Anyone using SWGfL Merlin

[PrimaryTech]

Hi all,

Is anyone using the SWGfL Merlin as their VLE? I'm based in Cornwall and this is what the County will be offering to schools so I wondered if anybody had any experience of using it and any particularly good/bad points. I'm experimenting with Moodle at the moment and quite like it, but I'm concerned about having to train teachers to use one VLE and then re-train them 6 months later for a different VLE.

Any opinions welcome!

[ghannahuk]

Hi all,

Is anyone using the SWGfL Merlin as their VLE? I'm based in Cornwall and this is what the County will be offering to schools so I wondered if anybody had any experience of using it and any particularly good/bad points. I'm experimenting with Moodle at the moment and quite like it, but I'm concerned about having to train teachers to use one VLE and then re-train them 6 months later for a different VLE.

Any opinions welcome!

HI,

Merlin, I understand, is based on the RM Kaleidos Learning Platform and VLE system. It is worth asking if any schools are using this as standard (ie not a part of Merlin). This is based on SharePoint but with the "RM Magic" and their VLE element is their own so I hope this helps you out.

George

[witch]

If you look under SWGfL there is a recent post about exactly the same issues with some useful answers, I think.
Merlin
(search next time!). Linda at SWGfL will be able to point you in the direction of schools that are using it.
We will be using Merlin as a front end and probably will integrate Moodle behind it. I don't think that either system is difficult to use for teachers, it is getting them to even look at it that is difficult!

[lindylou]

I'm Linda, as mentioned by Witch in her post, but I work for Dorset LA, not SWGfL.

Your contact for Merlin in Cornwall is Fran Carter, and there is a contact list for all member LA people for Merlin here

Fran should be able to put you in touch with a school near you that is using Merlin or answer your questions.

Incidentally, Merlin is provided for SWGfL by a partnership of RM and Netmedia, so we get elements from both suppliers. Many of the screens and webparts will be familiar to Kaleidos users, but we also get things like an interface for younger users from the Netmedia stable.

[witch]

Yes, sorry, I know you work for Dorset - what I meant was that you could indeed point people in the direction of your opposite numbers in other local authorities using Merlin.
Trying to post in a hurry whilst doing 8 million other things!!
Our Moodle site is up and running now - how DO we integrate it with Merlin??!!!

[lindylou]

Yes, sorry, I know you work for Dorset - what I meant was that you could indeed point people in the direction of your opposite numbers in other local authorities using Merlin.
Trying to post in a hurry whilst doing 8 million other things!!
Our Moodle site is up and running now - how DO we integrate it with Merlin??!!!

You're forgiven I just didn't want people to think I'd jumped ship!

Well done with your Moodle site. I'll PM you about your query.

[Ian_CUP]

my understanding is that Merlin is not a VLE, - it is a portal that VLE's and LP's will sit inside (or authenticate from).

Content providers have been encouraged to authenticate via Shibboleth from the Merlin portal (which we invested time and money into doing) but getting a response from people involved in this project is frustrating to say the least...Any schools using Merlin interested in testing the authentication and therefore Britannica content do send me a PM.

It is correct to state that the portal was developed by RM and Netmedia, - the early years portal/VLE/whatever is really nice.