Using Off-Line Solutions for Online and Blended Learning

Brenda Mallinson

Outline

Context & Environment

The Problem

Possible Solutions

Successes & Challenges

Reflection & Discussion

PHEA ETIProject Background

Vision to “support interventions in universities to make increasingly effective use of educational technology to address some of the underlying educational challenges facing the higher

educational sector in Africa”

Time span: 2009-2013

One of the Specific PHEA ETI objectives:• Build academic capacity in quality online course design and

delivery through use of a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)

7 participating sub-Saharan Africa HEIs26 sub-projects 11 involving online / blended courses

University of Ibadan (Nigeria)

University of Jos (Nigeria)

University of Education Winneba (Ghana)

Catholic University of Mozambique (Beira)

University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania)

Kenyatta University (Kenya)

Makerere University (Uganda)

Context• The first experience of engaging with online teaching &

learning for the majority of academics

• Phase B (Implementation) planned for:– Initial Sensitisation – Series of Capacity Building Workshops (over 3 years)

• Interspersed with– Support for Design & Development of online courses– Quality Improvement Process

• Customised for each participating HEI– Environmental Context– Specific Project Purpose

Capacity Building ProgrammeSensitisation

Design & Dev of Effective Online

Courses

Supporting Course Dev & Internal

Reviewing

Multimedia Design &

Development

VLE (Moodle) in Depth

Quality Improvement of Online Courses

Quality Improvement of Multimedia

External Review & Feedback

OER Deployment

Online Facilitation

Moodle Front End Administration

External Team

Support

Internal Team Support

Peer Support

Environmental Problems ExperiencedCourse Developers Students

• Unreliable internet access and limited bandwidth• Unreliable local power supply• Sustained effort required to become familiar with VLE• Off campus access to internet needed for:

* course development / participation* access to course resources

Leading to:

• Interrupted access to own course/s in the VLE• Preferred online course access for development /

participation / engagement taking place mostly on campus (generator & intranet)

• Incurring costs for off-campus (home / café) access• Limited time to become familiar with VLE & course resources• Further exclusion from the affordances of online T&L

Possible Solutions

• Offline version of virtual learning environment

• Enabling access to– Full course with learning pathway– Identical structure and functions– Resources & materials

• Online or synchronization for:– Uploading assignments– Communications e.g. forums

Poodle (Portable Moodle)

• A version of Moodle that mounts on portable drives e.g., USB sticks, memory cards, HDD's, etc.

• Offered at no cost by MAF-LT– http://www.maflt.org/products/poodle

• Leave no electronic fingerprint when proper shutdown procedures are followed

• Installation and setup guide provided• For Moodle v1.9.3 & v2.1 – v2.3?

Outcomes

• VLE Skills development at own pace & in own time• Offline Course development• Training – academic staff and students• Accessing course and resources• Leaves no ‘foot print’ on host device

Successes: (Poodle – offline Moodle)

• Provide each lecturer with a flash stick for course development• ICT support needed to upload from lecturer flash stick to server• Provide each student with their courses on a flash stick• Producing multiple copies – time consuming

Considerations:

• Internet access still needed for communication & interaction• Synchronisation not yet available in Poodle (other initiatives may provide this)

Challenges

Other Offline VLE possibilities• Course / module comprises:– Static resources (materials / resources)– Dynamic activities (communication, engagement)

• Site & Course Management– Authentication, calendar, grades, tracking

• Other solutions (more recent)– Stand Alone Moodle (SAM) – USQ– Jolongo – Offline Moodle (Latin America)– Moodle Offline Project (OU UK)– Moodle Offline Framework (Ngom et al – Senegal)– Offline-Capable Moodle (Alexander et al – Sri lanka)– FlashTrack (TESC) (not Moodle based)

Reflection

• Who are your stakeholders?

• What is the potential impact of online / blended course provision for them?

• How can you develop or enhance processes at your institution to address the challenges?

User Involvement

Executive Management Support

Clear Statement of Requirements

Thank You!Questions?

Brenda Mallinson brendam@saide.org.za

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