Students keep Bristol University in the distance as they learn. New systems based around Microsoft, Macromedia and Questionmark.

Questionmark Case Study

Introducing Distance Learning to Bristol University

The Division of Obstetrics & Gynaecology provides an innovative MSc programme making extensive use of the Internet to provide a comprehensive theoretical foundation in the areas of Human Reproduction and Development (http://www.ReD-MSc.org.uk). It has developed its course to appeal to a wide range of post-graduate students, including scientists and clinicians, irrespective of their country of residence. Each distance learning module entails online tutorials and lectures plus essays and assessments by email and interactive questions.  Julian Jenkins, consultant senior lecturer at Bristol University, saw the Internet as a huge opportunity to spread the appeal of the University's courses. He began to look for a suitable mix of software packages that would provide a robust architecture for remote students while demanding a reasonable specification of computer equipment at both ends of the solution.

Putting the Software in Place

"We looked at many products that could provide us with the functionality we needed. Perception is something that I have come across before as it is widely used in the University world. In this instance, it proved to be most durable and mature. And, most importantly of all, it works!" commented Jenkins.  The most important requirement of the system had to be its ability to operate seamlessly across the Internet, without exerting a huge burden on the computer systems of the students or the university. As there was no single system available that could deliver the functionality required, Jenkins had to look at a blend of different software solutions.  "The strategy that we have adopted is to mix and match software appropriate to our need, such as Macromedia Flash and Questionmark Perception, and to integrate them on a Windows server platform. We can then use the convenience of Microsoft Office, including Frontpage, to manage the educational website. By using this website on a commercial server we reduce support costs and gain experienced technical backup," said Jenkins.  Online delivery of questions is covered by Questionmark's Perception. Students log onto the system through Perception, input their responses online and receive interactive, immediate feedback no matter when they access the system.

Getting the Students Started

It is vital that students entering one of the distance learning courses are able to cope with the technology demands of the course. Before a student begins he or she is directed to a number of test web pages including examples of how lectures including MP3 streaming of narration are delivered to the desktop. To help in this process, the university has ensured that it delivers high quality sound synchronized with images at low bandwidth. In fact, it has developed the system to deliver lectures to any modem operating at or above 28Kbps.  Also, to ensure high quality graphics are delivered over low bandwidth, Bristol University has been using compression technologies. This enables a constant stream to be downloaded to the students' PCs, and enables them to be working on on-screen questions in Perception while other material is downloading in the background.  Finally, to ensure that remote students can enjoy similar resources to those resident in Bristol, the university has set up a Proxy server to deliver full library services. This will allow remote users to log on as part of the Bristol University system and make available all papers and material from the library over the Internet.

Developing the System

The university is keen to extend use of distance learning into other areas. This will enable it to encompass a greater number of students on its course without the overheads associated with residential courses.  The next move will be to increase use of the software by introducing more course modules. Pilots are already underway to use the system with under graduates. This represents a huge extension of the system, as it will increase the number of students accessing the courses online significantly. However, according to Jenkins, initial signs are encouraging for this development.  He concludes, "In the longer term I suspect there may be more scope for a more integrated web server learning environment. Certainly, if we expand our use of Perception we may need to use Microsoft SQL Server, which could deliver other parts of the website. With our experience to date I am sure that this system will be extended significantly over the coming months and years and many more Bristol University students will enjoy the benefits of distance learning with us."

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