The Last EdTech Blog

What I did on my Christmas holiday

2006-01-05T23:03:00.000-07:00

I have been tinkering lately with PHP and MySQL. I've settled on the Dev-PHP 3.0 Editor (after downloading about 20 different open source PHP editors) because of the neat way that you can tab to your browser view and hit the refresh button. I had originally done my own installations with IIS, and then after purchasing a new laptop, went with EasyPHP which does the WAMP installation (Windows Apache MySQL PHP as opposed to WIMP Windows Internet Information Server MySQL PHP). For my localhost use, I don't really care which Web server I use, and Apache is everywhere, so I thought I should learn a bit more about it. Now, if you've been working within these development environments, and trying to get open source software like Moodle and Mambo running, you soon realize that you have to be very careful about which versions of PHP and MySQL you are running. That is why I use EasyPHP - it doesn't use the latest versions (the lastest versions of PHP are 5+ and MySQL are also 5+). But most of the CMS and LMS systems use the version 4 products. No problem - but I always like to try the latest thing, and there were a few around that needed PHP 5 that I couldn't get running.

The solution would be to run both at the same time from one machine. There are several posts on the Web that I read that gave some solutions, and I'm sure that I am reinventing the wheel for the 19 millionth time, but I did manage to get both the old version 4 suite and the new version 5 suite running at the same time (on two different ports). I got the clue when I was trying to update from CVS to Subversion (version control systems that use the Apache Web services - another open source project). Subversion requires Apache 2, but my working installation uses Apache 1.3.33. The Subversion installation manual said that you can run both at the same time, just install Apache 2 and change the configuration file so that it listens on a different port (they suggested 8080, so OK). But there are a few dependencies here, between the PHP, the MySQL and also PHPMyAdmin (if you want to do any Web admin of your MySQL). Anyway, here is what I came up with.

I downloaded WAMPServer, which does the installation of the Version 5 PHP and MySQL, and Apache 2. I installed into a separate folder from my older version (this is the only downside, but I've got a 100GB disk on my laptop, so no sweat). Then I made the following changes to these 4 files in the new folder (I didn't make any changes to the files in the EasyPHP installation).

for Apache -> httpd.conf
Listen 8080
ServerName localhost:8080

for PHP5->php.ini
mysql.default_port =3330
mysqli.default_port = 3330

for MySQL -> my.ini
[client]
port=3330

[wampmysqld]
port=3330

for PHPMyAdmin -> config.inc.php
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['host'] = '127.0.0.1';
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['port'] = '3330';

The PHPMyAdmin setting gave me the biggest headache - I actually had to read the installation guide, which states that if you want to change the default port, you have to use 127.0.0.1 instead of localhost - go figure. The use of 8080 and 3330 are arbitrary - there are some numbers you shouldn't use, like 80, but most of them are open.

Now, when I want to use my Version 4 installation I use http://localhost, and when I want to use my Version 5 installation I use http://localhost:8080. Works like a charm.

Now, if you read through this entire post, and thought, "Hmm - I'm gonna try that..." then you get to go out and buy yourself a propeller hat. Merry Christmas.

MacIntel

2005-06-08T05:03:00.000-06:00

If it was April 1st, I would think this was a prank. Steve Jobs announced that Apple will be adopting the Intel processor in their new Macintosh lineup, and dropping the PowerPC chip. When the PowerPC arrived, it was estimated that it had a full 12 to 18 month jump on the competition. The first G4's based on the PowerPC chip made software like Final Cut possible, moving million-dollar capabilities onto consumer hardware. Apparently the IBM fabrication facilities where never able to produce the faster versions expected for these chips, leaving Apple behind in the processor wars.

