Question Of The Week: How Do You Prepare For A VLE

[GrumbleDook]

I can't really specifically talk about any single vendor I have spoken with or seen at the moment but be aware that there are a few different methodologies for using LPs (Learning Platforms).

 

Some are aimed at document and resource storage to aid the teacher deliver a lesson, some are aimed at learners following specified routes as part of courses ...

 

Basically ... you have student driven and teacher driven ... I have yet to see a solution where I was happy that there was sufficient balance between both models.

 

The first model suits the 'old guard' of teachers who want students to absorb knowledge from them ... the latter suits those that want students to work independantly with no teachers around.

 

Neither model is completely suitable in most present-day school environments so the methods that teachers and students use to teach and learn need to adapt.

 

How you get people to adapt and what will be the outcome is a more important part of the discussion than what vendor to use ... once you have worked out which way you want your school to teach/learn then you can choose your platform. Doing it the other way round is like picking a type of medicine out of the pharmacist's catalogue and then deciding how you are going to produce it (only having a rudimentary level of chemical engineering), who you are going to treat with it and what it is actually going to cure.

 

Discuss ...

[CyberNerd]

Some are aimed at document and resource storage to aid the teacher deliver a lesson, some are aimed at learners following specified routes as part of courses ...

 

Sounds like a web mashup of all these different approaches would be a good idea, moodle for VLE, Eduspaces for collaboration, Alfresco for document management, Zimbra for email. I wonder how hard it would be to tie some of these together and let the teachers/learners have all.

[mighty.grey.eagle]

This is a very difficult question and one that has been discussed many times in the Moodle forums. "Russdev" correctly, in my opinion, uses the word "VLE" rather than pointing to a specific VLE. Anyway. To answer some of the points already made:

 

a) a dumping ground for files doesn't, to my mind, constitute a VLE.

b) a VLE should be accessible via the net ie everywhere.

 

Now to be more positive and answer the original question....

 

a) get the senior staff FULLY on board. Not just ticking a few boxes to say that they have a VLE. Make sure that they realise that it is the first part of a revolution in education. One of the problems we have had, and it will happen everywhere, is the the senior staff are generally set in their ways. Powerpoint is often their limit.

 

b) get evangelists in every department. This tends to be the young and enthusiastic ones. Let them filter the new techniques down to other members of the department.

 

c) training is critical. We were very early in the VLE arena but now, in Cumbria and Lancashire, training is free to all Moodle users. Within school we have regular updates and sessions on specific aspects of the VLE.

 

d) expand the horizons. Persuade staff that if pupils are using new communication techniques (forums, blogs, wikis, etc) they also ought to be. "Cybernerd" mentioned that there might be a split between the VLE and the Whiteboard users. Not true. Capture the whiteboard (I think as avi) and then convert it to something that will run on the VLE. Replay it anywhere.

 

e) get students involved. I may regret this but one of our students is designing a new "graffiti" type logo for a new theme. Year 9's are playing with "Scratch" which allows them a little bit of programming of games whilst they are actually learning about control. They have control over a Wiki with examples. With Moodle roles you can create a trustee student who can monitor the forums.

 

f) for the less enthusiastic departments buy in some teaching materials. Eventually they will want to customise/improve it.

 

g) this is the most difficult - get teachers to SHARE!!! Which is easier getting a 1000 Maths teachers to create one question each or 1 teacher to create 1000 questions? Often it seems to be the last Persuade them that they can save themselves time and effort if they co-operate.

[CyberNerd]

"Cybernerd" mentioned that there might be a split between the VLE and the Whiteboard users. Not true. Capture the whiteboard (I think as avi) and then convert it to something that will run on the VLE. Replay it anywhere.

A good idea, but is this easy to do for average teacher? - flash export might be better than avi - what with codec problems. still requires creating vle page, text etc. I was thinking a better approach would be the other way around - have the interactivity on the VLE in the first place with quizzes flash movies etc.

[russdev]

Until you have the teachers in the mindset of actually doing something for themselves without having it done for them then i fear the VTLE,s which are chosen are bound to fail.

 

until a company comes up with all the resources that are needed and wanted by the teachers then it is doomed from the start no matter which VTLE you chose to go with.

