Open Source | The Digital Home of Brent Lee

What is TODCM?

The very first open source software application for curriculum mapping. No software license fees.
A PHP web-based application that can be installed inside your local intranet or on the internet.
Allows flexible curriculum unit page customization supporting formats/programs such as UbD, PYP, MYP etc.
Contains over ten searches to monitor curriculum development progress and show different curriculum maps. Additional custom searches are supported.
Annual teacher professional development evaluation with student surveys (available in Sept/2011).

Source: http://todcm.org/

I have been looking for an open source student records system for quite some time, and voila, one has come across my RSS feeds. This solution, openSIS (http://www.opensis.com/) is developed by community volunteers and OS4Ed staff, and is continuously evolving and of course open source.

Upon some close review, it appears they have taken some key features out of the open source edition, but the code is free to download and add to. I am going to throw this up and take a close look at what it can do for those districts who are low on the funds, but require record management.

Moodle Module: Assessment Made Easy!

Assessment is an integral part of teaching, however, bringing assessment online has always been a challenge when it comes to turn around time. In the past, I had to download a word document, make changes to it, and then re-upload it, and if you do that 60 times a day, you really start to prefer the old method of paper marking!

With all this in mind, I came across a Module for Moodle 2.0 that I think will change the way I assess in the future: http://moodle.org/mod/data/view.php?d=13&rid=2350

This Module will allow my students to submit PDF’s and marking to commence in the browser (in-line). Improving the dinosaur-like systems that we know exist.

Moodle 1.9 to Moodle 2.0 Backups… What to do?

My questions have finally been answered when it comes to 1.9 to 2.0 backup and restore solutions!

I am sure many Moodle administrators will run into some pain when they attempt to restore a version 1.9 backup on a Moodle 2.0 installation.

The following tool solves this problem to a certain extent:

http://www.conversionthingy.net/Default.aspx

This tool will convert a 1.9 backup to a Moodle 2.0 backup.

Note: This tool contains some bugs when it comes to specific versions and cannot move any of the non stand modules between instances. I am working on this solution now.