Making it Work: Creating Customized Online Learning Environments Through Unique Integrations

Audience Level: 
Intermediate
Session Time Slot(s): 
Institutional Level: 
Higher Ed
Abstract: 

The potential of online learning environments remains unrealized as the landscape of software and app integrations exists, a patchwork of proprietary and open-source platforms, unable to function holistically.  This discovery session will explore real-world integrations with the goal of leveraging collaboration as a means to customize learning environments.  

Extended Abstract: 

The full potential of online learning environments remains unrealized as the landscape of software and app integrations exists, a patchwork of proprietary and open-source platforms, unable to function holistically.  This discovery session will explore real-world integrations of various systems with the goal of leveraging collaboration as a means to create custom learning environments through these unique integrations.  

Educause has proposed the concept of the Next Generation Digital Learning Environment (NGDLE), as a possible future iteration of this landscape, integrating tasks of the traditional LMS and functionality of the myriad apps now and into the future.  The NGDLE is not an application, but an ecosystem enabling integration, personalization, analytics, collaboration and Accessibility/UDL.  While several groups have worked diligently toward its realization, the ideals of the NGDLE have not yet come to fruition.  However, we as individuals and institutions, may also adopt this conceptual framework in taking steps to create custom digital environments for our learners.

We, as a community, may share strategies and pitfalls in developing innovative functionalities now as the field and technologies develop, building a collective voice and advocating for the interoperability required to further the development of this ecosystem.  

The discovery session will briefly discuss this framework and proposed community of practice.  The session will next demonstrate several examples of digital learning platforms integrated both within and outside the bounds of the LMS.  Some of the platforms demoed will include WordPress, Qualtrics, Articulate Storyline, Poll Everywhere, Blackboard, Sharepoint and Google Classroom, combined in unique and interesting ways to utilize their variety of functionalities.  

Position: 
9
Conference Session: 
Concurrent Session 4
Session Type: 
Discovery Session