Aorakinet-Cantatech Collaboration Project/VLNC Technical Priorities 2010-2012

The table below is an attempt to prioritise the Virtual Learning Network's technical requirements for 2010 -2012.

VLNC Technical Priorities 2010 - 2012

Item	Impact on Learning	Impact on VLNIS Sustainability	Urgency (Due by date?)	Importance (justifications)	Notes / Difficulty
Provide a Mahara service	High: ePortfolios enable a structured way to reflect on and plan learning	Low - High: High use of VLNIS ePortfolio could provide a case for a sustainable ePortfolio service	Mid March 2010	High: An ePortfolio service is required by ICTPDREC and (some) learners	My portfolio or own service: We have 2 choices with regards to using Mahara: Install and run the service as part of the VLNIS Take advantage of the (currently) free Mahara service - Myportfolio Running our own service: Advantages: ownership we have influence/control over. Able to transfer data in/out easily via export function. Able to monitor usage/cost etc Disadvantages: Cost (virtual server?) Time? Potential negative impact on a national eportfolio service Mahara Service - My portfolio hosting Advantages: Free cost. Expert hosting available Disadvantages: unknown duration of free hosting. uncertain model for joint management (-Richard Wyles has offered to develop a joint management model for the service). Potential difficulty over migrating data if need to move hosting Any ePortfolio will be more manageble with SSO.
Provide a single-sign on service for the VLNIS	Medium: Schools will be able to manage user accounts and commission users as required.	High:  VLNIS	End of Term 2 2010	High: SSO will increase the sustainability and manageability of all VLNIS	Needs to be ESSA compliant yet easily managed by schools.  A flat tree structure with groups for schools /admins.  Probably openldap/fedora type directory (or can ESSA do this?). Will Paul Seiler pay for this?  This service is a kingpin of future VLNIS development. Functionality Requirements Authentication of users LDAP compliant Accounts can be managed by schools e.g. password changing etc. Association with multiple groups How do we manage account provision/commisioning in the services that use VLN SSO?
Enable a parental portal for MOE Moodles	High: Parents will be able to access SMS data about assessment and attendance	Low: Little impact on sustainability.	End of 2010	Medium: A parental portal is being provided as part of the MLE work.  Our schools will required this.  We cannot allow standalone LMS's to be more functional than clustered LMS's	The parental portal is open source.  Management of users will require SSO to be manageable.  Need to investigate system requirements with Catalyst/dataview.
Integrate Moodle with Google Docs	High: Provides a collaborative workspace for teachers and learners	Low: Little impact on sustainability.	End of Term 2 2010	High: A collaborative workspace is required for some VLN courses	Looks quite easy to do with little resource required.