1. Mapping Curricula: the UK experience IMS GLC Utrecht, February 2011 Professor Mark Stubbs Head of Learning & Research Technologies Manchester Metropolitan University m.stubbs@mmu.ac.uk | http://twitter.com/thestubbsTuesday, February 15, 2011 1

2. UK Context Undergraduate applications managed by a Shared Service: UCAS (0.5M+ applicants to 300+ institutions p.a.) which aggregates learning opportunities to provide central search, information, advice & guidance; facilitates one-stop-shop application to multiple HEIs (based on learner preferences and HEI offers); tracks status of applications; establishes contract between learner and HEI when offer criteria fulfilled by results; facilitates data transfer for successful applicants into HEIs 2

3. UK Context | more Informed ChoiceMany prospective students do not get adequate advice or informationto help them choose a course of studyBrowne, Oct 2010 In our 2008 report, we suggested that universities should publish a standard set of information setting out what students can expect from their academic programme we are pleased to see that the coalition government will be taking this forward National Student Forum, Annual Report 2010The consultation proposes that providers of higher educationshould review their approach to publishing information forprospective students. It suggests that a standardised set of keyfacts for each course should be published on institutions web-sites. closes Mar 7This information would be called the Key Information Set (KIS)HEFCE, Dec 2010

4. Informed Choice | not a new agenda In 2005, UCAS supported a JISC project to address National agenda of informed choice about learning opportunities but feeling that education lags behind other sectors in making its products easy to discover and compare. Standards exist for exchanging information about people, groups, membership and learning objects but no standard way to exchange information about courses. Institutions developing ways to populate their prospectus from definitive data but resorting to primitive data entry to populate aggregator sites, regional portals, area prospectuses Genuine interest from the community in an open standard for exchanging course info that facilitates joined-up thinking called eXchanging Course-Related Information

5. XCRI | project Opened dialogue with European partners in a search for best practice Surveyed prospectus websites & underpinning business processes Evolved a data exchange specification based on best practice and large-scale trials Engaged with EU partners to harmonize developments around a common information model for advertising learning opportunities (CEN MLO) Continues to build capacity & interest within UK

6. MLO | UK significance A European Norm on metadata for advertising learning opportunities will be established in 2011 MLO prEN 15982 Member states should drop any competing standards and pursue compliance Good news for XCRI! XCRI 1.2 earmarked as UK implementation of MLO XCRI 1.2 can deliver Key Information Sets LO Provider Significant XCRI capacity building in place LO Spec BUT sector has process & systems hurdles LO Instance 6

7. XCRI | relationship shift UCAS LLN NLD UCAS LLN NLD Provider Aggregators Re-keys & Poll & Pushes for each Harvest from Aggregator XML Providers Learning Learning Provider Provider Provider publishes XCRI prospectus as well as web Web Web prospectus Prospectus Prospectus Managing Course-related Information

8. Course Info | state of the art Interim findings from the JISCs 8M 4 Year Curriculum Design & Delivery Programme Many problems with the management of course-related information can be put down to the fact that this is still a document-based rather than a data-based system (and paper-based at most institutions). This gives rise to duplication of effort and of information, lack of version control, poor re-use of relevant information for different purposes, and a tendency for information to be designed for approval rather than any other purpose.Tuesday, February 15, 2011 8

9. Course Info | systemic problemsPractice is too QAA commend our We struggle tovaried to robust processes interpret vaguesystematise QA docs Central systems dont Student Records support local variety QA We keep it vague to avoid tortuous QAWe re-type so we build our owneverythinginto UCAS We cant get Marketing concrete details on Course Teams do marketing Why courses for website, never have up-to- so maintain our own date info about our courses 9

10. Ingredients for change Introduction of market mechanisms Fees: What will we get for our money? Information: web-accessible Key Information Sets Comprehensive Spending Review questioning value of re-keying jobs Compelling argument for XCRI-CAP 1.2 data upload Recognition that curriculum needs managing Systems vendors stepping up to the challenge Two Case Studies A UK University preparing to do better A UK Regional Aggegrator

