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7. Outlook

Closed environments

Current integrated campus software is ok for traditional or project-based teaching
It puts severe limits on "on-line" creativity
It will become better, but will probably not do a lot in the next few years
(unless it's totally open source and easy to understand)

The open environment

Standard communication tools (possibly better integrated)
SQL server and maybe an object store
Some Java applets and servlets
Custom plugins (e.g. Authorware)
LDAP (for central authentication and person look up)
XML and less HTML (at Tecfa: Next Fall)
Server-side html-embedded scripting languages (PHP, ASP, ColdFusion, JHTML)
Advanced Groupware (like CVW , Workplace )
Multi-user environment servers (DeepMatrix, Blaxxun, etc.)
......

Conclusion

Student activities need some degree of monitoring and scaffolding
Main stream virtual campus software is not flexible enough
Internet supported teaching is expensive: we need more resources

teachers (and support) need to have some training or experience
but you get better results
... and you do not necessarily need a "hot shot" development team