> the key factor is the quality of the > consultants, followed by the research methodology. The other 40% is > probably noise. If you are reading services as consultants and > development then I agree.
Yes, the services I was outlining are all things that need consultant with a track record in FOSS eg
Yourself as SF-UK chair and the work you have done in M6-IT related to environment, social inclusion with Nottingham schools.
Me with school development planning, migration strategy and installing and maintaining infrastructure.
etc.. Just need short CVs from supporting companies and players.
Research methods is something else that I can support through a Masters in Education Management etc. Remember SF-UK presented a research paper in 2006 to BECTA linking FOSS to government projects. Probably there are others with at least some research background. I could co-opt Birmingham Uni Comp Science department as I still have some contacts there. Possibly the OpenAdvantage people as they came from UCE.
Maybe if anyone on the list that has an interest in being listed as a consultant or researcher e-mails me a short CV focussed on qualifications and open source knowledge/experience I can put a consultants list together.
> > > > My first thoughts are to concentrate on Web based resources to > > > > support primary schools. (This would solve a lot of technical support > > > > issues and make migration from proprietary to FOSS easier)
> > > Primary schools have perhaps the most to gain from cost savings and community. > > > Would the lack of secondary emphasis compromise a tender?
> > You have to start somewhere. I'm not saying we ignore secondary schools, > > just that if we want some tangible learning resources quickly to show > > that the project has an immediate impact in the classroom it's probably > > easier to do something on the lines of the Ottos_club type resources. > > www.theingots.org/Ottos_club.
> TheINGOTS are very important to this bid, but I feel we should not > neglect the secondary sector - especially in the tender. Use of words > is very important - if we make our KPIs mainly from the primary > sector, then fine, but the bid should cover the whole sector.
See below. The main issue for primary is to get some new open source resources into schools quickly. In the end it's about pupils and learning so symbolically we need something quick.
> > > > The publicity from the BECTA involvement is > > > > probably as valuable in getting confidence and the message out as the > > > > money.
> Hmmm.... please following this timeline covering the past 6-8 weeks...
> 1) The Tory party received a briefing paper on FOSS. > 2) Cameron makes his speech - timed to prevent the Labour party > responding rapidly, because of the rules about making announcements > before elections. > 3) The day _after_ the local elections, this tender is published. > 4) The period of the project is set to run until just after the > expected date for the general election.
> There is a win-win potential here...
Agreed, there is certainly a political dimension here. Also makes life easier for BECTA if we are working together rather than against each other.
You have received this email from the following company: The Learning Machine Limited, Reg Office, 36 Ashby Road, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B79 8AQ. Reg No: 05560797, Registered in England and Wales.
I've been involved in this type of bidding before and it took a lot of resources and effort. It's very time-consuming, and in the end it may not succeed... Certainly it's out of the question for my own company, CoroNet.
The fact is that since 2003 we in Schoolforge-UK, collectively, have been doing much of what Becta now seems to be looking for. Even so, Schoolforge-UK doesn't have the organisational resources to bid for this work: we've never really needed an office, or paid staff, or an order book, otherwise I'm sure these things would all be in place by now.
I'm all for putting our collective weight behind one or at most two bids from SF-UK members who have the best chance of success. I believe Ian's company, The Learning Machine, is in a very strong position, given that they already have an extensive track record as a business, and moreover, a business that is contributing to OpenOffice.org and developing the INGOTs curriculum, and not least, they have been a strong supporter of SF-UK throughout, including organising our FLOSSIE events.
But of course, I'll be happy to send a brief CV to anyone else who is bidding!
On Sun, 2008-05-04 at 13:55 +0100, John Ingleby wrote: > I've been involved in this type of bidding before and it took a lot of > resources and effort. It's very time-consuming, and in the end it may > not succeed... Certainly it's out of the question for my own company, > CoroNet.
> The fact is that since 2003 we in Schoolforge-UK, collectively, have > been doing much of what Becta now seems to be looking for. Even so, > Schoolforge-UK doesn't have the organisational resources to bid for this > work: we've never really needed an office, or paid staff, or an order > book, otherwise I'm sure these things would all be in place by now.
