JISC

Funding programme: SWaNI Interoperability Pilots 2 programme

Project website: http://www.virtualcollege.ac.uk/

JISC theme(s): e-Learning

During the period from January 2001 to July 2002, the five partner FE institutions have been involved in developing a variety of web-based learning materials for use by the partners to delivery to a broad range of educational and employment sectors.  To enable this to work successfully, the materials need to be interoperable between the five VLE’s in use by the partners.

Aims and Objectives

The overall aim of the project is to evaluate the interoperability between locally developed IMS/SCORM compliant e-learning content and a range of different VLE products used by the development consortium.  

The specific objectives are to: 

• Demonstrate the ability to move web-based content from one learning environment to another
• Demonstrate the re-use of learning object content objects across different platforms and learning environments
• Provide searchable learning content for storage and retrieval using a compliant digital repository
• Evaluate the current level of interoperability between five different VLE systems and the student record systems of the participating FE Colleges.
• Work with a VLE and repository vendors to identify and  action opportunities to improve interoperability at a local level
• Report widely to the FE sector on outcomes through the project reporting schedule and trough conference and seminar presentations

Project Design

The research will concentrate on the practical issues to do with sharing content using different VLE’s and interacting with a digital repository.  The main focus will be the effectiveness of interoperability standards compliance in facilitating seamless transfer of materials between systems.

Implications / Deliverables / Stakeholders

The outcomes will be published on the project website and a project report published.  Dissemination will include conference presentations.  The outcomes will inform the wider discussions of a national strategy for Wales which will be based on a collaborative approach to materials development.