RM data exchange, Portal+, Kaleidos

[ict.teacher]

Got to admit (and I am ashamed) that I was impressed by a demo from an RM consultant at BETT.
From what I gathered, their data exchange (portal+???) integrated with kaleidos and SIMS.
Has anyone had any experience?

[phillipmillward]

Yes I have had experience and I was like you sceptical at first but now I have seen it working using my own Sims data I am very impressed.

[Wixster]

We use it. When it works it can be very useful, when it dosn't, run and hide. Getting it to work can be a strain, making sure the pgf is spot on, ensuring any coding you use for rooms, subjects etc are compatable with Kaleidos sometimes means going all the way back to novaT to change things. It also means RM have external access to the sims data in school which has always been a sticky point. However, the data provided can be useful and often helps free up admin time both for teachers and equipment. The actual learning platform side of things still leaves a lot to be desired, slow and clonky! And marking on-line takes up to three times longer!

[russdev]

Interesting through rm and school sign document which in effect tells you what they use data for and that won't use anything else which means RM could be sued by school if they broke it.

Also if not RM has to be someone else for the whole concept of MLE to work.

Also to be fair RM got better things than to look at your data

Russ

[ict.teacher]

My background is Moodle - and think it is great.
Trouble we had with Moodle is keeping enrollements uptodate.
linking through SIMS data is appealing.

I think I need to see it all in action to be honest.
Also, anyone got any ideas about costs?

[russdev]

pm sent

russ

[Progress]

We've just heard that Derbyshire has accepted RM as the "preferred" platform provider - not really a supprise I think, although gauging the deafening sound of silence from the primaries, I'm not sure who actually wants to use it.

I am also interested in the thing that is Moodle - most schools round here are contracted to EMBC who's own new platform looks to be based on Sharepoint.
However, trying to install Moodle on the embc supplied webspace and after asking nicely to enable SQL etc....I'm hitting a few problems. I've got the files there, but I think there are a few permissions problems and actually editing the database.

Has anybody managed it thus far?

I've also looked at site@school, postnuke, joomla, geeklog, mambo and xoop...not like I'm bored or anything...I'd just like to find a decent system that the school can administer themselves without any fuss.

By the way...the glass is half full.....

[moggy]

We currently use Uniservity, but being in Dergyshire we will have to look at RM stuff.

As well as VLE, Uniservity gives us facilities to build our main school website, develop surveys, set up forums set homework and many other website facilities.

If we go with RM we couldn't afford to keep Uniservity as well. Therefore can anyone advise whether the RM "VLE" includes all the standard school website requirements as well?

[Geoff]

RM's 'VLE' is Kaleidos.

http://www.rm.com/Secondary/Products...?cref=PD342094

[russdev]

@moggy

As per my offer to ict.teaacher willing to give a a demo via vyiew if wish of portal and vle etc.

Russell

[Andie]

I have just been on day one of our LEA two day portal administrator's course for Kaleidos and Portal+ (the LEA chose it so that's that...). Didn't get any real idea of what it is like, as RM demo site appeared not to be working. Get to do some hands on tomorrow, apparently, on our own site. Lots of issues were raised today concerning the appearance of the pages and connectivity with Integris (our school management software, again LEA-wide).

I would really appreciate some up-to-date experiences from anyone using this in their schools now, and how long it took to set up initially. I am coming at this from the primary sector. We have been told it will take about 4 to 6 weeks to set up.

[russdev]

We are not a lea soution but single school and using sims but basic crux it took a day to isntall on sims server and about 2 days (over period of 4 weeks) of my time getting it al sorted. Main thing was getting mis data sorted as you will find mis data is very unclean aka missing details, wrong details etc. But is good chance to get mis dats roted.

Russ