Farina Steinert
Andreas Wittke
University of Lübeck

ONCAMPUS PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

ONCAMPUS AT A GLANCE 

Oncampus stands for online academic education since 1997, mainly based on networks of German Universities of Applied Sciences and universities around the Baltic. The core of oncampus is located at Lübeck University of Applied Sciences, Germany. Its spin-off oncampus GmbH cares for professional operation and marketing of online distance study programmes and continuing education.

oncampus is rooted in large third party projects with Lübeck University of Applied Sciences (LUAS) as leading partner. The flagship projects “Virtual University of Applied Sciences” (VFH), “Baltic Sea Virtual Campus” (BSVC) and “Portal to future” (PnV) have dealt with online distance education, provided by university networks. The objective has been to attract more target groups for higher education by part-time study programmes. At the same time, this is a matter of innovation in the university system.

All e-learning activities of LUAS and all activities with relation to the consortiums VFH and BSVC are today bundled under the brand oncampus . Actually about 35 professionals are full-time employed at LUAS, working as the core of oncampus. They care for development, implementation, operation and marketing of programmes as well as for the project development and administration. Approximately 150 persons have been involved part-time as authors and teachers. The oncampus repository actually disposes of 145 e-learning modules (online material). On the annual average 480 online courses are being provided and 5.300 course enrolments are registered.

oncampus provides academic online distance study programmes and courses in continuing education in the fields of computer science, engineering and management. The oncampus-methodology normally provides a blended learning scenario, consisting of 80 % online teaching and 20 % face-to-face classes. Every online course is coached by specially trained mentors.

1. E-LEARNING INFRASTRUCTURE AND COURSE MATERIAL

Today, development, operation and delivering of oncampus programmes follow an integrated and standardised process. This has lead to a cost reduction of 50 % since the beginning of oncampus activities in 1997. The result is e-learning products that match the didactical requirements for professional distance learning. That is regarding both teaching concept and course material.

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Illus. 1: oncampus content production process (oncampus 2007, Jan.)

Oncampus features tailor-made technical tools. The content management system oncampus-factory was specially developed with the focus on independent content production. The development process is based on XML which is parsed by a commercial authoring solution. The oncampus e-learning material is web based high voluminous content and independent from any learning platform, browser and operating system. Rich media objects can directly be embedded in the structure of content, e. g. movies, photos or simulations. Due to its unitised consistence the course material provides flexibility regarding customising and usage.

The oncampus-portal database is being applied for the course management support. oncampus furthermore implemented the open source learning environment Sakai in October 2006. Due to the omission of licence costs, this open source system provides cost efficiency in the case of broadening the network or the circle of users. In particular, Sakai matches this purpose by its high scalability. The latter ensures interoperability and flexible enlargement of LMS tools as well.

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Illus. 2: oncampus technical framework (oncampus 2006, Jun.)

Oncampus-factory and oncampus-portal have been brought to a certain maturity. Thus, oncampus is actually bringing them as derivates into the market of business solutions.

The access to oncampus learning environment and embedded e-learning material is provided on basis of widely used technologies.

2. DIDACTICAL CONCEPT 

oncampus study programmes were implemented after analysis of their applicability for online education. All subjects are very appropriate for online studies, due to the possibilities regarding didactical design. Management topics are also very adequate as media competence and accordingly virtual collaboration skills are quite relevant for expected jobs.

The oncampus methodology follows three guiding didactical principles, according to long-term practical experience and evaluations:

1. Learning should take place within multiple and authentic contexts to get experiences with different points of view.
2. Learning should take place in collaboration with other students to cause critical and intensive contention with knowledge.
3. Learners should have the possibility to deal with tasks in an active rather than a passive manner.

The content is mediated through texts, figures, vi deos, animations, simulations, interviews, assignments (e. g. self-check test, send in assignment, group assignment, p roject work) and examples. The practical relevance of the multimedia-based elements is most important.

There is a balance between receptive (e. g. listening, reading, watching), interactive (e. g. roll-over graphics, simulations, quizzes, online tests) and collaborative (communication and collaboration with fellow students online) studying to meet different types of learning – and learners.

As opposed to regular distance learning online collaboration is a unique selling proposition for web based distant study programmes. Thus, both synchronous and asynchronous communication between students and teachers is a fundamental part of the oncampus methodology.

Every e-learning course provides a mentoring concept. Thus, the author of the course material does not necessarily have to be the mentor. This provides a multiple use of content that is in turn one of the factors leading to affordability of e-learning applications.

3. STRATEGY AND BUSINESS POLICY

The oncampus strategy is to strengthen and broaden core competency. That is the development, provision and delivery of online distance study programmes in a sustainable framework. Customising, standardisation and a high addiction to innovations support to manage this challenge. International business and cooperation is becoming more and more important. Furthermore, the effectiveness of administrative routines is of high relevance for the professional operation of online distance study programmes.

One lifeline of oncampus is the cooperation in university networks, exploiting economies of scale and scope. Evaluations showed that the expansion of university programmes by oncampus online study courses was approximately 30 % cheaper than appropriate expenditures in buildings would have been required. Close and continuous collaboration with university leaderships, authors and mentors is substantial part of the system. In this context, win-win-situations for all partners ensure the achievement of objectives, based on sophisticated business models. As a matter of principle, the networks are open to new partners.

The operation of oncampus online programmes is financed by the universities of the network. Thus, sustainability is provided by their integration as regular university programmes. The development of new online courses is supported by third-party funding. The acquisition of grants is ensured by a professional project development process, complying with national and international funding policy. Thereby e-learning is not promoted per se but as methodology, for example to innovate the university system or the market for continuing education. Its professional reputation due to long-term presence in the e-learning scene is supportive.

As the core of oncampus is based at Lübeck University of Applied Sciences (LUAS), the support of its university leadership in terms of quick decisions, risk affection, reliability, flexibility and mutual trust has been fundamental for the today´s performance. Another important strategic element is oncampus GmbH, a spin-off of LUAS. That outsourcing has lead to a sustainable implementation of e-learning activities due to independency from university faculties.

From the very beginning in 1997 the oncampus concept has been based on the idea of the Bologna process. The offering draws upon the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) and the courses are modularised. The two cycle system of Bachelor and Master degrees was implemented as well as quality management in terms of accreditation. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated how to focus consistently on learning outcomes with the development of courses. Another aspect has been to highlight the transnational acknowledgement of content.

The oncampus offering also matches the idea of the Lisbon Strategy. The objective has been to attract more target groups for academic education by part-time study programmes. The concept provides permeability as well. Students can take particular courses that are being acknowledged on whole Bachelor or Master programmes.