11. Case Study | MMU Largest campus-based undergraduate university in England Comprehensive range of courses serving national and regional needs (Most popular for UCAS applications) 37,000+ students | 1,000+ courses | 7 sites www.mmu.ac.ukTuesday, February 15, 2011 11

12. Case Study | preparing to do betterMMUs comprehensive EQAL change programme New Curriculum Framework New Admin Systems + Business Processes Seamless Access Streamlined Quality ProcessesOutcomes Every UG course & module will be re-written Entirely new first year goes live September 2011 Data-based, not document-based course information

13. Case Study | fine-grain course information

14. Case Study | foundations for better info Aggregators Curriculum + BI / Data data.mmu.ac.uk? Database Warehouse Web Services Prospectus[Meerkat at Adelaide Zoo by Adam Jenkins, 2010]

15. Regional Ecosystem | East Midlands University of Nottinghams Centre for International e- Portfolio Development supported by the JISC developed XCRI to power 2 Lifelong Learning Networks Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire Leicestershire, Lincolnshire Northamptonshire, Rutland

16. East Midlands 14-19/LLN architecture Vendors Import/export to neighbouring XCRI Export 5 Area local prospectus 9+ Further Prospectuses linking services for x-border Education LMI / data searching Colleges Prospectus vendors (S-cool/ IMPORTS 3+ Higher UCAS) Education Re-use XCRI to connect with other data Your Future East Imports being developed by national sources, e.g. LMI Midlands course aggregators (SALAMI project)XCRI feed exportproviding search UCASservices forexternal Skills Fundingwebsites Agency Kirstie Coolin Possibility of Consuming University of Nottingham reusing aggregated November 2010 services XCRI exports

17. Quick quiz 1 across: Forthcoming UK standard for course information 1 down: Prospectus requirement for UK universities K 1 X C R I 1 S

18. Further reading XCRI Knowledge: http://xcri.co.uk Development forums: http://xcri.org East Midlands http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/eportfolio/xcri/index.shtml JISC Curriculum Design & Delivery Programme: Design Studio http://jiscdesignstudio.pbworks.com/w/page/12458422/Welc ome-to-the-Design-Studio Cumulus: Curriculum Management in the Cloud http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/programmes/flexiblese rvicedelivery/cumulus.aspxTuesday, February 15, 2011 18

19. MLO | harmonized information model Norwegian practice CDM Swedish practice EMIL minimal+ French practice CDM-FR harmonization LO Provider UK practice XCRI LO Spec LO Instance German practice PAS1068 19

20. EU | standards development CEN WS-LT CEN TC-353 European Members create Delegates coordinate Student Systems CEN Workshop Agreements approval of standards Vendor Group (CWA) as European Norms (EN)[http://www.rs3g.org/] [http://tinyurl.com/njlmas] [http://tinyurl.com/ovyys6] Metadata for Learning Metadata for Learning Opportunities Opportunities [Approved: CWA 15903] [Submitted for approval: prEN 15982] New CWAs Course spec implementers: MLO ECTS IP/CC UK, Norway, France, Credit Sweden, Germany European Learner Mobility Information Model [Submitted for approval: prEN 15981] CEN-funded project of paid (and unpaid) experts

21. KIS UK consultation | proposed timelineDec 2010 to Mar 2011 Consultation open.Nov 2010 to Mar 2011 Work underway to pilot the KIS.18 Feb and 3 Mar 2011 Consultation seminars.7 Mar 2011 Consultation closes. Analysis of consultation responses and discussion at Boards ofMar to May 2011 sponsor bodies.April to July 2011 User testing of the KIS with prospective students begins. Outcomes of consultation published, with guidance onJuly 2011 development of information sets. Institutions develop key information sets, revise other informationJuly 2011 to July 2012 and start to publish this. Final deadline for publication on institutional web-sites of revisedAugust 2012Tuesday, February 15, 2011 information and the key information sets. MLE Workshop, Aytoun Library Seminar Room 21 2009-05-13 14:00