When selecting an administrative system for an online learning program, there are two main software choices: vendor (for a fee) and open source (free). Factors that may influence the decision are cost, ease of installation & maintenance along with the "user experience" (UX) for the learner. Pros and cons of each are listed below:
Vendor
Solution
|
Open
Source Solution
|
+ Professionally
Developed
+ Vendor
is accountable for correct functioning of system
+ Initial
start-up may be easier
+ Technical
Support available from vendor, in some cases 24×7 support
– In
some cases, technical support, especially 24×7 support has extra costs
– Ability
to make changes to systems and content is more limited
– Ongoing
licensing cost
|
+ Software
is developed by a community with common needs
+ Vendors
may exist to provide technical support for open source solution (at a cost)
+ Are
able to customize and modify systems and content as desired
+ Little
or no cost to obtain system, low risk to trying out system
– May
not have formal technical support available
– Sufficient
technical expertise required to make modifications to systems and content
– Ongoing
human resource cost to maintain and update
|
http://www.onlineprogramhowto.org/admin/vendor-vs-open-source/
Similarly, as a Teacher for GVL, I would need to support what the CMS offered while sifting through a few options for synchronous meeting platforms to incorporate choices that would allow greatest free access (downloaded or hosted) that were easy to monitor and for my students to use.
Examples include: (*denotes ones I've used)
Big Blue Button (open source)
Blackboard Collaborate (formerly Elluminate)*
Adobe Connect
Drum
ReadyTalk*
Vyew
Wimba Classroom*
GoToMeeting*
Cisco WebEx
Google + Hangout*
Show Document
Zoho Meeting*
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