JISC

Start date: 1 August 2000

End date: 1 January 2002

Funding programme: Learning and Teaching (5/99) programme

Project website: http://failte.ac.uk/

This project is part of the Enhancing JISC data services for Teaching and Learning project cluster in this particular programme. Projects in this cluster are aimed at improving access to and accessibility of JISC resources in support of learning and teaching.

Facilitating Access to Information on Learning Technology for Engineers

Background

FAILTE will address the first question that many Engineering academics ask when they investigate using computer-based learning resources for courses they teach, namely: “What is available that is suitable for this subject at this level?”.

FAILTE is a partnership between the Institute for Computer-Based Learning and the Library at Heriot-Watt University and the faculty of Engineering at Loughborough University. The partners bring to the project relevant experiences in the fields of Web-based resource discovery, learning and teaching and evaluation of computer-based learning materials as applied to Engineering and experience from the following initiatives:

• EEVL: The Guide to Engineering, Mathematics and Computing information on the Internet, EEVL is part of the JISC-funded Resource Discovery Network  which aims to provide access to high quality Internet resources
• EASEIT-Eng : Evaluative and Advisory Support to Encourage Innovative Teaching in Engineering
• LTSN Engineering: The Learning and Teaching Support Network subject centre for Engineering

Aims and Objectives

FAILTE is working to:

• Provide Engineering lecturers with a resource (database and related services) that will allow them to identify computer-based materials suitable for their courses
• Provide access to independently produced reviews and other information to help them choose the most suitable of these materials
• Allow access to the materials themselves or the Web page of the provider of that resource. This will be offered as a fully integrated part of EEVL and LTSN Engineering (see below)

Project design

The technical development of the database resource is being carried out at Heriot-Watt University using MySQL, PHP and JAVA. Prototypes of modules will be developed with a final version due for completion in June 2001. The resource description scheme is being developed at Loughborough University and is informed by key work in the area of metadata standards including that of IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. and the Dublin Core Metadata initiative.

Interoperability with other gateways, resource catalogues and portals will be provided by Z39.50 and WHOIS++ as well as the descriptive metadata using the standards outlined above.

Outcomes

In addition to the database resource, toolkits and reports detailing the technical and pedagogic aspects of the project will be made available to facilitate future projects aiming to provide similar services in other subject areas.