Proposal

 

Tender for JISC-funded critical analysis of the issues concerning the linking of VLEs and Digital Libraries

 

1. Submission and Contact Details

Submitted by: Information Strategy Directorate, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow
Contact: Sharron Brown, INSPIRAL Research Assistant, Centre for Digital Library Research (CDLR), Andersonian Library, University of Strathclyde, 101 St. James Road, Glasgow, G4 0NS
Email: sharron.brown@strath.ac.uk
Phone: 0141 548 4753
Fax: 0141 548 2102

2. Evidence of Understanding

The Centre for Educational Systems (CES) has been at the forefront of developments in the area of Virtual Learning Environments since the Clyde Virtual University (CVU) was founded in 1995. This initiative is now offering the following production services to a large number of students across several institutions in the west of Scotland:

  • online synchronous and asynchronous discussions using First Class and several web-based forums
  • online formative and summative assessment using the custom built Miranda assessment engine
  • hosting of interactive web-based learning materials
  • hosting the electronic library developed by the CATRIONA II project

An integrated registration and access system has been built around most of these tools.

The University of Strathclyde’s Managed Learning Environment initiative is examining ways in which these services can be integrated with existing management information systems such as the student records system and the financial information system. CES has a heavy involvement in this project and is currently leading the way in several associated areas, as detailed in appendix 1.

The key source of University of Strathclyde expertise in the digital and hybrid libraries areas is the Centre for Digital Library Research , who will advise the project as appropriate. The CDLR was formed in August 1999, with the aim of bringing together long-standing University research interests in the digital information area previously spread across two University departments: the University's Directorate of Information Strategy, which includes the Library and the Centre for Educational Systems, and the Department of Information Science. The key aims of the CDLR are to 'combine theory with practice in innovative ways' and be 'a centre of excellence on digital libraries issues ranging from information policy and information retrieval to document storage technologies and standards'. A list of current CDLR or CDLR associated projects is provided in appendix 1.

3. Aims and Key Deliverables

The overall aims of the project are to:

  1. identify stakeholders who will be affected by issues regarding the linkage of VLEs and Digital Libraries, and encourage those stakeholders to raise and debate these issues.
  2. identify the relevant issues pertaining to the interaction (both perceived and possible) between VLEs, MLEs and Digital Libraries
  3. critically analyse identified issues, using the collated experiences of stakeholders and current practise, the output of previous and current projects, and the increasing amount of research undertaken into these issues.
  4. report on the issues to both the funders and the wider communities on whom these issues impact.

Key deliverable 1: Web site

The project web site will be constructed and mounted on the JISC web site (subject to negotiation), and maintained by the project administrator in conjunction with the DNER. Locating the project web site within the JISC web site will help to promote the project; due to the short timescale of the project, it is essential to raise awareness amongst relevant stakeholders with haste.

The "interactive forum" described in the original proposal has been dropped. In its place, we shall mount an online questionnaire (which requires less maintenance), through which people will be encouraged to describe their MLE needs and experiences. The focus of the questionnaire will be oriented towards the Higher Education learner, as it is their experiences, needs and views that are of most importance to the study.

Key deliverable 2: Interviews, workshops and focus groups

In the early stages of the project, interviews will take place with key stakeholders identified by the project, advisory group and the DNER (see Gantt chart tasks 12 and 13). These will provide a sound base, "starting points" and areas of priority for deeper investigative work, in follow-up interviews (tasks 19 to 20), desk-based research (tasks 21, 25 and 26), and workshops and focus groups (tasks 27 to 32).

The series of three well advertised, geographically dispersed and structured workshops will act as a "directed facilitator", through which stakeholders can either raise new issues, or discuss issues previously raised. In addition, there will be three smaller focus groups, which will be used more as a "sounding base" for issues arising from workshops, individual and one-to-one interviews, and case study work. As stakeholders will attend workshops and focus groups at their own cost, and many do not have convenient access to video conferencing, we envisage holding workshops in academic institutions in Birmingham, London and Glasgow, and focus groups in Cardiff, Hull and Loughborough, so as to reduce time and travel expenditure.

To avoid a low attendance at the focus groups and workshops due to the summer holidays, three will be held in June/early July, and three in September. The earlier three will have a slightly more "information gathering" slant, whilst the latter three will have a slightly more "analysing issues previously raised" angle.

