Uniservity v's Moodle

[matt40k]

from a script that pulls the data from SIMS. Penfold is writing a moodle php module to automatically create the AD accounts (in AD)- IIRC there were some 'technical difficulties' that delayed the project.

 

Are we referring to the stuff that access the SIMS db directly, again this will take a while to setup and test, and most importantly requires technical knowledge, it's not something that a primary school could just do. I believe this new version uses the SIMS business model, so it should be alot easier, still no phone support, so it's still a bit "techy only".

 

Can't comment on creating moodle-based users over AD. I don't fancy getting into a discussion over what is "secure". (Basically, Moodle would be open to SQL attacks, which could allow another parent to gain access to another parents account, also would emailing reset password be insecure? Then again is AD really secure? Could a man-in-middle style attack work (between the AD and Moodle)? - basically I don't know. I'm not a security consultant. Doubt anyone here is.)

 

At the end of the day, you want to use Moodle, good for you, but you have to remember anyone can find this post, including people who have trouble installing Windows Server and I've yet to hear anyone giving out a telephone number and providing support (minus a few LA's). (Yes, I know people offer support on the forum, but really, how good is it? What is the SLA? A. there isn't one, there is however, a nice disclaimer).

[CyberNerd]

 

Can't comment on creating moodle-based users over AD. I don't fancy getting into a discussion over what is "secure". (Basically, Moodle would be open to SQL attacks, which could allow another parent to gain access to another parents account, also would emailing reset password be insecure? Then again is AD really secure? Could a man-in-middle style attack work (between the AD and Moodle)? - basically I don't know. I'm not a security consultant. Doubt anyone here is.)

 

.

 

I agree with your points about setup, it does require a lot of prerequisites about how the infrastructure is setup. wrt security, I was simply refering to not giving parents access to other AD services (we have citrix etc). Last thing we would want is non-CRB checked parents accidentally geting any info about other children. I wasn't refering to any technical attacks.

 

If there was a service/support offered - would there be much takeup?

[matt40k]

I agree with your points about setup, it does require a lot of prerequisites about how the infrastructure is setup. wrt security, I was simply refering to not giving parents access to other AD services (we have citrix etc). Last thing we would want is non-CRB checked parents accidentally geting any info about other children. I wasn't refering to any technical attacks.

 

If there was a service/support offered - would there be much takeup?

 

Shouldn't be no different then having web access to Outlook. To can limit LDAP (AD) users access quite nicely too.

 

No idea about take up, I've had a few talks with people about it, pretty much it's able to be done, just needs some company to take it up. Tempting to starting up a company, but the VLE bubble pretty much burst. What I mean, most LA's have spend there money already, which who you really want. It would have been brillant really, you could of create a "marketplace" where schools can submit\sell\trade moodle lessons \ courses. Best thing about Moodle is that most Uni's use it, so it makes sence, plus you could ask them to submit some stuff, then it's just a question of filtering it down to pupil's level.

 

Anyone know any Moodle companies who want to extend there market?

[reggiep]

When linking moodle with SIMS, the courses are automatically imported for each user.

 

Is this done through the add on that penfold is creating or some other way?

[CyberNerd]

Is this done through the add on that penfold is creating or some other way?

 

yes, we're using penfolds module.

[reggiep]

@cybernerd.

So can you give in simple terms an idea as to what the sims connection does?

I thought it was just so users could see their timetable!

I'm guessing there is more to it.

I was thinking of giving it a go but I didn't want to go through all the procedures without knowing what I would get at the end.

[CyberNerd]

@cybernerd.

So can you give in simple terms an idea as to what the sims connection does?

I thought it was just so users could see their timetable!

I'm guessing there is more to it.

I was thinking of giving it a go but I didn't want to go through all the procedures without knowing what I would get at the end.

 

1) imports sims courses into moodle, and keeps them upto date

2) imports sims timetables into moodle (not into moodle calendar, a separate timetable module)

3) creates ad users (not finished)

4) allows parents to log in (not finished)

[reggiep]

Oh I see, that does sound really useful.

Wel done Penfold for all your efforts.

[reggiep]

Well I have just had a meeting with the ICT strategy group and we are moving to Moodle!

 

Yippee, er hold on, that means I have to do some work. What have I done!

[Soulfish]

Well I have just had a meeting with the ICT strategy group and we are moving to Moodle!

 

Yippee, er hold on, that means I have to do some work. What have I done!

