Signals at Purdue U. - Increasing Student Success
To increase the success of their students Purdue University has implemented an intervention system called Signals. It combines predictive modeling and the data mining of their Blackboard Vista system to identify students who are academically at risk. Risk ratings are assigned, integrated with Blackboard and available on the student’s Blackboard homepage. Signals also provides intervention e-mails from instructors and communicates available campus resources to assist the student.
Here is a short video on how Signals works.
Also Purdue’s description: Signals - Stoplights for Student Success
Moodle Demo Site
While searching Moodle.org for ways to learn more about Moodle, I found their demo site. It is a great way to learn and explore this open source LCMS. They provide access to Admin, Teacher, and Student levels, so you can get a good feel for the system’s features as they pertain to each role. And the demo system is erased and restored every hour, allowing you to do whatever you want without any harm. Also, the demo is offered in numerous languages. If you want to learn more about Moodle and like to learn by doing, this will be just the place. Here is the link - http://demo.moodle.org.
How Big is Moodle?
Moodle is getting more and more popular, but just how big is it? I am even starting to hear of more corporations adopting it. My experience has been that companies were weary of using open source software, but that appears to be changing too.
I decided to do some research. Here is what I found from Moodle.org.
Registered validate sites: 56,715
Number of countries: 210
Course: 3,047,685
Users: 32,815,756
Keep in mind, these are only the registered Moodle sites. Pretty impressive numbers!
Merger - OutStart & Hot Lava (Mobile Learning)
OutStart has announced a merger with Hot Lava software. OutStart produces an LCMS and development tools (including TrainerSoft, which was renamed OutStart Trainer). It will be interesting to see where this goes. There are many challenges to m-learning. The ease of getting handhelds to talk to an LMS is one, I am sure they will be getting this down pat with Hot Lava and their LMS. If done well it may even give them some advantage in the m-learning world.
So, here is what they get by buying, I mean merging, with Hot Lava as stated in the press release.
OutStart will make use of Hot Lava’s patent-pending technology to develop, deliver and track mobile content for everything from product training to assessments, surveys, job aids and checklists. OutStart plans to incorporate Hot Lava Mobile capabilities in its social business software and learning systems as well as offer Hot Lava Mobile as a stand-alone solution.
This will be interesting to follow and see its impact on the m-learning world.
