The presentation discusses extending learning environments through widgets, apps, and gadgets. It provides background on JISC CETIS' view of the timeline of learning environments and recent projects investigating how institutions can widen the functionality of their VLEs. Case studies are in development examining topics like institutional transformation of learning environments and integrating student marks within the learning environment. The discussion focuses on engaging the teaching and learning community around new approaches and what widgets, apps, and gadgets attendees would like to see in institutional learning environments.

1. Learning and Teaching Experts Meeting 24 April 2012
Presenter or main title…
Extending the learning environment
Session Title or subtitle…
Paul Bailey Sheila MacNeill
Programme Manager JISC CETIS

2. How can WAGS (Widgets,
apps and gadgets) and
Mash-Ups allow you to
extend your learning
environment?

3. Background
 Learning Environments Timeline: The JISC CETIS view
Posted on April 16, 2012
http://blogs.cetis.ac.uk/othervoices/2012/04/16/learning-
environments-timeline-the-jisc-cetis-view/
 JISC CETIS Briefing paper “Distributed Learning
Environments” (Feb 2010) - set a vision
 Distributed Learning Environments (July 2010 – Mar 2012)
– investigating how institutions can widen the functionality of their
VLEs in an interoperable way
– Funded 8 projects
– http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/programmes/elearning/distributed
vle.aspx
24/04/2012| Slide 3

4. Extending the Learning Environment
“It is important that colleges
use all the resources and
assets available to them as
effectively as possible,
including better use of virtual
learning environments and the
opportunities they afford”
John Widdowson, Chair of the Mixed
Economy Group of colleges
24/04/2012| Slide 4

5. Case Studies
In development a series of supporting case studies (June 2012):
 institutional transformation of learning environments
 improving the student experience through better administrative
information
 User benefits of a portfolios widget integration with Blackboard
 Integrating student marks within the learning environment
 Cost effective integration of “minority tools”
 Supporting Widgets for Inclusive Distributed Environments
 Student Choice- Linking Google and Moodle
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/programmes/divle/dvlecasest
udies.aspx
24/04/2012| Slide 5

6. Sharing Solutions
http://widgets.open.ac.uk:8080/ 24/04/2012| Slide 6

7. Supporting Developer
http://devcsi.ukoln.ac.uk/upcoming-events/dev8ed/
24/04/2012| Slide 7

8. Discussion
 Ideas for engaging the teaching and learning community around the
new approaches to learning environments
 What Widgets, Apps and gadgets would you like to see in your
institutional learning environment?
 Webinar: The future of web applications, 9 May
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/events/2012/05webinarwebapplications.aspx
Contact:
Paul Bailey p.bailey@jisc.ac.uk
Sheila MacNeill s.macneill@strath.ac.uk 24/04/2012| Slide 8

9. © HEFCE 2011
The Higher Education Funding Council for England,
on behalf of JISC, permits reuse of this presentation
and its contents under the terms of the Creative Commons
Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivative Works 2.0 UK
England & Wales Licence.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/uk
24/04/2012 slide 9