Eduforge: NZ Open Source VLE Project

In discussion with David Sturrock from Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, David posed the following questions relating to the MyPortfolio project. I've paraphrased those answers from an email exchange.

1. What is the sustainable funding model for the myPortfolio site? Will it be open to all "students" or only to students of member schools/tertiary providers i.e. member schools pay something for the service?
   [Wyles, Richard] Yet to be determined. The initial set-up is NZOSVLE. Subsequently I see this common services approach to infrastructure coming out of the operational budget of the eNetwork project which is expected to expand beyond the 9 institutions currently involved (assuming success of course). There's also opportunity for sponsorship/ads to fund the operation (in a subtle good corporate citizen type way). I don't see a member schools/ITPs/Unis levy as being practicable and it opens up a can of worms regarding governance. There is funding allocated to this for the next 12mths which allows us time to define the sustainability model along with the eNetwork work we'll be doing during 2006.
2. What happens when students move schools or leave their school/tertiary provider altogether?
   [Wyles, Richard] In my view, nothing. We want to be encouraging lifelong reflective learning. The only reason to authenticate them in some way in the first place is to create a barrier to miscreants. After that then hopefully they remain good community citizens. 
3. If combined with a school/institution membership model I think that your option 4 looks the best in terms of active involvement from the student/school. Option 4 describes an approval process as follows: The student must include a nominated approval person from an institution/school including their email address. The email suffix could be validated - i.e. must be .school.nz or .ac.nz. The teacher/tutor receives an email and verifies the student request for a MyPortfolio account. But does it still allow for Moodle -> Elgg integration from individual school Moodle sites (i.e. content transfer and Single sign on)? Over time other LMS (KnowledgeNet, BlackCT etc) integration could be developed as well. [Wyles, Richard] I am trying to avoid the need for any top-down communications strategy as I quite like the fact this could be very learner driven. The Moodle -Elgg integration work is done although not in standard Moodle 1.6. OSVLE cluster members will get the option as standard while the Elgg interface block will be available in Moodle contrib. once testing is complete. All the Elgg enhancements have been merged into core Elgg. Yes, hopefully further integrations will occur down the track. A WebCT Elgg integration has been developed I believe.
4. Will schools buy-in to this idea that they effectively sponsor the site but can't control/monitor what their students are doing within it?
   [Wyles, Richard] Great point. This is why I don't like the membership model - it needs to be a learner driven model that is not institutionally aligned.  
5. Does this model fit with the idea of the portfolio providing evidence for assessment?
   [Wyles, Richard] Yes and no. I see the evidence for assessment residing moreso within an e-portfolio area within the LMS. Moodle is moving in this direction with some significant focus from Open University. I believe the best of both worlds can be achived by having a rich interface between the LMS centred e-portfolio and a learner driven personal learning environment external to the institutional environment. Another option (not mutually exclusive of course) is that an institution, or group of schools/institutions could have an Elgg set-up at, say, a regional level and have participation a more explicit part of teaching and assessment.  
6. Where do primary/intermediate schools fit in this?
   [Wyles, Richard] I'm afraid they're not on the radar for NZOSVLE work though I'd happily support any initiative in this area.

Since January 2004, the New Zealand Open Source Virtual Learning Environment (NZOSVLE) project has had a team of developers working on e-learning application software supported by open source communities - currently with a specific focus on Moodle, ELGG and EPrints. The project has secured NZ$1.5M of funding from the NZ Tertiary Education Commission and consists of a consortium of 20 higher education institutions.

There are several interrelated aims of the NZOSVLE project. Firstly we want to lower the barriers to entry to e-learning. By focusing on open source solutions we are bringing down the total cost of ownership for e-learning at a system-wide level and lowering the barriers for smaller institutions and schools. The project also offers very strong technical development and support services through Catalyst IT, which is also offering services to UK institutions such as the Open University UK.

So this is making it easier and cheaper for individual organisations, and there is a lot of related professional development work as well. In terms of the number of institutions, Moodle is now the leading Learning Management System in New Zealand's higher education sector.

Secondly, a highly modular system architecture using open source and open standards is underpinning a lot of innovation and flexibility with e-learning initiatives. This flexibility was previously constrained through the limitations of closed code proprietary systems.

Developing FOSS   OSVLE –II continues the direction of the NZOSVLE project. ‘Code mobility’ via open source communities holds great promise for an economically sustainable ICT investment pathway for NZ education. Interoperability standards and the modular, extendable architecture of the open source framework holds the promise of delivering the desired flexibility and ensuring greater future proofing in a technology environment that is fast evolving. This project is an important building block to achieve enhanced access to e-learning and cultivate a collaborative environment, while serving as a catalyst for quality improvement and innovation.

2. Why have you chosen Elgg? What are the benefits you think it 
brings to students / learners?