VLE- What are your suggestions

[pooley]

We are looking into VLE for primary schools within a Cluster and/or possibly LA.

 

At Bett we approached FROG and were advised that FROG VLE + server would cost somewhere in the region of £30k and normaly Primaries would branch off a local Comp with frog already installed at a cost of ??? (comps to charge what they think fair)

 

Went to Fronter who couldn't give a definitive price but came up with £1.80 / £2.00 per student/teacher but couldnt advise on setup fees etc (awaiting some info)

 

An LA local to us has just started a pilot using Sharepoint in conjunction with SLG2 (Sims learning gateway) - so far setup costs are £50k+ but this will be an LEA based setup and will become available to all schools in the authority(costs to be shared out evenly). I would like to think that our LA would go for this but I have my doubts.

 

Moodle is also an option, hosted ourselves or externally but I have Zero web design skills and don't really have the time to manage a vle.

 

So my options seem to be

 

Frog (or similar) - Split between Cluster of schools

Sharepoint (& Moodle?) and emply someone to manage/run the VLE

Or talk to LA and try and convince them this is a good thing and all schools will eventually want in.

 

What do you guys think?

 

Si

[jamesb]

If you can talk to a secondary school and persuade them to go with Frog, then work with their other feeder schools then this would probably be a good option.

 

Would be worth talking to the LA as well though, with the various targets being set for information access for parents. They may have something in the pipeline already which they just haven't announced.

[matt40k]

LEA seems to have it's head screwed on, I have SIMS, Capita does a VLE... ooo, lets get that.

 

I would stay with them, just for the support. Or hire a new person.

[danIT]

I would go with your LA solution, or potentially go to a Moodle hosted/managed solution?

 

Depends if you have an previous Moodle experience, Matt40k is right though.

[bossman]

@pooley:

I would possibly look at taking on an extra person part time 1 day a week approx 6k per annum cost to the school who has the necessary skills to setup and maintain a Moodle VTLE as the setup costs for a primary would be negligible.

On the other hand if your LA offers the service for peanuts then I would go down this route if it fulfils your criteria.

[pooley]

Its not my LA that offers this solution as yet (one nearby does), we are writing a paper for them to possibly act upon regarding VLE's in this authority.

 

We are/maybe in a position to buy the Frog solution ourselves and then offer it to other primaries (possibly secondaries too) but obviosly we are looking for most cost effective for us.

 

Thanks for comments so far, keep em comming

 

Si

[matt40k]

I would get moodle if you want to do it yourselves and offer it primaries. The money you save I would then hire a VLE person. They would then put actual content on it, as well as visiting the schools for training on using the VLE etc.

 

Don't think it's worth it any other way.

[jdoyle]

I chose to go with Fronter partly with our feeder primary schools in mind but also with issues such as 24/7 access, parent login, cost and access for our exchange school in France.

 

The interface can be changed to be friendlier to primary students. With the primary students becoming familiar with Fronter then they're better equipped when they start with us.... that's the theory but the Primary's don't seem to keen to use any VLE.

Edited January 19, 2009 by jdoyle

[Hightower]

Off topic, but I would love to be the guy that has the role of looking after the VLE and any other web technologies. Wish there was that kind of role here or somewhere local but obviously not an important role according to schools at the minute.

[jdoyle]

that more or less sums up my role. VLE + Intranet + Website (+ 101 other bits and pieces)

[Hightower]

that more or less sums up my role. VLE + Intranet + Website (+ 101 other bits and pieces)

 

Within a school?

[jdoyle]

yes.

 

The 101 bits includes working with the primary schools, the community co-ordinator, marketing, video work, library system (Eclipse.net), photography, digital signage, Gifted & Talented, e-learning systems, some staff training and web development.

[contink]

I was stunned to discover that despite my impression of VLE deployment, the North Yorkshire LEA actually gave their schools the option to go with their Fronter option or their own.

 

Had I realised this I probably would have spent a little more time figuring out the alternatives like Moodle... Now though it's a case of being stretched too thin so we're going to be relying on county for it... Can't say I'm entirely enthusiastic but then it depends on who's running it.

[Hightower]

yes.

 

The 101 bits includes working with the primary schools, the community co-ordinator, marketing, video work, library system (Eclipse.net), photography, digital signage, Gifted & Talented, e-learning systems, some staff training and web development.

 

That doesn't sound like a bad role - wish I could land something like that.

[matt40k]

I was stunned to discover that despite my impression of VLE deployment, the North Yorkshire LEA actually gave their schools the option to go with their Fronter option or their own.

 

Had I realised this I probably would have spent a little more time figuring out the alternatives like Moodle... Now though it's a case of being stretched too thin so we're going to be relying on county for it... Can't say I'm entirely enthusiastic but then it depends on who's running it.

 

You always have a choice. Just might end up costing you more

[dhicks]

Moodle is also an option, hosted ourselves or externally but I have Zero web design skills and don't really have the time to manage a vle.

 

But you're considering spending a stack of money anyway, so just hire someone to do your VLE. That way you get control of the software (Moodle) and you have a full-time member of staff working right there with you to write content, sort the server, etc, instead of somewhere in some far-off VLE vendor's office.

 

--

David Hicks

[CyberNerd]

I second that, putting up content for a VLE is one of the biggest hurdles, it is a big change and teachers are too lazy, er I mean busy to do things like organise lessons if it involves doing something differently.

