> 'Morning all, a brief update on what we have been working on with the
> LMS vendors and an overview of the priority areas for the year ahead.
> Progress
> The LMS vendors have been busy with negotiating the first statements
> of work, starting the development for these and shaping the design/
> concepts of the MLE for the next year or two. They are all making good
> progress on the DigitalNZ API (most will be released before Term 2)
> and SMS-LMS v2 (where they did not yet have it). The quality of
> sharing (on design and direction) is outstanding, even in front of
> competitors. Vendors are communicating with their clients on what is
> coming.
> Priorities
> We have received good feedback from the roadshow and sufficient time
> to both commission vendors to do initial development work and start
> planning the next set. From all the opportunities to assist software
> and digital content better support learning the following are the
> priorities for the first year:
> - Identity and Access Management (sometimes referred to as single sign-
> on): We have design work well underway for the 'hosted' space; have
> just commissioned scoping for the 'within school' situation; and have
> increased clarity on the longer-term, national needs (i.e. whole of
> education, joined-up (or even federated) approach). Together with LMS
> vendors we will agree a short-medium term approach over the next 2-3
> months allowing them to make progress this year, but do s with a
> bigger picture in mind (with regard to standards and design
> approaches). If you are interested in this area then watch for
> postings or contact Andreas Kubisch (andreas.kubi...@minedu.govt.nz)
> directly.
> - Reusable and Portable Content: Following feedback on Sandy’s options
> paper we have started work on the Open Office/WikiEducator option
> (this does not mean the alternative option will never be acted on,
> just that we have found one better suited to today’s needs). Sandy and
> Jim are drafting their next paper, specific to the NZ schooling
> context and planning out the work activities required to make this
> solution practicably for all of us. The first schools have already
> generously offered their content for publication in this forum. Please
> familiarise yourself with the paper and give feedback to the group on
> what is required to make this approach workable for your school.
> - E-Portfolios: Much has been written and presented on this topic and
> hundreds of schools are doing activity loosely defined as e-portfolio.
> Some even say that we need a national approach (i.e. one tool for all
> school to use (if they wish), able to be integrated with the LMS in
> use, staying with the learner throughout his/her schooling, owned/
> controlled by the student when age/maturity allows). We recognise that
> some of you are getting valuable outcomes from this activity and that
> activity here needs to be both informed by school use and yet better
> co-ordinated nationally. To this end Ian Fox and Sandy Britain will
> shortly start a paper (to be published in early June) to capture the
> research/evidence base, scenarios (distilled out of school interviews/
> case studies) of use and how both these translate into software
> requirements. Again, share your thoughts for the group to read.
> - Parental Portal/View: We continue to subsidise larger vendors to
> implement SMS-LMS v2, which allows SMS data to be securely shown to
> parents. All over NZ we hear how schools (and parents) are looking
> forward to this. We are exploring with some vendor show a city/
> regional approach could be piloted, with dozens of schools and their
> communities benefiting.
> - Integration with other apps (to make use of them more scalable,
> manageable and seamless): So far the most frequent requests are for
> web mail, library and cloud office apps. Ian will design a survey to
> capture these requirements in a more thorough and representative way.
> The results can then inform the design and development activities. If
> you have interest in your LMS integrating with software in these three
> categories then please post on what brand of web mail/library/cloud
> office app. Alternatively, list other categories that are of high
> importance to you and we will consider them.
> Finally, please have your say. We are moving on the MLE and will
> achieve our goals, but it will happen sooner and better if you
> contribute. Please make your needs known.
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