Oxford Brookes University Develops a New Learning Culture with EQUELLA

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As e-learning technologies continue to rapidly evolve, institutions worldwide are faced with the challenge of how to manage content efficiently. One proven solution is EQUELLA, a digital repository that houses all your resources in one place.

Organisations from all sectors are working with EQUELLA to develop tailored digital repository systems which meet the needs of all its users.

EQUELLA is a digital repository that is revolutionising the way institutions search, manage and create content online. The solution provides one system to house your teaching and learning, research, media and library content. EQUELLA has been used for copyright resource collections, research materials, managing and exposing materials through websites and portals, content authoring, workflow, institutional policy and document management. EQUELLA is currently in use in a wide range of schools, universities, colleges, state systems and departments of education, government agencies, and corporations worldwide.

EQUELLA enables users to:

• Create, store, manage and share multiple types of educational content from a single digital repository – ideal for research, libraries, and learning objects
• Discover, classify, and compare digital learning resources in a managed content environment
• Seamlessly integrate with popular virtual learning environments, including Pearson Learning Studio, Fronter and Moodle
• Access multiple types of learning content, from documents and streaming content to copyrighted materials, regardless of where the content resides
• Give online users the same experience as on-campus users
• Experience an enhanced user interface with a new contemporary, fully customisable design
• Directly harvest content from remote repositories for extended search and discovery capabilities
• Increase overall usability through tailourable portlets and custom link creation to suit individual user needs
• As e-learning technologies continue to rapidly evolve, many institutions worldwide are faced with the challenges of content management. EQUELLA provides an efficient and beneficial solution to an institution’s online requirements, ensuring the user’s needs are met.

A New Direction With EQUELLA

Oxford Brookes University has implemented EQUELLA as its digital repository solution to power its Research Archive and Digital Assets Repository (RADAR).

Launched in October 2009 the blended repository provides:

• A multi-purpose archive that manages and stores over 1500 research and teaching resources
• Content that is available at various levels, including open access collections, such as the University’s research archive and open educational resources
• Teaching and learning collections that are accessible to all staff and students at the University
• Educators with the ability to select and link items from courses with a powerlink through to the virtual learning environment (VLE)

Developing a Blended Repository for Content Collaboration

Through observing the way institutions with similar research, teaching and learning needs had developed their repository solution, the University was able to adapt their implementation of EQUELLA to directly suit their combined requirements for a repository solution.

Content collaboration has ensured:

• Increased academic involvement for the contribution of resources by educators
• The repository is easy to use and seamlessly integrated with existing systems such as the VLE
• Full support of customised workflows for use within the Research Archive to enable easy upload for researchers and administrators
• A more efficient management and sharing of research and teaching resources

EQUELLA

“EQUELLA offers a flexible way of managing, sharing and showcasing research and teaching materials. It strengthens the link between teaching and research, allowing the University to make the most of its digital assets.”

 

Steve Burholt and Rowena Rouse, RADAR Team, Oxford Brookes University

Navigate to the EQUELLA website http://www.equella.com to explore the repository and what it can offer your institution: watch a product tour, request a demo, or read client case studies. To get in touch with a member of the team, please visit the Contact Us page on the website.

To learn more on EQUELLA’s capabilities for changing the way people interact with content worldwide, with a single, central solution, please visit the Pearson Stand at ONLINE EDUCA BERLIN 2011. All learning begins with a question – ask us when you need an answer.