[alan-d]

We are looking into VLE for primary schools within a Cluster and/or possibly LA.

 

At Bett we approached FROG and were advised that FROG VLE + server would cost somewhere in the region of £30k and normaly Primaries would branch off a local Comp with frog already installed at a cost of ??? (comps to charge what they think fair)

 

Went to Fronter who couldn't give a definitive price but came up with £1.80 / £2.00 per student/teacher but couldnt advise on setup fees etc (awaiting some info)

 

An LA local to us has just started a pilot using Sharepoint in conjunction with SLG2 (Sims learning gateway) - so far setup costs are £50k+ but this will be an LEA based setup and will become available to all schools in the authority(costs to be shared out evenly). I would like to think that our LA would go for this but I have my doubts.

 

Moodle is also an option, hosted ourselves or externally but I have Zero web design skills and don't really have the time to manage a vle.

 

So my options seem to be

 

Frog (or similar) - Split between Cluster of schools

Sharepoint (& Moodle?) and emply someone to manage/run the VLE

Or talk to LA and try and convince them this is a good thing and all schools will eventually want in.

 

What do you guys think?

 

Si

 

I would suggest a moodle setup to start with as it has little cost to it. Once staff see what a VLE is and how it can be used they will ask for extra bits and bobs. It is then that you will be able to make a better judgement on what you require out of a VLE and compare that to those that on offer. Whatever you choose you should be able to transfer courses in moodle to the new system.

[andykemp]

Whilst I am a huge fan of Moodle, I am yet to be really convinced that it works well in a primary school, as whilst it is really powerful it is not always intuitive. Also the standard themes in moodle are not hugely freindly for younger children.

 

From what I have seen of the various things on the market (recently seen presentations from UniServity, StudyWiz, Capita's SLG, LP+ and Frog; and having previousl run a moodle site in a secondary school) I think the simplicity and flexibility of Frog is definitly worth considering if the money is workable.

[garethEds]

An LA local to us has just started a pilot using Sharepoint in conjunction with SLG2 (Sims learning gateway) - so far setup costs are £50k+ but this will be an LEA based setup and will become available to all schools in the authority(costs to be shared out evenly). I would like to think that our LA would go for this but I have my doubts. [\quote]

 

Hi Pooley,

 

I notice you are in South Wales so from the text quoted about I am going to assume you are talking about Swansea LEA who are in the process of introducing the swansea-edunet portal using Microsoft Sharepoint. This in turn links into SIMS using the Learning Gateway and also into the school Moodle.

 

Each school has been given a Moodle site and the portal links into it. Using the portal we can access our e-mail and get access to our MyDocuments from outside the school.

 

This is the way the LEA have started setting things up and as it develops it is improving. The guys they have got in have some good ideas but from what I gather need more on their team to realise the vision.

 

If you are near then feel free to get in touch and you can come across to have a look. Of course if I am mistaken and you are not talking about Swansea then no matter.

 

Best wishes

 

GJE

[pooley]

 

Hi Pooley,

 

I notice you are in South Wales so from the text quoted about I am going to assume you are talking about Swansea LEA who are in the process of introducing the swansea-edunet portal using Microsoft Sharepoint. This in turn links into SIMS using the Learning Gateway and also into the school Moodle.

 

Each school has been given a Moodle site and the portal links into it. Using the portal we can access our e-mail and get access to our MyDocuments from outside the school.

 

This is the way the LEA have started setting things up and as it develops it is improving. The guys they have got in have some good ideas but from what I gather need more on their team to realise the vision.

 

If you are near then feel free to get in touch and you can come across to have a look. Of course if I am mistaken and you are not talking about Swansea then no matter.

 

Best wishes

 

GJE

 

Hi Gareth

 

Actually I was talking about Cardiff/Vale but I am interested to hear what you guys are doing in Swansea.

 

I have a meeting on Wednesday and will possibly be looking for Examples to show our LA to try and get them on board.

 

Thanks for the offer fella

[garethEds]

 

Hi Gareth

 

Actually I was talking about Cardiff/Vale but I am interested to hear what you guys are doing in Swansea.

 

I have a meeting on Wednesday and will possibly be looking for Examples to show our LA to try and get them on board.

 

Thanks for the offer fella

 

Send over a PM and we can arrange a visit or chat online.

 

GJE

[FragglePete]

Saw Frog myself at BETT and was really really impressed with it. Head of ICT got excited as well.

 

I loved the SIMS Integration especially, it showed the data extracted from SIMS very clearly, much better than SIMS itself!

 

Anyway, we were told around £25k for a Server setup. However, not really got a clear idea what that includes. Things like the E-Mail module we possibly wouldn't need, so we hoping to get them in soon to discuss.

 

For us though, we've got to deal with ensuring we fit in with SWGfL Merlin platform. We're a pilot school for it, and although it's supposed to be just a Portal to get the Single Sign-On service it does appear now to be behaving like a very basic VLE.

 

Pete

[mikkydoos]

Im also looking for a decent Primary VLE. Frog looks great but they want £14000 for a primary and then £3200 per year from the second year onwards. What they want to do is get a secondary to buy it for £18000 then charge primary's £1000/annum for a licence to use it. Rip off. Shame for such a nice product. I wont be buying it for one.