kxv2020

It would really good to see Cover .net with some sample screenshots from Capita?!!

Lesson Monitor v7 which is integrated within the Sims.net system is fantastic - it empowers teachers [as you can do assessments/behavior tracking etc] and is getting better every time - using the timeline system teachers can easily locate their classes at the touch of a button. Will PM you a user guide.

We print off every morning - after the first 10 minutes of Period 1 and in the afternoon after registration from SIMS.net - that way we covered and we just grab that!

thanks .... have you used it before?

I am looking for some ideally free software that will do web filtering on Windows - and that runs on windows server?

I would say you can store photographs for records on Sims.net without parental consent - however you must have consent for pictures taken in the classroom / activities etc.

I really like SIMS.net as user - and I think staff like it too in comparison to a web based interface!! It of course has its ups and downs like any other MIS but it's a really exciting time for SIMS as the .net upgrade seems to be in full flow with new modules and enhancements being phased in incrementally. I say stick with Sims.net.... Its interesting that academies are turning to CMIS though... I hope we don't!

I am sure you can lock it down by "disabling browsing network" in the GPO ...something like that; because personally I would get annoyed as a user if I couldn't right click on something.

My sharepoint broke too!! Was looking in my administrative tools for all the different services which may have switched off and found a NEW sharepoint config Wizard which I ran and it works now!! Fancy telling us!!

Yes... we too are transferring all our shared drive resources to the relevant subsites on student and staff subject areas. However your idea of the filtering is far more interesting and complex which I might investigate too!! As for the LG I am using Sharepoint Designer to make the Learning Gateway look and feel like our own corporate image - something which I am very keen on. As for content - I have come across the http://exelearning.org/ which has been very decent but has very little in tracking. If this open source product had tracking it would be perfect. In terms of tracking I mean the ability for kids to enter the answer and it auto grade or send it to the teacher for it to be marked manually. Currently it only likes multiple choice. I am trying to find something like a drop box system. Commercial products have not been that good so far and one thing I desperately want is something where kids can enter / paste paragraphs of text into the answer so that a members of staff can review them manually!!! Good luck... I have PM'd you too with my email address!

I would love to what benit2 is doing as we've just got an installation and have no idea how to start creating content personally which is trackable... @Benit2 please reveal your secrets!!!

Ok...maybe it was just wishful thinking after reading it carefully

Check out: http://www4.devon.gov.uk/eal/scomis/password/sept06/devon.pdf Quite old as it was due to be released in 2006 originally - the spec looked as though it was: However this could all change as its 2 years late and the product moves onwards and upwards!!

In May 2008 Cover Management in SIMS.net which will hopefully include these features plus more!! Field trial starts in Feb 08.

It still could be a good solution ... but I am struggling until I find a good authoring tool and learn how it all works - I have been told to champion the gateway! I could integrate it with moodle webparts - that sounds like a very good idea ... however I don't want to be replicating stuff - different accounts etc. Looks like I'll be doing more web researching. Thanks for your help guys

Learning Essentials is awful... what I want my authoring tool to do is: 1. Assignments - teacher sets assignment - kids submit online - teacher marks online and provides feedback! 2. Question and automarking ... 3. Questions and teacher marking... These features seem to appear in soliatre demo but not on learning essentials!!! Microsoft Argh!!!!

I really need to find some [possibly free] authoring tools for our Microsoft Learning Gateway - in IMS/SCORM .zip format. I have used http://www.exelearning.org which is good but the only thing is that it lacks the functionality for the kids to enter free text which they can submit and teacher provide real feedback. Apart from that its fantastic!! I looked at reload.ac.uk and their tools but when I use it I end up confused!! I really like want something like Microsoft Class Server Teacher Client ... but free... Has anybody got the MS Grava beta which they can share? or recommend any other tools?

Cheers everybody!! Thanks webman!

Just wondering if anybody has the SLK PDF from the edugeek conference as the site seems to be down! Thanks

I looked at that ... but I really am interested about the BBC JAM but can't find anything as JAM has been suspended... skool was quite good though...but I need to learn how to import it into class server and then package its for the LG.

Has anybody got any VLE SCORM IMS packages they would like to share ... we have just built our Learning Gateway and its currently empty... Another request is that has anybody got the BBC Jam SCORM content as this is now suspended? Anything is grealty appreciated!!!!

SIMS.net is progressing very well - I would advise you to use SIMS.net it works well and excellent for classroom staff and the admin team!! Take a serious look at it. In my experience a web interface provided by other providers is often lacking in functionality that a fat client could provide. However there is a web version of SIMS which can be used in conjunction using the SIMS web parts for Sharepoint.

But personalised learning is not only about using a VLE!!! It is about classroom practice and any outstanding practioner would have all ready begun to embed personalised learning in their lessons. Personalised Learning through Virtual Learning is only one part of it! Other parts of it intergrate towards the buzzword "Personalised Learning"!! For example staff will personlise their teaching to suit different learning styles. Students and Staff will embed Assessment for Learning & Effective questioning to personalise and differentiate their work and track and review progress. VLE will support all of this but will be only a part of Personlised Learning! Hope it made sense.. :?

Totally agree with that Tony. SIMS is Admin friendly, certainly not Teacher friendly. Those are SIMS' roots after all. I am going to have to disagree with this point. Some parts of SIMS such as all the 6.x modules are not friendly at all however the 7.x version is far better and evolving all the time. Its not difficult for most teachers to double click on the time line to enter registration marks, assessment data and Profiles through the Focus menu!! CMIS to me seems a bit cluttered, with everything squashed in one place... but thats just an observation.

I personally believe SIMS works well at the moment - and much prefer using the fat client SIMS.net to a web part version on a daily basis. It is far easier for admininistrative staff but the possibility of having a web based access is good when your out and about. The new GUI for Sims.net is fantastic and improving all the time. OWA is very good but falls short of the whole Outlook app in certain bits! I'm just passoniate about ensuring that teaching and learning is fully supported and by using SIMS.net I think it is supported.