The pervasiveness of Information Technology (IT) within Singapore has led to a significant impact on the way we live, work, and play. One particular thread of influence centres on e-learning, which will play a major role in formal education, life-long learning, and also in the economy.

In keeping with the shift in educational value system at NUS, where the goals of teaching are now focused on facilitating learning, nurturing critical and independent thinking, and inculcating lifelong learning skills and habits, we propose that the University take the next step in leveraging the potential of IT to improve the quality of student learning and the learning experience. The success of IVLE (Integrated Virtual Learning Environment) has been a significant achievement. However, with the exception of the communication-oriented tools (discussion forum and online chat), IVLE is principally a tool for disseminating course information (including course notes and lecture slides) and managing teaching. Unfortunately, providing convenient access to course information does not readily translate into student learning.

What is also needed is the development of engaging, interactive learning content that students can work with directly (i.e. multimedia courseware). Such courseware can be designed to be deployed either via the World Wide Web, on a CD-ROM or using both channels. The objective is not simply to create teaching content that would just present the relevant facts and knowledge pertaining to a course. To facilitate learning, learners must be actively engaged with the learning content. Hence, interactivity and well-designed learning activities are crucial.