TEL034: IS Application

Proposal Sponsor: 

Jenni Houston, Digital Skills and Training

Overview

Lynda.com provides a wide range of instructional videos on a range of digital, creative and business skills topics and is increasingly being purchased by and used within HE institutions throughout the UK. It was acquired by LinkedIn in 2015.

In support of the digital skills development, online and distance learning and student experience agendas, one of the key anticipated benefits of purchasing Lynda.com licences will be its availability for academic staff to use in their teaching. To do this efficiently, this requires integration with the University’s VLEs.

Lynda.com has already been successfully integrated with single sign-on and virtual learning environments (VLEs) by other UK universities

Lynda.com therefore needs to be integrated with:

• University’s single sign-on
• Learn and Moodle
• MyEd (channel development)

As there has already been considerable interest in Lynda.com from Schools and other business units, with a few already purchasing their own licences directly, there is a risk that if we don’t buy and integrate Lynda.com others may procure their own licences without the cost efficiencies offered by the campus licence.

Other contributors: 

Christina Hussell, Catherine Koppe, Andy Todd (all Digital Skills and Training)

What would happen if the project did not take place?: 

• Staff and students would not have streamlined and authenticated access to Lynda.com
• The opportunities for using Lynda.com in teaching would be limited
• We would miss a great opportunity to provide the widest possible University audience with an efficient, integrated service that would develop digital, creative and business skills across staff and students.

Additional information: 

The business area is LTW, Director Melissa Highton. Other impacted business areas include Schools as academics within them would not be able to use Lynda.com resources in their teaching, HR as they would not be able to make use of the business skills development resources to supplement their current programme, and all staff and students as they would not be able to use the resources for personal and professional development.

Who does it affect?: 

Affected by the change: all staff and students as resources will be available to all

Required to make the change: IS Applications development and project management staff

Fit with University strategy: 

The integrated provision of Lynda.com aligns to the People enabler by developing the digital, creative and business skills of our academic and support staff, enabling them to perform better in the workplace.

It contributes to outstanding student experience by contributing to: i) the continual professional development for staff, helping to maintain high standards of delivery, learning and teaching; ii) the design of innovative programmes by integrating Lynda resources with VLEs and using them in teaching.

By helping develop students’ digital, creative and business skills, Lynda can enhance graduate employability and equip students for the 21st century workforce.

Lynda.com regularly updates their catalogue with new and emerging technologies, some specifically aimed at developing student-specific skills, so it helps keep digital skills current. It also allows people to take ownership of their learning, planning development paths that will help improve their performance.

Lynda may enhance the efficiency of the university’s learning and development providers, enabling them to reduce course waiting lists by offering alternative resources online. Materials are available for learning online 24/7, anywhere, by all.

Through all these measures, Lynda aligns with the Excellence in education goal.

Planning Status: 

 Proposal

Programme Priority: 

 1

Overall Priority: 

2

Portfolio: 

 ISG

Planned Start: 

16/17

Multi-Year: 

 No

Procurement > £50K: 

 Yes

Funding Source: 

 Core Grant