> I'm all for putting our collective weight behind one or at most two bids > from SF-UK members who have the best chance of success. I believe Ian's > company, The Learning Machine, is in a very strong position, given that > they already have an extensive track record as a business, and moreover, > a business that is contributing to OpenOffice.org and developing the > INGOTs curriculum, and not least, they have been a strong supporter of > SF-UK throughout, including organising our FLOSSIE events.
> But of course, I'll be happy to send a brief CV to anyone else who is > bidding!
Now I have had a chance to look at the tender I think that BECTA is looking for a Prime Contractor who will be held accountable for the deliverables. I will bid with TLM as the Prime contractor but I need community members that are willing to go on a consultant's list to e-mail me with a short CV.
Include: Name, Qualifications, FOSS experience and any specific areas of expertise. if you are a member of SFUK or another Open Source community include that too.
You have received this email from the following company: The Learning Machine Limited, Reg Office, 36 Ashby Road, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B79 8AQ. Reg No: 05560797, Registered in England and Wales.
On Sun, 2008-05-04 at 21:21 +0100, John Ingleby wrote: > On Sun, 2008-05-04 at 14:47 +0100, Ian Lynch wrote:
> > Now I have had a chance to look at the tender I think that BECTA is > > looking for a Prime Contractor who will be held accountable for the > > deliverables. I will bid with TLM as the Prime contractor but I need > > community members that are willing to go on a consultant's list to > > e-mail me with a short CV.
> > Include: Name, Qualifications, FOSS experience and any specific areas of > > expertise. if you are a member of SFUK or another Open Source community > > include that too.
> Ian,
> Attached is a summary of my FLOSS and other experience. Please let me > know if you need any help with your bid
You have received this email from the following company: The Learning Machine Limited, Reg Office, 36 Ashby Road, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B79 8AQ. Reg No: 05560797, Registered in England and Wales.
> Now I have had a chance to look at the tender I think that BECTA is > looking for a Prime Contractor who will be held accountable for the > deliverables. I will bid with TLM as the Prime contractor
Ian, thanks for stepping forward to drive this for us.
-- Steve Lee -- Open Source Assistive Technology Software web: fullmeasure.co.uk blog: eduspaces.net/stevelee/weblog
On Sun, 2008-05-04 at 21:21 +0100, John Ingleby wrote: > On Sun, 2008-05-04 at 14:47 +0100, Ian Lynch wrote:
> > Now I have had a chance to look at the tender I think that BECTA is > > looking for a Prime Contractor who will be held accountable for the > > deliverables. I will bid with TLM as the Prime contractor but I need > > community members that are willing to go on a consultant's list to > > e-mail me with a short CV.
> > Include: Name, Qualifications, FOSS experience and any specific areas of > > expertise. if you are a member of SFUK or another Open Source community > > include that too.
> Ian,
> Attached is a summary of my FLOSS and other experience. Please let me > know if you need any help with your bid.
On Mon, 2008-05-05 at 09:34 +0100, John Ingleby wrote: > Oops! This was meant to go direct to Ian. Please disregard.
Too much excitement :-)
How would people feel about a rebranding/revamp of the existing SF-UK web site under the name SOSCLEP (Schools Open Source Community Learning Project)?
With supported by BECTA, SF-UK, OSA, OSC, TLM etc. on the front page.
It's a sort of re-branding but acknowledging the key contributors. This re-branding can be a work package so we can pay someone to lead and manage the web site development (might be one lead with a budget to pay others rather than simply a single person). The advantage is we can build on the existing work already done.
We can then have sections on the web site for further work packages such as a marketing project to "sell" the FOSS concept to schools, a curriculum project to develop learning resources to support focussed areas of the NC. That could be say a Junior Wikipedia project and say Moodle for courses. Then we have a migration project that supports transition from proprietary to Open Source infrastructure.
I envisage me and TLM simply coordinating this and providing an office address and telephone that will be manned in office hours to deal with any correspondence not on the mailing lists. It gives schools somewhere physical to contact. I will also ensure that the customer (BECTA) gets good value for money. It's in all our interests to wow them because then we are more likely to get further funding :-) I'll also do things like corporate relations (perhaps co-opt someone like Merlin John the former TES On-line editor to help with PR. The project will get international interest which will be good for the politicians.) We'll delegate work through the work packages to the people with the best experience/qualifications to lead and manage them and expect delivery or we'll switch to another provider. We'll be focussed on outcomes and accountability. We can link to other organisations - NAACE for example to proliferate the message. P4Schools, SSAT, e-skills etc. Building networks and relationships will be important.
