Closed or Institutionally-Supported Technologies
Institutionally-supported or closed systems can generally only be accessed by teachers, support staff and students. They’re often designed specifically for education, catering for both learning and teaching, and administrative requirements. Closed systems are often referred to as Learning Management Systems or Virtual Learning Environments. Examples include Blackboard, Moodle, or Canvas. Often these systems include an integrated range of technologies such as discussion forums, information storage, blogs, wikis, and assignment submission. They can also incorporate grading and administration tools. They may even include some open systems that the institution decides to adopt. An institution’s IT or Learning and Teaching department usually support these systems centrally, meaning that training and technical help are often readily available.
Benefits
- Students and teachers can usually access all systems easily from one place with one password
- Access to data about student performance and tools that streamline administrative processes are often built in
- Teachers will usually have immediate help available from their IT or learning and teaching department
- Institutions are usually required to hold student related data for several years and usually have measures in place to manage this effectively on their own systems
- If you need to reuse your online content in another class, your IT department should be able to help you transfer it, ensuring none of your content is lost
Issues
- Due to the complexity that can often be inherent in large institutional systems, many teachers and students can find using them daunting and challenging at first
- Some teachers prefer the autonomy of delivering course content using technology they feel is more appropriate, rather than using one that is prescribed
- And large systems may not be able to facilitate certain activities or functions as well as some more specific open systems
Open Technologies
Open access technologies are usually designed around specific functions or tasks. They can be set up and used by anyone. They are usually free, but some may involve a subscription-based service. Examples include YouTube, Twitter, Google Docs, Flickr, and Tumblr to name a few.
Benefits
- Most students and teachers may be already familiar with them, making it easier to get started quickly
- Teachers can often set up these systems themselves without having to go through any complex institutional administrative process
- It is easy to share information and collaborate on projects with other institutions, organizations and even industry, as there is no issue surrounding compatibility between platforms, operating systems or versions of software
- Most open technologies have a range of privacy settings that can be controlled by the teachers or students
- And, there is usually an abundance of support available in online forums and help sections of the various websites. However you have to know how to look for it.
Issues
- They are not integrated into institutional administration systems. This means that you usually have to manually give students access, and manage or submit grades separately
- Teachers or students can become overloaded with having to remember different websites and passwords if too many open technologies are used
- You have no guarantee that an open technology platform will be in business in the future, and your institution does not have access to the data in case something happens to you. Service providers may also terminate accounts, change the terms of service or limit functionality that could result in the loss of data
- An institution may not offer technical support for open technologies
- When using open systems, if teachers are not rigorous in providing appropriate privacy for students, they may be held personally responsible for any issues that may arise.
The line between the use of institutionally supported systems and open technologies is increasingly becoming blurred. You may want to consider a more integrated approach that draws upon the benefits of both.The important thing is that you first investigate what technologies and policies your own institution and/or Faculty/School has in place. Think about what support is already available to you, the practical implications of different technologies, and what functionality will most help your students achieve the learning outcomes you have set for them. It is also useful to speak to colleagues about what has worked for them and any suggestions they might have. The following activities will help you further think about the advantages and disadvantages of open and closed technologies to make informed decisions in your own course design.