A European Sakai Community Three tasks to address

1
A European Sakai Community Three tasks to
address
Jon Lanestedt and Susanne Koch Lübeck, September
7 2006
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The University of OsloSome key figures

• Founded 1811 and the largest University in
  Norway
• 30 000 students
• 4 570 faculty and staff
• 8 Faculties
• 44 Departments
• 25 Interdiciplinary Research Centers
• 2 Museums
• University Library

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The Educational Technology Group

• Permanent unit within the central university
  IT-center.
• Mission To actively contribute to processes of
  pedagogical innovation by providing technological
  solutions integrated in teaching and learning.
• Coordination of central IT efforts in the area of
  ICT-supported teaching and learning.

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Sakai at the University of Oslo

• We have just started
• Sakai members since April 2006
• Attended the Sakai conference in Vancouver
• Planning a pilot for next semester
• Interested in European perspective on LMS and
  Sakai

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Why a European Sakai Community?

• Exactly why do we need a European sub-community
  of this US initiative?

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First, why not

• The winning point of the Sakai initiative is not
  that it is open source. Open source is a means,
  not a goal.
• Also, we dont want to be cheerleaders for yet
  another LMS. We need to relate to educational
  realities, to solve real problems, deal with real
  challenges.

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European factors

• We have some European perspectives and positions
  which American academia doesnt automatically
  share, due to history, culture, politics and
  more.
• Particular European educational challenges
• European worldview and mind set
• These are related to the very activities which we
  may potentially support with Sakai (learning,
  teaching, collaboration, higher education as a
  common good, etc.).

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A European network

• We can promote our unique European perspectives
  and address the European challenges by
• Coordinating European Sakai endeavours within a
  regional network.
• Coordinating the development and exchange of
  Sakai tools relevant to European concerns.

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Task 1

• A cornerstone of a European Sakai community
  should be a common set of European challenges and
  ideas about pedagogy and education, as opposed to
  (or with a different focus than) an American one.
  
• We need to identify what these challenges are.

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European Challenges

• The Bologna Process and EUs Lisbon Process
• These processes have serious pedagogical
  implications.
• They both involve educational practices and
  technology at the local, institutional level
  (where LMS such as Sakai live).
• They also affect the regional level, where
  inter-institutional collaboration and resource
  sharing take place (like a European Sakai
  Community).

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Task 2

• We must ask ourselves
• Does the Sakai framework currently or
  potentially help us better than, say, Blackboard,
  and why?

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How well does Sakai

• support life-long learning
• support our students in collaborative activities
  in accordance with constructivist views
• support the development and management of
  knowledge bases and collective memories for work
  groups
• orchestrate various forms of formative evaluation
  (and thereby develop reflective citizens)
• provide powerful collections of interoperative
  leaning tools and services to our students on and
  off campus

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Task 3

• If we have convincingly dealt with tasks one and
  two, how do we format, maintain and cultivate the
  network?
• ? Do we need any formal apparatus or agreements?
• ? Do we need any secretariat or coordinating
  body?
• Do we need any events, journals, etc., to develop
  community values? (Like this excellent
  conference!)
• Should we collectively apply for EU funding to do
  some major project?

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Thank you for your attention!

• skoch_at_usit.uio.no