study of environments to support e- learning in uk further and ... - Jisc

ANNEX 2 - SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE (2003 VERSION)
MANAGED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT ACTIVITY IN UK FURTHER AND HIGHER EDUCATION
This survey seeks to identify the current picture in UK Further and Higher Education Institutions with
regard to issues of integration of business processes, services and systems in support of learning and
teaching. In many institutions this has become known as a “Managed Learning Environment” (MLE).
However this is a very new area of educational development and as such the terms used are not
always understood in the same way by those operating in the field. For the purpose of this survey the
focus is to identify the extent of this integration and how the whole range of e-learning systems can
and do fit together.
Key terms frequently used in this process are:
Managed Learning Environment (MLE) refers to the whole range of information systems and
processes of an institution (including its VLE if it has one) that contribute directly or indirectly to
learning and the management of that learning.
Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) refers to the component(s) within an MLE that provides the
“online” interactions of various kinds which can take place between learners and tutors, including
online learning.
Portal is a network service that brings together diverse/distributed content and services into an
amalgamated form for presentation to the user. The presentation is usually via a web browser and can
be customised and personalised for the individual user.
The precise terms used may or may not reflect those used by your institution – don’t worry, the aim of
the survey is to look at the functionality of your systems, whatever they happen to be called. The
research team are as interested in institutions that have done little or no work in this area as in those
that have developed an MLE.
Completing the questionnaire
The questionnaire has been given to you as someone with an institution-wide perspective. However,
you may need to consult with colleagues on some of the more detailed questions, for example, those
about VLEs. Other institutions that have helped develop the questionnaire have found it can take an
hour or two to complete the questionnaire.
There is an online version of the questionnaire available via the study web-site (www.mlestudy.ac.uk)
Should you require further copies to hand around to colleagues then a word version can be
downloaded from the study web-site.
If you have any questions then please get in touch with the survey helpline at The Research
Partnership on 08707 448801 or mlesurvey@researchpartnership.org.uk
If you do contact us then it would help to quote your reference number, which is ……………..
Please return the completed questionnaire to The Research Partnership in the reply paid envelope
provided, by Friday 14 th March.
99