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Course Platform Evaluation Report
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| Products | Ilias 3.4.1University of Cologne (Germany) and open-source community: http://www.ilias.de/ios/index.htmlThe product is the result of the ILIAS open source community. Project coordination and most development are done by the University of Cologne. Last major evaluation update: June 2005 About product About producer Strengths
Weaknesses An unstructured group of developers contributes to the overall project, resulting in a platform of uneven quality with serious usability issues. | |
General | ||
Multilinguality | The user interface currently supports 14 different languages, including French, English, Italian and German. Teachers and students can choose their language. | |
Student's Environment | ||
Ease of Use | The general usability for students is substandard, as some browser tools such as bookmarks can not be used. The navigation takes time to get used to. | |
uses browser functionality | Common browser functionalities are used, but the back button is not fully supported. | |
browser bookmarks | Browser bookmarks only work in Ilias Learning Modules. | |
URL access possible | URL access is not consistently possible. | |
in-system bookmarks | Has a function to store in-system bookmarks | |
print current page | No current page print with the browser in many cases, but there is a function to create printable view that can be downloaded and printed. | |
save page on local disk | No 'save page' with the browser in many cases, but there is a function to create printable view that can be downloaded and printed. | |
find word in current page | Browser 'Find in page' works. | |
no frames | Ilias has frames. | |
scalable font | Fonts are scalable. | |
Compliant with common web technology | Yes, all browsers that adhere to the norm XHTML 4 are supported. | |
Firefox 1 ok | Is supported | |
IE 6 ok | Is supported | |
Safari ok | Is supported | |
Functional environment | The Ilias environment is missing important functions such as an overall keyword search, page navigation tools and context sensitive help. On the other hand, the personal desktop can be configured by each user. | |
keyword search | No keyword search for content in discussion forums | |
configurable environment | Yes, the personal desktop is configurable. | |
effective navigation aids | A progress path (breadcrumbs) helps orientation. | |
context sensitive help | No context sensitive help | |
Collection of Tools | Basic tools are provided, but no advanced tools such as accessing local content (CD-ROM), instant messaging or (shared) whiteboard. | |
Tutoring and Didactics | ||
Ease of use | The numerous usability issues create quite an obstacle for beginners. A form-based editor requires a full day of instruction. Student tracking is sparce and the enormous number of possibilities provided by the highly differenciated role-based permissions system can be overwhelming, even for an experienced user. | |
Communication | Forum, Chat and Mail are well designed for easy communication, however there is no Instant Messenger or shared White Board. | |
forum threaded | Forum is threaded. | |
forum searchable | Forum is not searchable. | |
private workgroup forums | Workgroups can be private and can be created by students. | |
internal mailing system | Has internal mailing | |
mailing system interoperable with emails | The internal mailing system lets you enter an external address that replies can be sent to. | |
chat | Exists | |
whiteboard with integr. chat | Does not exist | |
Instant Messaging | Does not exist | |
Student management | Thanks to the open structure and the flexible rights administration many automated enrollment methods are possible, including file upload and individual enrollment. For example the right to enroll 'full' users with complete rights can be restricted (or not) to administrators. Self enrolled guests possess all the same rights as 'full' users but can not send mail. | |
class enrollment by tutor | Yes, but only administrators can enroll 'full' users. | |
class enrollment by student | Self enrollment is an option that can be provided. | |
tutors can build groups | Yes | |
students can build groups | Yes | |
Activity tracking | General tracking of student activities does not exist. In many instances, however, simple feedback on student activity is provided. | |
individual page/tool access | No such data tracked | |
class page/tool access | No such data tracked | |
tracking of individual activity in forum | Individual Forum activity is indicated. | |
tracking of class activity in forum | No such data tracked | |
individual performance in tests | Individual test performance is indicated. | |
class performance in tests | Class test performance is indicated. | |
class assignment performance | Class assignment performance is indicated. | |
Course Development | ||
Ease of Use | The available tools favor a pedagogical use of the platform. Because Ilias is extremely flexible and open, however, it is also open to misuse. Course organisation is based on several tools which are difficult to understand at the beginning. The built-in HTML editor is form-based and produces structured and tagged content, with the aim of easily converting it into other formats (HTML, SCORM, Word, PDF, etc.). This questionable advantage is payed for with a less than smooth workflow. | |
can define course structure | Yes, content can be organized in different ways: courses, groups and modules. | |
up/download of resources and content | HTML-upload but no WebDAV yet | |
Hypertext linking | Hypertext linking between HTML pages is possible, but links to tools are not possible. | |
Flexible Development Framework | ILIAS is base on a LAMP architecture (Linux, Apache, MySql, PHP) with many installation types. Web server and database can be distributed on different servers. Several APIs exist. | |
extensible architecture | Yes, architecture is extensible. | |
support for client side scripting | Yes | |
support for server side scripting | Yes | |
server side scripting API | Yes | |
custom navigation scheme | No (would require programming) | |
Developers support | There is support for developers, but the support group is comparatively small. Online material is relatively scarce and not always easy to find. | |
basic manual/tutorial for authors | Yes | |
advanced manual for programmers | Yes | |
complete documentation of APIs | No | |
responsive support | Partly | |
online user forums | Yes, with RSS feed | |
Compatibility with common web authoring tools | The platform is compatible with standard tools, but not with some specific tools such as Respondus. Web interface only to upload content, no direct publishing into it (no WEBDAV). | |
compatible with standard web content | Yes | |
Assessment | Many different test and exercise types are provided with several fine tuning features. Students can also create such activities! Questions are organized in pools. Surveys and tests can be constructed from more than one pool. Import of quizzes in the following formats: SCORM, AICC, HTML or ILIAS XML. Hot Potatoes quizzes must be imported as HTML pages. | |
Online Quiz Editor | Yes | |
Offline Quiz Editor | Offline Quiz Editor is not provided. | |
Broad Range of Quiz Types | Yes | |
Extensible Quiz Engine | Yes, with PHP and MySQL | |
Support for e-learning standards | Scorm 1.2, AICC as well as ILIAS proprietory XML can be imported. Learning Modules that were created in Ilias can be exported as SCORM. All internal editors support Learning Obkect Metadata, which are directly accessible in the menu 'Metadata'. | |
SCORM package import | Yes | |
IMS-CP import/export | No | |
IMS-QTI import/export | No (in preparation for future version) | |
Adaptable look and feel | Style sheets for the overall structure can be edited for each client hosted on an installation. Templates, called 'Skins', are provided to choose a different look and feel. Course developers can create their own styles for content pages. | |
course level look-and-feel | Skins give some choice for the course level look and feel. | |
multiple corporate identities | Different independent sections can have a different look and feel in a limited way. | |
System & Administration | ||
System management | ILIAS is based on LAMP architecture (Linux, Apache, MySql, PHP). Web server and database server can be installed on different machines. Files can be stored on RAID Disks or SAN. Several processors are supported. There are roughly four major annual updates of ILIAS. Minor updates (bug fixes) are made available when needed. To install an update, all clients of an ILIAS installation need to be shut down and restarted. | |
Performance | Application server can not be clustered. | |
Security | ILIAS can be set up under SSL. Passwords are encrypted (MD5 standard). | |
Administration | User accounts can be managed automatically through an LDAP and a SOAP interface. Batch upload (XML) for user account data and for assigning users to local and global roles. Active Directory of MSN is also supported. | |
One server - multiple institutions/faculties | Yes, partially | |
Flexible Authentication Scheme | Yes, AAI, Radius- & Shibboleth Authentication | |
Documentation | Partly | |