MANAGING ICT
A guide to open source
Alex Büchner
The collaboration opportunities presented by
oss are limitless. For example, any Moodle system
discusses the
can be seamlessly connected to another, enabling
schools to communicate online and share content. This
collaboration can take place locally between schools in
educational
the same borough, nationally across the country, and
even with schools around the world.
benefits of open
one school i know of is using its Moodle platform
to link up with a partner school over in France to help
source software and shares
students understand each other’s cultures and improve
language skills.
another trend i am seeing is not-for-profit
advice with secondary
organisations such as museums and galleries using
Moodle to communicate with students by providing
schools looking to
virtual tours and Q&a sessions with experts prior to
their visit.
implement this technology Meeting government targets
as oss is continuously adapted and expanded, it helps
rue personalised learning and secondary schools continue to meet new government
T
equal opportunities for every student initiatives. able to fully integrate with a school’s
is at the heart of every school strategy management information system, oss such as Moodle
and an online environment has proven and Mahara support the functionality to provide parents
to be the perfect solution. with updates about their child’s attendance and grades,
When researching the online helping schools to meet the government’s 2010 real-
technologies available, the sheer time reporting to parents target.
volume of choice can be unbelievable: proprietary or schools are also required to provide all learners
open source? How will you manage it? do you need with an e-portfolio by 2010. in 2009, we have seen
the techie know-how? a moderate uptake of the e-portfolio, although there
open source software (oss) such as Moodle and are still many schools that are yet to implement this
Mahara has many educational benefits, in particular its technology.
flexibility, cost-savings and lack of an imposed solution. rather than schools rushing to pay large sums of
in the past, it has been viewed as inferior to money for software that cannot be updated easily, an
proprietary technology due to its perceived lack of
Cost-savings Flexibility
open source product such as Mahara could be a cost-
user support and guidance. This misconception is fast representing estimated cost-savings of over £60 million The flexibility of oss means that it can be easily effective option. Furthermore, when integrated with
becoming extinct with more than 52,000 registered per annum to uK schools, the financial benefits of oss adapted to complement the changing needs of schools. Moodle to become Mahoodle, learners can “push”
sites embracing Moodle alone. can far outweigh that of proprietary learning platforms. For example, when getting to grips with a virtual content from Moodle directly into the e-portfolio
Government agency Becta’s acknowledgement of as there are no out-of-the-box licence fees and schools learning environment (Vle), a school might just want without leaving the Vle.
oss as part of its software for educational institutions are free to spend their budgets tailoring the technology to provide teachers with access to learning resources.
Framework (seiF) has seen a plethora of schools to suit their individual needs. However, as with any Then, as they become more confident, the platform
Whole-school community
implement the technology to improve educational technology, the focus for oss must be on education can be easily expanded to include other tools such as When researching the online technologies available,
outcomes, facilitate home-school links, and address the outcomes, so it is imperative that it is implemented and podcasting, blogs and discussion forums. the sheer volume of choice can be daunting and rather
digital divide. supported properly, as part of the improvement plan. Moodle can be adapted to suit each school’s needs, than solving your problem it can leave you with more
from adding school colours and logos to selecting questions than answers.
Independent thinking
which functions are available to students. The first thing to do is to establish exactly how you
Whole local authorities have implemented Moodle want to use your new software and which functions are
to provide the consistency of iCT required for a smooth absolutely necessary for your school.
transition of primary school children into secondary, yet as oss is free to download, there is always the
The power of music
still providing schools with the ability to create a unique temptation to try out random programs which can
platform tailored to their specific needs. cause every department to be using different software.
as more young people take on the new diplomas To embed oss successfully, it is imperative that its
i neVer cease to be amazed at the sheer energy, We have long had a partnership with this school, who and spend their days moving between different implementation is driven by the senior management
enthusiasm, talent and commitment of so many of our themselves have a very talented choir who visit the institutions, it is imperative that technology is put in team and consistency achieved throughout the whole
young people today. an experience on a chilly, wet, uK from time to time. almost £1,000 was raised by place to facilitate anytime, anywhere learning. school community.
dark Friday night at the end of February raised my the event and the benefits for the choir themselves, open source platforms can be quickly and easily
spirits tremendously and was a wonderful example of and for those who helped with the production, will tailored to suit the needs of 14 to 19 students. For
Advocate programme
this point. our Gospel Choir staged a special concert also be long-lasting and far-reaching. example, a plethora of different collaboration, discussion iCT training should be built into the Cpd of every
and i am sure it will be a night to remember for a very i have encountered students in many other schools forum and blogging tools are available to students, member of staff to help them embrace new oss
long time for all those present. for whom music plays a major role in their lives. enabling them to keep in touch with their teachers and developments and tools. a great way to achieve this
our school has many exceptional musical However, even those without much peers 24/7 through an internet connection. long-term is to identify advocates in each department
groups and ensembles, but the Gospel Choir musical aspiration have spoken to me Work by Wrexham local authority has been to help other staff get to grips with the technology and
is different because it was founded by of the great enjoyment they derive underpinned by this need to support students moving use it successfully to transform learning.
