Infrastructure
KFU has a powerful ICT infrastructure. Infrastructure is the foundation on which e-learning is built. Infrastructure, which includes technical infrastructure, software and hardware, smart classrooms and all web accessible technologies are needed to support and enable e-learning in institutions. The infrastructure has to be reliable and secure for students to access and brows e-learning resources. The e-learning infrastructure is given potential care by the university management to provide the student and instructor with suitable and powerful learning environment .
E-Learning Systems
Blackboard/WebCT Learning Management System
It is an E-Learning Management System that allows instructors to create, deliver, and manage web-based components for e-courses. It enables anytime, anywhere students engagement, empower instructors with tools they need to administer and track the progress of students throughout the entire educational cycle. It can be used to add online elements to a traditional course, or to develop completely online courses with few or no face-to-face meetings.
It allows students to download and upload files, participate in chat and discussion boards, as well as take assessments. Students are also able to view grades as well as contact the teacher and classmates. Also, it allows for instructors collaboration at grade level or by subject in the design of learning objects to post on the system. Given proper planning time instructors can design thematic units using reusable learning objects. The university provides the WebCT LMS and Blackboard LMS after the integration between the two systems which produce the power of the two in Blackboard 9.0 which will be available for the university community soon.
Virtual Class Room Synch. System
Virtual Class Room adds real-time many-to-many collaboration and synchronous learning to Blackboard LMS with one-click integrated access. The virtual classroom system offers an affordable online instruction delivery solution that enables instructors to duplicate any learning environment. It allows students to participate live in the class and practice all the traditional class activities electronically. It ensures the best user experience through superior quality, full duplex voice over IP, communications that are in-sync regardless of connection speed, interactive whiteboards, video abilities, breakout rooms, application sharing, ADA compliance, real-time quizzing, record and playback, advanced yet easy-to-use moderator tools. it Offer life discussions between students and instructors anytime, anywhere .
Class Capturing/recording System
This system makes class time available all the time by automatically capturing, storing and indexing every class on campus for replay by every student. It can be integrated with Blackboard LMS. Educators know that the more students can see, hear, and experience class resources, the better they learn. Easily capture and transfer the complete class room experience into an online study environment that significantly impact student achievement . it allows students to download the class and listen to it anytime and everywhere even on their iPod and MP3.
Authoring Tool and Content Management Systems
These systems provides users with a comprehensive authoring environment for creating and delivering custom interactive multimedia content. It is easy-to-use and rich in features, it allows instructors to create their e-courses, indexing and scheduling them. It allows publishing e-courses in different formats: HTML, EXE, SCORM, and CDs. It allows instructors to add multimedia elements like audio, video, images and animation to enrich their contents.
Online Exam system
This is a complete assessment system that enables instructors managing, authoring, scheduling, delivering, and reporting surveys, quizzes, tests and exams. It enables instructors to create questions and organize and deliver them into exams, quizzes or surveys. It provides a computerized reporting and correction of the exams this to support transparency in grading. This system is secure and can be integrated with Blackboard LMS.
Human Resources
The university pay a lot of attention to the unit staff in training and development. Also, the unit with the help of the IT center hire professional staff from specialized e-learning companies under operating and maintenance contracts. This approach helps and assure knowledge transfer and training to the local unit staff. The unit staff provides training technical support on all the e-learning systems.
