Comments on: Is OCW a "shovel-ready infrastructure project"? http://mikecaulfield.com/2008/12/08/is-ocw-a-shovel-ready-infrastructure-project/ Mostly edtech, w/ some politics and stylistics. By Mike Caulfield Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:06:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Mike http://mikecaulfield.com/2008/12/08/is-ocw-a-shovel-ready-infrastructure-project/comment-page-1/#comment-286 Mike Wed, 17 Dec 2008 02:15:00 +0000 http://mikecaulfield.com/?p=277#comment-286 Well, the jury is out on the money saving piece, if you are going only for WebCT feature-for-feature replacement. But the truth is there is a lot of development around Moodle lately -- it's quickly become a darling among the DIY education crowd. SO as you move forward you'll find that moodle will evolve with you for basically free, while WebCT will push you into a Blackboard upgrade. That's really the dirty secret of LMS's -- stay within the limits of the antiquated versions and they are not very costly, but dare to ask for something like blog integration, OCW compatibility, or custom facebook apps, and suddenly you need the more expensive do-hickey. So short answer -- when it comes time to upgrade, go to Moodle, and the fiscal benefit will be very very clear. Or go for it now on principle. Well, the jury is out on the money saving piece, if you are going only for WebCT feature-for-feature replacement. But the truth is there is a lot of development around Moodle lately — it’s quickly become a darling among the DIY education crowd. SO as you move forward you’ll find that moodle will evolve with you for basically free, while WebCT will push you into a Blackboard upgrade.

That’s really the dirty secret of LMS’s — stay within the limits of the antiquated versions and they are not very costly, but dare to ask for something like blog integration, OCW compatibility, or custom facebook apps, and suddenly you need the more expensive do-hickey.

So short answer — when it comes time to upgrade, go to Moodle, and the fiscal benefit will be very very clear.

Or go for it now on principle.

]]> By: Tracy http://mikecaulfield.com/2008/12/08/is-ocw-a-shovel-ready-infrastructure-project/comment-page-1/#comment-285 Tracy Tue, 16 Dec 2008 16:32:32 +0000 http://mikecaulfield.com/?p=277#comment-285 This is off topic a bit, but I'm wondering what you think about this, Mike. I've noticed that one of my alma maters, Smith College, is now using the free course management software, Moodle. I'm thinking that schools such as my current institution, which are cash-strapped and using clunky old versions of Web CT, would save money by hiring a hotshot instructional technology trainer to show staff and faculty how to use something like Moodle and just stop spending money on licenses for Blackboard and Web CT. Am I crazy to think that this would be a money saving move? This is off topic a bit, but I’m wondering what you think about this, Mike. I’ve noticed that one of my alma maters, Smith College, is now using the free course management software, Moodle. I’m thinking that schools such as my current institution, which are cash-strapped and using clunky old versions of Web CT, would save money by hiring a hotshot instructional technology trainer to show staff and faculty how to use something like Moodle and just stop spending money on licenses for Blackboard and Web CT. Am I crazy to think that this would be a money saving move?

]]> By: Tracy http://mikecaulfield.com/2008/12/08/is-ocw-a-shovel-ready-infrastructure-project/comment-page-1/#comment-284 Tracy Tue, 16 Dec 2008 16:03:49 +0000 http://mikecaulfield.com/?p=277#comment-284 I agree--open courseware would be intellectual capital (or is this what "social capital" refers to? I have to learn what that is one of these days) that the public would benefit from, in the same way we now enjoy bridges, posters, and photos made in WPA projects. I agree–open courseware would be intellectual capital (or is this what “social capital” refers to? I have to learn what that is one of these days) that the public would benefit from, in the same way we now enjoy bridges, posters, and photos made in WPA projects.

]]> By: Mike http://mikecaulfield.com/2008/12/08/is-ocw-a-shovel-ready-infrastructure-project/comment-page-1/#comment-283 Mike Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:22:39 +0000 http://mikecaulfield.com/?p=277#comment-283 Wow, that's a great article, b/c it gets to the core -- has it been so long since we've done national infrastructure that our assumptions are outdated? There are a lot of legitimate reasons why construction makes great infrastructure investment -- but an awful lot has happened since Eisenhower built the interstate highway system. Time for a re-evaluation on all fronts. Thanks for that link, really great. Wow, that’s a great article, b/c it gets to the core — has it been so long since we’ve done national infrastructure that our assumptions are outdated?

There are a lot of legitimate reasons why construction makes great infrastructure investment — but an awful lot has happened since Eisenhower built the interstate highway system. Time for a re-evaluation on all fronts.

Thanks for that link, really great.

]]> By: Molly http://mikecaulfield.com/2008/12/08/is-ocw-a-shovel-ready-infrastructure-project/comment-page-1/#comment-282 Molly Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:41:27 +0000 http://mikecaulfield.com/?p=277#comment-282 There's an article in the New York Times today that focuses on this same idea - education as infrastructure - but with an emphasis on making sure that the stimulus package includes jobs that women usually have (teaching) in addition to jobs that men usually have (construction). Though the focus is different I think it reinforces your argument. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/09/opinion/09hirshman.html There’s an article in the New York Times today that focuses on this same idea – education as infrastructure – but with an emphasis on making sure that the stimulus package includes jobs that women usually have (teaching) in addition to jobs that men usually have (construction). Though the focus is different I think it reinforces your argument.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/09/opinion/09hirshman.html

]]> By: Molly http://mikecaulfield.com/2008/12/08/is-ocw-a-shovel-ready-infrastructure-project/comment-page-1/#comment-281 Molly Tue, 09 Dec 2008 01:59:24 +0000 http://mikecaulfield.com/?p=277#comment-281 This is a really interesting way to think about open courseware. While I think it's unlikely that we'll actually get a project like the one you describe into a stimulous package, I like this idea a lot. Framing OCW as a shovel-ready infrastructure project is a neat way to talk about the potential for public investment in education. Not just building the schools and training the teachers, but actually developing the content, too. This is a really interesting way to think about open courseware. While I think it’s unlikely that we’ll actually get a project like the one you describe into a stimulous package, I like this idea a lot. Framing OCW as a shovel-ready infrastructure project is a neat way to talk about the potential for public investment in education. Not just building the schools and training the teachers, but actually developing the content, too.

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