I think Andy misunderstands the standards agenda. There is no attempt to
standardize VLEs, but rather to achieve interoperation by standardizing
data formats. To use an analogy, standardizing on 240 volts does not
restrict the range of products that use the supply, but rather
encourages their development. Interoperability standards allow small
free products (like Colloquia) to co-exist with the big beasts. If we
had left things to market forces alone, we wouldn't have the internet,
the web and so on, all of which depend on standards like TCP/IP, etc.
Market force standards tend to be proprietary (see Microsoft).
Oleg
Andy Black wrote:
>Dear List
>I feel that our 'VLE' list is in danger of becoming the
>official 'Standards and Compliance' debate list. Surely,
>(apologies for repeating myself) at the end of the day, the
>only thing that really matters is whether or not students
>and teachers are using ICT to enhance their teaching and
>learning?
>
>Again I have to agree that 'it would be nice'
>to "Standardise" VLEs and tell vendors what to do when
>developing their products. However, I and many of you, live
>in the real (Virtual) world where commercialism rules and
>evolution of products is market driven. Instead of getting
>wrapped up in our own self inflicted 'issues' with
>compliance and standardisation, we should really be
>encouraging those colleagues who have had minimal exposure
>to these technologies, to have a go!
>
>Who are we anyway to impose 'standards' and
>demand 'compliance' when we are not the ONLY consumers of
>VLEs? Or are we once again, attempting to justify our own
>jobs whilst neglecting the 'real' end users - the
>students...
>
>Member of the Content Council and registered as an e-
>learning consultant. www.contentcouncil.co.uk
>
>Get your own zoom email - click here - http://www.zoom.co.uk/
>
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--
Oleg Liber
Director, Centre for Learning Technology
University of Wales, Bangor
Tel: +44(0)1248 383645
Fax: +44(0)1248 361429
Web: http://celt.bangor.ac.uk
***************** List information: *****************
Remember - replies go by default to the entire list.
Access the list via the web on http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/vle.html
The Ferl VLE Focus Area is at http://ferl.becta.org.uk/display.cfm?page=76
To unsubscribe, email [log in to unmask] with the message: leave vle
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