CONFERENCE ON OPEN SOURCE FOR EDUCATION IN EUROPE

CONFERENCE ON OPEN SOURCE FOR EDUCATION IN EUROPE

by Val Brooks -
Number of replies: 19

I've just received some information from ICT SUPPORT NETWORK NEWS 4 Aug 2005 (see below) about an Open Source conference in the Netherlands in November and bearing in mind what  somebody (was it you Drew?) mentioned recently about getting out there and talking Moodle, then perhaps someone (for example Miles?) might like to present a paper? Have a look at http://www.openconference.net/index.php?cf=3.

 

CONFERENCE ON OPEN SOURCE FOR EDUCATION IN EUROPE RESEARCH AND PRACTICE

Rebecca Singer

This conference will be held at the Open University of the Netherlands Educational Technology Expertise Centre, Heerlen, The Netherlands on November 14th 15th 2005.

The conference is organised by two European sponsored projects, SIGOSSEE and JOIN, which have been investigating the potential of Open Source and providing services for educational institutions wishing to implement Open Source products, together with the Open University of the Netherlands (OUNL) which has a long track record of innovation in e-learning. The conference focuses on a number of major issues in Open Source in education in Europe including:
Learning with Open Source
Open standards for e-learning
Sustainability strategies managing open source
Open content, issues and implications.

The conference fee is 100 which includes tea and coffee, lunches and a reception.

For more information see http://www.openconference.net/index.php?cf=3 or email marina.pongraz@ou.nl

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In reply to Val Brooks

Re: Conference on Open Source for Education in Europe

by Miles Berry -
It'd be great to have someone talking about Moodle at this.

I'd be delighted to go and could summon up the courage to present a paper, but:
a) there's no guarantee that I'd get be allowed the time off,
b) there doesn't seem to be any help on offer for registration fees and expenses sad, and
c) the deadline for submitting abstracts was last Sunday.

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In reply to Miles Berry

Re: Conference on Open Source for Education in Europe

by Drew Buddie -
Re funding Miles.  The British Council provides funing for the likes of this.  Try them.  Although as you say, and as I've mentioned, the deadline for submission has passed.  We need to send a cohort of us to the next conference we hear about methinks.
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In reply to Val Brooks

Re: CONFERENCE ON OPEN SOURCE FOR EDUCATION IN EUROPE

by Drew Buddie -

I looked at this but as its on a Monday/Tuesday I didnn't think that school'd let me go sad 

Also the thing to note is that the deadline for abstract submission was 31st July. sad

But the good news is that I was pleased to get a 'scholarship' to participate in the Power Users of ICT International Symposium in Costa Rica next week (sadly my participation is REMOTE) but please trust me when I say I'll be singing the praises of MOODLE at EVERY opportunity within the symposium.

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In reply to Drew Buddie

Re: CONFERENCE ON OPEN SOURCE FOR EDUCATION IN EUROPE

by Val Brooks -
Whoops - sorry - didn't read it properly sad and saw October but can see what's happened now! However, maybe someone has already put forward an abstract! That would be great if they have.
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In reply to Val Brooks

Re: CONFERENCE ON OPEN SOURCE FOR EDUCATION IN EUROPE

by Don Hinkelman -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers
Hi Val and Others,

The Open University of Netherlands also sponsors/cooperates with workshops on IMS-Learning Design (IMS-LD) of which Martin attended one of the last workshops in Porto, Portugal.  Daniel Burgos, an active moderator of the LD Book Study here on moodle.org, is a staff of Open Univ NL as well, and undoubtably will be part of the conference.  I suggest anyone going to this conference should contact him.
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In reply to Val Brooks

Re: CONFERENCE ON OPEN SOURCE FOR EDUCATION IN EUROPE

by Mark Stevens -
Can anyone give a short report about the conference?

I found these Moodle related docs in a search:

How a FIRM (Flexibility, Innovation, Robustness, and Maturity) Argument for FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) can Displace FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt)
Derek Briton

Using Moodle to facilitate collaborative practices and networks
Josie Fraser

Building Eclectic Personal Learning Landscapes with Open Source Tools
Marco Kalz

IMS Learning Design tooling in practise
Daniel Burgos

Stephen Downes was also there talking about a MetaUniversity. I think Moodle could fit in well to that vision...
http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/page.cgi?post=32509
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In reply to Mark Stevens

Re: CONFERENCE ON OPEN SOURCE FOR EDUCATION IN EUROPE

by Leon Cych -
I'd keep an eye on Josie's Moodlebug if all else fails - she invariably blogs conference activities she is involved in.

