2252983 Evaluation of the Virtual Campus Programme Professor Colin Hawkes, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Academic Development, has asked Professor Peter Ashworth, Director of the Learning and Teaching Research Institute, to conduct a formative evaluation of the ongoing Virtual Campus Programme. Peter Ashworth will be assisted by Asher Cashdan, the retired former Director of the Learning and Teaching Institute. They have been interviewing senior and other staff and will continue to do so over the next few weeks. The aim is to produce a final report by the end of January 2000. The evaluation is confidential to the University.
Separate investigations are ongoing to re-check the technical strategy.
Both the main system choices of FirstClass and TopClass appear still widely used and usage is increasing elsewhere. The Open University plans a massive expansion of FirstClass, and the University of Technology, Sydney, has over 10,000 students on TopClass. Building a World Leading Region Prof. Paul Bacsich, is leading one of the activities within the South Yorkshire Vision and Strategic Framework. Linked in closely with the Virtual Campus Programme, the aim of this activity is to enhance the relevance, effectiveness and accessibility of the learning system, so that people in our region are able to enjoy the advantages of the information society, through sustainable employment and enhanced earning prospects. Objective 1 projects.