Jobs stated that Intel had a better roadmap for the future. What's coming from Intel is a huge investment in R&D with multicore technology. If you haven't heard about multicore, then you haven't been hanging around the Sun scene, where multicore is well on its way. Sun's "Throughput Computing" strategy processors will run 4 superscalar CPU cores on a single chip. Multicore is basically taking a complete CPU core, and putting more than one onto a single chip - the same as multiprocessor systems. The difference is all the support logic and inter-chip communication is on the same piece of silicon - and since production is for only a single chip, prices should fall as production goes up. Expect the next few years to hear less about clock cycles and more about 2 core ... 4 core ... 8 core ... 64 core. Intel has just released their 2 CPU core, the Pentium Processor Extreme Edition 840 processor. Right now it's a bit pricey, but thats sure to drop, especially once the 4 core model gets released. Multiprocessing needs the right types of jobs to take advantage of lots of processors cutting the jobs up, but most of the computer tasks that people wait around for can benefit from throwing lots of processors at them (Photoshop filters, software compilers, 3D models, virus scanning). A few years from now we'll wonder how we ever made due with single core processors as new software developments come along that take advantage of all those cores.

You have to give Intel credit - they have been refining the x86 chip for over 20 years, and there's still life left yet. Now the choice to buy Apple will really depend upon the value that Apple software adds to the hardware, and how they wrap that hardware around the Intel chipsets. I think its a good move (right up until IBM releases the 98Ghz 512 Core PowerPC chip - oops).

Laptop Alternatives

2005-05-25T06:38:00.000-06:00

Not everybody needs a laptop, especially if all you need to do is some word processing. I first ran into the Alphasmart Neo at WritersDigest.com, where it was recommended as a machine for the writer on the move. They make a few different versions of a PDA that use a full size keyboard and have a page width screen. There is a built in USB connection and IrDA to connect to printers and other IrDA devices. They also make a more capable (and expensive) unit, the Dana, which uses the Palm OS and has a wireless 802.11 option. The Neo is lightweight and runs up to 700 hours on 3-AA batteries (there's also a rechargeable option). Both the Neo and the Dana units have proven popular in K-12 settings, as they are cheap to purchase and maintain, and they give students the chance to learn basic word processing and typing skills. There is a wealth of software available for the Dana unit, because it uses the Palm OS, so it could take on most of the functionality of a full-sized and full-priced laptop. Both units weigh in at a petite 2 lbs. and are priced at $249 (Neo) and $399(Dana), so they won't break the back or the bank.

Digital Identity

2005-05-23T09:50:00.000-06:00

Great article entitled The Digital Identity Big Bang: Coming To You Any Year From Now written by Johannes Ernst published at AlwaysOn. Explains the concept of Digitial Identity, and has a some good concluding points. Johannes also maintains a blog on Digital Identity and related matters. (Thanks to Stephen Downes - I think Stephen is actually a pseudonym for an army of Web researchers at the Canadian Research Council - one man cannot possibly be that prolific).

Microsoft is planning on introducing a new Digital Identity service (or protocol) called InfoCard with the Longhorn release. Although their Passport protocol has effectively flopped (they don't even use it for subscriptions to their own newsletters anymore), apparently they have learned from their mistakes and have developed a better mousetrap.

I suffer from severe Internet multiple personality disorder, subscribing to dozens of online newsletters that dutifully file themselves away in their rules-based folders. Each subscription has its own ID (although I typically use the same login and password), and I am currently dreading a change of e-mail address to a new institution. But I've done it before and survived. Digital identity could potentially change this, by setting my e-mail address in a central profile, so that I would sign up for newsletters with my Digital ID, and if my e-mail address changes (or any other profile detail changes) it is reflected in all my subscriptions. Within colleges, you don't really have much choice with using a college e-mail address, as all the directory services are linked to using the college domain. I think I will have to come up with a better system for my newsletters, which might mean setting up my own mail server for newsletters, and having them stored and then forwarded to my active e-mail address. Sounds like a summer project.

Whiteboard Videos

2005-05-20T13:10:00.000-06:00

I cannot find the main page of these "video shorts" from Ziff-Davis, so I'll just put in the link to David Berlind's "Why Dell is a Bank" whiteboard video. I've been doing Camtasia work recently that spends less time scripting and editing, and just gets the goods down. And this is where I thought these video efforts were great. Not much time spent on production, but the mix of graphics with the presenters drawing on the whiteboard (wouldn't pass ED101 muster, but they get the point across), two camera angles being shot to keep things moving, and getting to the point on a particular topic makes these videos engaging and effective.

