Embedding the Virtual Training Suite into a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)
Institutional setting
Author: Andy Ramsden, Learning Technology Adviser, University of Bristol
Andy Ramsden is a Learning Technology Adviser in the Learning Technology Support Service at the University of Bristol. In this capacity he has responsibility for training academics on the technical and pedagogical use of Virtual Learning Environments to support their teaching, in particular the use of the Blackboard VLE.
This case study will focus primarily on the use of the Blackboard VLE. However, to account for educational establishments using different versions or different VLEs the author will also include the HTML equivalents where appropriate.
Purpose of the case study
The aims of the case study are to
- Discuss some of the broad issues surrounding embedding a third party resource, such as the VTS into your VLE
- Demonstrate a selection of techniques by which the VTS can be embedded into a VLE. This will range from the use of a hyperlink to how the hyperlinked items can be incorporated into eLearning activities delivered through the discussion board or online assessment facilities.
It is felt that this case study compliments the others within the series by giving practical advice on how best to embed the VTS within an online environment to achieve the aims outlined in the other case studies.
It is envisaged that the expected audience will be anyone who has an interest in, or the responsibility for, the design and development of eLearning activities based on the VTS that are delivered through a VLE.
Embedding the VTS into your VLE
Embedding a resource into a VLE can take various forms depending on the resource, for instance it can be linked to or uploaded. However, there are compatibility problems between the VTS's re-usable learning objects which are based on an IMS compliant code and Blackboard which only allows the importing of IMS compliant data through the Building Blocks technology.
Therefore, the simplest and most effective method by which to embed the VTS into your VLE is to make a hyperlink from the eLearning activity in the VLE to the VTS web site.
Issues of linking to the VTS web site
As previously discussed the simplest method to embed the VTS into your VLE is to create a hyperlink to the VTS web site. However, this method still requires that the person developing the activity should adopt the current good practice associated with linking to a resource in terms of copyright, usability and accessibility.
The issue of copyright
Copyright is a form of protecting the work of the author from other people exploiting the material and therefore their work.
The copyright statement on the VTS web site (http:www.vts.rdn.ac.uk/copyright.htm) states that the VTS has been developed through JISC funding for the benefit of further and higher education communities in the UK. The resource can be freely used for non-commercial academic and research purposes in the UK and elsewhere. Any other use is prohibited without the prior permission of the copyright owner.
This implies that assuming your VLE course is for non-commercial educational use, then in principle you will not require written permission to create the hyperlink from your VLE to the VTS. However, it is good practice to make the VTS team aware of how its resources are being used.
An associated issue with creating links from the VLE to the VTS is one of deep linking. Deep linking occurs when there is a direct link to a specific page, for instance, a tour in the Business Studies tutorial, and this does not link to the resources home page. Many sites are concerned with deep linking as the material can be taken out of context of the whole sites as the reader is unaware of other material on the web site. A work around is to include some instructional information for the student that clearly flags up where they can gain more information from browsing the complete resource. In this case the simplest method is to include a second link to the VTS home page.
Example text:
Click on the link to access the tour on the Business Studies VTS tutorial. To find out more about the VTS and in particular the other subject areas covered visit the VTS home page (http://www.vts.rdn.ac.uk/)
The issue of usability
A second concern when embedding a web resource into a VLE is one of usability. In particular, does the method of embedding the resource reduce the quality of the student experience and therefore the likelihood of achieving the intended learning outcomes? This is a particular problem in terms of student navigation through a resource. For instance, many VLEs use a left side frame for the course navigation. If the resource which is being linked to also has a left side navigation then the student can be confused by the large number of buttons, while also having to scroll because of the reduced screen area for non-navigation content. This problem is illustrated in the screenshot.
Therefore, the Blackboard navigation when combined with the VTS left navigation is potentially distracting for the student, whilst it may also lead to confusion and frustration if the student uses the wrong navigation. This creates an environment that is not conducive to the student having a high quality learning experience.
There are two methods in Blackboard Version 6 to overcome this problem. Firstly you could advise the student to toggle the Blackboard navigation bar off when linking to the VTS, and then re-activate the navigation bar once the student has returned to the main Blackboard course. This toggle can be achieved through the arrow at the top left side of the navigation area.
Alternatively, the link could be designed so that the VTS would open in a new browser window.
It can be argued that either of these approaches is superior to the combination of left navigation bars. The success is dependent on informing students what will happen if they click the link and how to easily navigate back to the VLE course.
