Overall the access to, and delivery and monitoring of learning (learning resources, assessment, administration of courses etc) would be streamlined by an MLE.

Students and staff have specific roles and responsibilities within the institution yet they are often forced to use unconnected multiple systems which are not directly relevant. The MLE could allow direct access to information. This would create the feeling that the gap between the services offered centrally and those needed by students or academics was narrowing. Studies show that direct and seamless secure access to data from remote locations, and 24/7 operation, is exactly what students want (MARTINI Prototype User Group Evaluation 1.3 2002, p. 2).

From the student perspective, combining these two should lead to an improvement in the learning experience. This responds to changing views of learning which are moving from the more scientific objectivist approaches to a more learner centred experience. The MLE facilitates this as the systems would be integrated, moving from a fragmented experience to a more cohesive approach. Teaching and learning models are not being explored here but see Jefferies and Waterhouse (2002) for an introduction to some of the benefits.

Colchester Institute found that the MLE brought improved transparency and availability of timetable and register data to the learner.

The The MLE in FE Case Studies report that implementation of an MLE has played a part in the increased expectations of students in the immediate availability of information about their progress.

Without an MLE it is often the case that institutions base their administration on a myriad of diverse data sources and interfaces which are not always accessible by all departments. By bringing these together under an MLE access for administrative updates will be eased, as will synchronisation across data sources especially when wishing to correct mistakes or update records.

If an implementation of an MLE is agreed it would lead to a thorough assessment of existing practices which could in turn lead to a better understanding of administrative and support issues, making people think more holistically about administration, a better overall communication structure, and a scrapping of outdated and inefficient systems.

New administrative tasks such as transfers between institutions by students (involving transcripts and Personal Development Profiles at the very least), as well as changes in syllabi structures (e.g. the introduction of modularisation) could be helped by having an overall cohesive system.

External demands such as the preparation of returns to funding councils or quality agencies could be greatly eased as the MLE will allow for a more efficient means of extracting and collating data.

City University found that support services gain a better understanding of how systems impact on the educational experience of students.

College managers at Banff and Buchan College were keen that the MLE would reduce the administrative burden on all staff.

An overall streamlining of processes and a holistic view of systems and how they interoperate can lead to increased efficiencies and costs savings. Boys (August, 2002) notes that the PLUS2 project at Sunderland University for example, demonstrated that many of the University's processes were being unnecessarily duplicated and that these could be reduced. The JISC commissioned MLE in FE Case Studies report supports this view. Another key factor highlighted in the report is the widening participation agenda.

The overall reputation of the institution might be enhanced if it was known that an operational MLE was in place. This could also lead to further funding opportunities from bodies such as the JISC, or BECTA, who are interested in exploring benefits of and possible enhancements to MLE provision.

De Montfort University's Managed Learning Environment Project (14 August 2002) suggested that an MLE may lead to lower drop-out rates (for the reasons noted above under pedagogic).

A fully operational MLE would send a strong signal that e-learning (or at the very least ICT) was not peripheral to the institution.

An MLE might allow easier access to the distance learning market, or attract non-traditional clients.

If set up correctly, an MLE could provide an easy and applicable introduction to technology reducing apprehension about ICT amongst staff.

Overall an MLE might be of benefit when facing such things as an institutional audit. Jefferies and Waterhouse (2002) note

'it would also be desirable for any MLE to provide evidence of the university's performances for QAA and other audit and assessment exercises. These QAA exercises and audits impact directly on student recruitment and the ability of the university to attract funding from industry'. The same might apply to OFSTED inspections in FE.

City University found that their e-learning initiative 'brought questions about the future of many of these developments, processes and systems to the fore and assisted in raising awareness of the importance of a coherent university vision'.

City College Manchester found that the external value of being able to provide robust managment information was confirmed during a recent Ofsted inspection process.

A key driver for Coleg Llandrillo was the growing need for robust data to facilitate the reporting requirements of a complex organisation dealing with multiple external agencies.

This is left up to you. There could be a range of reasons particular to your institution that might provide impetus behind MLE implementation. Consider, for example, why you are reading this infoKit. Is it just out of interest or were there specific reasons for you beginning to look at MLEs?