PANDA - the new learning platform of the Paderborn University

Under the title PANDA (Paderborn Assistance System for News, Documents and Exchange) the university is currently developing a new learning platform based on Moodle under the leadership of the IMT. The aim is to make the new learning platform available for use throughout the University of Paderborn in order to modernise the learning platform koaLA, which has been used throughout the university so far, and to integrate currently used isolated applications into a uniform environment.

PANDA will support both standardized e-learning activities commonly used at universities and continue to offer the specific solutions disseminated at the University of Paderborn and available in koaLA. In addition to aspects of (self-)assessment, the usability of mobile devices, usability aspects, a layout based on the web design and CI concept, accessibility, data protection and data security will also be taken into account.

The project is implemented in cooperation with the Higher Education Development Office, the chair of Prof. Dr. Szwillus, the central administration of Paderborn University and with the support of all faculties.

Project duration: 01.10.2016 – 31.03.2019

Procedure

The currently used learning platform of the University of Paderborn koaLA is based on the Paderborn proprietary development sTeam, which is powerful, but proprietary and not widely used and therefore can only be kept stable in the long run with considerable risk and effort. The learning platform Moodle (open source), which is widely used at German universities, is to be used as the basis for PANDA. The overall functionality of the learning platform will thus be based on standardised, current technology, but will be adapted to the Paderborn needs and specific koaLA functionality: The usability and "cherished" Paderborn-specific functions should be retained as far as possible, while the layout of the new learning platform should be adapted to the design of the University of Paderborn. The adjustments will also be made in an open license form, so that the rights to use the overall solution are held by the University of Paderborn.

Throughout the entire project, koaLA and PANDA must be operated in parallel. In principle, the changeover to the new platform is to be organized on a faculty-byfaculty basis and will be spread over two semesters. In the first semester, voluntary multipliers will be trained and converted to the new platform. Subsequently, all courses of the faculty will be made available. Currently the following order is planned: KW and NW, WiWi, MB, EIM. koaLA will continue to be available for reading access after the conversion is complete; there are no plans to automatically transfer courses from previous semesters to the new PANDA.

Information and training material will be made available; teachers and supporting SHKs will be explicitly trained.

The faculties and student representatives have been asked to appoint contact persons for the formation of a steering committee, with whom the central project team will coordinate regularly and who will be responsible for the aspects of communication, requirements management and error analysis of the project on the part of the faculties and students.

Join in

Volunteer users of the new PANDA are always welcome! The IMT will be happy to create new courses for you on request. Please use the course creation form linked on the PANDA homepage or send an e-mail with the listed data to imt@upb.de:

Number and title of the course
Name of the lecturer
Desired password for students to enrol in the course themselves (optional)

Here you will receive support in setting up and using PANDA:

Information for use in the HilfeWiki: https://hilfe.uni-paderborn.de/PANDA

Personal contact persons:

PANDA and current project status: Christian Ritter
Course creation and technique: Sybille Filehr, Axel Vincenz
Use and didactic help: Iris Neiske

Enquiries and suggestions are welcome at any time to: imt@upb.de

Subscribe to the PANDA newsletter to receive regular news: https://lists.uni-paderborn.de/mailman/listinfo/panda

Materials

Learning platform of the Paderborn University: https://panda.uni-paderborn.de/

PANDA in the HilfeWiki:

https://hilfe.uni-paderborn.de/PANDA

Slides for the steering committee meeting on 10.11.2016

Slides for the steering committee meeting on 28.02.2017

Slides for the steering committee meeting on 07.07.2017

Slides for the steering committee meeting on 06.02.2018

Slides for the steering committee meeting on 19.12.2018

Steering committee

The steering committee, which has equal numbers of members from different areas of the university, advises both the project management and the executive committee on all critical project issues: As a coordinating body between all those involved, the steering committee also makes recommendations on possible further development options (requirements management) and sends people to the extended project team as required.

Members of the steering committee - as of 19.01.2018: