Celtic WebCt VLE Presentation

April 12, 2023 1

Enhancing life-long learning, teaching and research through information resources and services

April 12, 2023 2

Dr Elaine Swift

Education and Training Manager

Educational Development Unit

Nottingham Trent University

Selecting a next generation virtual learning platform for the University

April 12, 2023 3

Selecting a Next Generation VLE

• What do we need to consider in selecting a new VLE

• Why change and how did we enable this to happen?

• Process of Procurement– Tender Process– Project Engagement with University Stakeholders– Pinning down ‘The One’

• Dotting the ‘i’s and crossing the ‘t’s

• A ‘Bewildering roller-coaster ride’ -reflections on the process

• And would we do it all again?

• Where are we now?

April 12, 2023 4

Selecting a Next Generation VLEInfluences on the Selection Process

April 12, 2023 5


Why Choose a new VLE?

• 2004: Strategic Plan and eLearning - strengthen its use of blended and online learning across the NTU

• Home-grown, bespoke Virtual Learning Portal (VLP) but lack of strategic development coupled with long term support issues meant it was time for re-evaluation.

• To ensure impartiality, an external company was hired to conducted staff and student facilitated workshops to define what a successful eLearning environment would entail.

April 12, 2023 6



e-Learning Requirements – Academic Staff

Training & support

Flexibility - all learning styles / needs

Reliable, accessible, scalable, secure

User friendly

Content - creation, management, variety

Integration with other Central Systems

Institutional planning, engagement & resourcing

Online community for L & T

Focused on Student learning

Compliance

Variety of assessment options

Embedded as part of Academic role

Learner activity data

Cross-platform compatibility

Packaging - presentation, design

Private & shared work space inside & outside NTU

Search engine across everything

Feedback on learning

Alumni Services

Training & support

Flexibility - all learning styles / needs

Reliable, accessible, scalable, secure

User friendly

Content - creation, management, variety

Integration with other Central Systems

Institutional planning, engagement & resourcing


Focused on Student learning

Compliance

Variety of assessment options

Embedded as part of Academic role

Learner activity data

Cross-platform compatibility

Packaging - presentation, design

Private & shared work space inside & outside NTU


Feedback on learning

Alumni Services

LOW Relative Importance HIGH

0 % 50 % 100 %


0 % 50 % 100 %

April 12, 2023 7



e-Learning Requirements - Students


Content - consistency, timely, up to date

Seamless access to resources

User friendly

Personalised - Information; Presentation

Flexibility for all learning styles / needs

Training & Support

Reliability

Feedback on Learning

Available 24/7 with appropriate IT & Resources


Online submission

Security of information

Self Assessment

Online results

Shared workspace


Content - consistency, timely, up to date

Seamless access to resources

User friendly

Personalised - Information; Presentation

Flexibility for all learning styles / needs

Training & Support

Reliability

Feedback on Learning

Available 24/7 with appropriate IT & Resources


Online submission

Security of information

Self Assessment

Online results

Shared workspace


0 % 50 % 100 %


0 % 50 % 100 %

April 12, 2023 8



• From focus groups a survey was produced that engaged all stakeholders in ensuring that the right functionality and aspirations were being sought.

• Through both methods of engagement it was also possible to capture– Success criteria– Risks– Issues– Dependencies

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Process of Procurement

• EU Tendering Process adopted allowing potential flexibility about the final specification, pricing and contract terms

• Of the 39 organisations that expressed an interest each was sent a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) based on the findings of workshops with community

• 10 responses were evaluated by Project Team and members of one of the Project’s workstreams resulting in 4 shortlisted organisations

April 12, 2023 10


Project Engagement with Stakeholders – Getting a Shortlist

VLE Steering Committee

VLE Consultative GroupProject Team

DLKR, Project Manager, Work Stream Leaders

Quality Assurance Work Stream

Information Gathering and Testing Work Stream

Data Migration Work Stream

Training and Support Work Stream

Procurement and Due Diligence Work Stream

Technical and Interfaces Work Stream

Communication Work Stream

Legal and Regulatory Work Stream

Business Processes

April 12, 2023 11


Pinning Down the ‘One’

• Each supplier had a day to give demonstrations.

• Stakeholders from Academic Colleges, Information Systems, Libraries and Learning Resources and Student Support Services given opportunities to observe and assess suppliers’ systems

• Members of Information Gathering workstream conducted site visits after which 2 suppliers finally selected on grounds that they best matched NTU’s functional and technical requirements.

April 12, 2023 12


Pinning Down the ‘One’

• Final two suppliers were issued with a tender document providing the detailed the functional, technical, support and training requirements of a VLE.

• Suppliers were assessed against their response to the tender document by Project Team and Information Gathering and Testing workstream

• Further evaluation of systems with all students and staff able to participate and feedback either via formal evaluation methods or informal.

• Large amount of work on accessibility with internal review

• In tender evaluations one supplier came out: Desire2Learn

April 12, 2023 13


Dotting the ‘i’s and crossing the ‘t’s

• D2L invited to make Best and Final Offer

• A lot of contract negotiations

• And a substantial due diligence – Blackboard Patent Litigation

• Recommendation finally made to VLE Steering Committee to proceed with purchase of Desire2Learn

April 12, 2023 14


A ‘bewildering roller-coaster ride’ -reflections on the Process

• Process of procurement was long but engagement with the various communities that comprise our stakeholders was vital

• We have had academic and professional services engagement all the way through the process.

- ‘Beyond seeing what functionality and new ideas are outside of our world, the process has been both thorough and thought provoking. ….. It's been a journey of discovery and self-discovery that has led us to Desire2Learn, and to a new way of thinking about e-learning in NTU.’ Senior NTU Lecturer

April 12, 2023 15


And would we do it all again?

Yes but…..

• Choosing a VLE vendor with little presence outside North America brings cultural challenges both to NTU and D2L

• Allowing more opportunity to explore how that relationship would develop would have been of benefit to both parties

April 12, 2023 16


Almost One Year On,

• Currently in the process of implementing VLE

• Have taken the workstream approach and stakeholder involvement into this phase.

• Currently in process of upgrading to latest version to enable us to evaluate ePortfolio tool in detail

• Launching system to students in September.

April 12, 2023 17


Thanks to…

Sue McKnight, Director of Libraries and Knowledge Resources

Mark Deeley, VLE Project Manager

VLE Project Team

Technology

Celtic WebCt VLE Presentation