I'd like to setup a small studio with this design to generate content for those topics where simple diagrams make a difference. The one thing I would try to do is switch the video from the two sources live at production time, rather than mix the two camera feeds after the fact. And use a good microphone. A little hand-held or foot switch could even let the instructor do the switching, so that they could just go in to the mini-studio, press record, and start doing presentations. I've seen recorded classroom presentations that aren't as effective, largely because the sound is muddy. A large classroom or lecture hall is the worst environment to record audio in.

One thing I had a problem with - I couldn't get the Windows Media Player feed to work, so I had to switch over to RealPlayer. I've got a broadband connection, so not sure what the problem could be, but this is not the first time that I've encountered problems with Windows Media Player with streaming content. When Media Player works, I find it has better quality, but quality doesn't matter if the feed won't start.

Check out the whiteboard video on "Carbon nanotubes". 345,000th floor please.

Digital Rights Protocols

2005-05-16T00:39:00.000-06:00

Several years ago I proposed a security device (envision a Sony memory card, but carrying your personal security ID on the chip) that would plug into the front of your computer or laptop. The key thing with these types of protocols is your content is encrypted for you, based on your security ID. It means that you cannot buy actual media, like a CD or DVD, and unlock it using a code. You need to download content again if you lose your security ID device.

The security device is registered for you with a central registration agency. In the case of the lost chip you can put a "stop reading" notice on the device - then you are given a new security device (and ID) and your currently registered content is transferred to the new storage platform (computer, home media center, PDA, mobile phone, etc). Since all of your copyrighted materials are also registered with the central agency, you can then re-download your content, encrypted for the replacement security device. If you want to move the content to another computer, just copy it across, and then plug the security device into the other computer (the content could be stored in several locations, but it needs the security device to read it). In the case of a system crash, just login to the central registration website, and re-download your media to your freshly repaired machine - you can even keep a backup copy of the content on a CD or DVD - it's linked to the device, so it stays the same no matter where you keep it.

And one more thing - you would need a Personal identification Number (PIN) to gain access to the protected content, or to download new content - that way if your laptop is stolen, they also need to know the PIN to get access to the digital content on your machine. I don't mean you need to type in a PIN number constantly, just every few days. That way if its stolen, the content is useless after a couple of days.

In many ways, this is a similar protocol used with credit cards, with Visa and MasterCard acting as the central registry. The security device with credit cards is the piece of plastic itself - it uniquely identifies you as the owner of the card, using your signature and sometimes a picture for verification. (I think credit card fraud could be stopped or significantly reduced if they employed a PIN system). If you look into Digital Rights, you'll see that the protocol is just as important, if not more important, than the protection scheme.

While I'm a big believer in sharing materials, there are certain types of content that cost big bucks to produce, and there needs to be some way to recoup that investment. Thomson Publishing estimates that costs for the development of a textbook can top $1,000,000 - when you look at the list of contributors in some of their texts, it reads like the screen titles at the end of a film. Production costs of educational video are also high. While textbooks are not a completely safe format (ever since the invention of the photocopier), book publishers haven't seen the widespread distribution of content like the music and film industry have, where the content starts out in digital format. I don't think we'll see big inroads in privately developed digital textbooks until they get the security issues sorted.

Digital Document Format Turf Wars

2005-05-14T23:08:00.000-06:00

Microsoft has announced a new open document print format code-named Metro (article available at Computerworld). For me this means just another browser plug-in to download. What is needed is an open document format that supports mark-up, comments and version tracking (just make the Word format open - and start giving Word away for free). There is one format that has the ability to add comments and is free to use - Microsoft Reader. The Reader format allows you to make your own bookmarks on the document, and add notes. And Microsoft Reader has ClearType for making screen fonts more readable and Digital Rights Management (DRM). For Adobe PDF you need add-on software (or buy the Adobe Acrobat software). There is a tablet app that I found over at Rob Bushway's blog called PDF Annotator - pretty cool use of the tablet format, and just the thing for marking up PDF documents (and it stores the markup back into the PDF file).

