mattboot

The point is that the vast majority of teachers in any sector don't need nor want to use the code. None of the other tools come with the quality and amount of extra resources/ projects that Uniservity does. Try an audit of your staff expertise in ICT. Make sure you ask them this: 1. Do you want all the online tools in one place, or do you want to use several different tools 2. Will you edit any html, or will you use a WYSIWYG editor?

Any focus on issues regarding html is the tiniest of details. The point is that the vast majority of any learning platform users are teachers, of all subjects, not just ICT. A learning platform is not intended as a discrete ICT tool, but as a teaching and learning tool across the entire curriculum. That's why the teachers I've worked with love the blogs, wikis, forums etc that are built into the system. If you wish to fiddle with html, there are tools that you can use to teach it. A learning platform is for learning in all areas. That's why the simple approach works so well in this case, and that's why the more techically adept don't like it, as it isn't what they're used to. It isn't intended to be, and its not necessarily aimed at the secondary ICT technicians. The market for this is teachers who want a really useful tool to use in the classroom.

I've been using the Uniservity Learning Platform for a couple of years in Warrington, both in school, and running training for other schools as an AST, and I love it. Have a look atGrappenhall Heys Primary School ** The Year 4 teacher's page is particularly good. Teachers here love it, as there is a massive range of stuff that can be done. The projects available from Uniservity are spot on (I've just met one of my performance management targets through their collaborative projects, as I was put in touch with a Hong Kong Uniservity school to work with, and our Y4 children are now working together), and they cover objectives from YR to KS4 Once you understand the way it works, the uses of the tools are endless - we have kids in Reception using forums, talking with fictional characters, and my Y5 class have just been creating an alien world wiki. http://http://www.school-portal.co.uk/GroupRenderWiki.asp?GroupID=160407&ResourceId=2129118, in 1 lesson. I've seen schools using it a range of ways, from hosting useful material to use at home, to allowing children to explore their learning paths in real personalised learning. Teachers take to it quickly, because it is not massively technical. What works best is having a coule of keen people to forge ahead. Trot along to the Uniservity user events, and you;ll see load of good ideas for the way it can be used with the children.