Virtual Learning Strategy
Project Team Frequently Asked Questions
Reporting
If I already have an account from the previous round of the VLS, can I use the same login credentials for the second round of status reporting?
Your previous information has been erased, and all users are considered new contacts. All contacts, including returning users, will receive instructions to create a new account via email.
Are there limitations to the number of people that can access and update my project(s) in the reporting tool?
Each project (i.e., unique ID) can only be linked to a single email address for logging into and receiving notification emails from the reporting portal. If there are multiple contributors to a report, we recommend that you create a shared account amongst your team, and email vls@ecampusontario.ca to request a new account be created in the reporting portal for your project.
How do I share a copy of my report for my project?
Can I change the Lead Contact for my project(s) who will be responsible for reporting?
Yes! Please email vls@ecampusontario.ca and provide the project unique ID or title, current lead contact, and new lead contact (name & email address). A new account will be created for the new lead contact, and they will receive all general communications related to the VLS once the change has been implemented.
If my project dates have changed or a new milestone has been identified, how do I address this?
You will have the opportunity to update and realign your project dates in the reporting portal. You may leverage the “Add Item” button in the Project Plan – Key Phases section to add new milestones to your project plan.
If we've encountered budget savings in one area of our project, can we reallocate some of the excess funds within our budget to other areas?
Please either a) send an email to vls@ecampusontario.ca outlining the proposed change/transfer, or b) provide the details in your monthly status report, and we’ll be happy to review and discuss any potential impacts, if required.
What action is taken if my project is tracking under or over budget? Will a variance have implications to future funding?
Financials reported through the reporting portal are used as a health check; variances reported will have no impact on future funding.
How do we calculate institutional saving for a resource that saves students money?
How much time before the report due date will each report be made available?
Status reports will be made available a minimum of 2 weeks or 10 business days before their deadlines. You may log in to the status reporting portal at any time to review your report. Reminder notification emails will also be sent to the email associated with each project 1-week and 1-day ahead of the due date.
Will we need to submit any invoices, receipts, or pay statements at any time?
Detailed financial records beyond what is asked in the Financial Status section will not be required for the purposes of status reporting. As per the contract, VLS projects must keep and maintain all financial records for a period of 7 years after the completion of the project for auditing purposes, if required.
Are finances reported on a month-over-month basis or against the total amount in the approved budget?
Financial reporting is cumulative, in that you will be reporting your year-to-date (YTD) expenses in relation to the overall approved budget.
How is funding managed and tracked among collaborating institutions?
For a quarterly reporting period, up to what point do I report against expenses my project has incurred?
Will I need to report on funding from sources other than the VLS initiative (e.g., budget overages that are covered by my institution)?
No. Please only report on the funding awarded in your contract.
The end date stated in my contract is March 31, 2023, while the last day to upload project deliverables is February 28, 2023. What is the final date for my VLS project?
The difference in the two dates is related to the delivery of the final product vs. project reporting. Final product deliverables are due to be uploaded to the eCampusOntario Open Library by February 28, 2023. Project teams must incur all expenses and spending for the project by February 28, 2023. Final project reports are due to be completed on March 10, 2023, to enable eCampusOntario to administratively close all projects by March 31, 2023. For more information, please consult your VLS project contract.
Who will have access to the information and data I submit in my reports?
The information you provide in the reports will be used by the eCampusOntario team to support project teams and for reporting to our ministry partners. We will share insights with the community at an aggregate level but may include some insightful anonymized quotes to help tell the story of the VLS.
Can I submit my report in French?
You may fill out your report in your preferred language (EN or FR). Answers submitted in French will be stored in French but may be translated to English for internal reporting and follow-up purposes.
My project plan includes milestones pertaining to ongoing review and maintenance of our OER deliverables. How should I report on these?
We encourage the continued growth of your OER beyond the VLS deliverable. While you may certainly work with eCampusOntario Open Library team to continue to develop your OER, such activities are out of scope of the VLS project. All activities that occur after the project termination date are beyond the funded scope and therefore will not require status reporting.
How do we report if a previously identified risk has been resolved?
Items saved in the Priority Issues table will carry over to all subsequent report(s). Active risks or issues should be reported as “In Progress” with a target resolution date. Once a risk or issue has been resolved, please change the progress status to “Closed” and enter the resolution date to indicate the end of this risk or issue for your next report.
