The Networked Learning Environment (NLE) is a purpose built suite of web applications designed specifically to support the diverse and unique problems associated with medical education. The current version of the NLE supports diverse user groups from undergraduate and graduate-entry students, to university teaching and administrative staff to NHS clinicans. From a pedagogical perspective the system supports the curriculum mapping of learning objectives, teaching, learning, assessment, evaluation, administration and social interaction.

The learning experience perceived by various stakeholders (curricular planners, students, staff) can differ in complex domains such as Medicine taught across multiple sites. The diagram to the right shows what is planned is not always the save as what is taught, which is not always the same as what students at different sites receive. A virtual learning environment, such as the NLE, is an invaluable asset when it comes to managing this learning experience. One way to enhance this management is to use a curriculum mapping system whereby objectives at various levels of detail or granularity can be stored and the relationships between them documented. The NLE stores three distinct 'levels' of objective in its curriculum map: degree, module/course and session. Hierarchal relationships can be included between each level. Finally, the most detailed session-level objectives are linked to GMC 'Tomorrow's Doctors' outcomes.

• Objectives
  Objectives are the starting point of both the teaching and learning perspectives. They allow staff to specify and to inform students what they should be able to do at the end of the module or year. The NLE holds objectives at three different levels of granularity: degree, module and session.

• Taught Sessions
  The timetable from Syllabus Plus is integrated with the NLE showing time/date, location and lecturer information for lectures, seminars and practical sessions. To this timetable information is added learning objectives and supporting online resources (e.g. Word or PowerPoint files).

• e-Lectures
  Increasingly e-Lectures are being used by staff to cover core knowledge. These lectures are viewable through a web-browser and have the PowerPoint sides, a voice over explaining each screen and in some cases additional animations of dynamic concepts.
  
  
  

• e-Learning
  A number of e-learning packages are provided on the NLE for self-study. The screenshot belows shows an interactive package which simulates the mistakes that can be made when doing urinalysis.

• Recommended Reading
  Each module in the NLE has its own recommended reading list of books to aid student learning. Each title in the list links through to the University of Nottingham library catalogue so it is easy to see if a title is in stock.

• Searching
  Being able to go off and find information is one of the defining factors of an active learner. Google has become the defacto standard when it comes to searching the Internet. The NLE utilises this same power behind its authentication mechanisms by using the company's Google-Mini search applicance.
  
  
  

• Descriptions
  Assessment descriptions for each module are held on the NLE so that students know up front what will be required of them to pass the course.

• Self-Assessment Quizes
  Formative self-assessments are provided for students to gauge their own understanding as they progress through the course. An online assessment system called Rogo provides automatic marking and feedback on over 10 different question types from MCQs to image hotspots.

• Summative Exams
  In addition to formative assessments, Rogo also delivers secure end of module summative exams for the knowledge components of each module. Large cohorts can be marked in seconds and various reports show how the class and question items performed.

• Coursework
  'Digital Dropboxes' are used on certain modules for students to submit coursework electronically.

• Peer Review
  Where students work in groups, online peer review forms are sometimes used. When each student logs in the system knows which group they are in and only presents the peers in this group. The screenshot below shows some of the aspects students have to rate their peers on.
  
  
  

Evaluation is a key tool in the quality improvement repertoire of a module convenor. Each module is routinely assessed after the exams using a system called Rogo. Quantitative data is obtained through a number of questions expressed using Likert scales together with open ended textboxes for students to express more qualitative information.

• e-Forms
  Electronic forms are used in number of places to gather key data from students. The screenshot on the right shows a safety information form which must be completed before students start their elective period.
  

• Student Selected Components
  A student preference allocation system is used in a number of ares of the course. It works whereby student rank their choices for projects, sites, etc anytime over a period of say a week. After the deadline an allocation script will randomly shuffle the students and begin allocations. It will calculate a 'fit' of this model and then try again. It will repeat this for tens of thousands of iterations before displaying the best fit of students to groups.

• Online Voting
  Online voting is used to select some of the student reps and student society positions. Each student can vote more than once but only their last vote is counted. This stops users biasing the results.
  
  

Learning is an inherently social activity, sharing understanding and ideas with both staff and peer groups. The NLE supports social communication through 'student areas', discussion forums and wikis.

• Student Area
  Within each module are 'student areas' which allow students to add their own files or pointers to websites that they have found useful and would like to share with their peers.

• Discussion Forums
  Asynchronous discussion boards are used with most modules on the NLE. They facilitate easier sharing of ideas with an entire cohort of students rather than relying on email communication.

• Wikis
  Wikis provide the opportunity for real collaboration amounst a student body. Any student can add their own material from a single sentence to a complete set of pages.

Large increases in undergraduate student numbers over the last few years has led to an increased spectrum of needs. To satisfy this the NLE has adopted an inclusive design to aid accessibility for all users. At the heart of this design approach is a flexible customisation facility that allows any user to set foreground and background colours, font size and even the display of sidebar boxes on the homepage.

• Customisation
  The screenshots below show the NLE displayed in three different colour schemes. The colour of each interface component can be set by each student separately.

Professor Jim Lowe

Dr Simon Wilkinson

Anthony Brown

Nikodem Miranowicz

Dr Reg Dennick

Dr John Whittle