I think the Microsoft Reader format is languishing, which is too bad, because it has lots of technical merit. I think the biggest problem with the Microsoft Reader itself is it's quirky interface - I always have trouble getting e-books organized into the Reader folder, and navigating the document is non-intuitive. Microsoft has a free add-in for Word that converts Word documents to Reader format, and since the Reader is also a free download, this is a nice package for creating digital textbooks.

Microsoft has spent lots of attention in the area of DRM. As far as I know, books protected with DRM in Reader have not been cracked yet, unlike the Adobe format. Commercial e-books have taken far too long to catch on, I think largely because they haven't got it right - yet. Both Adobe and Microsoft use digital signatures that are requested online and stored on a particular machine. There is no set protocol for re-acquiring licenses after a system crash, or for moving books to a different computer.

I remember standing behind a first-year medical student at the University bookstore with a 2 foot pile of medical texts (Gray's Anatomy is 6 inches thick on it's own). Total weight must have been over 50 lbs., and I remember the bill being over $2000. I'm sure he would have traded all that for a set of e-texts on a 3 lb. notebook. Just make sure you can still make notes in the margins (... the ankle bone's connected to the leg bone ;.)

New Sony VAIO laptops

2005-05-14T22:37:00.000-06:00

Sony has announced some new laptops, including the VGN-FS570. I cannot believe what they can squeeze into a 6.2 pound package for $1999.99 (shop around for better pricing). The feature list is impressive on this unit: 1.72 Ghz Mobile Pentium M, a 100 Gb hard disk, 1024Mb of Ram (that's 1 Gb). I subscribe to PC Magazine Insider, and they have a nice review of the unit.

The new VAIO that caught my eye was the VGN-T350P (again, nice review here at PC Magazine Insider). They list the weight at 2.7 pounds! Are you kidding?? And the feature list is terrific: 10.7" screen, 1.2 Ghz Pentium M, 512 Mb RAM, 60Gb drive, and ... DVD+/-RW. Also 802.11 and Bluetooth built in, and one of the first laptops with built-in Cingular EDGE (I think EDGE will be short lived, but if you need Wireless Metropolitan Access, it's available today). They were able to run the battery for 6 hours and 20 minutes, which is long enough for most school days. What's the catch? The price. $2299. Still, you can't buy anything nice for less than $1499 in the laptop arena, and think of the chiropractic bills you'll save on.

The other contender in this ultra-light category comes from Toshiba, the 2.7 pound Portégé R200 (also just recently reviewed at PC Magazine Insider). The optical drive is an external option, so it's not really a fair fight.

Watch out if Sony gets into the tablet PC business, but don't expect any bargains. Sony's are expensive, but they are the master's of miniaturization.

Is It Safe?

2005-05-12T23:28:00.000-06:00

I think that soft laptop cases were developed by computer manufacturers wanting to sell replacement screens. Don't believe the Toshiba commercials - a drop from 2 or 3 feet almost guarantees an expensive repair, even if it's in a nylon case. Aluminum cases come in all shapes and sizes, and there are models to fit even the largest 17 inch laptop. Pre-cut foam can be custom fit to create a perfect cushy cradle for your unit. Weights run from 3 to 4 pounds - at least on the versions I've found. And prices run about the same as the higher-end nylon bags.

Check out these cool aluminum cases in laptop sizes at mezzi.com. I think I could fit an HP tc1100 tablet in one of their slimline cases (how can I get a free eval unit?) Not a bad investment in peace of mind for $59.95. Add the foam for $9.95. No extra charge for style.

Bond. James Bond.

The Competitive Laptop Campus

2005-05-12T04:13:00.000-06:00

ZDNet Whitepapers has published a report underwritten by Gateway Computers entitled Student Laptop Mandates: Creating the Competitive Campus (the link will not work if you have not created a ZD account which is free). While the paper only surveys case studies at a short list of schools, it does provide a fairly good basic overview of the issues surrounding mandated laptop programs in higher education. One of the premises of the paper, which is only validated by anecdotal comments, is that schools that do not embrace technology will see decreasing enrollments. "Campuses that don't offer such benefits may find some students gravitating toward the college or university that does offer these capabilities". I don't think its time to sound the alarm bells, especially based upon a report underwritten by a computer manufacturer, but they do list the advantages of a mandated laptop program.

