We use software to deliver learning. That software runs on computers over networks. The software we use includes video conferencing, authored lessons and integration with our learning management solution.

Somewhere in that mix of technology are students, teachers and course designers. What happens when it goes wrong? What happens when there are 40,000 students using computers and they need a computer and program to be working for their lesson which lasts 45 minutes?

Some eLearning delivery folk (teachers, trainers, tutors facilitators) get grumpy when there is a lot of process involved when things break and they have to call a help desk. Most computer information services support uses a framework called ITIL.

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The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) is a set of concepts and practices for Information Technology Services Management (ITSM), Information Technology (IT) development and IT operations.

This is detailed in many locations on the web, but WikiPedia has what I believe is an agnostic view of the concepts... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_Technology_Infrastructure_Library

What I feel is that there is a disconnect between the expectations of those creating and delivering eLearning in either a synchronous or asynchronous environment and those from the formal IT support environment that adhere to the principles of ITIL.

There is opportunity for eLearning professionals to embrace and understand the positive aspects of ITIL practices. BECTA has reviewed the ITIL construct and adapted it specifically for ICTs in schools. They have called their adaption FITS or Framework for ICT Technical Support.

BECTA is a longstanding education organisation that leads the national drive to inspire and lead the effective and innovative use of technology throughout learning in the UK but ironically as I write this it appears that the new coalition government in the UK has decided to close BECTA.

The FITS Foundation was spun off from BECTA and they have produced a very handy pocket guide which not only provides an explanation for why there are things like service desks and a single point of contact for support but also describes the diffference between an incident and a problem. It does take into consideration the need to respond quickly to the needs of a student facing classroom educator - be they operating in a physical or virtual classroom.

To go through the process and see how as an eLearning practitioner or an ICT you can use some of the great material they have, go to http://www.thefitsfoundation.org/ and download the handbook. You will have to part with your email address to get it.

Then for an online step by step coverage of how it works and may apply to you as you are about to run an online session and everything is broken, go to the next link.

http://www.thefitsfoundation.org/members/getting-started/cms/gsoverview.html

There are two parts of this framework which are always at odds - the quick fix drawn out of the fact that the lesson is about to start and the students are scattered across the Northern Territory beaming in via video conferencing on the desktop and the need to document the priblem or incident so that it can be permanently fixed, not just reactively bandaided.

By both parties understanding the processes associated with a methodology that supports IT and the time criticality of a 45 minute lesson, we need to come together to identify the problems (that is something recurs) and through specific problem management identify a permanent fix.

One example of this is that a computer on a school network can take 10 of the valuable 45 minutes to boot up as it tries to protect the network from the little nasties like computer viruses that are constantly knocking on the network door. That is a problem that needs solving. By not having a formal single point of contact to log incidents, problems and even suggestions they will and do fall through the cracks and then the quick fix becomes the permanent procedure regardless of how combersome or costly it may be.

So the next time we grumble (I know I do sometimes) when we ring a helpdesk number and are asked for our computer asset number and who we are, be happy that the information about your incident will be matched up with other incidents and this will form a pattern that can be analysed and fixed rather than being given a couple of options like rebooting the computer or even worse reimaging it. The data will identify a problem that can be addressed through a project.

And as a practising eLearning professional, part of your challenge is to become familiar with the technologies at your fingertips so that you can self diagnose and correct problems at the application level. If the engine is broken or the road needs repairing - we call in the mechanic or the engineer - but as the driver, you need to be able to drive the car. It might be good to jot down the hardware and software that you use in the delivery of your eLearning and determine if you are L plate holder, P plate holder or should be racing Mark Webber on the F1 circuit.

Don't forget that students can be teachers. My eight year old is a dab hand with importing resizing and touching up photos in PowerPoint and even helps his Mom out with the odd PowerPoint tip... so don't forget that resource.

This will provide you with a gap analysis of your own skills that will help you identify where potential problem areas may occur due to a weakness in your skill set - and by the way we can't all be experts in everything, so identifying what we may have trouble with means that we can focus on those areas before a lesson starts (or hopefully earlier).

This blog forms part of the ITIL or FITS stack as it is available to our eLearning professionals, our ICT professionals in schools and our service providers for our hardware, Learning Management System, authoring tools and video conferencing solutions.

Items tagged in this blog as say "Moodle" can be consumed by themselves as a discrete RSS feed, so one blog can have many specific channels.

This has been a long post, but I think it is quite important that the supporters of eLearning Professionals provide some description of how the processes actually work.

This entry was posted on May 27, 2010 at 9:58 AM and has received 435 views. There are currently 1 comments. Print this entry.