Moodle, ICDL, and Open Office

Moodle, ICDL, and Open Office

by Stuart Mealor -
Number of replies: 15
Hi everyone

I've recently been discussing a new project with some of our people regarding ICDL (International Computer Driving Licence), in Europe known as the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL).

We already have authorised ICDL courses for Microsoft Office using Moodle. These are actually the only ICDL authorised courses in Moodle in Asia-Pacific. Perhaps the world? (I'm sure someone will correct me on that?)

So... our decision...

Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 are out in the marketplace, and in general both receiving a rather lukewarm reception - that's just my opinion based on feedback from those I know who use them - I'm sure some other people like them a lot.

We are now discussing internally whether to discontinue with our ICDL Moodle courses for Microsoft Office, and instead create ICDL authorised courses for Open Office using Moodle.

It seems some materials and resources exist for learning and teaching Open Office, and even a few specifically focussed on using Open Office for ICDL.

The new ICDL curriculum (ICDL Syllabus 5) is released region by region this year, and we are discussing the merits of creating commercial level ICDL authorised Moodle courses for Syllabus 5 (a syllabus update is a natural point for us to review and revise our provision).

I'd love to hear feedback from the community on this:
  • What would be the demand for a Moodle-based Open Office ICDL offering?
    (We are essentially talking about a site licence scenario - where a client would be able to buy the materials, install on their own Moodle server, and then chop and change as much or as little as they want).
    - my 'gut instinct' is that demand for ICDL using Open Office is (sadly) still very low.

  • Is it just too early for this?
    - in reality is everyone still using Microsoft Office for ICDL?
    - we want to support open source such as Open Office - but is the environment ready?

  • What level would the ICDL authorised Open Office Moodle courses be priced at?
    - I am conscious that those using Open Office for ICDL may be doing so because of financial considerations. It follows that any course materials would have to be very competitively priced. $50? $25? $10? (sorry, completely free is not an option for us on this project sad ...although I would like it to be one day!)

  • Any other comments that you want to make that can help with our decision-making process on this?
I'm (perhaps) open to the idea of this development being in conjunction with other institution(s). However, previous discussions in this area have not progressed because the other parties main agenda was about making money. We www.hrdnz.com (Moodle Partner) are not adverse to making money, in fact we have to. But we view this project as a very low level income generator - a very small profit on many users would be our aim.

Naturally if this project does progress, I'd be interested in hearing from Moodlers who would be interested in a project role working on this. It probably goes without saying you would be an advanced/experienced Moodle teacher, very familiar with ICDL/ECDL, and competent with applications such as Wink, eXe, and have some graphic design skills such as GIMP.

Look forward to hearing some other perspectives... smile
Stuart
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In reply to Stuart Mealor

Re: Moodle, ICDL, and Open Office

by Anna Krassa -
Hello Stuart!

"great minds think alike" - I think I have told you this before. wink

Just a short answer,

here in the University of Macedonia (Greece) we have been delivering moodle courses regarding the computer basic skills using OSS (i.e. firefox/thunderbird, ubuntu, writer, impress, calc) since February 2007.

The content of our course is based on the openICDL.

Even though OSS and e-learning aren't very popular in Greece, Greeks expressed great interest on our courses and their feedback is very positive for both OSS and moodle.

Of course our content is in Greek at least at the moment.

Moreover we are submitting these days a new proposal in cooperation with some colleagues from Cyprus regarding an equivalent idea to the one you are mentioning here.
There are several differences though, regarding the type of the content and the modules provided. What is of great importance to us is the issue of the certification procedure.

As you can realize from all the above, such an idea would be welcomed from the Asynchronous E-learning Team of the Library and Information Center of the University of Macedonia.

Best regards,
anna

on behalf of the
Asynchronous E-learning Team
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In reply to Stuart Mealor

Re: Moodle, ICDL, and Open Office

by Ralf Hilgenstock -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Translators
Hi Stuart,

we planned since some months a Moodle Course for preparing ECDL OpenOffice in Germany. Now the German ECDL organization started a Moodle plattform with tools for teachers fortheir courses based on MS Office support. We supported the with the Moodle system and the design.

Starting point of our plan is the OpenOffice Video Training of our partner Video2Brain. Like most of thse tools it will be available in german only.

Ralf
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In reply to Ralf Hilgenstock

Re: Moodle, ICDL, and Open Office

by Stuart Mealor -
HI Ralf

So are you indicating that there is enough interest and use of Open Office in Germany now to make it worth your while investing time in supporting it?

