Comments on: Blackboard's Response to Open Source: Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt http://mfeldstein.com/blackboards-response-to-open-source-fear-uncertainty-doubt/ What We Are Learning About Online Learning...Online Sun, 05 Feb 2012 04:42:18 +0000 hourly 1 By: An Odd Era for Open | e-Literate http://mfeldstein.com/blackboards-response-to-open-source-fear-uncertainty-doubt/#comment-79216 An Odd Era for Open | e-Literate Mon, 17 Oct 2011 11:22:46 +0000 http://mfeldstein.com/?p=1179#comment-79216 [...] Grammatical irony of a “freer” learning platform aside, a small battle has been won which warrants acknowledgement. Large, resource-rich companies are trying aggressively to co-opt the terminology of open and free. Score one for the little guys. The academics, technologists, and non-profit organizations within higher education have gained mindshare that free and open are indeed important attributes to education. This seems so obvious that it is easy to overlook the heroic efforts that have brought us to this point. The same marketing engines that are battling for open and free status today, were previously engaged in convincing us all that they were synonyms for “risky,” “unsustainable,” and even “expensive.” [...] [...] Grammatical irony of a “freer” learning platform aside, a small battle has been won which warrants acknowledgement. Large, resource-rich companies are trying aggressively to co-opt the terminology of open and free. Score one for the little guys. The academics, technologists, and non-profit organizations within higher education have gained mindshare that free and open are indeed important attributes to education. This seems so obvious that it is easy to overlook the heroic efforts that have brought us to this point. The same marketing engines that are battling for open and free status today, were previously engaged in convincing us all that they were synonyms for “risky,” “unsustainable,” and even “expensive.” [...]

]]> By: Michael Feldstein http://mfeldstein.com/blackboards-response-to-open-source-fear-uncertainty-doubt/#comment-2049 Michael Feldstein Thu, 30 Sep 2010 18:43:12 +0000 http://mfeldstein.com/?p=1179#comment-2049 I don't have the link handy, but if I recall correctly, the NCCCS committee suggested not imposing a single choice on the entire system in the short term. This was because, although there appeared to be substantial long-term cost savings from moving to Moodle, their case studies show very significant cost increase during the transition year. Since budgets are particularly tight this year, the committee seemed to think that individual schools needed flexibility to make their own decisions based on their particular short- and long-term budget outlooks. I don’t have the link handy, but if I recall correctly, the NCCCS committee suggested not imposing a single choice on the entire system in the short term. This was because, although there appeared to be substantial long-term cost savings from moving to Moodle, their case studies show very significant cost increase during the transition year. Since budgets are particularly tight this year, the committee seemed to think that individual schools needed flexibility to make their own decisions based on their particular short- and long-term budget outlooks.

]]> By: Kumar http://mfeldstein.com/blackboards-response-to-open-source-fear-uncertainty-doubt/#comment-2048 Kumar Thu, 30 Sep 2010 18:27:34 +0000 http://mfeldstein.com/?p=1179#comment-2048 Eager to know which way the final decision went?.... Updates are welcome! Eager to know which way the final decision went?…. Updates are welcome!

]]> By: Cytochrome C » Blog Archiv » The Case Against Blackboard http://mfeldstein.com/blackboards-response-to-open-source-fear-uncertainty-doubt/#comment-1615 Cytochrome C » Blog Archiv » The Case Against Blackboard Thu, 08 Jul 2010 05:14:01 +0000 http://mfeldstein.com/?p=1179#comment-1615 [...] Check out http://www.masmithers.com/2009/09/20/public-lms-evaluations/ to see that many institutions have evaluated the available LMS’s and found that Moodle and Sakai are both very viable. You can host open source yourself or hire any number of companies to do it for you for a very reasonable cost. Sure some places choose Blackboard, but once again think about that sales staff. At my district we “evaluated” Blackboard and Moodle. This meant that the Blackboard sales staff were in constant contact with the primary administrators and then gave a professional presentation to a committee. Then on the Moodle side, a teacher (me) presented the software to the committee. The committee was told not to consider cost in the evaluation, even though Blackboard was 15 times the annual cost. Moodle won by a single vote. Since that time we have continued to use Moodle in spite of the recession and budget concerns. A cheaper solution means you can spend more on training (where the software meets learners) the and have a higher chance of weathering recession. (70% of all web servers run open source software Apache, Linux, MySQL – if its good enough to run the internet its good enough for your school). Great post about open source fears. [...] [...] Check out http://www.masmithers.com/2009/09/20/public-lms-evaluations/ to see that many institutions have evaluated the available LMS’s and found that Moodle and Sakai are both very viable. You can host open source yourself or hire any number of companies to do it for you for a very reasonable cost. Sure some places choose Blackboard, but once again think about that sales staff. At my district we “evaluated” Blackboard and Moodle. This meant that the Blackboard sales staff were in constant contact with the primary administrators and then gave a professional presentation to a committee. Then on the Moodle side, a teacher (me) presented the software to the committee. The committee was told not to consider cost in the evaluation, even though Blackboard was 15 times the annual cost. Moodle won by a single vote. Since that time we have continued to use Moodle in spite of the recession and budget concerns. A cheaper solution means you can spend more on training (where the software meets learners) the and have a higher chance of weathering recession. (70% of all web servers run open source software Apache, Linux, MySQL – if its good enough to run the internet its good enough for your school). Great post about open source fears. [...]

