IT Infrastructure for Teaching and Learning: Are we there yet? James Dalziel Professor of Learning Technology & Director, Macquarie University E-learning Centre of Excellence (MELCOE) Presentation for CPD E-Learning Special Interest Research Group Macquarie University, September 14 th, 2005

Overview MELCOE Background & Projects What are the components of IT Infrastructure for Teaching and Learning? The future of Learning Management Systems? The Learning Object Dream –Myths and realities –My last attempt at a solution Conclusion: Are we there yet? –No, but….

MELCOE Background MELCOE = Macquarie E-learning Centre of Excellence –Research Centre dedicated to building the next generation of e-learning and information technologies –Unlike other research groups, if we identify key gaps in the IT infrastructure needed for education, we go build solutions –Mixture of educational and technical experts – “tech heavy” –Strong focus on open standards and open source software Started in early 2003, grown to over 25 staff across the research centre and spin-offs (LAMS Foundation & LAMS International Pty Ltd) –Staff mainly at Macquarie, but also Brisbane, London & Turkey Over $5M in external funding to date

MELCOE Projects COLIS = Collaborative Online Learning and Information Services –Standards based (IMS) systems integration for HE e-learning and information services –Included LMS, Learning Object Repository, Portal, Federated Search Gateway, Digital Rights –Follow-on project (IIS&R) included vendor “substititions” from Microsoft, Oracle, Novell, WebCT, Blackboard, Endeavour, Exlibris, myinternet, Harvest Road, Intrallect, etc –IIS&R also included education research projects from Macquarie/OTEN, WestOne/Curtin, Murdoch, Monash, Tasmanian Consortium, and CETIS (UK) Project now completed, “COLIS book” published

MELCOE Projects MAMS = Meta Access Management System –Solutions for single-sign-on, federated search and access, repositories & digital rights –Follow-on project to COLIS – targetted the hardest COLIS problems with a well funded, three year project –Halfway to date – demonstrated solutions for federated identity and access (using Shibboleth), DSpace and Fedora repository integration, authenticated federated search, XACML access ASK-OSS = Australian Service for Knowledge of Open Source Software –New project – only just announced –Advisory service on open source software for research and education (similar to OSS-Watch at Oxford, UK)

MELCOE Projects LAMS = Learning Activity Management System –Next generation e-learning software based on the concepts of Learning Design and some lessons learned from COLIS –In developed for four years, in trials for two years, public release in April 2005 as open source software –Now in use across the world – over 100 schools, 40 universities, 15 vocational colleges – across Aust, NZ, UK, etc –Just started Macquarie” – first whole of university rollout of LAMS –About to launch the “LAMS Community” – a global website for discussing use of LAMS and sharing LAMS sequences

IT Infrastructure for T&L What are the components of a “seamless” IT Infrastructure that supports Teaching and Learning? Some Sample views –“Enterprise applications” view of a university Logical Architecture (JD) COLIS Abstract Model Architecture across HE domains (JD) –Detailed IT architectures of learning and information systems COLIS “chunks” IMS Digital Repositories Interoperability - scope MIT Open Knowledge Initiative (OKI) Carnegie Mellow Learning Systems Architecture Lab diagrams JISC/DEST “E-Framework” –COLIS Global Use Case and Learning Object diagrams

University IT Logical Architecture Client Security / Authentication Directory Services Application Modules ERP Finance and HR; Library systems; Student Information System Learning Management System; Learning Content Management System Customer Relationship Management; Content Managgement System Computer Assisted Assessment, etc Messaging, Integration, Workflow

Client Security / Authentication Directory Services Application Modules Messaging, Integration, Workflow Web Browser Portal Login / Single Sign On LDAP/X.500 Directory Services ERP Finance & HR Student Information System Library systems Learning Management System Core Services - Workflow Core Services - Integration APIs A Current (ideal) University IT environment

COLIS - Abstract model of University IT Architecture

Infrastructure Applications Convergence of Higher Education Domains User Interfaces Common services Applications Infrastructure User Interfaces Common services Applications Infrastructure User Interfaces Common services Applications Infrastructure Knowledge RepositoriesDatasets Repositories Learning Object Repositories SCHOLARLY INFORMATION E-RESEARCH Middleware E-LEARNING User Interfaces Common services Enterprise Info DBs IT Services

Directories Content Management Library E-Services E-Reserve E-Journals Learning Object Management Integration Learning Management Digital Rights Management COLIS “Chunks”

IMS Digital Repositories Interoperability (DRI)

AuthorityCreatorArrangerLearner Prescribe Author Add Metadata & Submit to Learning Object Repository (LOR) Design Learning Activity Structure LOs & Activities Structure Assessment Organise Student Roles/Groups Student Login Do Learning Do Assessment Record Infoseeker Student Searches COLIS Global Use Case: ASCILITE 2003 Version (Final) Facilitator Facilitate Learning Facilitate Assessment Package New/ Modified LO/LD Quality Assurance Outcomes/ Competencies Monitor Learning Monitor Assessment Cataloguer Certify Search LORs via Gateway for LOs & Learning Designs Review Metadata & Resources (& Licenses if DRM) Obtain Links or Download LOs & Learning Designs

“Rendering” XML Data interchange XML Run-time tool description XML Learning Object Meta-data XML So what is a Learning Object anyway?