6th form students some 10 years ago as from singing with others and how between locations and help them collaborate wherever implementing an advocate programme on
a student-run choir for pupils of all ages this helps them to feel a sense they are. The authority has worked with an official a departmental level will help teachers apply the
and the metaphorical baton has been of belonging and to be part of Moodle partner to adapt, support and develop Moodle technology to their subject area and also relieves
passed from one 6th form leader to the something good which is greater across 10 secondary schools, two work-based learning the pressure typically assigned to a technician with
next each year since. than they are. providers, one advisory learning and teaching support limited curriculum knowledge. This system also helps
no staff are involved in the Music does seem particularly unit, and four pupil referral units. foster innovation as an entire team of people are
arrangement of the musical pieces, able to break down barriers and to Through the portal, students studying BTeC sport, involved rather than being led and limited by one
in training the choir or coaching the inspire people to open themselves GCse law, and performing arts have access to a person’s vision. SecEd
leaders, it is all done entirely by the girls to working with others in a very “Collaborative options Menu” enabling them to choose
themselves. The choir has ranged in numbers positive way. one course for an afternoon per week that they study at • Alex Büchner is director at Synergy Learning, an
from a dozen or so to over 30 and has always Music itself also serves as a form a different institution. official Moodle partner which is currently working with
included girls from years 7 to 13 and from of communication where no common This has been made much simpler by the network a number of schools and local authorities to achieve
many different cultures and backgrounds. language exists. students returning as students can log in and access their files wherever their vision for OSS e-learning.
Choir members from past years from overseas projects will often they are.
attended the concert and were delighted to speak of being welcomed into villages
Further information
be asked to join the current choir on stage in remote parts of the world by a band
Collaborative community
open source schools website: www.opensourceschools.
for one last song. it was a very moving of singers and musicians and how they open source software is community-driven with its org.uk
occasion. as one of our 6th-formers are requested to sing songs themselves source code open to all. This means that the technically
said so aptly, after leaping up from and perform in return. savvy can modify it to suit the particular needs of their
the audience and taking the microphone There is too much focus sometimes school. Advice for exploring open source
to congratulate them: “it’s a family, a on the young “divas” in our schools, who However, as any teacher will know, the level of iCT
Check out the Open Source Schools
community and a microcosm of our may aspire to instant fame and fortune on expertise and confidence across different schools and
whole school community.” a reality television show. its teaching staff varies dramatically, so another option
website for advice on getting started and
The girls sing many of their own We should also encourage as many is to implement pre-created applications from the user
case studies of its adoption in schools (see
arrangements, unaccompanied and in close students as possible to work together to make community. further information)
harmony. Many of their songs are traditional music and to experience that feeling of being a Constantly updated by core developers and driven
gospel numbers, but they also include some rock small but vital part of something much bigger. by the needs of the education community, schools can
Think about how you will use your OSS to
and pop. almost everyone takes a turn to sing a solo There is far more to education than targets benefit from enhanced functionality with a regular
and it is awe-inspiring to see the very youngest and and performance tables and strengthening our influx of quality features and tools. schools then also
complement your school development and
normally quite shy pupils producing a powerful and communities through music, such as singing, can have the option to use the feature as it stands, or adapt
improvement plan and do not get carried
inspirational sound as they find their voices. only enrich them. it further to suit their particular requirements. away with features and applications you do
This year the concert also featured some superb once that passion for performance is there, we For some, especially those schools that do not have
not need.
dance performances, guitar playing and four-handed must be ready to share it with others – pure enjoyment a dedicated iT supervisor, there is simply a lack of time
piano accompaniments. Behind all of this was a is definitely infectious. or resources to fully support open source applications.
greater purpose, to raise funds for the sparrow in these circumstances, you can work with an open
Think of future government e-learning
school Foundation in south africa, which looks after • Marion Gibbs is headmistress of the independent source partner who can support the technology and
targets and changes in the curriculum that
children whose families have been afflicted by HiV. James Allen’s Girls’ School in London. help define what the environment should look like and may affect how you use your OSS.
consist of.
10 SecEd • March 11 2010
10-11 Managing ICT .indd 10 9/3/10 09:55:48
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