Selecting a License
What is the Ontario Commons License, and can I apply a Creative Commons License to my project?
The Ontario Commons licenses are non-exclusive and regional licenses available to use for all products developed with VLS funding. At a minimum, all VLS products must be freely shared within Ontario Public postsecondary institutions sector (colleges, Indigenous institutes, universities). All copyright will be retained by the creator. You may choose to select an alternative license (for example, Creative Commons) that allows for your work to be shared beyond Ontario. You can view the full Ontario Commons license details here: https://www.ecampusontario.ca/licensing/
What is Creative Commons License, and which Creative Commons License can I apply to my project?
Creative Commons licenses (CC) are standardized and legally enforceable tools that grant the public permission to use creative and academic work under copyright law. All CC licenses ensure that you, as the creator, retain your copyright, are credited for your work, while still allowing others certain permissions for use depending on the license selected. Visit https://creativecommons.org/about/cclicenses/ to find which CC license is most suitable for your content.
How do I mark my work with a Creative Commons license?
The Open Library will add a Creative Commons license notice to your work when cataloguing your content when you select a Creative Commons license option at the time of submitting your work. All copyrightable content must include licensing details itself where applicable. For more information, please visit: https://creativecommons.org/choose/
How do I mark my work with an Ontario Commons License?
The current version of the Ontario Commons license does not have an associated legal mark. You may enter the licensing metadata if supported by your selected platform or use the following template to mark your work:
Example 1: Resource Title by Author(s) is licensed under a License Name (hyperlinked), except where otherwise noted. Metacognition by Jessica Fields, Rose Parker, and Jessie Smoother is licensed under an Ontario Commons License, except where otherwise noted.
Example 2: This work is licensed under an Ontario Commons License – No Derivatives.
How do I mark my VLS project with an Ontario Common license (or No Derivatives) in the eCampusOntario Pressbooks instance?
How do I mark my VLS project with an Ontario Common license (or No Derivatives) in eCampusOntario H5P Studio?
Creating Digital Content
What platform(s) and/or tool(s) can I use to create my digital content?
Your VLS expression of interest proposal likely identified the platform or tool to use for your content. Please proceed with what you described in your proposal. If that information was not clear in your proposal, consider using centralized applications at your institution that support adoption and adaptation across multiple platforms that include W3C standards. eCampusOntario also provides these two free centralized tools you can use to create your content: Pressbooks and eCampusOntario H5P Studio. Find out more: https://openlibrary.ecampusontario.ca/create/
Can I use a web page/site to create my project?
Yes, you can use a web page or site to create your project as long as you can provide the source code along with the URL at the time of submission. Please note that eCampusOntario will not provide hosting support for web pages or platforms, as stated in the EOIs.
Will eCampusOntario host my project if I want it to be on a website?
As stated in the EOIs, eCampusOntario will not be hosting content outside of its Open Library. However, if you wish to host your content on an external website, we can redirect users from the Open Library Item Details page (the unique page for your resource) to your website. The submission form has a field to capture your URL.
Should I include instructions/guide on how to use my content?
Submitting Digital Content
What files do I need to submit as my final project?
Your final project include your content, including all source files and/or editable files used in creating the resource (including any multimedia files) to easily enable further remixing and modification where permitted by the license. You only need to submit the final version of your project. We do not require any drafts, revisions, or previous versions of your content.
What format(s) can I submit my final project as?
You can upload individual files, zipped/compressed files and/or provide a URL to your OER or cloud stroage for your final project.
What is the maximum file upload size?
What are the deliverable/output(s) I am expected to provide to the Open Library as my final project?
Your deliverable/output(s) to the Open Library as your final project is the actual content you’ve created, including all source files and/or editable files used in creating the resource (including any multimedia files) to easily enable further remixing and modification where permitted by the license. For example, if your final project is a course you’ve developed in your Learning Management System (LMS), then your final project will be the exported files from your LMS. Or, if your final project is the development of an app, you will upload your source code and provide a link to an external web space where the app is hosted, if applicable.
How do I submit my final project?
A submission form will be available in 2023 to upload your files and provide details about your resource to help us catalogue and make your resource discoverable. You will receive an email once submission form is available. You may also check vlslibrary.ecampusontario.ca for updates.
What is the submission deadline?
All submissions must be received no later than February 28, 2023 (11:59 p.m. EST).
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