1. A mandated purchase program assures all students have access to computer facilities. I cannot imagine a student going off to a North American campus who would not have access to their own computer and Internet account, especially with prices of economy models dropping to the $500-700 range. But some students would not purchase a computer unless they were part of a mandated purchase plan (go figure). And laptops mean that students can work collaboratively in study groups, take notes in class, and have 24/7 access to their course materials (which are of course available within the campus learning management system).

2. Laptop programs offload capital expenditures for computer hardware onto students (assuming students pay for the laptops ). Colleges still need to invest in servers and wireless access, but the students are paying for the boxes. And the laptops are always being cycled out as the students graduate, which also reduces support costs (newer machines=less tech support).

3. Student laptops will walk themselves into tech support. Support departments shouldn't spend too much time sorting out software problems - download an image of the initial setup and the laptop is good as new. And have some loaners available for those pesky problems that still don't go away. The article states that Albany College of Pharmacy maintains 1,000 laptops with 2 technicians (I bet they're busy though).

The article also goes over several financing options from purchase to lease, and also discusses the question of loss and damage insurance.

One thing made me nervous. The picture at the top of the article shows two happy students walking outside between classes with their large and obviously full feature laptops under their arms - and no laptop cases to be seen. Don't trip!

So are students looking for schools with laptop and tablet programs? Do an Internet search on "laptop program", and the first 20 results will have at least 5 student government petitions against bringing in a mandated purchase program. Student groups also see that these programs offload costs onto the student body - and with rising tuition and book costs, students (and their parents) are feeling the pinch. So make sure your laptop purchase program adds value to the educational experience - a laptop program will not make any school automatically more competitive.

My Neighbours

2005-05-09T10:00:00.000-06:00

Ever click on the Next Blog button and see who your neighbours are? Oh my God - Cheryl - cheer up. You can't possibly be that broken - you have a computer and an Internet connection. And then the irony - there's a link to Snoopy.com - nice save.

An Interesting CMS Manifests Itself

2005-05-09T08:34:00.000-06:00

They come up with some interesting software in the Land of Down Under - one that has caught my eye is Manifest XML, which is listed as a CMS at CMSMatrix.org (and it is, just not in the way I usually think of them). Manifest XML uses Word, just Word and only Word to publish documents to its Java-based server component. There is a short tutorial on their site that gives a walkthrough of the process of publishing a Word document as content , but basically, it collects all the necessary information and generates an XML document that is then formatted for output by the server. And it also saves the original Word document.

Now, you could do this yourself. Of course. Sort of. It would take some planning.

The neat thing with Manifest XML is that it does all of this for you, and builds in the file saving and Web output re-formatting. If you change the company colors, you don't need to reformat all 37, 322 of your Word documents with the new stuff. And it will output into a variety of formats (even WAP - how would you like to read your college's annual report on your mobile phone).

(anti-Microsoft types please close Firefox now)

I have often defended Word as a great Web publishing tool, especially since the original document format supports such fantastic features as versions and collaborative editing. And it wraps up all your pictures and Excel graphs into one nice tidy file. Don't worry if you don't have Word on your machine, there is a free Word viewer at the Microsoft download site. And there is one great thing about Word documents in e-learning situations (note: not available in the free viewer). Students can download Word documents and add in their own notes or highlighting (or comments, or turn on revisions and correct all your grammar mistakes and e-mail it back to you). I think being able to add annotation directly into course content is an overlooked metaphor that we have with traditional printed materials (my textbooks always looked like a 2-year old went wild with a set of markers). You can always print off the Web site content, and then add your notes, but that defeats the whole e-learning idea.

