This sub-thread is interesting.
Like Dave, I would be reluctant to dismiss feminist research (which does not just have to be about feminism), and like Niki, I don't think you can make any simplistic links between Moodle tools and the gender balance on Using Moodle.
I am wondering if anyone is doing any research on gender aspects of online learning with respect to Moodle. That would be interesting.
Niki makes a fair point about the gender (im)balance in technical jobs.
My colleagues at Salford are doing some UK-based research into this see
http://www.isi.salford.ac.uk/gris/winit/
THe issue of Women in IT is very complex - and is different at each stage, getting into education, getting a job, getting on in that job, and deciding to stay in that job. Women haemorrhage from IT at all those stages. It's good to ask why.
On the positive side, I see many women Learning Technologists (a term used in UK) at conferences and workshops so not all is bad.
Frances Bell
Posts made by Frances Bell
You asked How can Moodle win in a debate in which the decision makers consider
performance criteria secondary to the possibility that Open Source
projects may stagnate and cease development?
You raise a very important issue of management and decision-maker concerns (one of them being to cover their own backs). Obviously, the old maxim "Noone ever got sacked for buying IBM" still holds some sway. What may be useful is to surface the extent to which large organisations, such as Universities are already using Open Source (LINUX, web servers, PHP, mail clients, etc., etc.). I don't know of any specific educational institution case studies but there is a great case study by Prof Brian Fitzgerald and Tony Kenny about Beaumont Hospital.
Money talks and the quote "The OSS experience has been very successful in Beaumont, achieving savings of circa 4.7 million in the first year, and a further 8.3 million in continued savings on an ongoing basis over five years." is likely to grab attention.
IMHO, governments and LEAs should be supporting evaluated pilot studies that look at the possibility of more widespread adoption of OSS, based on what has been learned. This goes beyond Moodle vs Blackboard.
Personally, I think that commercial software has a role but that we should be looking at mutually benefical relationships between commercial software providers and OSS and whatever! I am happy that there is a book and media publishing industry, and that I as an academic have a relationship with it.
You raise a very important issue of management and decision-maker concerns (one of them being to cover their own backs). Obviously, the old maxim "Noone ever got sacked for buying IBM" still holds some sway. What may be useful is to surface the extent to which large organisations, such as Universities are already using Open Source (LINUX, web servers, PHP, mail clients, etc., etc.). I don't know of any specific educational institution case studies but there is a great case study by Prof Brian Fitzgerald and Tony Kenny about Beaumont Hospital.
Money talks and the quote "The OSS experience has been very successful in Beaumont, achieving savings of circa 4.7 million in the first year, and a further 8.3 million in continued savings on an ongoing basis over five years." is likely to grab attention.
IMHO, governments and LEAs should be supporting evaluated pilot studies that look at the possibility of more widespread adoption of OSS, based on what has been learned. This goes beyond Moodle vs Blackboard.
Personally, I think that commercial software has a role but that we should be looking at mutually benefical relationships between commercial software providers and OSS and whatever! I am happy that there is a book and media publishing industry, and that I as an academic have a relationship with it.
Moodle in English -> Lounge -> Invitation to CABWEB
by Frances Bell -
CABWEB is a portal at http://moodle.cabweb.net
where students can do international
collaborations online and their tutors can network. We have just started a two week dialogue (or
should I say multilogue) on The role of teachers and communication in virtual
seminars and environments, led by Frank Thissen. This event is on the HELP network at http://moodle.cabweb.net/course/view.php?id=8
, and runs until 24 March.
I just received this on email, and thought that someone might be interested to follow up the last topic on the list.
Please note replies to ijkloeditor@ijklo.org
forwarded~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to announce that the Informing Science Institute has accepted our proposal to edit a book entitled Learning Objects.
You are invited to submit a 500-word abstract (the initial proposal) to write a chapter on one the following topics:
The mission of the book is to inform clients of the above topics emphasizing their implications to learning.
Your abstract must contain an explanation about the topic you have chosen from the list above. It should summarize what it is that you are proposing to write. Please be concise (a maximum of 500 words), clear, and persuasive.
The deadline for submitting the abstracts is March 30, 2005. Once your abstract is accepted you will be receiving the authors guideline and will be given thorough instruction for writing your chapter. Once the abstracts are accepted the authors will have 90 days to complete their chapters.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes.
Alex Koohang
Editor-in-Chief, IJKLO
Keith Harman
Editor, IJKLO
Please note replies to ijkloeditor@ijklo.org
forwarded~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to announce that the Informing Science Institute has accepted our proposal to edit a book entitled Learning Objects.
You are invited to submit a 500-word abstract (the initial proposal) to write a chapter on one the following topics:
- Learning Object Architecture
- Learning Object Standards
- Syntax and Semantics of Learning Object Metadata
- Learning Object Repositories
- Learning Content Management System (LCMS)
- Historical & Philosophical Foundations of Learning Objects
- E-Learning & Learning Objects
- Instructional Theories and Principles
- Instructional Design of Learning Objects
- Learning Objects User Interface
- Granularity & Reusability of Learning Objects
- Multimedia & Learning Object
- Learning Object Overview
- Creating Learning Objects
- The Future of Learning Objects
- Open Source & Learning Objects
The mission of the book is to inform clients of the above topics emphasizing their implications to learning.
Your abstract must contain an explanation about the topic you have chosen from the list above. It should summarize what it is that you are proposing to write. Please be concise (a maximum of 500 words), clear, and persuasive.
The deadline for submitting the abstracts is March 30, 2005. Once your abstract is accepted you will be receiving the authors guideline and will be given thorough instruction for writing your chapter. Once the abstracts are accepted the authors will have 90 days to complete their chapters.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes.
Alex Koohang
Editor-in-Chief, IJKLO
Keith Harman
Editor, IJKLO
Alex Koohang
Editor-in-Chief
Interdisciplinary Journal of
Knowledge and Learning Objects
www.ijklo.org