]]> By: Open-source or Open-ness? « Kenfinity http://mfeldstein.com/blackboards-response-to-open-source-fear-uncertainty-doubt/#comment-1614 Open-source or Open-ness? « Kenfinity Sun, 04 Apr 2010 08:42:01 +0000 http://mfeldstein.com/?p=1179#comment-1614 [...] an excellent analysis), one thing that caught my attention was about Support Risks (quoted below) Blackboard’s Response to Open Source: Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt: “If Blackboard can’t help you fix your problems, you’re out of luck, because nobody else [...] [...] an excellent analysis), one thing that caught my attention was about Support Risks (quoted below) Blackboard’s Response to Open Source: Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt: “If Blackboard can’t help you fix your problems, you’re out of luck, because nobody else [...]

]]> By: Kevin http://mfeldstein.com/blackboards-response-to-open-source-fear-uncertainty-doubt/#comment-1613 Kevin Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:08:37 +0000 http://mfeldstein.com/?p=1179#comment-1613 This is a great post and interesting to read. I think there is lots of bias in all outcomes and pilots with these systems. A administrator, instructional designer, or vocal faculty member can easily sway the entire process to one system vs the other. It shows this in different schools choosing different systems. I have been in enough software evals in my days. This is a great post and interesting to read. I think there is lots of bias in all outcomes and pilots with these systems. A administrator, instructional designer, or vocal faculty member can easily sway the entire process to one system vs the other. It shows this in different schools choosing different systems.

I have been in enough software evals in my days.

]]> By: James http://mfeldstein.com/blackboards-response-to-open-source-fear-uncertainty-doubt/#comment-1612 James Sat, 12 Dec 2009 02:07:20 +0000 http://mfeldstein.com/?p=1179#comment-1612 @Joel "If you have some money to invest in an LMS, the choice is to spend it on adapting an OS LMS to meet you institutions business needs; or spend it on license fees and adapt your business needs to vendor’s like Blackboard’s view of online learning." I think it's important to note that OpenU spent 5 MILLION POUNDS to tame Moodle. That's an enormous figure! @Joel “If you have some money to invest in an LMS, the choice is to spend it on adapting an OS LMS to meet you institutions business needs; or spend it on license fees and adapt your business needs to vendor’s like Blackboard’s view of online learning.”

I think it’s important to note that OpenU spent 5 MILLION POUNDS to tame Moodle. That’s an enormous figure!

]]> By: Jared Stein http://mfeldstein.com/blackboards-response-to-open-source-fear-uncertainty-doubt/#comment-1611 Jared Stein Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:49:44 +0000 http://mfeldstein.com/?p=1179#comment-1611 Great response and analysis. Thanks for posting this up. Great response and analysis. Thanks for posting this up.

]]> By: Joel Greenberg http://mfeldstein.com/blackboards-response-to-open-source-fear-uncertainty-doubt/#comment-1610 Joel Greenberg Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:44:12 +0000 http://mfeldstein.com/?p=1179#comment-1610 Meant to comment on this when I first read it. The UK Open University is running Moodle at scale (1,046,584 student visits in one month) without any of the issues rasied by Blackboard being a problem. If you have some money to invest in an LMS, the choice is to spend it on adapting an OS LMS to meet you institutions business needs; or spend it on license fees and adapt your business needs to vendor's like Blackboard's view of online learning. It is great to have a choice!! Meant to comment on this when I first read it. The UK Open University is running Moodle at scale (1,046,584 student visits in one month) without any of the issues rasied by Blackboard being a problem. If you have some money to invest in an LMS, the choice is to spend it on adapting an OS LMS to meet you institutions business needs; or spend it on license fees and adapt your business needs to vendor’s like Blackboard’s view of online learning. It is great to have a choice!!

]]> By: Michael Feldstein http://mfeldstein.com/blackboards-response-to-open-source-fear-uncertainty-doubt/#comment-1609 Michael Feldstein Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:36:12 +0000 http://mfeldstein.com/?p=1179#comment-1609 Yes, Ric, that is encouraging. Thanks for the update, and please do keep us posted. Yes, Ric, that is encouraging. Thanks for the update, and please do keep us posted.

]]>