The options appraisal of the University’s VLE is being overseen by the University’s Teaching and Learning Committee. This Committee has established the Review Group undertaking the options appraisal.
On this blog we will report the work of the Review Group as it unfolds.
Reports to Teaching and Learning Committee that have discussed this issue are provided here – they set out a plan of work for the Review Group, together with time frames.
Sorry for the tardy reply, I’ve just joined.
Bernie and Joss raise interesting and related points. If we are to re-evaluate our VLE, it should be with the aim of increasing capability, not saving costs. It should be borne in mind that not all colleagues are keen on using VLE and that we should not put off those who have reluctantly embraced it by changing the system every 3-5 years.
That said, we should also aim for ‘best bang for the buck’. In particular we need a system that is robust as well as capable. This is particularly relevant when using such a system for electronic hand-in. Student work and taught material being stored on the VLE must be capable of meeting the University’s archive requirements, otherwise we are forced to laboriously copy such material to an appropriately safeguarded area, reducing the value of the VLE.
Any plans to look at distance learning? The LSJ is delivering a distance-learning programme with a university in Skopje over the next few months, and I gather there’s some interest in this as a possible long-term strategic aim for the university. Perhaps an evaluation of/pilot project with Blackboard Collaborate might be useful?
(http://bit.ly/ILrG2N)
I think it would be useful to disclose the full cost of running Blackboard on an annual basis and then consider how it might be otherwise spent on “a vision of what technology enhanced learning can and should look like at Lincoln in the next 5-10 years.” I wouldn’t want this exercise to be about cost-cutting, so it would be useful to know what the ‘total cost of ownership’ on an annual basis is, so we might think of other ways to invest it in the stated vision.