A TECHNOLOGY FOR FLEXIBLE LEARNING PROVISION AT THE INSTITUTES OF TECHNOLOGY, IRELAND

BlueBrick.ie is website which allows learners to search for, compare and apply online for a range of programmes and modules available on a flexible basis within the Institutes of Technology in Ireland. The portal is the part of the outcomes from a Higher Education Authority (HEA) Strategic Innovation Funded project: Flexible Learning. The aims of this project are to double the number of part-time and flexible learning students within the Institute of Technology sector. BlueBrick.ie is a central component in the realization of this objective, providing a single location where the flexible learning content of the sector can be promoted. All fourteen Institutes of Technology in Ireland are actively collaborating on this project. This paper describes the IDEAS technology underpinning the portal. The technology composes of two distinct elements - the student user interface and the academic interface. The paper presents the student user interface presenting the components which make the site accessible to all searching for and applying to flexible learning courses. The paper also discusses the interface with the academic institute, such as the content management and application management systems.