Ditman – LMS Comparison ATutor vs. SAKAI
ATutor http://www.atutor.ca/
– Here is a link to the page listing the ATutor features http://www.atutor.ca/atutor/docs/index.php.
What types of communication methods are available on this platform?
Both asynchronous & synchronous: ATutor provides chat rooms and a “Users Online” tool for synchronous communication. Asynchronous communication tools inclue: email, blogs, polls, forums, social networking, and RSS feeds.
Instant messaging: ATutor provides chat but no IM.
Sound capabilities:
I did not see a tool for synchronous sound, and there is no mention on the features page of how to manage multimedia files, although there is some mention of linking to web resources. The ATutor forums show that there is a video media tag that allows embedding video files for those who are comfortable with writing code.
Video capabilities:
Not synchronous video capabilities mentioned on the ATutor site, see above. The EDUTOOLS site, http://www.edutools.info/item_list.jsp?pj=4
does mention that there is a third party add-on for an interactive whiteboard.
How can you organize the content on the platform?
ATutor seems to offer a lot of flexibility. Instructional designers can use the Themes Manager to import or customize templates and turn modules on or off. I am not sure whether there is flexibility about what students see daily, weekly or monthly. Designers may also download material from Learning Objects Repository, or import material from IMS/SCORM conformant Content Packages.
Versioning:
ATutor offers a Patcher Module and an Automated Installer & Upgrader to keep the Learning Content Management System (LCMS) current.
What type of interface design does it use?
Simple or complex: this interface looks a lot like Moodle. The interface seems pretty simple to me, but I am not sure what a brand new user might think.
Intuitive for both administrator & learner: I think the navigability depends a lot on the user’s experience with comparable products and how well the instructional designer builds a course. There is an opportunity to provide lots of support for users and there is also the possibility that the designer may not provide that support.
Backend easy to use:
Here is a link to an ATutor review … http://needforcontent.com/atutor-1533-review/.
The reviewer says that ATutor is fairly easy to use but rigid and limited. This person also mentions that there is not an active community for ATutor.
Looking at the forums, the dialogue does seem to be limited and many of the solutions recommended are along the lines of … why don’t you write some code for a plug-in … YIKES! Not too encouraging for a non-code writing person like me. I don’t know how many K-12 teachers are competent html code writers; my guess is not many.
What capabilities does this platform have?
ATutor allows the instructor to enroll students and give them access to a multitude of learning opportunities. It has a content authoring tool and it allows importing and exporting content to compatible platforms.
What did you like and dislike about this platform from an administrator’s perspective?
I like the free, open source aspect of the tool, although I am wary of the apparent tech support void. Administrators who choose ATutor would be wise to include some adept code writers on their team.
ATutor seems to be editable. Customizing the look and feel of a site is important for meeting the target audience’s expectations. I like the work groups, social networking, and content management features. A well designed course could be a nice self contained system for students who are good self managers.
I wanted to see an integrated tool for synchronous audio and video communication. Meeting live in a virtual classroom is an efficient way to build a community of users who will participate in asynchronous activities. The success of the LCMS concept depends heavily on learner’s willingness to contribute and collaborate. Designers need every possible tool for engaging learners and getting them invested in the group experience.
What did you like and dislike about this platform from a learner’s perspective?
As with any LCMS, learners who do not have prior experience may find the experience frustrating at first. A well designed course can mitigate that frustration but learners are pretty much at the mercy of the instructional designer.
Assuming a good design, I enjoy having access to learning materials 24/7, wherever I am. The social networking feature and the chat room are very helpful for group work. I would like to have audio and video conferencing.
How would you use this platform?
This might be an option for presenting Teacher Professional Development courses in my district. We are working with Moodle right now but it’s always advantageous to understand the alternatives. ATutor might also be an option for working with students who are doing independent study. Each year we have students who must be away for extended travel, or who are sick and recovering at home. Managing this distance learning to date, has been a trick involving a lot of scanning, pdf files, and email. ATutor could provide a way for these kids to have easier access to learning materials and to stay involved with their peers in the classroom.
Who else could you see using this platform: government, corporations, higher education, K-12 education?
