Tools Integration project - TIP

The project will integrate software from three existing projects: TOIA, LAMS and Bodington. Each software system provides functionality that can support a broad range of learning scenarios.

Here we list some of the core ‘services’ that each system provides:

TOIA¹

The free version of the TOIA system supports the following core services:

• Creation of assessments according to the IMS QTI specification with 9 questions types
  • Multiple choice
  • Multiple response
  • Pull-down list
  • Fill in the blanks
  • Matrix
  • Essay
  • Macromedia flash (see: http://www.toia.ac.uk/docs.html for guide on authoring)
  • Java applet
  • File upload
• Assign assessments to groups of individuals
• Schedule assessments
• Grade assessments
• Analyse statistics of questions after an assessment has been taken
• Output an IMS QTI compliant assessment

LAMS²

The LAMS system currently supports the following services:

• Creation of activity sequences including a range of built in tools (For a description of these tools and others: http://www.webmcq.com.au/home/LAMS/LAMS.pdf):
  • Notice board
  • Chat
  • Submission
  • Notebook (public)
  • Grouping
  • Q & A
  • Polling
  • Forum
  • Multiple choice
  • Share resources
  • Chat and scribe
• Assign sequence to groups of individuals
• Orchestration of a sequence while running by the teacher. This would include participation in discussions and releasing whole class onto synchronised activities
• Running the LAMS activity sequence for groups of learners (the “runtime”)

Bodington³

The Bodington system is a secure VLE environment that provides services such as:

• Logbook
  A log book has a page private to each student consisting of sections and questions.The student can make entries in the sections of the logbook. Tutors and mentors can browse through the students' pages and make entries as well. Together the students and tutors decide which entries will form the final logbook record and after this the record can be printed or saved to disk.
• Link to External Website
  This is a page within the building that links to a web address outside of the building.
• Structured Document
  This is structured document with an automatically generated contents page. Text is typed (or pasted) directly into a form on the web page and you can use plain text or HTML formatted text. The structure of the document is limited but authoring is very easy.
• Web Document
  This will create an initially empty web document into which you can subsequently upload HTML pages, graphics and other media. You must have web-authoring tools on your own computer or a plain text editor and knowledge of HTML tags.
• Multiple Choice Question Paper
  This interactive document will present the user with a set of multiple-choice questions. The student makes selections and is given a mark. Detailed feedback is available to the student and statistical analysis is available to the teacher.
• Questionnaire
  This interactive document will present the user with a set of questions that are text entry and/or multiple-choice. The user enters responses to the questions and the author can review responses.
• Short Answer Paper
  This interactive document will present the user with a set of questions. The student types responses under each question and these responses are stored. Later a teacher can assess the responses and return typed feedback and/or a mark.
• Pigeon Hole
  A pigeon-hole is used by a student to upload a file, often a word processed document for assessment. A teacher can download and view the file and then enter feedback and/or a mark for return to the student.

By allowing practitioners to use the different systems as an integrated suite of tools we will be able to support a more diverse range of learning scenarios and teaching styles.

The authorisation environment and web services we develop will allow other institutions to use the TOIA and LAMS web applications from within their own VLE environment(s).

Further information: http://www.jisc.ac.uk/index.cfm?name=delettip and http://users.ox.ac.uk/~jiscpub/JISC_TIP/Index.htm

¹http://www.toia.ac.uk/
²http://www.lamsfoundation.org/index.html
³http://www.bodington.org/index.html