Comparison of VLE’s

Mediamaisteri Ltd

PO Box 82 (Pyynikintie 25)

33101 Tampere

Finland

www.mediamaisteri.com

Definition

• Web learning environments = software, that has been developed to support the education and the learning process. – Operates through the Web browser and

makes partly use of the same services as being used in the web in generally (e.g. chat, e-mail), and partly the services developed especially to support the learning process (e.g. exercise tools, controlling of students).

Features ofweb learning environments

• Teaching and web technology are tools, which can be used to create didactic more or less functional learning environments

• Reserves of material including teaching materials and a lot of materials for research purposes

• Flexible functioning and schedules • Functional and social aspects are important • Learner’s needs and ideas form a basis for learning

Learning platforms• Edulink, Edusolutions Oy• Generation, R5 Vision• WebCT, WebCT Inc.• Opit, eWSOY• Verkkosalkku, Mindcom Oy• Efodi, Elisa Communications• Humap Tools, HAC Human

Application Consulting Oy• Humap Kids, HAC Humap Application

Consulting Oy• Future Learning Environment 3, TaiK,

Helsinki• Internetix, Otava Opisto• Lotus LearningSpace, IBM• Optima, Discendum• Woppi, HCI Productions• Moodle

• Blackboard, Blackboard Inc.• Saba, Saba Inc.• Docent, Docent. Inc.• Tiimi.net, Media Control Modelling Oy• BSCW• Peda.net, Jyväskylän yliopisto

(Koulutuksen tutkimuslaitos)• Työporukka, Turun yliopisto

(Opetusteknologiayksikkö)• Dyn3W, Dynaaminen

ryhmäkommentointi WWW:ssä -projekti

• TopClass, WBT Systems• Knowledge forum, Learning in Motion

Inc.• FirstClass, Centrinity Inc.• Luvit, Luvit Ab

How to choose a learning environment?

• Strategic premise• Need analysis• Comparison between learning

environments• Competing and selecting• Making of implementation plan• Implementation – training, content

production

What should be taken into consideration?

• Organisation’s development strategy– What will be the role of eLearning in the

organisation in the short- and long-term?– What are the expectations for the

eLearning?– For what purpose and training needs is the

solution searched for?– Who are the primary users of the system

for the moment and in the future?

What should be taken into consideration?

• Technical requirements– Web hosting or own server?– Supporting standards? Portability of data? – Server solutions and operating system (on own

server)– What are the material production formats the

environment is supporting? – Usability e.g. for modem users?– Data protection solutions– Database solutions

What should be taken into consideration?

• Cost factors– Price– Maintenance costs– Support service costs– Costs for the needed technology (servers etc.)

• Expected cost savings• Supplier’s reliability and stability on the market• Product development resources

What should be taken into consideration?

• Usage possibilities of learning environment– Ways of interaction– Production and managing of materials– Control over students– Features related to the student administration

(number of user levels, e.g. expert, tutor, student…)

– Possibilities to assess the learning process

• Usability and user interface logic

What should be taken into consideration?

• How many users the learning platform will have?

• Are other language versions needed? – What language versions of the learning

platform are available? – What is the quality of available

translations?

What should be taken into consideration?

• What kind of skills and knowledge does the prospective user group have?

• Is it possible to use the platform when the user has only little technical expertise?

What should be taken into consideration?

• Pedagogical requirements– The underlying pedagogical outlook. What is the

outlook the platform should support? – How does the learning environment support

different learning styles and strategies?– Motivation and feedback in a web learning

environment?– How does the learning environment support users

of different levels (e.g. by tailoring the material)– How to define the level of a single learner and

avoid the offering of unnecessary material?

Maintenance of a learning platform

• Maintenance of the environments can be shared in two parts:– Administrative maintenance (e.g. user

maintenance and creating of courses)– Technical maintenance (server installations and

maintenance)• Administrative challenges increase with the number

of users and courses

Challenges of learning environment

• Technical problems– Server– Data communications– ”Inexplicable” errors resulting from the program

(Have to be solved with the supplier)• User support• User training for the environment (also pedagogical)

ASP or own server?

• Maintenance of own server is not needed in ASP service > requires expert knowledge

• In ASP service the material is produced completely outside the own organisation (may be a risk, e.g. if the supplier disappears from the market etc.)

• In ASP the functionality of the service is affected also by the problems in data communication outside the own organisation

• Maintenance of own server is a challenging task and requires a professional to take care of it (server competence)

Future trends and challenges

• Diversifying and opening of learning environments– Developing of diversity in learning as a

challenge – different instruments, methods, materials and organizing formats

• Open Source > future trend!!