Developing an Academic Content Resource
Please excuse this post if you think that it is off topic
Our University currently run two main web based academic content stores. The
first is WebCT which as we know has many benefits over a typical content
store in that it encompasses a range of additional tools to form a Virtual
Learning Environment. But WebCT relies on the content being in HTML format
which is not compatible with much of our existing content.
The second resource which we run is a web server, with directory listing
enabled, which hosts a hierarchy folders that results in a folder for each
module that the University runs. The academics have network access to the
file store behind the web server and can save (Publish ?) their Lecture
Notes (Word Documents), PowerPoint Presentations etc to the server. The
students view these files through the web browsers on PCs running compatible
desktop applications.
This second resource is extremely easy to use. If an academic can save a
file then they can save to the web server and publish their work. As a
result most modules have an archive of content on our University intranet.
However, as you might guess this second web server is not pretty to look at,
It contains a diverse collection of cryptically named files of diverse file
types in no particular order with limited teaching value.
I have been tasked with improving the usability of the basic web server.
So I am keen to know the following:
Has anyone developed a Content Management Systems as their sole academic
content repository?
Does anyone run a Content Management System such as Site Server, Zope, or
other as their sole academic content repository?
Does anyone use a CMS to personalise content stores to for academic and non
academic communities?
Does anyone use a CMS as a portal to other web based content stores?
Does anyone know of examples of the Universities which have managed to
implement a single Content management System for all academic content?
Details of any examples or publications on the subject would be gratefully
received
Richard Burrows
Senior Information Officer
University of Abertay Dundee
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+44 (0)1382 308862
X 8862 (Internal)
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