Google is upsetting the online software community, as is their norm, by creating a free course management system. This is one for the history wiki! It is called "Cloudcourse".
Cloudcourse is being developed with Google's "App Engine", cloud computing technology that they developed in 2008. Like other Google applications, cloudcourse will run on any browser, and is free up to a certain level of required resources (space, bandwidth).
Cloudcourse is currently in its early open source code stages. Anyone with knowledge of Python can use it. The process seems to be:
1. Install
2. Develop a cloud course 'instance'
3. Register students
4. Mange the roster (waitlisting)
5. Create a session
6. Create an activity
Here's a vid on the "Manage Roster" function:
http://code.google.com/p/cloudcourse/ Retrieved June 4th, 2010
I am impressed with cloud activities. My immediate need for my school district is to find something that can track RTI interventions. RTI is response to intervention and is mandated by the federal government and a law in Illinois beginning with September 2010.
Each school must track all interventions used with each student on a tier level established loosely by the State, and specifically by the district and school. When a student needs interventions beyond tier 1, the school must provide scheduled tier 2 interventions and so on.
According to the State of Illinois, "A Changing World
Technological breakthroughs, an explosion of information and global economies are just a few of the conditions that have changed dramatically in the past decade. To be successful in a world characterized by change, students will need to learn the basics, but the basics of the 1990s and the new century to come go far beyond the basics of the 1960s, 1970s or 1980s. In addition to basic knowledge and skills, students will need to acquire new ways to learn that will serve them throughout their lives.
Scarce Resources
A clear set of standards that outlines expectations for student learning provides a focal point for deciding how to use the always-scarce resources that support education. Once standards are front and center and reliable information on student progress is made available, the efforts of educators and the funds available for teaching and learning can be targeted more efficiently and effectively to enhance learning.
Clear expectations help take the guesswork out of decisions about programs, materials, equipment and staff assignments. A standards-based education system benefits students, teachers, administrators, parents and taxpayers alike."
I hope that there are still open sources when we begin to develop our CMS and I hope that they will remain that way. One of the problems in technology market for the educator is that they find a really good open source program and get comfortable using it without it effecting the budget and then they start charging you for it
This is informative and another notch in history for Google. I feel certain that soon it will be open to a wider audience than just those with Python knowledge. This should be a good indication that course management system development is evolving and changing and will continue to do so. Fast forward twenty years...what will be listed as the key events of 2010-2020?!
This is informative and another notch in history for Google. I feel certain that soon it will be open to a wider audience than just those with Python knowledge. This should be a good indication that course management system development is evolving and changing and will continue to do so. Fast forward twenty years...what will be listed as the key events of 2010-2020?!
Amazing. I wasn't aware of this service. Google is an amazing place/group/thing. Umm, is this part of your weekly reading activity? I'm not sure which assignment this fulfills...