The devil is in the detail so I'll get on with that, this is just so everyone knows what I'm thinking and can raise any issues before we go too far down any particular route.
You have received this email from the following company: The Learning Machine Limited, Reg Office, 36 Ashby Road, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B79 8AQ. Reg No: 05560797, Registered in England and Wales.
On 05/05/2008, Ian Lynch <ian.ly...@zmsl.com> wrote:
> On Mon, 2008-05-05 at 09:34 +0100, John Ingleby wrote: > > Oops! This was meant to go direct to Ian. Please disregard.
> Too much excitement :-)
> How would people feel about a rebranding/revamp of the existing SF-UK > web site under the name SOSCLEP (Schools Open Source Community Learning > Project)?
> With supported by BECTA, SF-UK, OSA, OSC, TLM etc. on the front page.
Good idea - in that we might want to separate 'activism' from 'practice'. Not sure about the acronym though...
> It's a sort of re-branding but acknowledging the key contributors. This > re-branding can be a work package so we can pay someone to lead and > manage the web site development (might be one lead with a budget to pay > others rather than simply a single person). The advantage is we can > build on the existing work already done.
> We can then have sections on the web site for further work packages such > as a marketing project to "sell" the FOSS concept to schools, a > curriculum project to develop learning resources to support focussed > areas of the NC. That could be say a Junior Wikipedia project and say > Moodle for courses. Then we have a migration project that supports > transition from proprietary to Open Source infrastructure.
> I envisage me and TLM simply coordinating this and providing an office > address and telephone that will be manned in office hours to deal with > any correspondence not on the mailing lists. It gives schools somewhere > physical to contact. I will also ensure that the customer (BECTA) gets > good value for money. It's in all our interests to wow them because then > we are more likely to get further funding :-) I'll also do things like > corporate relations (perhaps co-opt someone like Merlin John the former > TES On-line editor to help with PR. The project will get international > interest which will be good for the politicians.) We'll delegate work > through the work packages to the people with the best > experience/qualifications to lead and manage them and expect delivery or > we'll switch to another provider. We'll be focussed on outcomes and > accountability. We can link to other organisations - NAACE for example > to proliferate the message. P4Schools, SSAT, e-skills etc. Building > networks and relationships will be important.
> The devil is in the detail so I'll get on with that, this is just so > everyone knows what I'm thinking and can raise any issues before we go > too far down any particular route.
Otherwise sounds sensible.
R
-- Richard Rothwell, richa...@m6-it.org Education Consultant http://m6-it.org
Web services * Back-ups * Support * Training & Certification * E-Mail M6-IT CIC ``Software Freedom for the Education and Voluntary Sector''
M6-IT is a Community Interest Company, limited by guarantee Registered in England & Wales, Registration No: 6040154 11 St Marks Road, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY9 7DT
> How would people feel about a rebranding/revamp of the existing SF-UK > web site under the name SOSCLEP (Schools Open Source Community Learning > Project)?
My gut reaction is that it isn't very clear what 'SOSCLELP' is/does and is a touch ugly (a bit too close to cyclops) ;-) However the full names is good, though it does miss out the infrastructure bit. I have no real objection. The principle of rebrand is fine with me. I don't believe we have any ties to the parent SF and have had so liitle to do with them over the years that it makes little difference to either parties.
> With supported by BECTA, SF-UK, OSA, OSC, TLM etc. on the front page.
Good. We could later see if projects like Mozilla and Ubuntu might like to add their name as sponsors (I could ask moz once we are more settled)
> It's a sort of re-branding but acknowledging the key contributors. This > re-branding can be a work package so we can pay someone to lead and > manage the web site development (might be one lead with a budget to pay > others rather than simply a single person). The advantage is we can > build on the existing work already done.
plus a going concern and active community with experience andgood will should be attractive.
> We can then have sections on the web site for further work packages such > as a marketing project to "sell" the FOSS concept to schools, a > curriculum project to develop learning resources to support focussed > areas of the NC. That could be say a Junior Wikipedia project and say > Moodle for courses. Then we have a migration project that supports > transition from proprietary to Open Source infrastructure.
