OLAT is a very advanced Learning Management System, allowing admins and webmasters to setup a complete online training tool.
Here are some key features of "OLAT":
General Overview:
· Java based framework (Brasato) with special Accessibility-mode, HTML based frontend GUI (XHTML 1.0) and REST API support
· AJAX/Web 2.0 enabled
· Packaged deployment (WAR) consistent with the Java Web Specification thereby simplifying the rollout of the application
· Entirely multilingual, UTF8 supported, online translation tool
· Supports standards such as termIMS CP, IMS LTI, termSCORM 1.2, QTI 1.2 (built-in editor) and QTI 2.1 (using ONYX plugin)
· Server requirements: With OLAT, there is no need for a high-end server!
· Scalability: Install an OLAT cluster if one server alone does not meet your requirements!
· CSS framework YAML: Increased robustness and browser-compatibility of entire layout.
· Portlets on HOME-tab are configurable
Users & Groups:
· Unlimited number of accounts
· Different roles
· Various authentication methods
· Administrators can add, modify or delete users
· Personalized authoring and learning environment
· Manage your files via HTTP or WebDAV
· Configure your personal home portal
· Calendar (per course, per group and combined personal calendar), also via ical, notifications (via eMail or RSS)
· Be up-to-date as regards news and changes via e-mail or RSS feed
· Full-text search
· Share resources with other authors (learning resource repository)
· Form your own project groups and invite buddies
· Use discussion forums, file share space, contact forms etc.
· Instant Messenger: See who is online and chat with others using either the integrated chat client (AJAX based) or an external Jabber client
Authentication Options:
· Users can create their own accounts (with/without approval by administrators)
· Direct login into OLAT with OLAT user name and password
· Access file system via WebDAV login
· Full Shibboleth integration
· Single sign-on e.g. via Switch AAI
· Control access to courses by means of AAI attributes
Course Management:
· Flexible course system
· Based on termIMS Learning design concepts
· Create a personalized course structure according to your needs
· Course wizard: quickly create simple OLAT courses with just a few mouse clicks
· Course editor: create your course with your own structure using OLAT course elements
· Group management: manage your learners
· Rights management: grant specific users access to course tools
· Assessment tool: assess your learners
· Archive tool: download log files or runtime data and import/export courses
· Create your own course layout using termCSS
Course Elements OLAT Offers:
· Wiki, Blog and Podcasts
· Single pages with integrated WYSIWYG HTML editor (+ jsMath)
· Include external pages or sites via tunneling
· Both termSCORM 1.2 and termIMS Content Packages (+ CP editor)
· Forums and "file dialog" element to discuss papers
· Folders for download material
· Tasks with drop box, sample solution and scores
· Topic assignment: Distribute and manage projects or bacchelor thesis
· Tests (with scores) and self-tests (anonymous, no scores) based on QTI 1.2 standard or QTI 2.1 using the ONYX plugin
· Questionnaire for course evaluations
· Enrollment for groups (by student or tutor or both) with wait lists
· Contact forms and calendar for easy communication with group members or tutors
· Basic Learning Tools Interoperability (V1.0 Basic LTI Conformance). Have a look at the reults of the Basic LTI Conformance Test.
Online Help and Documentation:
· Extensive context-sensitive help
· User manual available as HTML or PDF
· Demo courses and course templates
· Comprehensive help, manual, tutorials and discussion forum
Multilingual:
· Entirely supports UTF8
· Our main translations: German, English, French, Italian and Spanish
· Community translations: Portuguese, Russian, Czech, Polish, Lithuanian, Danish, Greek, Chinese (traditional and simplified) and Farsi (Persian)
· Under development: Afrikaans, Albanian, Arabic, Hebrew, Hungarian, Indonesian (Bahasa), Rumantsch and Turkish
· The online translation tool has been rebuilt in 2009 and is simpler than ever!
· More information in the translations chapter
What's New in This Release: [ read full changelog ]
· Integration of external tools through the IMS Basic LTI interoperability standard
· Implementation of a course wizard with which courses with the most popular elements can be easily created
· Integration of a QTI 2.1 test engine (ONYX plugin)
· Integration of OLAT into existing IT infrastructure with the new REST API (beta)
· Mail attachments in user visiting card, group and course contact form
· Various component improvements: topic assignment, context sensitive help, task, calendar, full-text search, single page, notifications
· Improvements in LDAP module for synchronisation of large LDAP directories and OLAT cluster operatings (operations)
· Browser side caching of course media resources to reduce network load
· Refactoring of depricated forms using "Flexi Form" infrastructure part III
· Packaged deployment (WAR) consistent with the Java Web Specification thereby simplifying the rollout of the application
· Various bugfixes and software upgrades
