EAST: Educational Support and Access Tools

EAST was a collaborative project funded under the EU DELTA initiative with participating partners in the UK, Netherlands, Germany, and Ireland.

The purpose of EAST was to define and develop a set of server facilities for accessing and distributing computer-based learning materials - for learners, tutors, training managers and training administrators; and to examine the validity of a potential distribution service using these facilities.

EAST implemented 26 tools to support various users (learners, mentors, tutors, training managers and administrators) through an "Interaction Management System" which conforms to commercial system engineering and architecture principles. Individual tools are integrated into a single multi-user database. Some of these tools have been specifically developed for the project and others, wherever possible, wereselected from off-the-shelf products.

A learner coming to the system's intuitive interface is provided with information about courses available through browsing tools, and can move from this phase directly into a learning phase, or can get further assistance in a pre-learning phase which matches their capabilities against job or career requirements and helps define training needs and course planning. In the learning phase, the learner is helped to do the courseware delivered by the training server, results are monitored and tutor and manager intervention is supported, allowing private communication with a specific learner for whom new services can be installed.

The courses are then evaluated against the learners' achievements and each learner's goal is revised with new skill levels and job role options. Tools also administer and manage the provision of learning services in terms of planning, accounting and monitoring service quality.

After considerable needs analysis, prototype tools were tested at six sites within three organisations which have considerable experience in open learning; and results checked using structured questionnaires and audio-tapes of the sessions.

Contact

Mr Ken Street
Telematica Ltd
3 Chiseldon Court
Chiseldon
Swindon
Wiltshire SN4 0NE
United Kingdom
Tel +44 1793 740 289
FAX: +44 1793 740 277
email: 100335.3651@compuserve.com