A conversation on Alfresco Repository, Mahara, Mediawiki
Vicki and myself caught up with David Gilchrist, Dianne Van Berlo and Don Tainsh of New England Institute in Adobe Connect this morning to have a look at Alfresco - The Open Source Repository to which Dianne’s feedback on it’s features were along the lines:
Gosh this makes me excited for a Monday morning!
Yes Alfresco is well worth a look and integrates with Moodle 2.0 out of the box. I easily installed the application on my computer to show during the meeting, check out the recording you’ll have to fast forward to 17 min to see the demo though. Some things shown and discussed where:
- Alfresco’s easy to use clean interface
- Smart Spaces with Alfresco Share
- Auditable Content, Simple Check-In/Out and Version Control
- Easy Workflow Management
- Categories including tagging
- Permalinks to files
- File format conversion to Flash format (.swf) of uploaded media files to solve bandwidth limitations
- Easy File management (like Windows explorer) to upload files
- Tight integration with Moodle, Sharepoint and Microsoft Office.
- Ability to manage public private digital rights and licensing for different types of content.
- Federated search capabilities, ability to search simply across multiple
- Alfresco repositories and external wikis (Including Mediawiki), blogs and news feeds
Based on initial feedback I think it would be interesting to get teachers to trial the product as part of the Virtual Learning Environment project.
SWSI Update
We are well under way with our Moodle Trial and have four faculties and 5 sections involved. A training session kicked started this group and there is much activity as they familiarise themselves and set up in preparation for either trialling with a small number of current students and/or ready for Semester 1, 2009.
Smartboards (ANT Project) have slowed due to a problem with installers – this is being ironed out by ICT and management, however it is intended still to get all completed by the end of this year. Staff have embraced this technology and have been utilising slates, lumens and senteo’s in the classroom. I have been receiving some very positive email from teachers on the enthusiasm shown by students.
Sharepoint for teachers/units is currently being rolled out with various methods of training. This will take a larger focus now the Quality Awards will be finished.
Planning for the maintenance and preparation of wikispaces, podcast server and Janison is also on the agenda as we streamline the requests.
New England Rockets into the 21st Century
New England Institute has ventured into new territory, setting up its three Moodle LMS servers. Since then we’ve been busy testing modules, playing with very nifty plug-ins (eg. Audio recorder, podcast manager, menu block, flash media player, video conferenicng by Moodle, SMS via Moodle), and transfers from Janison.
David Gilchrist (astronaut extraordinaire) and Dianne Van Berlo attended Moodle Moot 08 which confirmed we were heading in the right direction in our Institute travels and only excited us more about Moodle’s potential. We’re also about to start f2f training after developing a self paced course for Moodle course creators.
Course Creator's Guide
Audio recorder topic
CLI have been travelling with us as we link to the LRR, after we consulted with our Institute passengers – through user and technical forums.
We’ve also been providing some in house entertainment and learning opportunities to our 21st Century Institute travellers including a Virtual Worlds presentation to demonstrate innovative use of learning technologies, appearing “live” at AgQuip for three days, spreading the vision for the Institute through vodcast, our Learning Technologies Road show online, and Toolbox customisation and ARED workshops.
Throughout our journey we’ve also chatted to students, the community and industry, with many wanting to join us in our journey.
Like any good trip we’ve enjoyed the opportunities as well as the challenges that we’ve encountered.
To make the trip as smooth as possible for our travellers, our EDU Learning and Assessment team tour guides have:
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needed a team wide EDU approach to change management, supported by the establishment of strong cross functional relationships
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needed to influence in different ways with different approaches- up down across
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many and regular conversations with ICT, Institute Executive and visible presence across Institute
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spreading use of learning technologies to other functional unit’s daily activities
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overcome resistance to change.
EDU Learning and Assessment Team- Sphere of Influence
So here’s to sharing the excitement as more and more people join in our travels through the 21st Century.
Update from Western Institute: Nov 5th 2008
The ANT2 and Workforce Guarantee funds: mentoring network focusing on six key technologies:
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Video Conferencing
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Interactive White Boards
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Web Conferencing (Connect)
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Wikis (Private Label Wikispace)
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iPods
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Digital Stories
… and various add-ons along the way
The last four have been hugely successful and popular.
The mentoring has a two-way approach: Faculty-based and location-based. Feedback indicates that this has been very successful and enjoyable for participants. We are currently exploring ways that this can be approach can be continued beyond the project.