The concept of Manifest XML could make a pretty cool LMS feature. Course content gets published, and each student gets their OWN COPY (talk about disk space overload, but hey, they're cheap now). They can mark up their own content which gets stored back into the LMS (not downloaded). Now - maybe they have a study group, and they can look at each other's marked up copy (because they can choose to share their marked up content within their group) - talk about social constructivism in action!

Anyway, Manifest XML is a cool idea, and I'm not suggesting it as a replacment for your current LMS. But it does show off some of the possibilities available with the Word format.

G'day mate!

Make Mine Lite

2005-05-07T07:22:00.000-06:00

I'm hauling around, and I don't use the word lightly, a Dell Latitude D800 right now. I finally went out and bought a case with wheels to avoid a coronary. Don't get me wrong - this is a beautiful machine, and the NVidia card supports output to both the laptop and an external monitor at the same (that kept me amused for a few days). But its just too heavy.

We have an HP Tablet PC tc1100 at the college which I used for about a month, just until I got the software sorted out. I had a colleague asking me questions the other day that made me realize he had a lot of misconceptions about the tablet PC format. This little HP unit weighs in at only 4.4 lbs, and comes with a leatherette case that makes it look like a diary. It runs Microsoft Windows XP Tablet Edition- which is just regular Windows XP with some software to show off the tablet capabilities. It runs all the regular versions of the Office software suite, and I had no problems using Camtasia and Dreamweaver. There are 40 and 60GB disk drive models, and you can install up to 2GB of memory (standard are 256 and 512MB models). The stylus works like a mouse, and when you need a keyboard the base swivels around to expose a usable, if somewhat cramped, keyboard.

If you really want the full size monitor and keyboard then you can use the
external monitor port, and plug in a USB keyboard/mouse combination.
Anyway, I long to get this machine back. I could carry it around under my arm, it ran all of the software I needed, it has built in wireless and Bluetooth, and when I really need to do some heavy typing or graphics work, I plugged it into my 17" screen. I preferred to use a Genius Mini-Scroll over the stylus, but at times the stylus was very handy, and there is a little scrolling switch on the side of the case so you can read PDF files and scroll through the document without using the mouse or the stylus. The price of these machines has come down to $1599 or less, although the extra options start to bump the price up pretty quickly. The other machine that I would bring in on trial is the Dell Inspiron 700m, which weighs in at a slightly lighter 4.2 pounds, and uses a more standard laptop layout. The nice thing about the Dell is that it comes with a DVD writer, which is an external option for the HP Tablet PC (by the way, I wouldn't buy the expensive HP option, unless the weight is really an issue- any USB connection external DVD unit will work just fine). Other options are out there that would also fit this category - Sony's Viao comes to mind (again, these were ridiculously expensive, but have come down in price).

I've been involved in the proposal and implementation stages of some student laptop programs recently, and have gone for the heavier but more capable models such as the Dell D800, but the students complain about having to carry the laptops between classes and off-campus. However, the concern, and it is a valid concern, was that students should be asked to purchase machines that were capable of running software such as the Microsoft development products like Visual Studio .NET. I installed the VS .NET development IDE on the HP tc1100 and it ran fine, but with students in programs for several years, the concern was that it would not be suitable in 2 or 3 years time. I don't think this has affected them too adversely, except for some back strain.

But for me, more than anything else, its the weight. I am willing to give up some performance, as long as the software runs reasonably, and get the portability that this format machine gives. It means that I can carry a tablet (or laptop) to meetings without a second thought. I can throw it in my case, or carry it by itself in its little pouch. This machine would be on my highly recommended list for students for the same reasons.

Stop Cabling!

2005-05-05T22:02:00.000-06:00

The latest entry onto the wireless scene, WiMax, is about to make a big change for everyone using mobile computers. David Berlind has a great writeup on Intel's showcasing of this technology in Las Vegas at the Interop convention. This new standard is called 802.16, and has a coverage from a point-of-site antenna location of about 12 miles. Claims of 70Mb bandwidth have been touted, and Intel was able to make consistent 30Mb connections at the Interop show. They even had a laptop driving around in a van broadcasting video. Not bad.