Example text:
Please note, when you click on any hyperlinks to a VTS Tutorial a new browser window will open to display the web page. The use of the second window is to reduce potential confusion of linking the two courses together. To access the VLE course you will need to select the appropriate link on the task bar at the bottom of the screen.
The issue of accessibility
The final issue to be discussed in this case study is the issue of accessibility. Improving the accessibility of a resource is concerned with minimizing or removing the barriers that an individual may face in accessing the resource. Making educational material accessible to all users has been enforced by UK Legislation in the from of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SENDA).
A key concern for the individual developing the VLE course is to ensure that the third party resource is accessible. In the case of the VTS the problem should be minimized as the VTS has taken steps to ensure that the resource is compliant with SENDA through the adoption of the W3C WAI standards. However, it is good practice for the person developing the VLE to include an accessibility statement for students that clearly identifies who to contact if they are having problems accessing the material.
Example text:
The eLearning activities include links to other resources, in particular to VTS Tutorials. If you are having difficulty accessing any of the material on this course or linked web material then please contact Bobby Slater on ex 5555 to discuss alternatives
How to link to the VTS from your VLE
Most VLEs offer different means of linking to external web resources. In the case of Blackboard this includes either using the Blackboard external link interface which can be accessed through the control panel, or by inserting the appropriate HTML within the item. This section will outline both.
Creating a hyperlink to the VTS using the Blackboard interface
When you've selected Add Item, select Add URL. You will then be required to complete an online form (as illustrated below).
Under the Options area, an important decision to make is "Launch item in external window". This is where you need to minimize the degree of potential confusion with the navigation.
Creating a hyperlink to the VTS using HTML
The creation of an html link includes two steps. Firstly, identify which page you wish to link to within the VTS and then copying the URL which is displayed within the Internet browsers address window.
The second step is to create the item in which you wish to include you link. Then where you want to place the link, type;
<a href="address">click to access the VTS</a>
Then you need to replace the word address in the <> code with the URL of the VTS page to which you wish to link. For instance, a link to the VTS copyright statement page would be;
<a href="http:www.vts.rdn.ac.uk/copyright.htm">click to access the VTS</a>
You can also use this technique to allow you to make the link open a new browser window. This can be achieved through including target="blank" after the URL. For instance;
<a href="http:www.vts.rdn.ac.uk/copyright.htm" target="blank">click to access the VTS</a>
An example of embedding the VTS into a Blackboard VLE course via a hyperlink, which accounts for the issue of copyright, usability and accessibility is illustrated in the screenshot.
How you could embed the VTS in your VLEs eLearning tools
The creation of a hyperlink with a set of instructions is a very simple way of embedding the VTS into your VLE. However, this approach tends to encourage the student to simply click and read. This is a concern as it is unlikely to engage and motivate the student in a worthwhile learning experience. Therefore, a crucial determinant in successfully embedding the VTS into the VLE is to have an etivity that is suitably designed.
Embedding the VTS in a discussion board
A common method in VLE courses of encouraging the student to reflect and promote deeper learning is to use the discussion board. This approach is often used to re-enforce the outcomes of face to face sessions through developing ideas but giving more time for the reflection process.
Embedding the VTS in an online assessment engine
Most VLEs include an online assessment engine that can be used for either summative or formative assessment. It may be more beneficial for the educational process if the VTS online quiz was available in the VLE. This would allow the storage of results and adding local value or context in terms of the lecturer adding their thoughts in the feedback. Therefore, the VLE course designer could write a set of questions based on the VTS tutorial. Alternatively, they could contact the VTS and ask permission to use the questions in the available online quiz.
Conclusions and recommendations
The first conclusion is that the VTS is easily embedded within a VLE through the creation of a hyperlink. The adoption of current good practice in the realms of copyright, usability and accessibility can enhance the link.
The second conclusion is that the degree of sophistication in terms of meeting the desired learning outcomes can be improved if the eLearning activity is not simply a click and read activity but is designed to use the tools within the VLE. In particular, if the activities use the communication and assessment tools. A future development that would be appreciated is the ability to import the VTS quiz questions into the VLE assessment engine so that a record of the student attempt could be stored in the VLE gradebook.
The third conclusion is that the case study highlights that the integration through a link is not satisfactory as it offers a potential area of confusion for the student. A future development that might be appreciated in particular by Blackboard Enterprise users would be the release of the VTS as a building block or course cartridge.