THE TECHNOLOGICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
The supporting hardware
infrastructure
is continuously monitored by fully automated systems; this solution not only
guarantees data security, but also allows a direct connection with the connectivity
provider, thus achieving double security: on the one hand, full use of the bandwidth
(40 Mb/s), and on the other, the guarantee of service continuity provided for in the
SLA signed by the provider.
The training/educational system consists of:
- a VLE (Virtual Learning Environment);
- an e-Portfolio;
- a set of Tools Web 2.0.
which contribute to creating a PLE (Personal Learning
Environment) for each student, which remains available to the student even
after completing the curriculum.
The VLE consists of:
- a CMS, which is the software tool installed on a web server used to manage all displays and content types;
- an LMS, which oversees both the distribution of learning objects for online courses and the tracking of all online teaching activities, both delivery and interactive (lesson viewing time, multiple-choice tests, assessments, exercises, etc.), being compatible with the SCORM standard, necessary for certifying the activities carried out by students;
- a specific environment for collaborative teaching;
- a specific area for Administration Services (General and for Students and Teachers);
- the possibility to create and/or access a Multimedia Academic Library;
- two Online Activity Logs (Students and Teachers).
All main activities related to teaching, both delivery and interactive, as well as those related to the Administration Services (exam booking, certificate issuance, electronic transcript consultation, electronic bulletin board consultation, exam calendars, etc.) are accessible from all mobile devices, with scalability (operating system versions and device types) continuously updated and conveyed to all users via VLE. etc.) are accessible from all mobile devices, with scalability (operating system versions and device types) continuously updated and communicated to all users via VLE.
MULTIMEDIA CONTENT
The eCampus4Learn VLE was designed to enable
the delivery of multimedia educational content that meets specific standards supporting
Learning Objects in XML (eXtensible Markup Language) format and to track its delivery for
educational and certification purposes, with granularity at the level of Learning Objects
and individual learning tests (Advanced Distributed Learning specification SCORM 1.2.).
The traceability of online course usage in terms of delivery and use of all content down to
the level of Learning Objects not only supports the chosen teaching model, but also
guarantees the protection of the copyright of the teaching material itself.
The process of designing and producing the multimedia content used in the courses is based
on a Learning Content Management System architecture with authoring capabilities, content
indexing, variable granularity aggregation, explicit adaptability rules that are
interoperable between systems from different providers (for example, with the XML Simple
Sequencing specification), large online storage capacity with access authentication and
standard metadata sharing protocols (based on SOAP XML).
The full integration among the modules for the Administration Offices, the CMS, the LMS, and
the set of web applications that make up the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) allows for
the production of specific content for subsequent delivery, ensuring maximum adherence to
adopted standards and compatibility with the latest technological standards.
The educational courses are therefore created using combinations of multimedia content,
ranging from the simplest (textual) to complex and interactive forms such as video lessons
in a multi-channel environment, and can be summarized in the following categories:
- textual;
- audio lessons;
- video lessons;
- live streaming;
- interactive tests.
To facilitate the production of high-quality
multimedia content, the EPPI software, the VLE component used by teachers, allows the
production of complex objects based on predefined templates that guide teachers in the
creation of LOs. This application makes it possible to structure teaching content using
either simple objects (mp3, Word documents, PDFs, etc.) or standardized models (multimedia
containers) which, once customized using Microsoft PowerPoint, can be used to create SCORM
objects that can be delivered and tracked by the eCampus4Learn system.
All content entered into EPPI (including multimedia content) is then reworked using
dedicated techniques and software (Articulate Presenter, Adobe Acrobat, etc.) that convert
and publish it in the VLE in SCORM-compatible format. This ensures maximum compatibility
with the main browsers and devices used by students.
General Manager – Alfonso Lovito