4. Outlook on technology

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4. Outlook on technology

4.1 Integrated campus software

ok for traditional, resource or project-based teaching
not much support for learner activities (tasks)
limits on "on-line" creativity
student management tools above task level are ok
progress in the next few years, but not a lot I believe
(unless we get easily to understand open source)

.... of course, you can combine (and a lot of people do)

Pick a campus tool that allows adding your own tools

4.2 The open environment

Standard communication tools (possibly better integrated)
SQL server and maybe an object store
Some Java applets and servlets
Custom plugins (e.g. Authorware)
LDAP (for central authentication and person look up)
XML and less HTML (at Tecfa: near future)
Server-side html-embedded scripting languages
(Php, Asp, ColdFusion, Java-HTML)
Advanced Groupware (like CVW , Workplace )
Multi-user environment servers (DeepMatrix, Moo, etc.)

...... but you have to do it yourself :(

...... pay a programming course to one of your people

How much does our development cost ?

Technology is mostly free

Simple HTML, soon: XML
MySQL (a free relational SQL database)
PHP

server-side html-embedded scripting language
supports SQL, XML, graphics, LDAP, etc.

A bit: Javascript, Java (applets), Authorware and plug-in, Python, Perl, VRML, Java Web Server (servlets), MOO

Resources:

Teaching assistants (know basic programming)
Cost for one activity: 2 weeks - 1 month
Little for a real production team, a lot for a teaching team!