A Framework for Academic Volunteers International: Dec 5-16, 2011

Hi Simon,

Here are a couple tools I could not live without

1. Google Plus. (Hangouts --Trumps Skype)

2. Google Docs 

3. Wordpres Multiuser

4. VUE Mapping (Tufts)

I will post more as they arise. 

Cheers,

 

Brent Lee

Not sure this is the right place to post this - But I have a 15 person Blackboard Collaborate Room (used to be Elluminate) which I am happy to donate for 'anyone' to use anytime for small groups? 

It's great to see the thematic discussions emerging even before the official start of our seminar. 

Simon, thanks for your initiative to get the tools and infrastructure discussion theme started.

I think that its worthwhile to categorise the tools according to the main "user groups" within the OERTen as there are different requirements, policy related issues etc. I think the following categories might be useful

1. OERu open infrastructure tools. These will be co-ordinated by the OER Foundation at this time. As a matter of policy, the OER Foundation will not use any non-free infrastructure tools. This is aligned with our committment to the essential freedoms and policy that no learner should be expected to sacrifice their freedoms in software choices. Morever, the anchor partners have agreed that OERu learners should not impose additional licensing costs for the local institution, especially those technologies where the licenses are based on the number of student registrations. 
2. OERu anchor partner technologies. These are the preferred technologies used on campus by the anchor partners. The OERu courses will be designed and developed in a way which will faciliate easy integration into the local technologies (for example the preferred learning management system.) The anchor partners have agreed that during the prototype phase we will use WikiEducator as a collaborative development environment and utilise WikiEducator's features for integrating and remixing content for delivery using local technologies. 
3. OERu learner technologies. These are students working through OERu courses before they are formerly registerd at any of the anchor partners. The OER Foundation is committed to free culural works approved licensing which has a requirement for using free and open file formats. Therefore OERu learners would be able to use the technologies of their choice. 
4. OERu student technologies.  The term OERu students is used here to distinguish those OERu learners who decide to aquire assessment and credential services from an anchor partner. These technology choices will be determined by the indivual anchor partners because under the OERu model, contributing members retain institutional autonomy in decisions, including technology.    

I think this is a useful framework to keep focused on what is going to be realistically doable for the 2012 prototypes. Clearly long term discussions will continue as the OERu matures - -but we need to remain focused on achieving the decisions for implementing the 2012 prototypes. 

 

 

Thanks Simon for your contribution,
we all have our favourite tools and like exploring new alternatives. The top 3 you have listed are my favorites too and we already use them at my institution.

It will be good to keep the discussion about tools and technology contained here - in this forum as the main focus of this seminar is on designing and developing the AVI framework - wich is more concerned with process and people than tools at this stage.

The time exploring tools will come and all the information and input gathered in this forum will be quite useful then but is premature at this time.

Regards

Vasi