IT Infrastructure for T&L Some reflections: 1.Extremely complex problem space 2.The diagrams presented are only the simplest of high level sketches – the amount of detail below is great 3.There are many inter-connections and dependencies between different systems, with different cultural origins (E-learning, IT services, Libraries, E-Research) 4.IT Infrastructure exists at several “layers”: Hardware & networks, “middleware”, applications, user interface 5.There are very few people with expertise in pedagogy who are involved in discussions of this kind

IT Infrastructure for T&L Some wider reflections: 1.Relevant open standards relatively immature 2.Closed vs open source for integration 3.Overlapping and competing vendor products/hype 4.The challenge of “Service Oriented Architectures”

IT Infrastructure for T&L While there are many systems that impact on T&L, what is at the core? –Learning Management System/Learning Platform** –Learning Content/Learning Objects –Learning Design systems –Virtual Classroom systems –“Single focus” learning tools –Integration with Library systems (Reading Lists, Repositories, Search) –Integration with Portal/Single-Sign-On –Integration with Student Records –Integration with HR/Finance

The future of LMSs? Traditional Learning Management Systems are coming under pressure from many angles –Financial –Functionality –Innovation –Alternative solutions (eg, Portals) –Open source systems (eg, Moodle) Significant existing investment in current systems, yet concerns about “lock-in” and lack of flexibility for future User experience “lock-in” vs Technical “lock-in” A vision for a new approach to the LMS question….

Enterprise Management Repository Access StudentCourse AreaAreas Knowledge Portal Student Course Area Areas Learning Activities StudentCourse AreaAreas

Portal Student area –Personalised look and feel –Personalised portlets - choice of views and services –e-Portfolio style functionality Course area –Course details –Calendar, , etc style service portlets –“Current VLE” type functions

Repository Student area –Personal file area –Saved searches –Other personal resources Course area –Access to course content and Learning Objects –Access to search services and databases, datasets and computational services –Reading lists

Learning Activities Student area –Social software style tools (blogs, wikis, etc) –Informal learning tools (student created collaborative tasks and sequences - student controlled LAMS) Course area –Teacher created/led sequences of activities (LAMS) –Links to resources in sequences

The Learning Object Dream There is are some explicit or implicit dreams hidden behind the millions spent on LOs –“automatically find the perfect object to suit the exact learning needs of each student at the exact moment they need it” –“if each teacher built one small, excellent e-learning resource, and shared it with everyone else, then planning efficiency would go through the roof together with improved quality” Is the dream a reality? –No – lots of money spent, but little success to date Little use of Learning Objects at the chalkface Almost no adaptation and re-use Is the dream worth another try?

The Learning Object Dream There is are some explicit or implicit dreams hidden behind the millions spent on LOs –“automatically find the perfect object to suit the exact learning needs of each student at the exact moment they need it” –“if each teacher built one small, excellent e-learning resource, and shared it with everyone else, then planning efficiency would go through the roof together with improved quality” Is the dream a reality? –No – lots of money spent, but little success to date Little use of Learning Objects at the chalkface Almost no adaptation and re-use Is the dream worth another try? One more….

The Learning Design Dream The principles of the LAMS Community –Learning Designs/Learning Activities focus, rather than simply content –Community focus rather than repository focus –Search based on free-text searching, not metadata searching –Very simple licenses not complex licenses (and not nothing on licenses) –Automated usage tracking/rating systems not complex peer review/approval systems (and not nothing on usage) –Learning software and learning content is free; not requiring payment –Content can be shared and adapted by others; not just fixed/static (ie, adaptation not permitted) This is my last attempt at the dream, otherwise I’ll give up

The LAMS Community We are about to launch the “LAMS Community” – a global website for communities of LAMS users to: –Discuss the use of LAMS, new features, tech issues –**Share sequences, search for sequences, comment on and rate sequences, and get statistics on downloads –Find colleagues with similar interests, form sub-communities We will be encouraging “open content” licensing of LAMS sequences Is this the birth of “Open Source Teaching”?

Conclusion Challenges of IT Architectures for T&L The future of LMSs The Dream of Learning Objects What we’re working on at MELCOE