Open Source Learning Platforms

[liz lennon]

I'm just beginning to research OS learning platforms.

There are a few that I will be doing a comparative analysis on over the next few months:-

1. Moodle
2. Sakai
3. Plone (although that's more of a content management system - CMS)
4. Drupal

If anyone has used these platforms I'd appreciate feedback on their pros and cons.

I want to use open source as much as possible for both the cost and the values based foundation of it all.

Thanks
Liz

[liz lennon]

Just wrote about my research on os learning platforms and posted it to the personal learning environment forum. Clever Liz.

Anyway - go to edutools if you want to do some comparative analysis on certain learning tech tools. It's very comprehensive and I was able to compare Moodle, Sakai & Joomla.

Liking Sakai.

Liz

[Michael Hanley]

Hi Liz,
I've used Moodle extensively as an admin in my organisation for the last 3 1/2 years - I'm currently upgrading our internal employee implementation to v1.9 - always a worrying time - and as a regular user while studying for my MSc in the National College of Ireland.

In my view it's a very stable, reliable, and scalable solution. I also like the way Martin Dougimas has managed to instill a Social-Constructivist sensibility into the environment, something I've found to be very effective in facilitating learning while being on "both sides of the fence."

Some other advantages of Moodle include
- IMS/SCORM and AICC specification
- DB integration
- LDAP-level security features
- Add-in modules including Hot Potatoes / language packs etc

Other LMSs you could look at include Dokeos, and ATutor. There's a quite useful white paper on the topic here:

http://www.epic.co.uk/content/news/oct_07/whitepaper.pdf

BTW - It's interesting / coincidental that you're investigating this topic; I've just started a series on my blog concerning developing e-learning content using an open-source approach.

[liz lennon]

Hi Michael

Firstly, many thanks for the Moodle feedback. It all gets added to my research.

And here's the small world part - I found the Epic paper this week as well and found it very useful. I noticed that Jane Hart (she of the amazing 2000+ learning tech tools site that I found in your blog) was mentioned in their bibliography. Emailed Jane and let her know. Jane has also offered to be one of my mentors for SKIL2.

I also joined Elliot Massie's Learning Town yesterday and noticed you're a member. I joined a number of very useful groups. Interesting site.

Also noticed a comment by you on Tony Karrer's site. I enjoy the info he posts.

I also enjoy your blog and posted a comment on the 'market/ towers' post - thought the inclusion of images was great and the content very interesting. Not sure whether the comment went through.

I'm going to check out Sakai at their Paris conference in late June/early July.

And - I'm going to take my time doing the research.

In the end I may find that what I'm visualising can't be created - and then again maybe it can. I just don't know yet and that's fine.

Thanks for all your info and support Michael.

Liz