache• Allows quick scaling with demand• Essential for a ‘centre-piece’ system• High availability/enterprise pack

• Excellent technical support

• Comprehensive Web services - Essential for diverse delivery

• Hive 4 Java/application server platform• Ability to run on Glassfish• Fits nicely with our skill set and preferred technologies

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The University as organisation

excessive hierarchy and over-heavy bureaucracy, the comfort of ingrained routines, strong vertical command structures and weak lateral and bottom-up communication, unbalanced and non-integrated authority across professional domains, conservatism and risk aversion, territoriality, defensiveness and insecurity as well as wilfulness (Middlehurst, 1998)

The individual experts may be highly innovative within a specialist domain, but the difficulties of coordination across functions and disciplines impose severe limits on the innovative capability of the organization as a whole. (Lam, 2005)

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A major university change initiative supported by JISC funding

•Focused on the complete curriculum design/development process

•Designed to connect our many initiatives and join them up without holes

•Designed to find a way to sustain and manage innovation and change for the organisation

•Led by LDI, it involves Faculties, Services, Partners, Employers and Learners

•Senior Management Group chaired by Gill Howland

•Funded until April 2012

“Our last best hope” (Apologies to Babylon 5)

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Issues

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UK OER PilotsHEFCE funded one year programme – run by JISC/HEA

subjectsubject institutioninstitution individualindividual

support function – covering technical, legal, strategic advice, workshops, support for deposit and aggregation of materials, communities of practice. Based around existing JISC services and the OU “SCORE” project.

OER infokit – a “how to” guide for future work

evaluation & synthesis function

Program

me M

anagement

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OpenStaffs

• University is committed to making a wide range of learning and teaching resources freely available and easily discovered, with the facility and rights for the content to be re-used by both educators and learners.

• Mandate

• Giunti and Blackboard project partners

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OpenStaffsStaffordshire University OER

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Information…

WBL-WAY Project:http://www.staffs.ac.uk/COSE/WBLWAY/

Facebook Group on Control and Innovation: http://staffs.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6572643972

ENABLE Project:http://jiscenable.blogspot.com/

OpenStaffs OER Pilot:http://www.staffs.ac.uk/about_us/projects/openstaffs/index.jsp

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Thank you for your time and patience

m.j.stiles@staffs.ac.uk