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Learning objects and learning design
Learning interaction and networked communities
Informal eLearning
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The TISCAM Project (Training for Innovation in Supply Chain Management) has developed a framework and course materials for a virtual university. It was designed to deliver Masters-level courses to learners in the workplace, via the Internet. The courses developed have been piloted with managers in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

The project was funded by the EU ESF-ADAPT programmes, and involved a large number of partners who collaborated in its development: Universities provided course materials and acted as Regional Delivery Centres; a commercial software house developed and maintained the online delivery system and technically developed the materials; another organisation provided the overall project management.

TISCAM materials are modular, enabling a number of learning pathways to be followed. Each module consists of 100 hours of study, and is broken down into 10 units of approximately 10 hours duration. Learners have the flexibility to choose where, when and for how long they study.

The TISCAM online learning environment

The Learning Technology Research Institute's role in the project has been in providing expertise in the development of learning materials and learner support systems. This role has involved close liaison and development between the authors of the materials, the technical developers and the Regional Delivery Centres. Work has largely focused on these areas.

• The development of a pedagogic framework to suit the characteristics of the courses, in that they are required to be delivered and supported online to learners in their workplace, vocationally relevant, and able to offer a number of pathways for learners to gain credits or awards for their studies.
• The design of a framework for learner support systems: guidelines for the different types and amount of support learners will require and how this support should be provided.
• Production of guidelines to underpin and shape the developing processes and systems: for authors, learners, tutors, mentors regional facilitators; regional delivery centres; accreditation.
• Providing quality control on the pedagogic effectiveness of the learning materials.
• Drafting of guides for learners, tutors and in-company mentors to accompany the materials in the online delivery system.

Much of this development work has involved an iterative process, starting with guidelines based on theoretical and best practice models. These models have been adapted throughout the project, as practice and experience emerged, to accommodate the requirements of the learners, the individual participants engaged in project development, and the project objectives overall. Through this process we have gathered much useful research data on the development of large-scale course development for a virtual university, which has been published in a number of papers.

Relevant papers:

Bradley, C., and Oliver, M., (2002), The evolution of pedagogic models for work-based learning within a virtual university, Computers and Education, 38 (1-3), pp. 37-52

Bradley, C., and Oliver, M., (2002), Developing e-learning courses for work-based learning, proceedings of the 11th International World Wide Web Conference, Honolulu, May 7-11 | paper online | proceedings on CD-ROM: ISBN 1-880672-20-0 | Powerpoint slides |

Bradley, C., and Boyle, T., (2001), The development of an online course for a virtual university, ED-MEDIA 2001, World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia & Telecommunications, June 25-30, Tampere, Finland, AACE

Bradley, C., (2001), The development of online courses in supply chain management, paper presented at the 8th EDINEB International Conference, June 20-22, Nice, France

Bradley, C., and Oliver, M., (2001), Evolving pedagogic models for work-based learning with a virtual university, Computers and Learning (CAL 2001), April 2-4, Coventry | Powerpoint slides |

Contact details

Claire Bradley
Learning Technology Research Institute
London Metropolitan University
35 Kingsland Road, London, E2 8AA
Email: c.bradley@londonmet.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)207 749 3756
Fax: +44 (0)207 749 3781
WWW: http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/ltri

Last updated 21 December, 2010