RM Kaleidos vs Moodle

[ANiceEnglishman]

Anyone like to comment on which is 'better' ?

[NetworkGeezer]

Probably moodle as is platform independant and more flexible.

Kaleidos is more constrained to a particular model RM has for VLEs should be used. It requires ActiveX plugin for remote browser use i.e. Internet Explorer only. Moodle doesn't.

 

Also you don't get domain logins from Kaliedos (Windows product) but you can with Moodle (Linux).

 

Moodle sounds cuter

[Norphy]

Moodle

 

Kaleidos is evil. Check out the FFS section for my thoughts

[TechMonkey]

+1

 

As much as I don't have a problem with RM generally (I know, I'm sorry ;P) we had the first version of this and it got dropped pretty quick. Apprently the 2nd version is all bright and sparkly but steering well clear.

[webman]

Our NM loves Kaleidos.. "cos it integrates with SIMS" (sic) apparently... I don't see the big fascination TBH

[mighty.grey.eagle]

No comparison. Moodle is free, has a fantastic support community and is growing at a phenomenal rate. Courses/materials can easily be shared between schools and you are not being locked into someones proprietary software.

 

On the other hand Kaleidos is from RM and costs real money.

 

Having tried to perform a Sims upgrade last night (and failed) I don't think that the ability (or not) to link with Sims is that important. Having said that, the recent Becta Learning Platform document says that it should link in with Management systems so Moodle will be tweaked to do this.

 

Dave Berry

[Geoff]

There's nothing to stop Capita adding Moodle support to SIMS. There's LDAP support and open specs avalible for them to use if they wish. The only reason I suspect they wouldn't do this is vendor lockin and/or promoting their own VLE.

 

The ball is in Capita's court on that one.

[webman]

Proprietary protocols and formats holding things back, yet again for their own goals.

[Geoff]

You can't blame a company for trying to maximise it's profits. That is the point of it's existance after all.

[CyberNerd]

There's nothing to stop Capita adding Moodle support to SIMS. There's LDAP support and open specs avalible for them to use if they wish. The only reason I suspect they wouldn't do this is vendor lockin and/or promoting their own VLE.

 

The ball is in Capita's court on that one.

 

Thats just not going to happen. Captia have a strategic partneship with microsoft, and MS would hardly let capita build modules for OSS solutions (that compete with their own products)

[GavRob]

I am having the problem of deciding which VLE to use, i installed moodle and at first look was a bit confused on how to set it up does any one know any good sites to help work out how to configure it for a school environmet. any help would be much appriciated

[beeswax]

try this link

[linuxgirlie]

*start of self advertising*

 

You can look at Karoshi.(www.karoshi.org.uk) The web server part of the setup - colossus - allows you to install moodle with one click. Though the setup also does a lot of other bits and pieces websites etc, you don't have to choose these and can just install moodle. The good thing also is that with the web server you do not need a full karoshi setup just that module.

 

*stop self advertising*

 

On the other hand if you would like to install it from scratch I would only be to happy to help.

 

Jo

[ANiceEnglishman]

Wow - quite a can of worms I seem to have opened.

 

Why I asked is that our RM rep is coming in a couple of weeks' time to give a presentation on Kaleidos vs Moodle.

 

As far as I can see it's no contest for all the reasons stated. Plus our LEA is offering Moodle free including hosting, admin, support and training.

 

I also have my doubts that teachers will use it and would rather have a free white elephant that doesn't take much of my time than an expensive one that does!

 

Interesting to read that BECTA say the VLE and Management systemas should be linked. We are implementing CMIS / Facility / ePortal at the moment [which is a tale in itself]. Wonder if Serco are addressing that? Must ask our Implementation Manager next time he's in.

[beeswax]

As far as I can see it's no contest for all the reasons stated. Plus our LEA is offering Moodle free including hosting, admin, support and training.

 

well there you go then

[Ric_]

Interesting to read that BECTA say the VLE and Management systemas should be linked. We are implementing CMIS / Facility / ePortal at the moment [which is a tale in itself]. Wonder if Serco are addressing that? Must ask our Implementation Manager next time he's in.

 

What the framework actually states is that there should be a two way link between the VLE and MIS. As far as I am aware, the only combination of products to fulfill this criteria are the opensource MIS and Moodle (when used together).

 

I read somewhere that due to the limitations and uncooporative parties involved, Becta was planning on relaxing the framework.

 

Back onto topic... IMHO Moodle is a better bet since you will not get tied into a proprietry system during this early stage of the framework. Last time I used Kaleidos, there was a wealth of pre-made materials but I'm sure that materials can be bought for Moodle.

 

Remember, Kaleidos will cost £X plus £Y for each pre-made course. If you find a Moodle content provider, you will have no £X to pay... just £Y!!!

[plexer]

Yup there is one moodle partner listed for the uk that creates contents and lots of others sites I've seen where yo ucan buy courses and also courses available for free too.

 

That bit about linking to an mis gave me the same thoughts, the only ones that play niceley together are those from the mis company themselves due to the closed source of getting the info from them.

 

Sure you can do exports etc... but that is very much a manual process.

 

I suppose it's outcomes, targets and assesments that you want too link.

 

Ben

[Ric_]

@plexer: If you get chance, would you like to add those links to the wiki page at http://www.russdev.com/edugeek/doku.php?id=pre-prepared_vle_content that I have just created.

[plexer]

Have done Ric just some sites I'd previously seen plus what a google threw up.

 

Just seend http://www.packtpub.com/moodle/book <--- that as well a book on creating courses.

 

Ben

[mighty.grey.eagle]

Have done Ric just some sites I'd previously seen plus what a google threw up.

 

Just seend http://www.packtpub.com/moodle/book <--- that as well a book on creating courses.

 

Ben

 

Not sure about this book - the author seems to have had a very minor presence on Moodle.org. A book that is available now is by Jason Cole (from the Open University). I found the book slightly dull but some of our less knowledgeable teaching staff have found it useful. You can find it here

 

If you want several of my free Computing/ICT courses go to Darren Smiths site which can be found here.

[Tuxguy]

Interesting debate... my 2 cents worth: Kaleidos is great if you're an RM house, have money to throw away and are more concerned about box ticking than education. To me, admittedly a non-educator (but very close to some of that ilk), it seems that Kaleidos supports the teacher in teaching the same way as ever - chalk and talk if you like. A lot of schools understand that and go for that approach. But, IMHO, modern day children are bored with that, and are much more gregarious and communicative than they were, especially when using IT (and mobile phones, of course). Moodle taps into that way of living and adds the learning part to it. Moodle is aimed at the student, working their way towards learning, very often is a very group supporting way. Students love to use Moodle and get into it very quickly. I can't see that happening with Kaleidos - it represents more of that same boring school stuff, and I believe the children/students will just push back on it. Great for the teachers, no fun for them. And shouldn't learning be fun? The fact that Moodle is free is almost incidental, but helps it get used.

 

Also the Moodle support community is brilliant, I just can't see RM matching that.

 

HTH

 

Tuxguy.