LinkER: Formative Evaluation of the JISC 'Linking Digital Libraries with Virtual Learning Environments' (DiVLE) Programme
It has become clear from a number of perspectives that achieving effective linking between increasingly hybrid library and learning environments will be critical to institutional performance in the future. The digital library and the virtual learning environment (VLE) encapsulate this challenge. The process of integrating the two raises complex technical issues which need to be investigated in depth. However, there are also implications for the relationship between library and teaching staff, for pedagogical processes, and organizational, social and cultural change management.
The LinkER project undertook formative evaluation of the JISC
DiVLE programme, a series of nine short projects each addressing some aspect
of these technical, pedagogical and organizational issues. Details of the
DiVLE programme can be found at http://www.jisc.ac.uk/index.cfm?name=programme_divle Evaluation
was achieved by close interaction between the Linker team and key individuals
in each project, mainly through a planned longitudinal series of interviews.
Formative feedback was provided to both the individual projects and to JISC.
The objectives of LinkER were to:
- Produce a review report summarising recent developments, achievements and trends relevant to the area of digital library and VLE linkage (updating and broadening the INSPIRAL final report)
- Provide formative evaluation across the full set of Theme A and Theme B projects
- Identify important emerging issues, innovative solutions and exemplary case studies
- Develop and validate guidelines for other institutions, focussing particularly on cultural, organisational, technical and pedagogical issues
- Produce interim and final reports capturing key elements of lessons learned and synthesising conclusions for key audiences/stakeholders
- Disseminate our reports widely within the community
The LinkER project runs from October 2002 to July 2003.
Presentations from the DiVLE Programme Launch, 25 October 2002 can be downloaded
from the JISCmail site:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/files/JISC-DiVLE/oct02.zip (2.9MB)
Deliverables from LinkER are now available in Microsoft Word 2000 format:
- Review of recent developments, achievements and trends in the DiVLE area (225KB)
- Interim report on DiVLE emerging issues (163KB)
- Final report: formative evaluation of the DiVLE programme (233kb)
Publications
Markland, M. (2002). The integration of digital libraries and online information resources into the online learning environment: an annotated bibliography and discussion. New Review of Libraries and Lifelong Learning, 3, p. 3-15.
Presentations
Presentation to the JIBS/JUGL User Group at Leeds University on 15 December 2004, ‘The LinkER project: Formative evaluation of the DiVLE Programme’ (65kb)
For further details about this project please contact:
Margaret Markland
Research Associate
CERLIM
Manchester Metropolitan University
Department of Information and Communications
Geoffrey Manton Building
Rosamond Street West
Off Oxford Road
Manchester M15 6LL
Tel: 0161 247 6142
Email: m.markland@mmu.ac.uk