Note: This information is taken from the TALL Desk Study

Vendor

UKeU with the platform developed by Sun Microsystems

Context

The UK e-Universities initiative collapsed in 2004, and the technology platform faces an uncertain future. This being the case, the mapping of the UKeU to the JISC ELF is not highly detailed, as it is not expected to be relevant in any institution’s selection of software.

The platform was designed to be modular, although it is unclear how well that was carried through to implementation. There is a clear separation between the parts of the platform for authoring (LCMS) and studying (LMS), enforced by the use of IMS-style content packages to transport content between the two.

Relevance

The failure of the UKeU is a good example of the need for collaborative open source efforts in UK e-learning. The practicalities of building a system which is all-encompassing are too complex. A scalable technology infrastructure which can grow as student numbers (and revenue) increase is clearly what is required. In this sense the UKeU is relevant to HEIs and FEIs in demonstrating that it is only by collaborating across institutions that we will be able to move forward in e-learning and in the technology that supports it. The ELF hopes to become a focus for that collaboration.

Features not directly related to ELF

None identified.