OLAT

From Bazaar Wiki

1 Type of application / System Requirements
2 Purpose
3 How can it be used for creation of OERs
4 How can it be used for consumption of OERs
5 How can it be used for reuse of OERs
6 License support
7 Standards / Compatibility
8 HOW TO USE IT
9 Links / examples / Who is using it
10 Sandbox
11 Comments / Discussion

Type of application / System Requirements

OLAT stands for Online Learning And Training and is a web-based open-source Learning Management System (LMS) based on Java. The software is not GPL but uses the open source Apache Licence v. 2. OLAT's software development is lead by University of Zurich.

OLAT is programmed in Java and uses the Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE). Possible database systems are MySQL, PostgreSQL and Oracle.

Users have to run Internet Explorer 6 (or higher) or Mozilla Firefox 2 (or higher) to use all OLAT features.

The OLAT team offers software download and further information at the OLAT website.

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Purpose

OLAT is a typical Learning Management System that is mainly used at universities. It comprises a flexible course system in addition to various features regarding campus management--whether course independent or course comprehensive. These features include in particular a general management of learning resources such as cataloging or the provision of editing tools for tests, questionnaires and courses. Further important aspects of OLAT are the following:

Support of collaborative processes in groups
Groupware tools such as discussion forum, chat, calendar, Wiki, e-mail forms and storage
Didactic freedom within the course system by means of flexible applications regarding the following course elements: structure, single page, external page, Wiki, IMS-CP and SCORM learning content, test, self-test, questionnaire, assessment, task, file dialog, enrollment, contact form, forum, and folder
Notification service via e-mail or RSS
Personalized interface that is easy to use
Multilingual user guidance (German, French, Italian, English, and a lot more)
Connection to external information systems such as SWITCH AAI (Shibboleth)

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How can it be used for creation of OERs

OLAT offers an integrated Wiki to create OER but has no integrated authoring system. Learning content that has been created outside of OLAT can be imported (IMS Content Packaging, SCORM) and combined to OER by using the course management. Adding files to resource folders is possible too.

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How can it be used for consumption of OERs

A user can find content by using the integrated full-text search or the catalog of the repository for learning resources. Usually OER would be part of a course and therefore used within such a course.

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How can it be used for reuse of OERs

Existing OER can be imported as long as they are SCORM 1.2 or IMS Content Packaging compliant. They are published in the learning resource's repository. The user can find content by using the integrated full-text search or the catalog.

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License support

Currently there is no built-in support for licenses.

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Standards / Compatibility

According to OLAT website the system supports common e-learning standards such as IMS Content Packaging (IMS-CP), IMS-QTI or SCORM, but there is no official SCORM certification of this tool available.

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