Overview

The Indiana Learning Portal (ILP) is an online gateway through which Indiana learners, workers, and citizens can navigate theWeb to locate information, learning opportunities, and collaborative or community workspace available in Indiana and around the world. It will provide access to corporate training, K-12 programs, college classes and programs, professional development, public broadcasting, and other educational opportunities.

An initiative in partnership of several local organizations, the ILP is currently under development with support from the Lilly Endowment, Inc. and matching funds from partner organizations.

ILP partners

The ILP partners are a diverse group representing many of the education and information providers in Indiana. Large and small, public, private, and not-for-profit providers are represented, and include:

• Indiana Higher Education Telecommunication System (IHETS)
• Indiana College Network (ICN)
• Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC)
• Indiana Cooperative Library Services Authority (INCOLSA)
• Indiana Humanities Council
• Indiana State Library
• Indiana Web Academy
• Indiana Academic Library Association
• Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service
• WFYI Indianapolis/IPBS
• Indiana Department of Education

How the Indiana Learning Portal will work

The Indiana Learning Portal will provide learners seamless and personalized access to information and educational opportunities through a single password and login. Any learner will be able to access information that is currently available only through multiple searches, multiple sites, and multiple logins.  

The ILP will include an advanced search engine capable of sorting effectively through text, video, and image documents with multiple formats; collaboration tools; a full-function collaboration space with instant messaging and listserv development; and personalization functions that will allow users to continually create a learning space that grows and evolves with their needs over time.

From the learner’s perspective the ILP will be a Web-based home they build for themselves. From it they can go to find just about anything they need. Here’s a typical path, step-by-step:

Step One: Search. Upon entering, you will have access to a search engine that will find a myriad of text, audio, or video resources from multiple providers.  

Step Two: Register. This will create a single login name and password that will provide you access to Web sites and resources that previously had individual and separate logins. 

Step Three: Profile. You will be able to develop a profile of your specific needs and wants so the Portal can provide direct access to the kinds of learning modules and information that most effectively satisfy those needs and wants.

Step Four: Tools. You will have access to learning tools. This will include the basics, such as email, chat rooms, and instant messaging. But it will also include access to Web development tools and server space so if you are developing courses and learning modules with these tools you will have a place to store your work, as well as communicate and share it with others.

Step Five: Personalization. The Portal will be personalized to suit your needs. For example, if you are an elementary school learner, it can be made to provide access to learning resources that match your skills and needs. At the same time if you are a professional person, your version of the Portal will include access to professional development modules, and possibly even the evening’s PBS schedule. 

The future

The Indiana Learning Portal will create a user-driven virtual learning center to serve community initiatives, inclass programs, and provide professional training.

The ILP will turn any place into a learning space.