Sakai Open Source CMS Launches Partners Program
The Sakai Project launched the Sakai Educational Partner’s
Program (SEPP) with a $300,000 grant from the William and
Flora Hewlett Foundation. The role of SEPP is to further the
development and adoption of open source Sakai Project software
in higher education. The SEPP will provide the staff and
services to ensure a long-term community for sustaining and
evolving Sakai-based software.
Founding Partners include Carnegie Mellon University, Columbia
University, Cornell University, Foothill-DeAnza Community
Colleges, Harvard University, Northwestern University, Princeton
University, Tufts University, University of Colorado, University
of California-Berkeley, University of California-Davis,
University of California-LA, University of California-Merced,
University of Hawaii, University of Oklahoma, University of
Virginia, University of Washington, University of Wisconsin-Madison,
and Yale University.
Partners contribute $10,000 annually with a three-year commitment. The program
facilitates technical collaboration, developer training, strategy briefings,
and software sharing among universities. Partners receive access to SEPP technical
staff, pre-release code, developer workshops, and access to an online Sakai
Project knowledgebase managed by Indiana University.
The Sakai Board has also named Jim Farmer as SEPP Community
Development Manager to begin working with partners. Farmer has
extensive experience with building diverse, open source
communities through his work on uPortal with JA-SIG.
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VCampus Unveils Web-Based Course Management System
VCampus Corp., an application service provider in the eLearning market, released
an enhanced Web-based Course Management System to support both self-paced and
instructor managed online learning. The VCampus CMS 5.0 includes a newly designed
Gradebook that tracks multiple student activities, integrated course discussion
boards, and a built-in testing and assessment engine. The VCampus release implements
a Java-based enterprise architecture to meet the demand for hosted eLearning,
the company said. The new architecture supports around-the-clock heavy usage,
high reliability, performance, and scalability to handle the high volume course
launches and deliveries typically required by online learning programs. The
company counts over 2.5 million enrollments since 1996.
VCampus CMS 5.0 provides AICC compliant tracking to accommodate programs already
using a learning management system as well as WYSIWYG editing, full lifecycle
authoring control and live editing capabilities even after the course is published.
For larger institutions, VCampus offers an onsite installation of the new CMS
platform.
Centra Announces Blended Learning Partnership with SAP
Centra Software, Inc., which develops enterprise conferencing
and collaboration software, made a deal with SAP to integrate
its real-time collaboration application with the SAP Learning
Solution, a component of the SAP’s mySAP Human Resources
solution. The partners said the integration will provide a
technology, training and performance support system that will
enable individuals to launch mission-critical virtual classroom
training at the desktop.
SAP said its Learning Solution enables users to map specific courses to competency
requirements, to associate learning activities and results with personal development
plans, and to incorporate eLearning with classroom and other learning activities
into blended curricula – without incremental implementation or customization
costs. Meanwhile, Centra offers application software that enables organizations
to deliver real-time communication, collaboration and learning across the enterprise.
Forbes Picks eCollege for 25 Fastest Growing Tech Firms
ecollege was named to Forbes magazine’s list of the top 25
fastest growing technology companies. The list is published in
the February 16, 2004 issue of Forbes. But even since the Top
25 list was assembled, eCollege has doubled in size through the
acquisition of Salt Lake City-based Datamark, an outsource
provider of enrollment marketing services to the post- secondary
school market. Its offerings complement those of eCollege,
helping institutions build enrollments and increase student
retention, both online and on campus.
"2003 was a monumental year for eCollege, and we are extremely
proud to be recognized by Forbes," said Oakleigh Thorne, chairman
and CEO of eCollege. "Online programs are becoming central to
the way institutions serve the large and growing non-traditional
student population. eCollege plays an integral role in powering
some of the largest and most successful programs in the country."
Blackboard Releases APIs Built on Microsoft .NET Framework
Blackboard announced the release of “Building Blocks,” built on
the Microsoft .NET Framework, which gives its clients a new way
to customize their Blackboard installation and further enhance
the eLearning experience for students and to build their own
.NET applications or integrate Blackboard with Microsoft's
server and productivity applications.
Microsoft .NET is a platform that supports the integration of
applications across networks. Building Blocks now enables .NET
applications to easily integrate with the Blackboard Learning
System. Clients now can fit the Blackboard Learning System into
their .NET infrastructure to create a unified academic
computing environment, including Microsoft applications,
custom applications, Web services, and even mobile devices such
as PocketPCs and Smartphones.
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