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Recommendations Document
Author: Nicole Harris
The following list represents the recommendations arising from research carried out during the Initial Formative Evaluation stage of the ANGEL project.Recommendation 1: consider each design aspect from the point of view of each stakeholder, here identified as Students, Academic Staff, Support Staff and Institution.
Recommendation 2: identify the cultural and operational differences of the partner institutions. The ANGEL should accommodate these differences within each.
Recommendation 3: contact should be continued with all interviewees. Thought should be given to using the same groups (as far as is possible) for summative evaluation.
Recommendation 4: the system must allow the course constructor to develop with slowly increasing levels of sophistication. This should be a graduated process, and not simply 'beginner' and 'advanced'.
Recommendation 5: the ANGEL should allow visual identity to be inserted, but should equally be attractive without.
Recommendation 6: create a set of guidelines for institutions considering implementing learning environments. Enter the concerns over visual identity discovered through initial formative evaluation into these guidelines.
Recommendation 7: allow for training in communication via the PC.
Recommendation 8: implement active help in subtle ways such as the spell-as-you-go system. Do not use pop-up boxes, and test frequently with users.
Recommendation 9: recommend that tutors build in courses covering learning skills.
Recommendation 10: make virtual reflect the real in terms of reflecting known institutional processes and practises within the virtual environment.
Recommendation 11: add institutional / personal conflict to guidelines for institutions.
Recommendation 12: use simple graphics for support of teaching.
Recommendation 13: personalisation should be the driving force of the ANGEL.
Recommendation 14: when help button is clicked, the information provided should relate directly and immediately to what is on-screen. Test frequently with users during design.
Recommendation 15: make administration of the system immediate, easy, and automatic.
Recommendation 16: add the tutor facilitator concept to guidelines for institutions.
Recommendation 17: add 'making desired outcomes clear to students' to guidelines for institutions.
Recommendation 18: consider a study of average IT skills in HE students.
Recommendation 19: recommend that institutions test student IT skill level.
Recommendation 20: investigate ways in which student authentication can be implemented into student assessment.
Recommendation 21: use appropriate vocabulary (thesaurus) for the system and test frequently with users.
Recommendation 22: use JISC specifications in design.
Recommendation 23: decide upon standards that ANGEL will follow and implement.