Priorities for Semester 2 have been:
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Development of ‘New Learning Technologies’ SharePoint site as repository of resources for teachers
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Skinning of wiki, currently being finalised as I type: http://www.wit.wikispaces.net
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Implementation of Moodle install to be ready for use Semester 1, 2009
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Implementation of LRR Western Institute installation
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‘Doing Business with Technology” workshop for Managers
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Staff development
AGENDA: November 5th 2008
09.30 – 10.10 Jenny Manetas Telstra presentation – product demos
10.10 – 11.10 Simon Paine (TeLs) Update on VLE
11.10 – 11.30 Morning tea
11.30 – 12.30 Julie McAllister ActivStudio Demonstration
12.30 – 01.15 Grant Casey Learning Design: resources and training
01.15 – 01.45 Lunch
01.45 – 02.15 Robyn Jay eLearning08, AFLF
02.15 – 03.45 Paula Williams FLN Blog: Institute developments
03.45 – 04-00 Afternoon Tea
04.00 – 04.45 Paula Williams Continued from previous session
Sydney Institiute – Ambition in Action Nov 5th Report
In many ways 2008 has been a consolidation year for TAFE NSW – Sydney Institute. Since 2006, with the advent of TOL ANT we have put in place a wide range of platforms and technologies Quality Awards 08 eLearning @ Sydney Institute:The Journey
- Wireless networking
- Resource Development Kits- LTM’s
- Adobe Connect – Hot Topics
- Wikis (internal mediawikis + private label wikispaces), WordPress MU blogging/podcasting/vblogging, Moodle server update - currently migrating to new version 1.9 Dec 08
- Blogs/wikis/Moodle skins with corporate branding
- Blogs/wikis/Moodle policy and guidelines
- Connected Classrooms
- Learning Technology Mentor Case Study
- Online SI Induction eLearning project
- Second Life Library Services SL Wikispace Slurl :Sydney Institute Land in Second Life – http://slurl.com/secondlife/jokaydia/216/185/21
”Use technology to do business“ @ Sydney Institute
Combined with the imperative from TAFE NSW 21C we felt we needed to consolidate and focus on embedding the technologies we had put in place before moving foward into new areas. Capability Development programs myLearning Matrix.
image by robynejay
Arising from this came the inspiration for the Learning Technology Mentor program. The program focused on building Institute wide staff capability to use and embed new technologies in teaching and learning. 12 mentors were selected from each campus and clusters across the institute and provided with a week of capability development in the latest emergent technologies.
Illawarra Institute’s Update for 5 Nov 2008
Virtual Learning Environment – integration of Moodle/LRR project with CLI/TeLS (see diagram)http://www.gliffy.com/pubdoc/1515058/M.jpg
VLE incorporates:
- Moodle for delivery, interaction, collaboration
- MEdiawiki for resource development and content management (unit/topic page templates, categories)
- WordPress blogs and Private wikispace for interaction/collaboration
- LRR for learning resource storage/search/sharing
- Hosted Moodle for Commercial programs
- Trials re integration of Moodle with Institute SAM/OLS and with LRR
Flexible Learning @ Illawarra Project – pilot of 4 cross-Institute programs; utilising VLE for resource development and delivery; FL@IP website being developed, including an elearning orientation program; capability development plan includes resource development, facilitate elearning, SAM/OLS training, awareness/website for campus administration staff.
iiMediawikiInterviews with Team Leaders of pilot teams:
eLearning Mentors (ANT2) – blogs, Adobe Presenter, Photostory, Moviemaker, ARED/LAWS are proving most popular. View Adobe Connect Time2Share presentation from one of our team, Painting and Decorating teacher, Fiona Shewring: http://webconf.det.nsw.edu.au/p86001304/
Facilitate eLearning – current group of participants from IIT/NCI/SWSI, approx 35. Changes have been made to the program activities on the fly - participant presentations in Connect & new eTools activity using http://voicethread.com . The collaboration and creativity has been outstanding. We will be starting a new group with a workshop in non-teaching weeks at start of 2009 – any takers for collaboration? We have 8 new teachers who do the unit as part of their Cert IV TAA and our FL@IP team as starters already.
UOW/IIT eLearning & Pedagogy Conversations – six weekly informal meetings over coffee. At our last meeting, Wendy Meyer shared her experience of the Moodle Moot in October – http://www.moodlemootau.org Next meeting we plan to look at eRolePlays. Collaboration around 2009 Emerging Technologies Conference – is there interest from other Institutes? Some emerging themes: staff development, mobile technologies, pedagogy…
Video Conferencing: Equipment installed in each campus in staff meeting room spaces. Aim is to use for Institute meetings before using for teaching. TLI is supporting the capability development through a train the trainer process. A POV camera is being used to create resources to assist campus staff to go through the steps to turn on the equipment. Video conference sessions will be conducted for campus mentors, including CAMs and eLearning Mentors.
I.M.A.G.E. – Innovate-Motivate-Achieve-Grow-Excite. Institute Innovation Showcase planned for December to be conducted via Video Conference. eLearning Mentors will participate, guest speaker on innovation in business and customer service.
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