Some background for the MLE/PLE debate - usage of Blackboard at the University of Brighton

MLE = Managed Learning Environment (like a VLE with admin systems integration)
equiv to LMS = Learning Management System
VLE = Virtual Learning Environment
PLE = Personal Learning Environment
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At the University of Brighton we've been using Blackboard as our institution-wide Managed Learning Environment for nearly 7 full academic years. We refer to the service presented to students as "studentcentral" which consists primarily of Blackboard as the portal system and learning environment but also includes many other services presented through the same interface.

We have a fully integrated set-up, by which I mean all user records are automatically created and maintained by integration with our student records system (SITS), personnel systems and LDAP. All module registrations are automated, also from SITS. All student enrolment takes place via tabs linking to eVision, using roles fed from the central systems. Access to all student support information, library records etc is also presented through studentcentral. Students who accept an offer of a place at Brighton are given access to the "New Students Area" on studentcentral in the May before they start their course. We have our own social networking site, Community@Brighton (using Elgg software) which is also integrated into studentcentral with single sign-on, and Blackboard modules can link through to Community areas and vice versa.

There has been a lot of effort to centralise all online services that students might require to have access via studentcentral - we have a marketing budget for studentcentral, and use this to ensure every person in the University is aware of what studentcentral is and what they can expect to find there.

(Nearly) all schools, course, modules/units have a presence on studentcentral at some level, and these provide a minimum set of resources (staff contacts, timetables, module outline) etc> This is mostly administrative information, and in many cases the links to it are provided automatically.

We have something like 5000+ active course areas and 25,000+ active users. Blackboard makes it relatively easy to manage this quantity of courses and users, nad make sure the right people have the right access to the right things without much manual work.

We have evaluated and (in a few cases) developed a set of building blocks to extend the functionality of Blackboard, meaning we can offer secure blogs and wikis within courses allowing the security of Blackboard but the functionality of social networking tools, or the choice of more open blogs (allowing wider readership and collaboration) by linking from the course to Community@Brighton.

Blackboard is not a VLE

I've been struggling this week with a conflict of two personal beliefs that:
1. the future for our students will be based around a Personal Learning Environment where they have full control of everything they choose to see and share and the tools they wish to use...
and
2. the increasing usage of Blackboard (in our current case) as a Managed Learning Environment and the desire for the University to mandate usage and set minimum baselines of how Blackboard is used within each and every course here.

This conflict has been brought up by a discussion I took part in on Mike Bogle's blog about his Reflections on the LMS (LMS = Learning Management System, MLE in our language). He makes the point that "consistency" (ie the mandated baseline I mention above) doesn't equate to a nurturing learning environment for students, which of course it doesn't.

Mike's post brought about a response from Lisa Lane, who posted "Why an LMS?". Lisa clearly identifies the two things an MLE provides above anything else as the Gradebook and protected Copyright material. And those are two compelling reasons - nothing to do with the learning - for an institution to have an MLE because we couldn't do without them.

I want to think about my terminology in justifying why I think there is a place for Blackboard. Blackboard doesn't have to be where the learning takes place, but it is an excellent Course Management System. An authoritative, authenticated, integrated place for students to start - which can then link off to whatever wonderful tools the students and tutors do want to use for sharing/collaborating/discussing.

I think my role as a developer is to keep looking at ways of improving and providing choice to the students and tutors - whether that be ways students can pick up their Blackboard content via other portals/devices/mash-ups etc or ways that tutors can experiment with new tools and tie that back to Blackboard for ease of access.

I'm still working this through in my head, and trying to balance this with the range of uses and users we have here. In many MANY cases, Blackboard is exactly what they want - a structured delivery system. So I can't join the anti-MLE brigade quite yet, but I shall try and provide a bridge between the camps for a while.

I reserve the right to change my mind about this when I read some more compelling comments no doubt on Mike and Lisa's posts!