HTML Video

Indicators Of Community Table

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Indicators Of Community Table

View more presentations from OULDI.

Moodle progress1

Requirements for Moodle upgrade and Mahara installation

Context:
- Our current vle3 installation needs to be replaced by summer 2009
- The current Moodle test area vletest is not fully functional
- There are some issues with the update of SITS data in Moodle

Requirements:
- To upgrade Moodle 1.8.3. to 1.9.x to make use of enhancements in the software (AJAX, improved backend database performance and functionality etc.)
- To implement and test the e-Portfolio Mahara at Harper by work placement managers
- To enhance learning opportunities by hosting a couple of new Web2.0 services such as WordPress (for blogging) and MediaWiki as a Wiki tool

- To provide e-learning with access to the IDM User Application tool providing the ability to start / stop the Moodle IDM driver after essential maintenance is carried out. This is to ensure that further interruption to our services ( and ICT's work load ) is kept to a minimum 

In order to move forward we would like ICT to undertake the following:

• Creation of a new virtual box on the SAN and installation of the most recent releases of Centos, PHP, Ruby and MySQL.

• To prepare a clone of this original (vanilla) installation

• On the first installation the new Moodle development server will be set up by installing Moodle 1.9.3.(or the most recent stable version at the time)

• The Moodle development server will be used for testing stability and for compliance with revised Identity Management (IDM) and Federated Access Management (FAM) implementations likely to be recommended by the Salford Software consultants as part of the ReedNet project.

• A copy of the existing/or revised IDM drivers should be created to point to this Moodle test installation

• We intend to copy the Moodle data folder over to the new Moodle installation during the summer, subject to adequate changes having been made to IDM/FAM

• The current vle3 installation will run concurrently for a few months and will subsequently be archived

• The second virtual box (from step 2) will be used to install Mahara 1.0.6. (or the most recent version at the time) to be used as a test bed to investigate the feasibility of altering some features as requested by A. Hind.

• This ‘Mahara box’ will also be used to host WordPress and MediaWiki

• There are currently issues relating to the update of data in SITS showing up in Moodle due to IDM not being switched on after frequent server reboots, often without the knowledge of the e-learning team. We propose e-learning to be given access to the IDM service to be able to switch on the IDM driver independently from ICT (SS to undertake this)

 

• To create a Samba mount between the video server and the current / future Moodle server(s) to improve media services by providing progressive download facilities for on demand media delivery and to free up system resources for enhanced services in the future.
  

 

Henry Keil Revised 14 Jan. 2009

Creating video resources for Learning and Teaching

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Creating video resources for Learning and Teaching

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: video)

The End of the Beginning

This has been the last session ... more of the same, one or two new moves, a string of old ones put together in sequence, with music and changing partners. Familiar format.
It may not look particularly proficient but it works.
What was new however was a sense of of 'class bonding' which came to the fore when the proposal was made to add a few extra sessions before Christmas to reinforce what has been learned and to build a bridge to the next level course starting in January 2009.
This is peer learning at its best, with the entire group wanting to move forward together.
Three cheers to the tutor for forming such as coherent bond - and for moving us from extrinsic towards intrinsic motivation.

The end is in sight

There are now only three sessions left before the beginners class will come to an end and we have now reached the 'consolidation phase' of our learning.
We all try to string together the individual moves we've learned in previous classes, perfecting them in the process and then trying to speed up with the faster beat of the music.
Over and over again the teachers point out the importance of the 'man leading' and at this stage although I can appreciate it I am unable to implement it in any particular shape or form - there are clearly still limits on what has been learned but that is fine.
So what were the expectations and what has been learned?
Admittedly from the outset I would not have learned Salsa dancing without the formal requirement of the MSc course module - which clearly points to extrinsic motivation for getting started. This fact however has been adjusted by the fact that the entire experience has been a positive one, the relaxation part, the socialising element of it, the good music and the achievements observed, even if they may appear miniscule at this stage.
A noticeable shift towards intrinsic motivation of dancing in general and Salsa dancing in particular is now detectable and evidence for this comes from me enrolling on another dancing class (on another day), this time in 'ballroom dancing' and there is also a likelihood of moving up to Salsa intermediate level in the new year.
This does not necessarily mean though that I have become an autonomous learner (as I am for example in Djembe drumming) but at least it will point in this direction.
And this in itself is not a mean feat.

Rollercoaster ride continued - obtaining new momentum

After the somewhat despondent posting last week this week's entry is much more upbeat, precipitated by a very intense dancing session.
There were several changes which resulted in matters brightening up considerably
First we did change partners less than we normally do and I had the pleasure to dance with someone who's roughly at the same level and this made it much more enjoyable.
Secondly we also learnt a couple of new moves which were challenging but were also explained very well, not only by the teacher but also by an advanced dancer who has joined the class recently to provide extra support.
Finally we were, for the first time asked to string together a series of moves we've learnt in previous sessions, initially 2, then 3 and so on until there was a total of about 8 or so. This was cleary developing into a proper dance and although it was exceedingly challenging to remember the sequence of those moves it worked remarkably well, apart from the fact it was physically very exhausting.
For the first time though one could feel the sensation of real Salsa dancing and the affirmative looks of the teacher confirmed that real tangible progress has been made.
I think we're approaching the main learning outcome.