Learning and Teaching Committee

Subject: Use of HEFCE e-learning capital funding

Origin: Secretary

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At the previous meeting, the Committee received a report on discussions between the PDQ Team and the DISS Service Directors on possible uses of HEFCE e-learning capital funding. Following further discussions, recommendations were submitted to Operations Sub-Committee and approved by the sub-committee as detailed below:

The recommendations were in two parts.

(1) Initiatives proposed by the DISS Service Directors

Library
Further development of the open learning area
Development of the network infrastructure	16400
Enhancement of the Open3 learning space	11100
Online tutorials for information literacy	3800
Networked backup for the Loughborough Institutional Repository	2500
Improved support for e-learning in group study rooms	2500
Computing Services
Further rollout of wireless networking	100000
Media Services
Portable videoconferencing system	15000
TOTAL	151300

Notes:

(i) Library: Extension of cabled networking into all individual study carrels and group study rooms, and development of a wireless service throughout level 3 of the Library and around the perimeters of levels 1 and 2; enhancement of Open3 space to increase flexibility in supporting group and individual learning; software to support online demonstrations of electronic information services and tutorials in their use; provision of a networked backup solution for learning objects and research output on the institutional repository; installation of data projection facilities in one group study room currently without them.

(ii) Computing Services: SRIF funding has already been obtained to provide wired and wireless networking within the Stewart Mason Building and to provide surveying tools and infrastructure/management equipment to enable rollout of wireless networking across campus. CS are operating a commercial wireless networking service for imago and conference delegates at Burleigh Court and Sir Denis Rooke; and funding obtained from the HEFCE Learning and Teaching Infrastructure Fund will allow wireless networking to be rolled out as part of a larger project to refurbish pool lecture theatres and seminar rooms.

The extension of wireless networking envisaged here would constitute a third phase. It would be targeted at meeting rooms and other shared spaces used for teaching and learning and less formal gatherings of staff and students. Computing Services will take advice from its ‘Mobile IT Advisory Group’ and discuss with PDQ the most effective use of the sum budgeted. A key decision will be the number of buildings to be given wireless coverage, as this affects the scale of fixed infrastructural costs relative to the number of access points. If all University buildings are to have wireless potential, the fixed costs will be £50k; there would then be sufficient budget to install approximately 85 access points, permitting, for example, the wireless networking of some 50 meeting rooms which are available for booking, together with a further 35 access nodes in other spaces where students work singly or in groups.

(iii) Media Services: The Director of Media Services provided a report on the provision and use of videoconferencing facilities on the campus. This is currently very limited and does not support a strong case for significant expenditure. However, the purchase of a portable videoconferencing system for experimentation for use in the James France and Stewart Mason Buildings (where technical support can be provided) would encourage applications and provide more operating experience.

PDQ also recommended that the e-learning funding be used to reimburse central funds for the cost of Physics’ videoconferencing link to Leicester. This figure is included in the table in section 2 below; however, subsequent advice from Finance Office is that the e-learning funds should not be applied retrospectively.

(2) Development of core services

PDQ recommended that the bulk of the remaining funding be earmarked (a) for the development of ‘Learn’, the University’s VLE, and (b) for upgrading the Computer Assisted Assessment (CAA) software, Questionmark Perception, to the next version. The residual sum would be held back for contingencies and/or other possible applications, until the costs of these developments have been finalised.

Development of the VLE to draw on open source materials	80000
Upgrade of CAA to QMP Version 4	20000
Physics – reimbursement of funds provided for videoconferencing link to Leicester	10000
Other work/Contingency	31800
TOTAL	141800

Notes:

(i) Future of ‘Learn’ as the University’s VLE

The HEFCE announcement of the funding allocation for e-learning has coincided with discussions on the possible replacement of ‘Learn’ as the University’s VLE. This is discussed elsewhere on the current LTC agenda.

(ii) CAA

Version 4 of ‘Questionmark Perception’ has now been released. Version 3 will receive no further development by the vendors and the product will become ‘desupported’ in May 2007. The upgrade will require significant University input, the capacity to provide which has not yet been identified. PDQ has recommended that a sum of £20k be set aside to move ahead with the upgrade when a satisfactory solution is found.