Dokeos
Encyclopedia
Dokeos is a company dedicated to open source Learning Management System
s. Its main product is a SCORM
-compliant open source learning suite used by multinational companies, federal administrations and universities.
Dokeos operates on a professional open-source business model based on open code, community development, professional consulting, quality-assurance services, and subscription-based customer support.
In 2004, Dokeos focused on versions of the 1.5 series, a learning platform with tools to track learners progress and share content between learners.
In 2005, 2006 and early 2007, the Dokeos team strengthened with the combined efforts of a strong Belgium-based universitarian community and a team of six developers in the company, and they developed the 1.6.x series. This collaboration was progressively replaced by more client-oriented developments, leading to a professional software.
From late 2007 to date (2009), the Dokeos company (with occasional community contribution) developed the 1.8.x series which clearly improved the corporate usefulness of the system, with a layer of web services to connect to external HR, CRM and ERP systems, several modules to connect to open-source CMS (Drupal and Joomla) and an improved reporting system, as well as efficiency-focused features.
From 2007 on, the Belgian community, together with a few other development groups from Europe, started work on Dokeos 2.0, or Dokeos LCMS.
In late 2007, Dokeos extended with a Latino-American company, which added a considerable coding contribution to the development of versions 1.8.5 and 1.8.6.
As of 2009, the Dokeos company is working on the 1.8.x series (with an 1.8.6 released June 2009).
On January 2010, a fork
of Dokeos named Chamilo
was announced. Acoording to Chamilo 90% of active developers moved from Dokeos to the new project .
By May 2010, some 2.300.000 people were registered as Dokeos users in 30 countries and 20 languages.
, using MySQL
as database backend. It supports SCORM
1.2 import and export. User data can be imported into the system using CSV
or XML
files. Dokeos can add user info and authenticate through LDAP
. For the 1.6 release, the Dokeos developer team has put efforts into complying with W3C xhtml
and CSS standards. In 1.8.x, JavaScript
is required (light integration into the visual layer), and using SCORM requires the use of frames in the learning path module.
Specifically, Dokeos is very open. There is a forum, used by Dokeos users for discussion and feedback. The agenda and minutes of all developer meetings are published, and a 'roadmap' is also public. All designs and developer documentation are publicly available on the Dokeos wiki
. Everyone who registers can contribute. There are currently 21 developers with CVS write access, other people contribute by sending code through email, forum or wiki.
and social/constructivist
approaches. It was built corresponding to the traditional instructional design, and its structure is very close to traditional teaching (set of tools clearly marked as content creation tools), but extends this base by providing tools that encourage constructivism (forums, blogs, wikis, chat, file exchange, personal messaging, etc.).
The instructional design generally improves the simplicity of use by using known teaching strategies and allowing teachers to extend on this known base by adding social tools step by step.
Learning management system
A learning management system is a software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, and reporting of training programs, classroom and online events, e-learning programs, and training content...
s. Its main product is a SCORM
SCORM
Sharable Content Object Reference Model is a collection of standards and specifications for web-based e-learning. It defines communications between client side content and a host system called the run-time environment, which is commonly supported by a learning management system...
-compliant open source learning suite used by multinational companies, federal administrations and universities.
Dokeos operates on a professional open-source business model based on open code, community development, professional consulting, quality-assurance services, and subscription-based customer support.
Development
Dokeos started as a company and a learning management system in early 2004 under the impulse of Thomas De Praetere. The product was built from various existing open source modules including Nuke, PhpBB and Openoffice.In 2004, Dokeos focused on versions of the 1.5 series, a learning platform with tools to track learners progress and share content between learners.
In 2005, 2006 and early 2007, the Dokeos team strengthened with the combined efforts of a strong Belgium-based universitarian community and a team of six developers in the company, and they developed the 1.6.x series. This collaboration was progressively replaced by more client-oriented developments, leading to a professional software.