 

I will know have to kill you for using that term hate rm for using it to be fare to them they are dropping in the next version...

 

 

Russ

[CyberNerd]

Some are aimed at document and resource storage to aid the teacher deliver a lesson, some are aimed at learners following specified routes as part of courses ...

 

Sounds like a web mashup of all these different approaches would be a good idea, moodle for VLE, Eduspaces for collaboration, Alfresco for document management, Zimbra for email. I wonder how hard it would be to tie some of these together and let the teachers/learners have all.

 

seems I am behind the times already. Moodle/eduspaces integration is here https://eduforge.org/wiki/wiki/nzvle/?pagename=MoodleElggHOWTO

and moodle/alfresco document management is in the pipeline

http://docs.moodle.org/en/Repository_API

http://docs.moodle.org/en/Roadmap

[Geoff]

Damn that open source innovation!

[russdev]

right here is final views I have not included EduGeek ones as can read the thread..

 

Answer 1

 

I think that first and foremost, a VLE is something which the teachers must be asking the IT Department for, and not the other way round. It is a whole-school teaching system and must therefore be driven by the teachers and the SMT. This is why we don't have one, and probably never will! :-)

 

Answer 2

 

Might be different in other LEAs but in Portsmouth the city is going through a procurement process for the whole city to drive the price down. Schools are of course free to opt out of the scheme and go it alone. The solution they are trying to get would be centrally managed by the LEA/Supplier, with only senior schools having an actual 'box' onsite. We are invited to regular meetings, and at the moment we are being sent evaluation forms to fill out on a number of VLEs, they give us a trial login to take a look around etc.

 

So my preperation involves looking at sites and feeding back. When all forms have been collated the 5 companies with the best scores are invited back for a final pitch, and we will decide what the best one is. The lea said they have enough funds to pay for the VLE for the first 3 years, with expected costs beyond that in the £1-2 per pupil range. They will take care of all of the technical side, and will create all users etc.

 

This has certainly made my life easier as I could of seen all my schools picking their own VLE and me having to learn how to manage all of them!!

 

Answer 3

 

Don't rush the set up and installation of the VLE. Phase it in. Or you will annoy teachers more than you help them.

 

 

Russ

[webman]

This is why we don't have one, and probably never will! Smile

 

What about that government 2008 deadline?

[russdev]

Person who wrote that is an indie school..

 

Russ

[TechMonkey]

Isn't the 2008 deadline been hyped up a bit? I'm sure I read/heard somewhere that the 08 deadline is for a workspace the students can get at anytime. This means external acccess fullfills that. VLE requirement is for later but is being pushed as the answer to everything so been made to sound like you need it by 2008.

 

Am I ass waffling or right?

[Mr_T]

Question Of The Week: How Do You Prepare For A VLE

 

Same as before question being asked across different forums with names removed to protect the guilty.

 

So how do you prepare for a VLE think about this not just from technical, but education and whole school issues as well..

 

What do we as schools need to do make VLE's successful.

 

Regards

 

Russell

 

RUN AWAY................................................... :-)

[webman]

I don't know, I'm never involved in anything related to the VLE. All I hear is that we must have a VLE by 2008 and we must go with the LEA offering (A loosely-linked MS Sharepoint + Class Server).

[russdev]

Deadline is vle needs to be in by 2008 but embed by 2010...

 

As for must go don't have to go with a county solution but you might not see money from government and would have to fund it on your own.

 

DFES advice is that school can choose any solution they see fit but have to justify cost vrs county solution in terms of teaching and learning and best value.

 

Anyway the fact is not vle we have to have in we have to Learning Platform (which will consist of VLE).

 

 

Russ

[Sylv3r]

DFES advice is that school can choose any solution they see fit but have to justify cost vrs county solution in terms of teaching and learning and best value.

 

We choose not to go down the LA VLE route - that being the case will we have documentation from the DFES to fill in as to why we choose not to? Or is it just in a general sense.

[john]

I don't know, I'm never involved in anything related to the VLE. All I hear is that we must have a VLE by 2008 and we must go with the LEA offering (A loosely-linked MS Sharepoint + Class Server).

 

I hope they are not thinking Class Server as its dead and burried

[webman]

Due to political reasons and possible legal action, I have withdrawn my opinions regarding the DLG.