Stuart
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In reply to Stuart Mealor

Re: Moodle, ICDL, and Open Office

by Vincent Short -
Hi
i know nothing about these standards, yet
but is one of things i will be doing this summer

i have started looking into the C2imes ressources here in France

which cover, i guess, similar objectives for both MS and OOo

i will rephrase that i will ask some people at Moodle Moot France
smile

v


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In reply to Stuart Mealor

Re: Moodle, ICDL, and Open Office

by Jonathan Moore -
I don't think I have worked with any K12 schools in the US using ICDL, but I like the idea of having some good Moodle based courses on Open Office. We get asked a lot by clients for where they can purchase Moodle format courses. And Open Office does seem to have a following in US K12. If not as large a one as MS Office in general, still one worth pursuing.

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In reply to Jonathan Moore

Re: Moodle, ICDL, and Open Office

by Miles Berry -
http://theingots.org/moodle/course/view.php?id=11 may be of interest, at least as a starting point.
Also, the Ingots scheme provides a possible alternative to the ECDL/ICDL route.
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In reply to Miles Berry

Re: Moodle, ICDL, and Open Office

by Stuart Mealor -
Hi Miles

Yes, I'm familiar with Ingots - it's been around a few years now.

Although again I find myself disappointed...
I followed the link you provided (thanks) to refresh my memory.
Entered as a Guest.
And then saw a series of Lessons - great!
But guess what, they are not Moodle Lessons at all.
Just very long web pages.
Probably cut and paste from an original word processing document.

Might as well be a .pdf

It may be useful for teachers to print and use in class though.

Anyway, for this project I'm looking very much at ICDL - but thanks for the Ingots idea ! smile

Stuart
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In reply to Jonathan Moore

Re: Moodle, ICDL, and Open Office

by Stuart Mealor -
Hi Jonathan - thanks for that!

- I don't have any data regarding Open Office use in the US - certainly not in schools - so that's useful feedback smile

Stuart
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In reply to Stuart Mealor

Re: Moodle, ICDL, and Open Office

by Dominique` Cave -

Hi Stuart,

I am very interested in this initiative. I've begun the process of writing my own materials since I have, for the last 10 years, struggled to find materials which I can use with my students for ICDL and in the last 5 years I have only used OSS with my students so there is even less stuff available.

OSS is taking off in Africa. There is a need and a demand. How far have you got with the project??

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In reply to Stuart Mealor

Re: Moodle, ICDL, and Open Office

by Marc Grober -
While I have to admit that there are some packaged for instructional design that are MS COTS apps that make some things very simple, I'd have to argue that the costs far outweigh the benefits.

Using OO check out E-scape for building epubs, eTok for building curriculum, OO GIFT macro/extension for quizzes, not to mention things like elaix which are still to come. There are a range pf mediaconverters and video capture products and look to FF 3.6 to offer smil advances.

In sum the question, instead of can I or should I avoid the great Satan, should be why have I waited so long.
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In reply to Marc Grober

Re: Moodle, ICDL, and Open Office

by Bryan Williams -
I sincerely mean this when I say thank you very much, Marc, for the lead on E-scape for OO. VERY useful information. I'm going to check out those other programs you mention as well. Thanks again.
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In reply to Bryan Williams

Re: Moodle, ICDL, and Open Office

by Marc Grober -
Your welcome Bryan.

My biggest obstacle so far has been matching the ability to move through video based on user interaction (typical example is clicking in a designated area to simulate real thing) using open software (while the audio issues moving to swf are irritating, there are workarounds).

I am most intrigued by the possibility of elaix for OO, and this could be an avenue for some cooperative work as it would provide parallel tools for LAMS and Moodle using OO.

There are also intriguing possibilities for interchangable exports so that etok products could be packaged as epubs via escape-very exciting to think of having your calc text on your iPod- lol

perhaps one of biggest hurdles is wiki to OO (OO already has excellent extensions for exporting to wiki) so that wikibooks can be repackaged.... Lots to do

btw, I would really appreciate it if OO users would test the GIFT extension I created for OO3 based on enriques macros. If the work w/o any trouble it makes quiz template much easier to install and use and I don't think he ever put that in plugin db which should be addressed. See this post and my follow up:
http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=130149&parent=589018

All that being said perhaps we need some new doc pages entitled something like "so you want to develop curriculum using open software" where we can document such paths more effectively than in a forum. That way if win 7 is as big a bust as Vista teachers can still move forward with Linux or unix based (os x) tools.
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In reply to Stuart Mealor

Re: Moodle, ICDL, and Open Office

by Gary Eckstein -
Hi Stuart,

What was your eventual decision? What Moodle ICDL courses are you selling?

Thanks
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In reply to Stuart Mealor

Re: Moodle, ICDL, and Open Office

by Ash Hassim -
Hi Stuart

I would like to offer ICDL syllabus 5 on my moodle - is it possible to obtain the package from you?

Bye
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