Abstract:

In 2005, the University of Urbino, in collaboration with a software house, developed its own elearning platform: OpenLoL (Land of Learning). Many thousands students have used it through the years with much satisfaction. However, OpenLoL global management (server administration, dedicated HR, technical support, etc.) became slowly but inexorably very difficult to autonomously sustain and the University decided to adopt a better supported augmented learning solution.

Nevertheless, choosing the best elearning solution can be a difficult task. The market offers many kind of improved platforms, tools and online applications for learning, but it does not offer any easy way of distinguishing between them. What do they have to offer? Which are their respective TCOs? Are they able to encourage collaborative learning? Do they integrate with social network? Do they promote m-learning? Do they motivate and inspire the students?

The University of Urbino was faced with these problems and it decided to do a very thorough study, taking into account four among the best augmented learning solution on the market and having as benchmark OpenLoL, which was used until that moment: moodle, docebo, adobe connect and it’s learning.

These four learning platform were tested and compared using more than 100 indicators: from “Conformity to standards” to “Scalability”, from “Supported languages” to “Privacy management” from “Chat availability” to “Integrated videoconferencing tools”, from “Social network integration” to “possibility of producing wikis”. All the criteria were weighed against the Total Cost of Ownership, and the specific needs of the University users.

Via this research, the University of Urbino was able to identify which augmented learning platform was the best for its specific educational needs.

Keywords:

Augmented Learning, it's-learning, moodle, comparative research.