Free open source LCMS’s offer an opportunity for groups like: PTC, extracurricular clubs, sports organizations, Scouts, community theatre and arts, library, parks & rec, or any other group with important goals and no money. Having a central place available 24/7 to post information, house training materials, and collaborate is an efficient and powerful way to build a community among people who have a lot of demands on their time.
SAKAI – Here is a link to the page listing the SAKAI features http://sakaiproject.org/features.
What types of communication methods are available on this platform?
Both asynchronous & synchronous: Sakai offers email, forums, blogs, wiki’s and chat.
Sound capabilities:
While I did not see this on the features page of the SAKAI website, the EDUTOOLS product comparison site, http://www.edutools.info/item_list.jsp?pj=4
mentions “Agora – a real-time eCollaboration tool designed for use in SAKAI.” It includes an interactive whiteboard feature that supports video conferencing, screen sharing, and voice chat. These sessions can be recorded.
Video capabilities:
There is no particular mention of video capabilities on the SAKAI features page or on EDUTOOLS.
How can you organize the content on the platform?
It seems that instructors have many options for organizing their courses by date or topic and using any combination of available tools.
Versioning:
SAKAI recommends starting with the Demo version of the product and then moving up to the Binary version. The source version is for advanced users who are ready to contribute to de-bugging the latest code.
What type of interface design does it use?
Simple or complex: It’s hard to say. I have not found a course to view that does not require a password. Here is a link to a review http://mfeldstein.com/whats_wrong_with_the_sakai_user_interface/
… the link to the demo site mentioned is broken.
Intuitive for both administrator & learner: Again, I’m not sure. It would be nice to be able to visit an up and running site as a guest.
Backend easy to use:
Here is a review by a designer who has used both Moodle and SAKAI http://www.slideshare.net/mark.drechsler/moodle-sakai-a-trainers-perspec...
He has grown to love SAKAI but does not think the back end is easy to use. He also thinks the user community is fragmented and not that supportive, and mentions that it would be helpful to see a fully developed example before building a course.
And here is a review by a Stanford professor who is making recommendations for future versions of SAKAI, http://www.stanford.edu/~kenro/essays/Sakai3ProposalComments.html
Written in January, 2009 - the comments are very thorough and succinctly stated. I particularly agree with his assertion that the user experience should drive design and development at SAKAI.
What capabilities does this platform have?
Like ATutor, SAKAI allows an instructor to enroll students and give them access to a multitude of learning opportunities. There is no mention of importing content from other LCMS systems.
What did you like and dislike about this platform from an administrator’s perspective?
As with ATutor, I like the free, open source aspect of the tool. I also appreciate the cooperative development effort between Stanford and MIT. It is also interesting to have choices for different levels of technical support. I think many organizations would gladly pay to have an experienced user guide their product installation.
What did you like and dislike about this platform from a learner’s perspective?
I have enjoyed the assortment of tools for synchronous and asynchronous communication in my online studies. SAKAI seems to offer all of the important ones. The Agora real-time collaboration tool is important. Having links to all tools on the course website really helps a person stay organized. I would have to experience a working site to make any worthwhile comments about the platform.
How would you use this platform?
As with ATutor, SAKAI might be an option for presenting Teacher Professional Development courses in my district. As I mentioned in the ATutor section above, we are working with Moodle right now but it’s always advantageous to understand the alternatives. SAKAI might also be an option for working with students who are doing independent study. Each year we have students who must be away for extended travel, or who are sick and recovering at home. Managing this distance learning to date, has been a trick involving a lot of scanning, pdf files, and email. SAKAI could provide a way for these kids to have easier access to learning materials and to stay involved with their peers in the classroom.
Who else could you see using this platform: government, corporations, higher education, K-12 education?
As stated earlier, free open source LCMS’s offer an opportunity for groups like: PTC, extracurricular clubs, sports organizations, Scouts, community theatre and arts, library, parks & rec, or any other group with important goals and no money. Having a central place available 24/7 to post information, house training materials, and collaborate is an efficient and powerful way to build a community among people who have a lot of demands on their time.
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