Information Systems & Managed Learning Environments - Integration work carried out at UniMC

INFORMATION SYSTEMS & MANAGED LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

Integration work carried out at UniMCS.Carletti, R.Rascioni

Case report based on the evolutions of

The Shift From Vle To MleReport On System Integration Towards A Managed Learning Environment

P.G. Rossi, S.Carletti, L.Maurizi, M.Micozzi, D.Bonura

Web & Accessibility at UniMCR.Rascioni

The e-Learning centre provides resources and technology for personalised, online and blended learning activities

5 Faculties 17 Degree Programmes 497 tutors and professors2753 students

7 Postgraduate Programmes 190 tutors and professors629 students

e-Learning at the University of Macerata

Faculty of Law Humanities and

Philosophy Education Political Science Cultural Heritage

September 27th 2013 eLearning 2013 - Belgrade 2

The department of Educational Science is in charge for research and development of pedagogical models

CELFI >> CSIA focus areas

Since 2005 we provide• Strategic and organisational modelling of

athenaeum-wide online learning• Teachers and e-Tutors training• Faculty LMS development and administration• Research about pedagogical tools and VLE• Coordination and partner in several EU-funded

projects


Steps towards implementing a MLE

How to define a Managed Learning Environment?

“A system that uses technology to enhance and make more effective the network of relationship between learners, teachers and organizers of learning, through integrated support for richer communication and activities”

Source: http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/InfoKits/creating-an-mle September 27th 2013 eLearning 2013 - Belgrade 4

http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/InfoKits/creating-an-mle

OLAT LMS

OLAT Version 6.3 from University of Zurich was selected as central LMS by UNIMC

• open source and free• intuitive and easy-to-use

interface• extensive set of learning

activities and tools out of the box

• clear mapping of learning path (XML-based structure)

• developed for scalability, portability, interoperability

• IMS award winner 2009 and 2010

• Release migration (v7.2) just carried out through summer 2013

OLAT LMS Server


Steps towards implementing a MLE

Implemented services:

• Centralized user provisioning:– User DB >> Virtual directory >> OLAT LMS

• Videoconferencing service:– User DB >> Virtual directory >> OLAT LMS >> Adobe

Connect

• Tracking and monitoring service:– LMS Audit manager >> Message Queue Service >>

Statistic processing Agent >> Statistics DB >> WS >> LMS Statistics GUI


MLE system architecture


Centralized user provisioning

Open Source Virtual Directory service for aggregation of identity data from multiple heterogeneous sources.

Exposed as an LDAP Interface• real-time, automated update of user

records and course access authorization (e.g. no admin intervention required);

• simplified user management with unique login for different systems;

• low overhead on system performance thanks to caching mechanism.


Videoconferencing service

• available to students of all courses at any time

• tutors can schedule regular meetings with class

• integrated into LMS course tools through a general connector

• seamless login integration (user’s ID, full name and role is passed from LMS to VC app)

• virtual room is automatically created for each course


Videoconferencing application

Main interaction tools

• audio/video/text chat

• desktop, application, document sharing

• meeting recording and offline playback

• collaborative note writing

• survey, FAQ• attendees

and roles management


Statistics GUI

Need of a tool to assess students’ participation and activity in the LMS, hence tracking:

• Login time / frequency, permanence

• Course node activity• Forum / Wiki readings /

writings• Download of study material• Delivery of assignments• Upload of files in portfolio

folder• …and more


Tracking and monitoring service

Three-layer structure:• Data Collection: ActiveMQ• Data elaboration and storing:

JaDE Multi Agent System + MySQL

• Data reporting: Web Services + Protochart


Advantages

• Reduced TCO (Total Cost of Ownership):– services shared between LMS instances (currently 4);– reduced administration costs;– more services running on a single server.

• Scalability:– possibility to move an overcharged service in a dedicated

server, or to a better performing one with minimum downtime for the main LMS.


Related research & projects

• Related research– Evaluation of user interaction in forums (network analysis)– Semantic analysis on forum messages content

• Related projects– User generated concept maps with VUE– Virtual tutoring through software agents (via ChatBot)– Accessibility assessment (WCAG 2.0)


• Goals– Reuse, without duplication, of centralized DBs– Accessible information systems for the web

• Legal requirements for public agencies and institutions• Norms are mainly focused on accessibility, usability and

transparency

• Steps– Faculty members portal– Institutional web site– Accessibility: sites and webapps

• Results


Information systems for Web Portals

• Updating of contents in extremely reduced times• Publishers do not need technical skills• Definition of user roles (manager – publisher –

editor) with workflow control for content checking and revision

• Changes to content can be checked and reverted• Easy to manage access control through LDAP• Dedicated site for each department or area with

independent management of each site


CMS requirements

CMS choice

• Open source system• Support of local and international community• Good availability of deployable, third-party products• Application structure and programming language

are powerful and reliable (page template, python scripting)

• Suitable for large and complex-structured portals

• Optimum scalability with ZEO-zope enterprise object



Faculty members portal

principi


Institutional web site

Some definitions• «Content is accessible when it may be used by

someone with a disability»• « Ability of information systems to provide

services and open information, within the limits of technological knowledge, without discriminating any user, including people needing assistive technologies and particular settings»


Accessibility

Example of accessible site: WiseFirb

Standard version


High contrast version




Text only version



W3C compliance standards: xhtml 1.0 & css


Example of accessible webapp

Centralized phonebook for blind switchboard receptionist



Special technology• Screen reader• Braille terminal






Portal web site

Web sites

5 Departments8 Institutes6 Centers4 Schools1 Faculty members portal

Staff

30Publishers

3Technicians

Access

Almost 8K views per

day

Results: sites deployed


• Compliant with web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG v2.0)

• XHTML 1.0 and CSS following the W3C specifications• “AA” accessibility level (WCAG v2.0)

September 27th 2013 30eLearning 2013 - Belgrade

Results: accessibility level

Questions?Simone [email protected]

Roberto [email protected]

Centro di Servizi per l’Informatica d’AteneoUniversity of Macerata - Italy

G e t i n t o u c h

Technology

Information Systems & Managed Learning Environments - Integration work carried out at UniMC