Leon
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In reply to Leon Cych

Re: CONFERENCE ON OPEN SOURCE FOR EDUCATION IN EUROPE

by Josie Fraser -
I managed to dash off some posts while I was there - hopefully have time to write up my thoughts tonight or tomorrow. There seemed some consern that Moodles market share perhaps inhibited other OSS CMS software development. There was a lot of talk about CMS (too much for some people!) and a noticable divide between those conserned with activities and those conserned with objects.  
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In reply to Josie Fraser

Re: CONFERENCE ON OPEN SOURCE FOR EDUCATION IN EUROPE

by Josep M. Fontana -
>There seemed some consern that Moodles market share perhaps inhibited other
>OSS CMS software development.

I've heard this before. What I don't understand is what the people who voice these concerns expect the Moodle developer community to do. Do they want them to make a shittier product, to stop improving Moodle, to introduce serious bugs so that Moodle looses part of its user base?

I think there are some interesting alternative OSS LMSs out there and I'm following their evolution with great interest. That is, I believe that having different alternatives is better than having a single product, even if this does everyting you need it to do. At the same time I also believe that some inhibition in the development of new OSS LMSs might also be a good thing for the open source movement as well. I'm talking, for instance, from the perspective of a taxpayer in my own country. Right at the time when the Open University has decided to adopt Moodle, the government agency that is in charge of universities in Catalonia has decided to fund (with 3 million Euros!) the equivalent of the OU here to build an OSS LMS from scratch. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the people who were in the conference you attended and were complaining about big bad Moodle were people who are involved in the project I mention. The have taken a lot of heat from a lot of people around here because many of us consider their initiative is a waste of money and it doesn't contribute to further the interests of the OSS movement.

Josep M.
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In reply to Josep M. Fontana

Re: CONFERENCE ON OPEN SOURCE FOR EDUCATION IN EUROPE

by Don Hinkelman -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers
>There seemed some concern that Moodle's market share perhaps
>inhibited other OSS CMS software development.

Like Josep, this comment seems so odd to me.  In the open source world, the concept of "market share" no longer applies.  Anyone can take Moodle's code and go build another OSS CMS on it and make it better.   Nothing stopping them.   Likewise Moodle can take any innovative idea, even code, from another OSS CMS and build it in.  What I see evolving is one giant cooperative venture, with everyone contributing to a single "market share'.  Nothing is inhibited.  I see the opposite, lots of energy released.  In all my life, I could never imagine making software.  Since I met Moodle, I have helped develop three modules.  Far from inhibiting.   smile 
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In reply to Don Hinkelman

Re: CONFERENCE ON OPEN SOURCE FOR EDUCATION IN EUROPE

by Mark Stevens -
Apparently there is more to fear from Moodle than it inhibiting other OSS CMS development.  Yesterday I received this message from a colleague, "However, I'm not sure if I'm still interested in Moodle; I need to learn more about how it is governed!"

Evidently Moodle has grown into a Micro$oft!  It's amazing how Moodle inspires such passion for and against...
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In reply to Mark Stevens

Re: CONFERENCE ON OPEN SOURCE FOR EDUCATION IN EUROPE

by Don Hinkelman -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers
One short answer to how Moodle is governed is that it is a "bazaar".  People come and take what they want and offer what they want.  It is not unlike a flea market. There are a few rules and values that the lead developer(s) lay down, but any bazaar has that as well.

This form of governance is common to many open source efforts.  I recommend reading the wonderful book "The Cathedral and the Bazaar" which outlines the amazingly different way that open source goes about business, design, ownership and policy making.
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In reply to Don Hinkelman

Re: CONFERENCE ON OPEN SOURCE FOR EDUCATION IN EUROPE

by Frances Bell -
Thanks Don, I understand what you have said but wonder about integration below the level of a CMS.
I am someone who drives Moodle without opening the bonnet (well only to top up the windscreen washers wink ), and I would really appreciate an answer from those who know.  I can see examples of how LAMS, Hot Potatoes, etc. are integrated into a Moodle course but I am not yet clear how easy it is to integrate parts of Moodle (above the source code level) into other configurations.  I love the Glossary tool (activity) - will it be available by, say, web services in future?
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In reply to Frances Bell