Key deliverable 3: Final report

The key deliverable arising from the project will be a learner-oriented report on the issues relating to the linkage of VLEs and Digital Libraries. The report will contain:

  1. an overview of the strategic aims of the JISC (as analysed in task 3), cross-referenced to how these aims can be fulfilled by VLE, MLE and DL developments, infrastructure and systems
  2. identified VLE, MLE and DL stakeholders. For each group of stakeholders, the report will list their characteristics as relevant to MLE development.
  3. an analysis of the needs of the learner (this is inherent across many tasks, and therefore not specified as a sole task in the Gantt chart), with respect to VLEs, MLEs and DLs
  4. an overview of some of the VLE, DL and MLE systems currently being used by learners in UK Higher Education.
  5. a minimum of four case studies to illustrate the findings of the analysis. One of these case studies will focus on a US-based scenario; another will focus on a UK FE-based scenario; another should focus on a UK HE-based scenario where significant problems (for the learner) occurred in creating a true Managed Learning Environment. All of the case studies will be analysed, and reported, from the point of view of the learner: how has the experience of the learner been enhanced by their local MLE?
  6. a summary of the critical / key issues, detailing related problems, methods and solutions practised elsewhere, as identified through research, interviews, focus groups and workshops by:

    learners
    UK Higher Education institutions
    UK Further Education institutions
    hybrid library developers
    US digital library developers
    content developers
    funders and other external bodies
    other key stakeholders as identified by the project

  7. a prioritisation of these issues, from the point of view of the (Higher Education) learner, stating how each issue impacts on the learner.
  8. recommendations of priority areas for future study and strategic investment. These recommendations will again be oriented to HE-learner focused areas that need to be further studied, or (especially) developed; however, they will also be of relevance to the FE-learner community.
  9. best practise guidelines / recommendations for the linkage of VLEs and DLs to produce MLEs. These guidelines will be devised for the benefit of Higher Educational institutions, but will also be of benefit to FE institutions. They will focus not on technical aspects, but on learner-oriented aspects, covering issues such as learner IT training, online support, and the efficient usage of hybrid library (print and screen) environments by learners.
  10. a short comparison of the "state" of MLE development in the UK, as opposed to overseas (especially the US).
  11. a bibliography, containing details of other research in this area, key contacts (both in the UK and overseas), and a listing of VLE, MLE and DL tools and systems mentioned in the project.

5. Methodology

Preliminary work

  1. A more detailed and defined "scope" of the subject area is agreed with the funding body (task 1).
  2. The project web site, incorporating a learner-focused fill-in questionnaire form, is established (task 7).
  3. Various project promotional activities are undertaken – see section 6 of this document.
  4. The advisory/steering group and communication procedures are established; the closed advisory mailing list is set up (task 2), and as an "ice breaker" the first discussion will be for the group to think of a suitable name/acronym for the project (task 6).
  5. Identification of the key stakeholders in VLE, MLE and DL development takes place (task 4).
  6. An analysis of the strategic aims of the JISC, with an especial focus on those that impinge on the Higher Education learner, VLE, MLE and DL development, is conducted by the project, with the significant input of the advisory group and the DNER (task 3).
  7. In order to gauge the scope and importance of the "issue base", as well as an initial list of issues of greater importance, initial interviews will be held with representatives from the following major stakeholders (task 12):
  • JISC (e.g. JCEI, JISC Committee for Electronic Information, and the MLE project)
  • JISC-funded digital library services
  • HE/FE library contacts outwith the UK (especially in the USA)
  • major content providers
  • major VLE resellers
  • one or two HE and FE learners
  • other people who have studied MLE development

  • The project will work closely with the DNER on the selection of people for these initial interviews.

8. The findings from the initial interviews are reported back to the advisory/steering group (task 13).

Capturing issues

  1. Initial stakeholder interviews are held (see preliminary work, point 7)
  2. Three workshops are held in the UK to capture issues; problems and potential solutions pertaining to these issues will also be discussed (tasks 28, 30 and 32)
  3. Three smaller focus groups are held in the UK, one consisting entirely of HE and FE learners (tasks 27,29 and 31). These will have a more "analysing the issues and problems" focus than the workshops
  4. One-on-one interviews are held with a number of stakeholders (tasks 19 and 20). Some interviews will be with HE learners, including both users and non-users of MLE systems
  5. A review of the large body of literature pertaining to the scope of the work is coordinated by the co-managers and carried out by the researcher and senior researcher (task 25)
  6. The steering/advisory group members, using their backgrounds and experiences, identify issues and related information e.g. solutions, stakeholders on whom issues impact
  7. The fill-in questionnaire on the web site elicits issues pertaining to the study (task 16)
  8. The project identifies suitable (i.e. relevant, scalable, transferable results) events, incidents and associated stakeholders, for case study work.

