JiscMail Logo
Email discussion lists for the UK Education and Research communities

Help for VLE Archives


VLE Archives

VLE Archives


VLE@JISCMAIL.AC.UK


View:

Message:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

By Topic:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

By Author:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

Font:

Proportional Font

LISTSERV Archives

LISTSERV Archives

VLE Home

VLE Home

VLE  May 2006

VLE May 2006

Options

Subscribe or Unsubscribe

Subscribe or Unsubscribe

Log In

Log In

Get Password

Get Password

Subject:

Re: LEA Advises against Moodle!!??

From:

Peter Trethewey <[log in to unmask]>

Reply-To:

Virtual Learning Environments <[log in to unmask]>

Date:

Wed, 17 May 2006 12:36:59 +0100

Content-Type:

text/plain

Parts/Attachments:

Parts/Attachments

text/plain (126 lines)

Just a thought. 

It seems to me that Moodle is being singled out here because it's open
source and commenting negatively on it in public is unlikely to result
in any legal action.

It would be brave/foolish LEA to dismiss a named Microsoft VLE in this
way!

-----Original Message-----
From: Virtual Learning Environments [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Walker - Ted
Sent: 17 May 2006 12:24
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [VLES] LEA Advises against Moodle!!??

I'm glad I raised this can of worms - I think there are a whole host of
points coming out of it.

I am happy to share the text of the letter - perhaps that would best be
done off list. It clearly, as suggested, does come from a DFES roadshow.
The most relevant paragraph reads: 

"Current advice from DFES is that schools should not buy a VLE
individually but that they should bulk buy either through their LA or
Regional Broadband Consortium. Home grown systems based on 'open source
software', e.g. Moodle, were not to be preferred as they will not meet
national requirements, they relied on local expertise and will be
incompatible with other systems for exchanging information. Also that
families of schools should use the same VLE to facilitate sharing of
materials and work on transition projects."

I understand the issues are somewhere along these lines:

Total cost of ownership: We do have about 25 hours a week of technician
support time, but this isn't as a result of using Open Source software,
it is a web designer who we use for training and development of all
e-learning and web developments. It is helping us build up a culture of
innovative use of online teaching and learning, and we would benefit
from this regardless of brand of learning platform. In fact, the nature
of Moodle lends itself to much more open and distributed management and
we can allow teachers and even students to manage courses within it.

Specific local knowledge: I set up a Moodle installation on my laptop,
from scratch, in an hour or two as a pilot (including downloading
software etc.) ICT support were therefore able to install a corporate
version on a hosted server very quickly. The main issues were opening up
ports, network speed etc, which are dependent on our relationship with
our RBC. Our technician, who is now the resident expert, had never heard
of Moodle when he joined us in December, but the transparency of the
system makes it straightforward to get on top of.

Common sign in: We have set up LDAP so that users simply log on with
their network password. No problems. We are interested in developing
Shibboleth (which I understand will cross authenticate with other
platforms - Bodington et al) as well as Moodle, and see that as a
potential route for sharing resources with the Moodle or 'open source'
"family of schools", as and when we make suitable relationships. 

Interoperability: We have not yet managed to link Moodle with SIMS (our
current MIS). I think there are issues here, and my hope was that BECTA
would be forcing SIMS to conform to much more transparent standards,
although I'm not much of an expert. This is my most serious concern.

Commercial support / future developments: There are commercial
organisations available to support Moodle and other open source software
for those who need it. Even if we disbelieve the philosophy that says
Moodle will continue to be developed and in the public source, why is it
any more vulnerable to having the plug pulled than Blackboard / WebCT or
any other commercial incarnation that can only survive whilst there is a
market (and when the product is discontinued the provider will have no
interest in providing support)? Any commercial product is likely to have
upgrades and changes over the development cycle, and it may well be that
in 5 years time we will have all had to change / upgrade / reengineer
our platforms anyway. As I understand it Moodle is SCORM compliant and
pretty transparent.


I think Moodle is a great product, and was definitely an appropriate
choice to develop the use of a learning platform and e-learning culture
within this institution in the current timescale. We went along this
road because we thought it would be a positive help towards improving
teaching, learning and the school culture; it just seemed to be a bonus
as we thought that it was also in line with DFES best practice. It would
be a shame if the DFES, RBCs and LAs discourage schools from this and
try to direct us into a corporate project where we feel we have no
ownership.


======================

DISCLAIMER

You are also advised that the views and opinions expressed in this
E-mail message and any attachments are the author's own, and may not
reflect the views and opinions of Rawlins Community College.This E-mail
message, (including any attachments), is intended only for the person to
which it is addressed, and may contain confidential information.

If you are not the intended recipient, any review, retransmission,
disclosure, copying, modification or other use of this E-mail message or
attachments is strictly forbidden.

If you have received this E-mail message in error, or have any concerns
regarding this E-mail, please contact the Network Manager
([log in to unmask]) and delete the message and any
attachments from your computer.

======================

***************** 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
To unsubscribe, email [log in to unmask] with the message: leave
vle


This email is confidential to the intended recipient(s) and represents the views 
of the sender and not necessarily Bromley College of Further and Higher
Education, which accepts no related responsibility.

***************** 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
To unsubscribe, email [log in to unmask] with the message: leave vle

Top of Message | Previous Page | Permalink

JiscMail Tools


RSS Feeds and Sharing


Advanced Options


Archives

January 2024
December 2023
October 2023
September 2023
June 2023
May 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
February 2022
November 2021
September 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
September 2020
August 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
2004
2003
2002
2001


JiscMail is a Jisc service.

View our service policies at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/policyandsecurity/ and Jisc's privacy policy at https://www.jisc.ac.uk/website/privacy-notice

For help and support help@jisc.ac.uk

Secured by F-Secure Anti-Virus CataList Email List Search Powered by the LISTSERV Email List Manager