Re: CONFERENCE ON OPEN SOURCE FOR EDUCATION IN EUROPE

by Don Hinkelman -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers
Hi Frances,
>>I am not yet clear how easy it is to integrate parts of Moodle (above the source code level) into other configurations.
It is not so easy if you do not program.  Yet it has been done.  For example, the Book Module (because it is written in PHP) was ported over to Dekeos CMS, another open source CMS.  In theory, any module could be modified and adopted by  another CMS.  The  reason this is difficult is the same reason that CMS are so wonderful for us teachers--they integrate information and pull it all together for us.  So because of the complicated nature of integrating information (gradebooks, activity reports, backups, profiles, authentication, and so on), moving a module from one CMS to another is not easy.  I see that kind of portability another five years away.  Before we get module portability, we need content portability.  Right now, it is still difficult to transport lessons and projects from one CMS to another, despite the efforts of SCORM and IMS.   That needs to come first.
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In reply to Don Hinkelman

Re: CONFERENCE ON OPEN SOURCE FOR EDUCATION IN EUROPE

by Frances Bell -
Thanks Don.  I do understand about the portability of source code and hope to see more examples of what you describe in future.
At CABWEB we have used our own "home grown" portability by creating collaboration space (courses in Moodle terminology) templates that tutors can edit, and we have now submitted a Socrates-Minerva project proposal to help us introduce IMS/LD into the equation. 
However, I hope that what you call portability (maybe interoperability) is less than five years distant thoughtful
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In reply to Frances Bell

Re: CONFERENCE ON OPEN SOURCE FOR EDUCATION IN EUROPE

by Don Hinkelman -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers
Hi Frances,
Sorry for answering you in such simple terms. blush It is hard to tell from the forums who is new and who is a developer, and one that has done some interesting templates beyond what I have ever done. (thank you for keeping the CABWEB site open to guests). Now I am very interested in this comment...
>>we have now submitted a Socrates-Minerva project proposal to help us introduce IMS/LD into the equation.
Could you tell us more about your aims? Do you want to make your Moodle collaboration spaces LD-compatible? I know this is getting off topic, but the key to Open Source in Education will be how well we integrate into IMS-LD, it seems. As for my prediction of five years, that is just my feeling, you would have to ask Martin what his roadmap is for interoperability of modules. smile
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In reply to Don Hinkelman

Re: CONFERENCE ON OPEN SOURCE FOR EDUCATION IN EUROPE

by Frances Bell -

Thanks Don.  I wouldn't describe myself as a developer (though I once waswide eyes)  but we do hope to commission some development that will contribute to mainstream Moodle development if this pre-proposal is accepted, THEN the proposal is accepted (big IFs).

Anyway here are our project proposal aims:

  • To explore the social and pedagogical implications of teachers exchange of collaboration models via media rich online dialogue, collaboration templates, and IMS/LD specifications within an existing CoP -the HELP Network

  • To create, implement, and test in CABWEB (built using Moodle OSS, see http://moodle.org ) collaboration templates for Collaborative Building of Knowledge Base, Digital Storytelling, Extended Collaboration with shared goals of language learning, and document  each model in IMS/LD as a UoL.

  • To implement and test integration of audio and video media tools into the collaboration model for language learning within CABWEB

  • To investigate the reuse of a collaboration model for team work, that includes support for participation, mutual understanding, and joint tasks; by pre-specifying it in an IMS/LD editor/player, integrated with CABWEB and in a second learning environment, using runnable UoLS.

I think that these are pragmatic and if we get to do the project, will contribute to doing and critiquing interoperability using IMS/LD.

I am attending UNFOLD workshop in Berlin on Mon/Tues so hope to get a much broader view of what is happening.

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In reply to Mark Stevens

Re: CONFERENCE ON OPEN SOURCE FOR EDUCATION IN EUROPE

by Paul Richardson -
Hi Mark
I attended the conference, which was very useful to me ( having just started work in a new Moodle related project (COVCELL)). I understand that the proceedings, attendees, presentations, findings etc. will be published by the organisers on the  conference web. There were three sessions and workshops going on in parallel, apart from the plenaries so it is impossible to talk about content in a few lines. "Content is king" said someone and this conference had plenty of content, and few frills.
Paul 
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