Comments on: Open source for learning costs less http://www.jarche.com/2009/01/open-source-for-learning-costs-less/ Life in Perpetual Beta Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:50:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Bill Fitzgerald http://www.jarche.com/2009/01/open-source-for-learning-costs-less/comment-page-1/#comment-186447 Bill Fitzgerald Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:24:47 +0000 http://www.jarche.com/?p=2072#comment-186447 Hello, Harold, I enjoyed the article, and your post here really nails it: Open Source, while freely available, requires people to spend some time working with it -- just like any system, whether it be open source or proprietary. WRT: "the LMS/CMS model needs to be updated or rethought" -- this sentiment drives the work we do for our own development roadmap with Drupal. It's a fun place to be. Cheers, Bill Hello, Harold,

I enjoyed the article, and your post here really nails it: Open Source, while freely available, requires people to spend some time working with it — just like any system, whether it be open source or proprietary.

WRT: “the LMS/CMS model needs to be updated or rethought” — this sentiment drives the work we do for our own development roadmap with Drupal. It’s a fun place to be.

Cheers,

Bill

]]> By: Anthony http://www.jarche.com/2009/01/open-source-for-learning-costs-less/comment-page-1/#comment-186445 Anthony Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:28:54 +0000 http://www.jarche.com/?p=2072#comment-186445 Great article, Harold, I couldn't agree more regarding the Open Source issue. I run a one-man e-learning effort in my company, which platform includes installation and maintenance. I chose Moodle for many reasons, particularly because the cost involved was me learning how to run the software. I don't have any technology training, my only very brief programming experience was in high school (BASIC and PASCAL), and I have zero budget. Nonetheless, I have the latest version of Moodle up and running, validating with my company's Active Directory of 1,000 employees across Latin America. Use is somewhat limited because of content creation constraints, but little by little we have more consulting and support teams using Moodle as a training, collaboration and KM platform. Regarding Jevon's comment, I agree that the LMS/CMS model needs to be updated or rethought. However, I don't think most organizations should be paying the costs of living on the cutting edge of any field, particularly in the corporate market. Great article, Harold, I couldn’t agree more regarding the Open Source issue. I run a one-man e-learning effort in my company, which platform includes installation and maintenance. I chose Moodle for many reasons, particularly because the cost involved was me learning how to run the software. I don’t have any technology training, my only very brief programming experience was in high school (BASIC and PASCAL), and I have zero budget.

Nonetheless, I have the latest version of Moodle up and running, validating with my company’s Active Directory of 1,000 employees across Latin America. Use is somewhat limited because of content creation constraints, but little by little we have more consulting and support teams using Moodle as a training, collaboration and KM platform.

Regarding Jevon’s comment, I agree that the LMS/CMS model needs to be updated or rethought. However, I don’t think most organizations should be paying the costs of living on the cutting edge of any field, particularly in the corporate market.

]]> By: Harold Jarche http://www.jarche.com/2009/01/open-source-for-learning-costs-less/comment-page-1/#comment-186429 Harold Jarche Mon, 12 Jan 2009 14:41:21 +0000 http://www.jarche.com/?p=2072#comment-186429 I find that most learning management systems aren't worth the effort, as they don't support learning, only management. I've been a supporter of small pieces loosely joined for learning, but most institutions want a single system. In that case, I think that OS should be considered in comparison to proprietary LMS/CMS. Do you consider Moodle worse than other course management systems, Jevon? I find that most learning management systems aren’t worth the effort, as they don’t support learning, only management. I’ve been a supporter of small pieces loosely joined for learning, but most institutions want a single system. In that case, I think that OS should be considered in comparison to proprietary LMS/CMS.

Do you consider Moodle worse than other course management systems, Jevon?

]]> By: ismael http://www.jarche.com/2009/01/open-source-for-learning-costs-less/comment-page-1/#comment-186428 ismael Mon, 12 Jan 2009 14:39:52 +0000 http://www.jarche.com/?p=2072#comment-186428 IMO, even if costs were equal, FLOSS will - always be more flexible on what to change or im (and who to implement these features) - have the possibility to add third parties' features (e.g. implemented by other educational institutions) you might not be able to support on your own but be willing to have When there's critical mass (and this is way the case of instructional technology), FLOSS always pays back. IMO, even if costs were equal, FLOSS will
- always be more flexible on what to change or im (and who to implement these features)
- have the possibility to add third parties’ features (e.g. implemented by other educational institutions) you might not be able to support on your own but be willing to have

When there’s critical mass (and this is way the case of instructional technology), FLOSS always pays back.

]]> By: Jevon http://www.jarche.com/2009/01/open-source-for-learning-costs-less/comment-page-1/#comment-186427 Jevon Mon, 12 Jan 2009 14:15:30 +0000 http://www.jarche.com/?p=2072#comment-186427 I do not think the education community should reference moodle. Moodle is really a liability to progress in this community. Education needs innovation more than ever now, and tools like moodle provide a free version of a broken model. Is WebCT OK because it is free? I do not think the education community should reference moodle. Moodle is really a liability to progress in this community.

Education needs innovation more than ever now, and tools like moodle provide a free version of a broken model. Is WebCT OK because it is free?

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