Grid enabled E-Learning

In the last few years Grid Computing Technology, an innovative extension of distributed computing, is becoming an enabler for computing resource sharing among the participants in “Virtual Organisations”. The technologies of Grid Computing are evolving with open standards such as Open Grid Services Architecture (OGSA).

In this paper we are considering the adoption of Grid Computing Technology in a “Virtual Organisation “of Higher-Education (HE) institutions. We will concentrate on the resources and knowledge sharing (virtual e-lecture e-learning) among colleges and universities in West Yorkshire, UK, enabled by the Grid. Within this context, it is important to focus on standards that support resource and information sharing, toolkits and middleware solutions that would promote Grid adoption among the HE institutions in the Virtual HE organisation.

With the cost of Further Education and Higher Education programmes delivery rising due to hardware and software resources cost, we propose that the Grid technology could deliver benefits to the HE provision on the regional, national or even international level.