 

Got the go ahead for Moodle last week, so we're ditching UniServity as well

[reggiep]

I can just feel the warm glow off the last few posts.

[sacrej]

*sigh* we've just been bullied into Uniservity..

I loathe its permissions management system and LACK of any sense of style...

 

I wanted to use Joomla+Moodle with an AD-SSO passthrough.

 

I'm not an open source freak, but when it comes to VLE's or any web cms the proprietry software company's should just roll over and die imo.

[penfold_99]

*sigh* we've just been bullied into Uniservity..

 

Your just in need of a big stick to fight back with.

Edited July 8, 2009 by penfold_99

[qphs]

We have Uniservity here and the consensus here is that it is absolutely useless, hard to use and hard to engage students in interactive learning and collaboration.

 

I have been looking at Moodle for a while and believe it is the way to go.

 

There is no way to link moodle to SIMS as per the pre requiste for providing SIMS data to parents for 2010. However there are a few alternatives

 

Capita are offering their own hosted version since Cheshire Shared Services binned the idea of a Cheshire Hosted solution due to resources and management issues. Capita's version is based on Sharepoint and will provide instant online access to parent directly to your SIMS Server. This poses a couple of questions such as what if a teacher posts the wrong info and parents see? What increase in load on the server you have SIMS on etc.

 

If you have PARS then you may be aware of their solution PARS Insight. This is web based and pretty for end users and this solution I am hoping to pursuade our SLT to go for.

 

Uniservity, there is a module out for that soon as they too are getting on the band wagon. However the data on the website will be 24 hours old as you have a choice to synchronise the data between SIMS and Uniservity daily, weekly or monthly.

 

Uniservity will take a 3rd party report off SIMS and upload it to their systems. Since uniservity currently host on http and not https:// this is not the most secure system and we have no control of security. At least through County's Network we are covered by multiple layer security and our own firewall.

 

Uniservity released a new module that already synchs with SIMS but this is just to link usernames to students to classess to years. You must have done this synch on the day your new SIMS data went live on Sept 1st. If you have not then you need to contact uniservity and ask them to re activate the process button so that you can re query the SIMS database to get your new intake. This is the first step of the SIMS link and must be done accurately to ensure that when they release the parent module they get the right student.

 

You may have to manually match UPN's to Users in Uniservity depending on your data integrity.

 

Good Luck.

 

QPHS

[penfold_99]

There is no way to link moodle to SIMS as per the pre requiste for providing SIMS data to parents for 2010.

 

There are a few providers offering moodle and sims integration, i have a version that meeting the March 2010 guideline and one in development to meet the September 2010. Webanywhere is another provider.

[jenny_urey]

Right ..... happens occasionally and I am not aiming this at Penfold though reading some of the information in these forums my annoyance is travelling through my fingers onto my keyboard as it looks like companies and/or software writing individuals are not looking at the bigger picture!

 

 

There are a few providers offering moodle and sims integration, i have a version that meeting the March 2010 guideline and one in development to meet the September 2010. Webanywhere is another provider.

 

 

 

There are only a few and even less than a few who can do it properly with two factor authentication as recommended by BECTA / Government due to IL4 information to parents and taking into consideration the welfare of pupils (something that seems to have been missed by many new 'emerging software solutions')

 

How about allowing SCHOOLS to decide what THEY want parents to see and to stop any issues that may occur at home.....

 

Do you REALLY want all unresolved behaviour to be seen by parents?

Do you REALLY want all comments written by teachers to be seen by parents?

Do you REALLY want parents to see all students involved in a single incident?

Do you REALLY want split parent families to know where each other live?

Do you REALLY want all grading data to be published prior to the date allowed......

 

I don't want to be someones R&D person so I am not going to list the issues I have already seen with people trying to write software and also software that is already out there which doesn't even integrate with the schools MIS! Aaaaggghhh!! Scary and Frustrating!

 

Schools should be looking at what their MIS and their MIS partners are providing and at least have the sound knowledge that they will be supported fully by technical teams.

 

Budget is always an issue in schools ... Sharepoint too costly? there ARE other options out there which you do not have to purchase Sharepoint to use - check out partners for SIMS, SERCO...whichever MIS you use and yes, you can interate data into Moodle if you speak to the right people!

 

This is childrens personal data for goodness sake and as a parent, I will be damned if her school allowed any company to work with school data without being associated to an MIS or Local Authority!