From Steeple

[edit] 1 WP 3: Implement some delivery channel demonstrators

Work package that shows explicit delivery goals for the project – i.e. what we do will leads to these outputs.

In detail, the required demonstrator services include

• a demonstrator module for institutional, public web presence
• a demonstrator module for delivering into commercial 3rd party services, such as iTunesU, YouTube,
• and demonstrator modules for non-commercial 3rd party services, including a UK-HE syndication portal, and GGfL.

Bjoern 11:14, 2 November 2008 (UTC): I feel this is a core deliverable of the project. In my view, producing modules that can be used by all UK-HEIs would have a key impact on how much UK-HE media gets onto itunesu, youtube, ggfl, and a syndication portal. I would vote for increasing the time for all partners on this WP.

Kick-start meeting gives agreement that workpackage needs to be much bigger than originally conceived.

[edit] 1.1 Institutional Web Portal for podcasts (18 weeks effort, during months 6-11)

This work is to develop a demonstrator web portal for displaying an institution’s audio and video podcasting content, arranged by categories. It may not be possible in the time available to offer a fully featured solution but the work will involve reviewing existing options and the development of a selected solution that meets core partner requirements and support infrastructure. The ideal solution is an easy to maintain web system that can automatically display dynamic institutional podcasting content in an easy to use, subject orientated portal.

The system needs to be under access control and offer a means for a non-programmer to add new feeds to subject category areas and to a final destination page for the course/topic feed. The feeds will be provided as URLs from an institutional system (e.g. RSS server). This will serve as a core demonstrator for an institutional podcasting web portal service ideally based upon an existing open source CMS or framework that provides core modular functionality. Such a framework could provide: User Interface skins; Access control for sys admins; splash pages; search; reporting; and feedback forums)

The feature list below is ranked in order of institutional priority.

Core feature list:

• Show all available podcasts in a categorized structure
• Search for keywords to find a course (podcasts) in it’s destination area
• Optional Playback in browser (embedded flash MPEG 4 player)
• User Links to subscribe to feed and download item
• Links to external systems (e.g. departmental/project pages) from individual feeds and sub-pages
• Browse hierarchy of content, broken down into institutional subject categories and sub divisions, each with their own configurable and individual page
• Web based administration
  • Front Home page – Featured recordings/subjects/adverts
  • Sub- category page – New areas/centres/adverts
  • Destination page – departmental descriptions/links/further info
• Able to consume RSS/ATOM feeds for destination pages and Flash playlist quick viewers
• Able to be branded/customized/skin to suit institutional preferences
• Ability to advertise and market material on splash pages
• Support Album cover graphics

Extended Feature list:

• Track and display statistics on popularity (e.g. Top Downloads)
• Ability to tag individual podcasts and feeds with user generated input

Optional Feedback/Community/Pedagogical Pathways:

• Ability to provide feedback on content (e.g. comments system)
• Ability to personalize usage – e.g. create own playlist, share playlist, create and share pathways

N.B. It may be necessary to determine whether this can have a relationship with the (OPML) to generate site content/structure.

Deliverable:

• Demonstration portal – development work on an extended framework/system/CMS package with templates and new modules for generic reuse. Online pilot version.

Comments: The Open University have strengths here on the design/UI. Cambridge has much experience in the Flash/media.cam area and wish to develop this further. Oxford looks for this work to replace podcasts.ox.ac.uk.