Presentation To ZKI Fruehjahrstagung 2002 Presented By Nick Winton Interim CEO

Introduction Background to eU project Strategy for implementation Platform development Summary

History Announced Feb 2002 Gov’t funding of ≈ €100m Public Private Partnership –Bring additional skills –Introduce additional capital Partner selection started Jan 2001 October 2001 Sun signed strategic alliance UK eUniversities Worldwide formed

Objectives Widen access (50% by 2005) Retain UK share of overseas market Develop e-learning platform –Benefit of whole UK HE sector Commission programmes Recruit students

Services from eU e-learning platform –Optimised for Higher Education Sales & marketing Commission e-learning programmes Facilitation services

Strategy for Implementation Manage – not build Scaleable Updateable Optimised for Higher Education Responsive (worldwide) Open standards

Method Scaleable –Solaris on Sun Updateable –Use “COTS” packages –Integrate rather than develop –Minimum bespoke software Responsive (worldwide) –Low latency, local caching etc –Tutor responsiveness

Method…continued Optimised for HE –Integrated collaboration tools both sync and async –Integrated assessment tools –Essay marking tools Open standards –IMS (Metadata, Assessment, etc) –SCORM 1.1 –Openness of architecture components will use standard interfaces

Implementation Strategic alliance with Sun –Lead architects –Hardware –iPlanet Functional specification developed –Advisory groups from HE & consultants – Pedagogy – Learner Administration Systems – “Crack” monitor Result = 550 page roadmap of system behaviour

Architectural Structure Allow eUniversity to quickly develop and deploy new offerings Sustain the performance and availability of the system as usage scales up Allow the system to evolve with market needs while staying market-ready Built on Sun ONE –Web services –iPlanet Product Suite Separation of architecture concerns

Services Architecture PortalEntitlementsProfiles Learning Content Data Learning Meta Data Learning Assessment Data Learning Administration Data Content Management Service Learning Management Service Learning Administration Service Assessment Service User Management Service Collaboration Service Event Management Service eCommerce Service UDDI Directory

Current Status Developing platform using Rational Unified Process (RUP) methodology –Iterative, prototyping & feedback Iteration 0 Functional Scope Prototype demonstrated –Single sign on with seamless integration across multiple products –Learning Management functions –Content Production functions

Iteration 0 Scope Learning Assessment Data Learning Administration Data Learning Administration Service Assessment Service eCommerce Service Profiles Learning Content Data Learning Meta Data Content Management Service Learning Management Service User Management Service Collaboration Service Event Management Service PortalEntitlements

Next Steps 3 further prototype elaborations Construction Transition to operations Testing runs in parallel

Summary eUniversity platform –Supported by UK government –Optimised for delivery of e-learning for higher education –Major components successfully prototyped –Configuration and integration in progress Final platform available end 2002 Service to students from January 2003 Platform available to third parties –ASP service –Installable code (Run & Paint) –Development licence

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