My current college has been using the older 802.11 standard, which is used in places like the library so that students can bring their laptops in and surf (or work) while they use the library facilities. However, 802.11 is still a bit on the pokey side (especially for doing software installation jobs, or for viewing higher bandwidth media like video). The 802.11 standard sits down in the 1-2 Mb bandwidth area. However, 70Mb is close to what we would be getting with our dedicated 100Mb wired in network, which is plenty fast.

This kind of high-speed wireless technology is perfect for university and college campuses, although I haven't seen any pricing estimates as yet. There will be access in most major centres in the next few years (a provider bought the Intel installation in Vegas), so installing a transmitter on The Old Belltower may not even be necessary (although lots of schools would rather pay once for their own network instead of renting).

There are two discussions that this should start (or at least two). One is whether dedicated computer labs need to use wiring infrastructures anymore. Most schools are moving departments and teaching labs around every other year, and IT departments spend half of their time putting in new cabling plants. Imagine just picking up the boxes and the printer and moving over to the new Entomyigeological wing, with time left over for donuts.

The other discussion is implementing a laptop usage/purchase program for students (and staff). Wireless laptops change the way people work, for the better. And there is some evidence that it changes the way people learn, also for the better. I have some laptop purchasing recommendations, but I'll leave that for another blog.

Sharepoint for Schools

2005-05-04T10:05:00.000-06:00

Microsoft SharePoint comes as a two part package, the SharePoint Services and the SharePoint Portal Server. This is the 800 pound gorilla of content management systems, but it has all of the features that you could ask for in a content storage and retrieval system, and integrates with the Microsoft Office suite of products.

So why should colleges and universities care?

As the generation of e-learning digital content begins to take on momentum within an institution, often where that content gets stored is an afterthought. The first place is the local hard disks of instructional and development staff. I'll call that high risk storage. If there is a plan for backup of these hard disks, it is dependent on machines being attached to networks regularly - and there is generally no discussion about sharing these local hard drives across the network.

With network storage available, mapping to a network drive is a better solution, because files are saved onto the network, and regular network backups keep these files nice and safe. The only problem is that these files aren't available at home, or at a conference, and so they are copied off and changed and not copied back. Back to the high risk storage problem.

Another good idea is to create network shares for courses (and departments) where related documents can be stored and shared by course teams. Risks occur here again because materials get changed (and deleted), and by the time that people notice the backup series may not hold the original files.

Enter content management systems. Microsoft SharePoint takes care of most of these problems by introducing things like file versioning (changing the file is fine, the old version is still there) and file check-out and check-in (when the file is checked it, it cannot be changed by another department member until it gets checked back in - this solves the double overwrite problem). And it is accessed through a Web interface, with login security, so anywhere you have a Web connection you can access these documents. Add in powerful search options, and saving to the SharePoint content areas from within Microsoft Office products, and you have a complete solution for content management.

Any downsides?

Content management systems add overhead to an already hated past-time, file management. File searching is most effective if profiles are filled in to describe the content (a good file naming convention can be a reasonable substitute for missing profile information - your school does have a consistent file naming convention -- right?), and having to login and checkout files can be a pain when you just need to get that extra-credit assignment for a student standing at the door.
The other problem is a hardware problem. If the system starts to gain some momentum, make sure you have enough diskspace (that means an upgrade path, and money in the budget for disk drives). Content servers keep multiple versions of documents, so a file is not just a file, its a history of the file changes. That's a good thing, but it also means that alot more disk space is needed to keep these files available. Nothing will kill off the momentum of a content management solution faster than a lost file because the server ran out of disk space. Immediately the local disk looks like lower risk than the content server. Back to square one.

Microsoft then wraps this all up in the SharePoint Portal, which gives a nice Web-based view of the content within the system, which can be organized by project or course for example. The SharePoint Portal is configurable, and is quite intuitive to use.

