Which MIS should we consider for the future?

[AmandaLambert]

Our school is just starting the process of deciding which system would best suit our school moving forward. A proposal needs to be written detailing pros & cons of the main competitors in the market.

 

We currently use SIMS and are supported through our LA. My main interest is in student reports, data analysis of assessment & results (especially for our own student intervention groups that we track progress for) and parental access via the internet to student data. Our school is a Yr10 to Yr13 provider & have recently become an academy.

 

I have seen ASPEN & PROGRESSO mentioned in this forum. Are there any other main MIS Systems that are a fully funtioning alternative to SIMS. I have seen that Progresso is having problems currently so would be a long term consideration.

 

All information on these & other systems gratefully received, including positives for retaining SIMS.

 

Many thanks

[Netman]

Have a look at iSAMS - search the site for some other threads on it too...

[matt40k]

Also thinking about your Finance package. Ideally it wants to link into your MIS.

[Ketlane]

Have a look at SchoolBase. Does lots of things and can cover parent communications and so on.

[vikpaw]

You should look at this thread which is in the sticky list at the top of the forum. http://www.edugeek.net/forums/mis-systems/76154-something-keep-eye-dfe.html

 

It has some very useful information on the competitors and lists the ones that met a certain standard. There is also a good link to developing a statement of requirements for your school and how to best use the framework. Repeating link here as it's useful IMLS framework: advice and guidance - Schools

 

To keep John happy, some of the others to consider would be Bromcom, also, Scholarpack, iSAMS, whatever it's called from Pearson.

 

How much they can replace SIMS and indeed the Pros and Cons will depend on how you use SIMS and the workflow in your school.

 

SIMS certainly has really well fleshed out reporting, data collection and storage, tracking and analysis, graphical analysis with Discover. The downside is it isn't yet cloud based, doesn't easily let teachers create markbooks, can be hard to understand and will throw random errors at you, as i'm sure you'll know.

 

Aspen is really flexible, allows you to create your own markbook as a teacher, do your own analysis, comes with a VLE / portal. Oh and is cloud based, tried and tested.

 

Bromcom has always looked really good and has all the core features with nice reporting. Been around a long time and again, tried and tested.

 

I noticed Pearson offering a cloud based suite including it's MIS and Fronter for VLE, but haven't read up much on it.

[Bromcom_John]

I'll mention us "again"

 

See Viks response above

 

We fulfill all your criteria.

I won't post a link to our website this time as I believe that may have qualified as marketing and got my first response lifted...

 

 

And.. I just spotted Vik's response as I was posting this..

 

Thanks for the mention VP

Edited September 24, 2012 by Bromcom_John

[GREED]

Great concise response Vik.

 

Talk to everyone and see who ticks the most boxes. It not just about what everyone is using is the best anymore, but what fits your own individual needs, and if cloud is one of your priorities, then that narrows the field a little.

@JohnCondon I think it is acceptable to respond saying you are a supplier of MIS if the direct question as been asked.

[vikpaw]

@JohnCondon I think it is acceptable to respond saying you are a supplier of MIS if the direct question as been asked.

 

- Nope. Only if you list all available MISes and don't order them!

[GREED]

- Nope. Only if you list all available MISes and don't order them!

 

Even as a response to a direct question, each supplier simply states their own MIS?

 

I don't know why I am even saying this... Doesn't affect me! Lol

[matt40k]

Maybe we should have a MIS alphabet

 

A - Aspen

B - Bromcom

C - CMIS

D - ??

 

Oh and Graham - It's so we don't start ripping into you....

 

PS: Do you have an aspirin? Oh wait, your greedy and you'll horded all yours in the cloud

[GREED]

Oh and Graham - It's so we don't start ripping into you....

 

PS: Do you have an aspirin? Oh wait, your greedy and you'll horded all yours in the cloud

 

How very considerate of you @matt40k lol

 

We might keep ours in the cloud, but anyone anywhere can get at them tehehe

[Bromcom_John]

- Nope. Only if you list all available MISes and don't order them!

 

Why would I be ordering someone elses MIS

[vikpaw]

Even as a response to a direct question, each supplier simply states their own MIS?

 

I don't know why I am even saying this... Doesn't affect me! Lol

 

No, there's no need. The framework provides a list of the big players, anyone can link to that. Even just saying 'I'm here' is potentially taking business away from you. The less Spartacuses we have the better.

 

Why would I be ordering someone elses MIS

 

You're not, you're ordering all of them, and you should put them in alphabetic order. Singling yours out and then ordering the others, would be even worse!