Towards a future VLE for an Open and Distance Learning Institution Dr. Steven Verjans Open Universiteit Nederland Educational Technology Expertise Centre

Current situation Open Universiteit NL The Dutch university for lifelong learning High-quality distance education at academic level No formal admission requirements Study at your own pace and location, in your own time. No student cohorts. Coaching and guidance through phone, e-mail, coaching sessions in study centres, workshops 32000 students enrolled, 43% have paid job 44% of ‘second chance’ students

The Dutch university for lifelong learning

High-quality distance education at academic level

No formal admission requirements

Study at your own pace and location, in your own time. No student cohorts.

Coaching and guidance through phone, e-mail, coaching sessions in study centres, workshops

32000 students enrolled,

43% have paid job

44% of ‘second chance’ students

Lifelong learning university Next to ‘traditional’ degree programmes, specific tailor-made programmes, but also different specific offerings: single courses, open educational resources room for informal and non-formal learning support for communities-of-practice (RdMC) APL – Accreditation of prior learning Joint initiatives with other HE institutions National Dutch initiative ‘Long live learning!’

Next to ‘traditional’ degree programmes,

specific tailor-made programmes, but also

different specific offerings:

single courses,

open educational resources

room for informal and non-formal learning

support for communities-of-practice (RdMC)

APL – Accreditation of prior learning

Joint initiatives with other HE institutions

National Dutch initiative ‘Long live learning!’

Strategic issues of the Open Universiteit Competitive situation is changing for ODL universities for degree programmes More competition from ‘traditionals’ and other providers, much online learning materials Issues Formal vs. informal education Degree programmes (BaMa) vs. ad hoc demand Cohort-based vs. individual learning More or less coaching (time-consuming)

Competitive situation is changing for ODL universities for degree programmes

More competition from ‘traditionals’ and other providers, much online learning materials

Issues

Formal vs. informal education

Degree programmes (BaMa) vs. ad hoc demand

Cohort-based vs. individual learning

More or less coaching (time-consuming)

Current VLE 1997: StudieNet: component-based (newsgroups, course webs) Current: BlackBoard, with several other systems running in parallel for specific functionality Mainly supports degree programmes, closed-access systems (quality and legal criteria) Dilemma: Different tools are needed to support lifelong competence development & informal learning

1997: StudieNet: component-based (newsgroups, course webs)

Current: BlackBoard, with several other systems running in parallel for specific functionality

Mainly supports degree programmes, closed-access systems (quality and legal criteria)

Dilemma:

Different tools are needed to support lifelong competence development & informal learning

OUNL’s VLE of the future - Issues Different learning products require different tools Degree programmes vs. lifelong learning How to combine controlled environment for degree programme with support for more informal contextualised learning? Parallel initiatives make for complex organisational context Institution-wide enterprise architecture Digital identity management project Update of web-presence (portal)

Different learning products require different tools

Degree programmes vs. lifelong learning

How to combine controlled environment for degree programme with support for more informal contextualised learning?

Parallel initiatives make for complex organisational context

Institution-wide enterprise architecture

Digital identity management project

Update of web-presence (portal)

OUNL’s VLE of the future - Principles Personal, flexible and sustainable Personal learning & working environment for learner and staff, no longer ‘just’ a VLE/LMS Preference for Open Source Easily ‘mashable’ services (Netvibes, iGoogle…) Learning in a network / community Experimental vs. production environment Widest possible organisational support is needed Careful transition is needed

Personal, flexible and sustainable

Personal learning & working environment for learner and staff, no longer ‘just’ a VLE/LMS

Preference for Open Source

Easily ‘mashable’ services (Netvibes, iGoogle…)

Learning in a network / community

Experimental vs. production environment

Widest possible organisational support is needed

Careful transition is needed

Preliminary model

Next steps Finalise strategic-level discussion Formulate development and implementation plans Hang on to current VLE for the time being & incrementally choose / develop & implement new services

Finalise strategic-level discussion

Formulate development and implementation plans

Hang on to current VLE for the time being & incrementally choose / develop & implement new services

Conclusion “ OUNL chooses Moodle, Sakai, Fronter, …”? No! Getting the vision of the future right !

“ OUNL chooses Moodle, Sakai, Fronter, …”?

No! Getting the vision of the future right !

Tak – Thanks – Danke – Grazie – Merci http://www.ou.nl/ http://stievie.blogspot.com