If you want to look at free software that does something similar, check out KnowledgeTree. This is a PHP-MySQL solution licensed under open source that does many of the same things. There is also a project to integrate Office products with KnowledgeTree called KnowledgeOffice, although I was hesistant to try it since it might interfere with some of my other Office add-ons. I had no problem installing KnowledgeTree on my Apache localhost installation, and it is easy to use (although documentation is not free). It's a professional looking product, which shouldn't be surprising, as it originated as a professional development effort. Still, its not SharePoint, and if you need tech support, you have to post to public forums.

Anyway, SharePoint, or something like it, should be standard fair for schools who want to capture and protect their digital content. Just make sure you have lots of disks.

Open Source Anyone?

2005-05-03T20:47:00.000-06:00

I'm at my second WebCT institution, and on my way to my third, so I've been immersed in the corporate LMS world, but the world of open source LMS is where the fun is. If you can hack up an Apache Web server (and MySQL and PHP - I stumbled upon easyphp.com which made it soooo easy) check out Moodle or ATutor (or one of a dozen other free LMS systems). I have them both installed, along with the Mambo Content Management Server (CMS) on a 256MB USB wristwatch, running Apache as a localhost.

If all of that makes your head hurt, then this might not be your cup of tea, but its still worthwhile to swing by the Websites. There are also running test sites that you can try out just for fun (see http://www.ourwebclass.com gives a great example of integrating Mambo and Moodle, and you can sign up to create a free course to try out Moodle).

Not sure what open source is? If you're a programmer type, you've either been involved in it, or worried about it for quite some time. Open source has been incredibly popular for several years, because it provides FREE SOFTWARE. The cornerstone of the open source software programs is Linux, but there are now lots of really popular software packages that are hitting the mainstream that you can download FOR FREE, such as MySQL. Software is developed in a sort-of community environment, and developers (or the companies they work for) donate their time. And then users download the software and try it out, and report all the bugs they find, which get fixed for the next version. Most of this hangs out at Sourceforge.net, where you can download software and participate in forums. Most of the projects also maintain some sort of Website.

I don't think I would commit an institution that could afford THE BIG TWO (WebCT or Blackboard) to an open source alternative, although there are some big institutions who are trying it out. The Sakai project may change this though. Four institutions that you may have heard of (University of Michigan, Indiana University, Stanford and MIT) have joined forces and source code to create a new system. I assume they are planning on using this system in-house, and since those are pretty big schools, it should work for most sites. The technology they are basing this all on is a series of Java frameworks, which requires some fairly sophisticated support skills if things stop working, so it may not be for the technically challenged, but it may be another option for bigger schools to look at. MIT is also the home of .LRN, which needs Unix/Linux and PostGRESQL/Oracle (also a steeper implementation curve, and they say so on their website), and claims to have over 10,000 developers worldwide. ATutor has some backing through the University of Toronto, and has some pretty high end features, like SCORM (it bugs me that you have to upgrade from WebCT Campus Edition to WebCT Vista to get SCORM, but most e-learning tools output to SCORM or WebCT CE anyway). And Moodle has SCORM too. For some reason the open source entries are still struggling with gradebooks and support, so commit with caution.

This whole world of open source puzzles me, as talented programmers are working away without compensation, although there are some business models that are working, such as support and selling documentation. The programming community is looking more and more like the artists community -people working for the love of the craft. Anyway, some interesting things going on in that area.

The Last Blog on the Net

2005-05-03T11:39:00.000-06:00

Although I'm not sure, I think I must be the last person on the planet to put their blog on the Web. There are a few that I enjoy that link to some of the current trends and technolgies, like EdtechPost and Stephen Downes. There is so much going on in both the education and technology areas, and its interesting to see peoples insights into the convergence.

Another useful thing about a blog is it keeps me from writing those pesky papers and presentation proposals that I can actually add to my CV. Instead I'll add a new section, BLOG TITLES, and any self-respecting university will most certainly realize how up to date I am with whats happening.

Anyway, I have some things I want to say, and I'm quite sure that since mine is the last blog on the net, absolutely nobody will ever see it. I'll mail the link to my MOM, so she can at least say that one of her children is a published writer, and maybe on their way to a real job ...

I guess the idea is to either be informative or funny. Not sure how that will turn out.