Do primary school pupils need an online storage area (VLE)

[SimpleSi]

As long as its accessible (read 'easy to access, login, edit, and use'), VLE's will gain traction

And there's the rub

The "free" one - Moodle is not easy to edit and use (although it can be made easy to use if the the editor is skilled )

But the main block needed for a VLE being sucessful is one-one access to computers. This can be acheived in lessons in most Secondaries/6th Form Colleges with a high percentage of college students having a high computer availability at home.

But this is not true in primaries and their therefore a VLE usefullness is greatly reduced .

regards

Simon

[edutech4schools]

was in a meeting with representatives from around 20 schools the other day and they were asking the exact same question. Even the ones that were heavily behind VLE's and using it well were really questioning its need, simply due to its cost. I'm not a teacher but I'm not sure they need a VLE, would a free storage area, blog and the use of various free resources not be enough especially in the current climate?

I am currently setting up Google Apps for Education as our VLE / Website. The great thing with it is the pupils get to write files and documents using Docs (bit like office) which they can access from home so they end up using the same system in school and home for all their work.

Oh its free

The website part is so easy I have done a full demo in 20 mins.

[Tapiochre]

You raise a good point Simon, and I know a great number of primaries who not only have few PCs, they have few PCs which can even support modern web content (i.e. they may still be running IE6, with 7bytes of RAM and a 40MB Hard drive (he jested).

Seriously though, I know of schools who "want" to support a VLE but often need help figuring out the best way to do it (internal/external/"private"/"public"/free/paid/Open Source/proprietary) and those choices need support and knowledge that occasionally does not reside within the walls of the school.

[Tapiochre]

I am currently setting up Google Apps for Education as our VLE / Website.

Are you using your school's website and did you have any difficulty setting up DNS changes to get Google Apps to cooperate? Vis this link.

My head teacher was worried about security as well.... what is your take on it so far?

[tdkmillsy]

Are you using your school's website and did you have any difficulty setting up DNS changes to get Google Apps to cooperate? Vis this link.

My head teacher was worried about security as well.... what is your take on it so far?

I asked our Information Management Unit about this after finding this on a website.

Google Apps, EU / UK Data Privacy laws, and Charities

They replied to say this is enough for me to evaluate using it in schools.

hope this helps

Ian

[Tapiochre]

Thanks for the detail. Good luck Ian!

[edutech4schools]

Some local authorities are getting the schools to use Google.

For testing I got a new domain name http://www.schoolname-primary.net from csnewmedia.co.uk. I then have a choice of keeping this or changing the cname records to our .sch.uk domain.

[Andie]

Update: The page basically said the school need a method to give parents information they request on their child within a reasonable amount of time. The old page wanted the info in real-time.

If you call the dfe can you post back if things have changed.

Thanks. I've done some digging on the website before and found nothing. Ringing is obviously the better method. The project manager in charge of LP procurement was going to ring DfE, so if I get anything concrete from them by that route I'll post back.

[Tapiochre]

Interesting

I can also recommend netpivotal.co.uk (or .com) - their hosting is great, and they appear to offer more bang for your buck. Support is very good too (they purchase the domain inclusive in the hosting fee)

[pmp4]

On 14 Feb 2011 the Department for Education updated its guidance on Online Reporting to Parents.

This says, "There is an expectation that schools will move towards online reporting, which will offer parents online access to information on their child's attendance, behaviour and progress in learning. The online reporting expectation does not replace face-to-face and direct engagement, nor does it duplicate or replace the existing statutory requirement to provide annual pupil reports for parents; but it is intended to provide parents with up-to-date information at appropriate points through the year to maintain their interest and enable a richer dialogue."

The can be viewed at.. ....Online reporting to parents - The Department for Education

It is quite a vague comment with not much information but worth taking notice of for now at least.