Critical analysis of issues

  1. The steering/advisory board receive details of issues identified by the project as they become apparent, and provide their own comments and suggestions pertaining to these issues
  2. The issues for institutions are investigated by the researcher in close collaboration with the project co-managers and the advisory/steering group. Work on identifying issues from an institutional perspective, via research and telephone/email questioning, is undertaken (tasks 17 and 18)
  3. Desk research into what happens outwith ac.uk is undertaken, with some guidance from the US representative on the advisory group (task 21)
  4. The researcher and senior researcher analyse the output of focus groups, workshops and one-on-one interviews (tasks 13, 19 and 20). 5.Initial findings of the project are analysed and transformed into the interim report (tasks 22 to 24).

Case studies

  1. From the interviews (task 12) and institutional issues work (tasks 17 and 18), at least four case studies are chosen
  2. Desk research and interviews (telephone, email) with stakeholders and organisations directly involved in the events described by the case studies is undertaken (task 26).

"Best Practice" guidelines for the linkage of VLEs and DLs

  1. Particular focused research on the solution to issues and problems pertaining to linkage within UK Higher Education Institutions is undertaken, drawing on the investigative work in tasks 17 and 18
  2. Desk research into existing guidelines within and outwith the UK is undertaken.
  3. "Best Practice" guidelines are created, and refined by the advisory/steering group (task 33).

Production of study report

  1. An interim progress report is produced (tasks 22 to 24). This is discussed by the advisory group and the DNER, with considerable feedback to the project team. The report will focus heavily on the issues identified to date, and will assist the advisory group and DNER in prioritising which issues should be more heavily researched in the latter stages of the project
  2. A draft final report is prepared and discussed with the DNER
  3. The advisory/steering group will discuss findings on a continual basis
  4. The report will be finalised and submitted to the DNER (task 34)
  5. A presentation is given to the DNER to allow further questioning of the project team (tasks 36 and 37).

6. Dissemination

  1. The primary (static) means of dissemination will be the project web site (tasks 7 and 15). As previously described, this will be mounted on the JISC web site, and linked to and from many related service and project sites. The final report and the web site will be archived for future, open, reference
  2. A mailing list will be established through which the project will be announced, workshops and focus groups advertised, and updates on the project in general posted
  3. A press release will be despatched (see task 10 on the Gantt chart), via email and post, to key stakeholders and organisations
  4. Flyers outlining the project will be created and despatched (task 14) to relevant workshops, conferences and other events likely to be attended by stakeholders
  5. Short news articles will be submitted (by the project researcher) to publications, identified by the advisory/steering group (task 5), which relevant stakeholders are likely to read (task 11). The final report (task 35 on Gantt chart) will be mounted on the web site and widely publicised
  6. A presentation (tasks 37 and 38 on Gantt chart) will be undertaken to the DNER / funding body in the final week of the project, in order to give opportunity for further questioning of the project team regarding the project findings
  7. Summative articles will be written (task 36) for those publications identified in task 5.

7. Project Management Procedures

  1. The project will be informally managed, using Microsoft Project
  2. The researcher and the co-managers will meet twice weekly; taking account of holidays, this should equate to 40-44 meetings over the duration of the project
  3. Crucially, the researcher will be in frequent contact with members of the advisory/steering group, both individually, and collectively through a closed mailing list
  4. The DNER will be represented on the advisory/steering group, and therefore will be party to internal communications. In addition, the project co-managers and researcher will visit the funding body on two occasions during the project to provide updates and clarify direction, and once at the end of the project to present the findings of the work
  5. The advisory/steering group will meet twice. The first meeting will be held towards the start of the project, in London; the second, towards the end of the project in Glasgow (this may be timed to tie in, for the convenience of attendees, with the ALT-C conference, at which this project may also present). The second meeting will be attended by the US representative of the advisory group. We have deliberately not committed to firm dates for the meetings at this stage, as the exact time should be decided by the advisory group as soon as the project starts, to maximise attendance at, and usefulness of, the meetings. However, most communication will be via email, and also through "back to back" meetings with local steering group members around the time and location of the regional workshops and focus groups. This will greatly reduce both the travel time, and expense, typically incurred by steering group meetings
  6. A short summary of work done will be sent to the funding body at the end of each working week.

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