The E-learning framework website list all the JISC ELF projects. I think it is worth looking at the list. At first I went wow but after a bit of clicking my response is more muted as it is in early days in many cases. The list includes a grouplogging tool (flash demo only) that in time may be good. Several eportfolios, a resource list management system(aaargh) and something called Smirkboard, which must be better thatn its title
I came across this while looking at the jisc frameworks page, (that will be a separate post). Mantis is a server at York hosting maths/assessment type projects in Moodle
“The Mantis server hosts the web sites of several open-source projects related to e-learning. The sites are realized as courses within the Virtual Learning Environment Moodle. This makes sense because all these projects develop tools that can be used from within Moodle so these tools can be demonstrated on this site. All project sites are open to guests but you are also invited to create an account for yourself and contribute to the discussions in the forums.”
—–Original Message—–
From: Virtual Learning Environments [mailto:VLE@JISCMAIL.AC.UK]On Behalf
Of Peter Trethewey
Sent: 31 October 2005 09:33
To: VLE@JISCMAIL.AC.UK
Subject: Re: The best way to secure internal funding for a VLE is…
I hear a rumour that China is going to offer cheap space on its own VLE
to every country in the world. I think they’re calling it NOODLE.
Nice. A project consisting of more than 70 “interviews, flash movies and resources from teachers doing good stuff in online teaching and learning at the Uni… you can look through them by faculty, discipline, graduate attribute, study level, approaches to learning and a fair few more approaches. Each case (for example) has interviews broken down into chunks, transcripts of those interviews, related cases, flash walkthroughs of the environments and sometimes a fair bit more. (from OLD Daily)
Maybe we should do something like it?
This appears to be a useful review of various blogging tools. WordPress comes out prety well
October 18, 2005, Orlando, FL, EDUCAUSE 2005 – Blackboard Inc. (Nasdaq: BBBB) and Microsoft announced today at the EDUCAUSE 2005 annual conference, a joint development project intended to help academic institutions achieve a higher degree of integration and interoperability between their respective portal and collaboration products. The project will result in tighter integration between The Microsoft Office System and The Blackboard Academic Suite™ via standards-based integration of The Blackboard Community System™ and Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server.
This article talks about the importance of Open source (halfway down) and point out that Blackboards application to join the Sakai partner programme was rejected as BB did not support Sakai services sufficiently.
Greetings,
As we at WebCT have been talking with many customers over the last couple days, a number of important questions have been asked over and over again. We wanted to follow up with you to ensure you receive answers to those top-of-mind questions:
What will happen to my product? Will I have to switch to Blackboard’s products?
Blackboard announced that it plans to develop, innovate, upgrade, improve, and support both Blackboard’s and WebCT’s products, including WebCT Vista and WebCT Campus Edition, and the Blackboard Academic Suite and Blackboard Commerce Suite. The combined company will continue to invest in each company’s products consistent with product development directions respectively communicated to each client base. Right now, WebCT is still hard at work on new product releases, including a new release of WebCT Campus Edition and WebCT Vista in 2006.
What’s your product roadmap? When will the next-generation platform be available?
Blackboard has announced that, following the merger, it will develop common, standards-based APIs, based on Blackboard Building Blocks and WebCT PowerLinks, which will allow the existing product lines to interoperate with one another. Following the merger, under Chris Vento’s leadership, we will eventually develop a new next-generation, standards-based, product set that incorporates the best features, usability characteristics, and technical architecture from the two product lines. Note: Chris Vento is WebCT’s current Chief Technology Officer and will be taking on the role of Sr. VP of Technology and Product Development in the combined organization.
The development of this next-generation suite is expected to be an effort that will take multiple years and most likely happen as the existing products evolve over time and therefore should not impact your current upgrade and deployments plans. Neither Blackboard nor WebCT can provide more information about future development timelines right now because we are still operating as completely independent companies. After the merger is complete, we will provide more specific information as it becomes available.
How will WebCT’s practices and standards for quality account management, quality service and quality support be integrated into the combined company?
WebCT employees will represent roughly 50% of the combined company in the Academic Suite business. Blackboard is keenly aware of WebCT’s reputation for quality and direct communications in our account management, professional services, and support interactions and will seek to adopt WebCT’s best practices across the entire combined company.
We also would like to encourage you to attend the town hall-style information session that Blackboard and WebCT are holding jointly at the EDUCAUSE 2005 Annual Conference, in Orlando, Florida. The forum will establish an open dialogue between members of the academic community and Blackboard and WebCT CEOs about the planned merger. The meeting will take place on Wednesday, October 19th at 11:40 a.m. at the Orange County Convention Center, Exhibit Hall A-2. The session will be repeated on Thursday, October 20th at 2:20 p.m. in room W204A.
If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact your current WebCT account manager. We look forward to our continued partnership, hearing your thoughts, and answering any questions you might have.
Sincerely,
Carol Vallone
Chairman, President & CEO
WebCT
Michael Chasen
President & CEO
Blackboard
Another hosted service- I wonder if any universities use it?
ULCC (University of London Computer Centre) can run a Moodle service on behalf of your institution. Our services range from hosting on-line courses on a shared platform through to a complete package of advice, training, design, and deployment. There are many advantages to choosing ULCC over an in-house solution. ULCC has wide experience in hosting and evaluating VLE systems and offers security, connectivity and a formal service level agreement.
Northumbria Learning has recently launched a flexible and cost effective eLearning package, making eLearning affordable and accessible to all!
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