What is a Managed Learning Environment?

Universities and colleges use a variety of electronic systems to support their activities. Typically, these include various administrative systems (e.g. for student records, finance, timetabling and accommodation), staff and student email systems, the Library Management System and digital resources, and a virtual learning environment (VLE) which offers a set of functions (Web-based content delivery, discussion, assessment and tracking) to support online learning. Usually, these systems have evolved separately and use different software and different data structures. Often, the ability to share information between them is limited, and students have to interact with each one separately through different interfaces.

The role of a Managed Learning Environment (MLE) is to provide a more learner-centred view, through closer integration of these separate systems. The MLE provides individual students with their own personal interface to the University’s systems, via a Web-based “front-end”, with the information and functions they need, at the times they need them.

The MLE at DMU

In September 2002, DMU completed a JISC-funded project on Managed Learning Environments, producing a demonstration system and general models and guidelines for implementing MLEs. The University has now decided invest in the further development of the MLE, with a view providing it as an operational service to students (selected groups this academic year; all first-year students from this September).

The work is being carried out by the MLE Development Team - a sub-group of the Information Technology Development Group of Information Services and Systems (ISAS) – under the direction of the MLE Corporate Implementation Group, which reports to the Information Services and Systems Committee (ISSC).

There are two strands to the development of an MLE. One involves building an application which can recognise and authenticate individual users, and provide them with secure “joined up” access to the University’s various separate systems. At DMU we are using Web portal technologies to provide this capability (using an open source toolkit called uPortal).

The other strand involves working with closely with the data owners - to devise processes for the electronic transfer of data between systems, and to ensure that the information presented in the MLE is accurate and coherent.

We hope that the MLE will lead to improvements in efficiency and data quality, and become a trusted source of the key information that students need to pursue their studies and participate actively in University life.