In terms of
> A lot of progress is possible using open source
> products like Moodle at very minimal cost and the individual
> enthusiasm of a few.
The problem is that you can start to rely on the *free* enthusiasm, why
should we invest money in this as we have the staff doing it for free...
Problems then start to arise:
* if the *enthusiasm* starts to impact on the day job of the few
* if the enthusiast leaves (or gets poached by another institution) what
processes are in place to ensure that someone else enthusiastic takes
over... and where was there enthusiasm before.
I agree with Peter a lot of progress can be made in this way.
I was once an enthusiast, I used a lot of free (read as in free on the cover
of a PC Magazine) software to utilise learning technologies... There was
very little management support. Once I left there were no more systems, no
processes, no support, no more enthusiasts...
My issue is not with *free* software, but in ensuring that regardless of
which software you use, you ensure that the software has the backup and
support from within the college to work once the enthusiasm wears off or
leaves. This backup and support is what really costs money.
James Clay
Director Western Colleges Consortium
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
www.westerncc.ac.uk
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Virtual Learning Environments
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Peter Trethewey
> Sent: 09 June 2005 09:54
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: MOODLE with LAMS FREE
>
> No innovation is free but sometimes a significant purchase
> price will stop possible innovation in its tracks.
>
> Significant purchase price means that a case has to be made
> to and understood by management.
>
> Open source means that experimentation can be teacher-led in
> the hope that one day management will catch up or not as the
> case may be. A lot of progress is possible using open source
> products like Moodle at very minimal cost and the individual
> enthusiasm of a few.
>
> The pros and cons of teacher-led vs. management-led is a
> interesting theme. What is certain is that for the innovation
> to take root it needs to be owned by both management and
> teachers. Which end you start at may be irrelevant.
>
> I am now less sure about the benefits of VLE's in mainstream
> FE than I was 5 years ago. Maybe the case for VLE still
> hasn't fully been made???
>
> Or maybe I'm going backwards?
>
> Peter Trethewey
> Head of ILT/e-learning
> Bromley College
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Virtual Learning Environments
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Patrick Hickey
> Sent: 09 June 2005 09:17
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [VLES] MOODLE with LAMS FREE
>
> 'Free' refers to liberty NOT price - as in free speech. It is
> patently obvious that Moodle is not free of cost.
> See
> http://www.fsf.org/licensing/essays/free-sw.html
>
>
>
>
> Patrick Hickey
> ILT Co-ordinator, ext 385
>
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