All good ideas, and we we can link other technologies to the wiki all under thae same umbrella identity.
> I envisage me and TLM simply coordinating this and providing an office > address and telephone that will be manned in office hours to deal with > any correspondence not on the mailing lists. It gives schools somewhere > physical to contact.
Good idea
> I will also ensure that the customer (BECTA) gets > good value for money. It's in all our interests to wow them because then > we are more likely to get further funding :-)
Excellent point
> I'll also do things like > corporate relations (perhaps co-opt someone like Merlin John the former > TES On-line editor to help with PR. The project will get international > interest which will be good for the politicians.) We'll delegate work > through the work packages to the people with the best > experience/qualifications to lead and manage them and expect delivery or > we'll switch to another provider. We'll be focussed on outcomes and > accountability. We can link to other organisations - NAACE for example > to proliferate the message. P4Schools, SSAT, e-skills etc.
Excellent Ian
> Building > networks and relationships will be important.
agreed
> The devil is in the detail so I'll get on with that, this is just so > everyone knows what I'm thinking and can raise any issues before we go > too far down any particular route.
Thanks very much Ian, I've no doubt you are the man for the job ;-)
I'm at SightCity in Frankfurt this week, helping to man the Mozilla booth but will be checking emails excitedly
> On 05/05/2008, Ian Lynch <ian.ly...@zmsl.com> wrote:
> > On Mon, 2008-05-05 at 09:34 +0100, John Ingleby wrote: > > > Oops! This was meant to go direct to Ian. Please disregard.
> > Too much excitement :-)
> > How would people feel about a rebranding/revamp of the existing SF-UK > > web site under the name SOSCLEP (Schools Open Source Community Learning > > Project)?
> > With supported by BECTA, SF-UK, OSA, OSC, TLM etc. on the front page.
> Good idea - in that we might want to separate 'activism' from > 'practice'. Not sure about the acronym though...
> SOS? :-)
> OSSEP? > CEFOS(S)?
> I believe Becta.org might be available :-)
> > It's a sort of re-branding but acknowledging the key contributors. This > > re-branding can be a work package so we can pay someone to lead and > > manage the web site development (might be one lead with a budget to pay > > others rather than simply a single person). The advantage is we can > > build on the existing work already done.
> > We can then have sections on the web site for further work packages such > > as a marketing project to "sell" the FOSS concept to schools, a > > curriculum project to develop learning resources to support focussed > > areas of the NC. That could be say a Junior Wikipedia project and say > > Moodle for courses. Then we have a migration project that supports > > transition from proprietary to Open Source infrastructure.
> > I envisage me and TLM simply coordinating this and providing an office > > address and telephone that will be manned in office hours to deal with > > any correspondence not on the mailing lists. It gives schools somewhere > > physical to contact. I will also ensure that the customer (BECTA) gets > > good value for money. It's in all our interests to wow them because then > > we are more likely to get further funding :-) I'll also do things like > > corporate relations (perhaps co-opt someone like Merlin John the former > > TES On-line editor to help with PR. The project will get international > > interest which will be good for the politicians.) We'll delegate work > > through the work packages to the people with the best > > experience/qualifications to lead and manage them and expect delivery or > > we'll switch to another provider. We'll be focussed on outcomes and > > accountability. We can link to other organisations - NAACE for example > > to proliferate the message. P4Schools, SSAT, e-skills etc. Building > > networks and relationships will be important.
> > The devil is in the detail so I'll get on with that, this is just so > > everyone knows what I'm thinking and can raise any issues before we go > > too far down any particular route.
> Otherwise sounds sensible.
> R
> -- > Richard Rothwell, richa...@m6-it.org > Education Consultant http://m6-it.org
> Web services * Back-ups * Support * Training & Certification * E-Mail > M6-IT CIC ``Software Freedom for the Education and Voluntary Sector''
> M6-IT is a Community Interest Company, limited by guarantee > Registered in England & Wales, Registration No: 6040154 > 11 St Marks Road, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY9 7DT
-- Steve Lee -- Open Source Assistive Technology Software web: fullmeasure.co.uk blog: eduspaces.net/stevelee/weblog