From late 2007 to date (2009), the Dokeos company (with occasional community contribution) developed the 1.8.x series which clearly improved the corporate usefulness of the system, with a layer of web services to connect to external HR, CRM and ERP systems, several modules to connect to open-source CMS (Drupal and Joomla) and an improved reporting system, as well as efficiency-focused features.
From 2007 on, the Belgian community, together with a few other development groups from Europe, started work on Dokeos 2.0, or Dokeos LCMS.
In late 2007, Dokeos extended with a Latino-American company, which added a considerable coding contribution to the development of versions 1.8.5 and 1.8.6.
As of 2009, the Dokeos company is working on the 1.8.x series (with an 1.8.6 released June 2009).
On January 2010, a fork
Fork (software development)
In software engineering, a project fork happens when developers take a legal copy of source code from one software package and start independent development on it, creating a distinct piece of software...
of Dokeos named Chamilo
Chamilo
Chamilo is an open-source e-learning and content management system, aimed at improving access to education and knowledge globally...
was announced. Acoording to Chamilo 90% of active developers moved from Dokeos to the new project .
Statistics and market share
From 2006 to 2009, the Dokeos company reached a market of rapidly increasing size from small companies to large international (mostly medical-related) companies, and extended its partners network considerably first in Europe and then worldwide.By May 2010, some 2.300.000 people were registered as Dokeos users in 30 countries and 20 languages.
Standards
The Dokeos code is written in PHPPHP
PHP is a general-purpose server-side scripting language originally designed for web development to produce dynamic web pages. For this purpose, PHP code is embedded into the HTML source document and interpreted by a web server with a PHP processor module, which generates the web page document...
, using MySQL
MySQL
MySQL officially, but also commonly "My Sequel") is a relational database management system that runs as a server providing multi-user access to a number of databases. It is named after developer Michael Widenius' daughter, My...
as database backend. It supports SCORM
SCORM
Sharable Content Object Reference Model is a collection of standards and specifications for web-based e-learning. It defines communications between client side content and a host system called the run-time environment, which is commonly supported by a learning management system...
1.2 import and export. User data can be imported into the system using CSV
Comma-separated values
A comma-separated values file stores tabular data in plain-text form. As a result, such a file is easily human-readable ....
or XML
XML
Extensible Markup Language is a set of rules for encoding documents in machine-readable form. It is defined in the XML 1.0 Specification produced by the W3C, and several other related specifications, all gratis open standards....
files. Dokeos can add user info and authenticate through LDAP
Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol is an application protocol for accessing and maintaining distributed directory information services over an Internet Protocol network...
. For the 1.6 release, the Dokeos developer team has put efforts into complying with W3C xhtml
XHTML
XHTML is a family of XML markup languages that mirror or extend versions of the widely-used Hypertext Markup Language , the language in which web pages are written....
and CSS standards. In 1.8.x, JavaScript
JavaScript
JavaScript is a prototype-based scripting language that is dynamic, weakly typed and has first-class functions. It is a multi-paradigm language, supporting object-oriented, imperative, and functional programming styles....
is required (light integration into the visual layer), and using SCORM requires the use of frames in the learning path module.
Development
The development of Dokeos is an international project to which several universities, schools, and other organisations and individuals contribute. The Dokeos development methodology takes elements from extreme programming, usability theory, and collaborative open source development methodology, like the ideas in the Cathedral and the Bazaar.Specifically, Dokeos is very open. There is a forum, used by Dokeos users for discussion and feedback. The agenda and minutes of all developer meetings are published, and a 'roadmap' is also public. All designs and developer documentation are publicly available on the Dokeos wiki
Wiki
A wiki is a website that allows the creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser using a simplified markup language or a WYSIWYG text editor. Wikis are typically powered by wiki software and are often used collaboratively by multiple users. Examples include...
. Everyone who registers can contribute. There are currently 21 developers with CVS write access, other people contribute by sending code through email, forum or wiki.
Pedagogical approach and perspective
Dokeos implements a mix of instructional designInstructional design
Instructional Design is the practice of creating "instructional experiences which make the acquisition of knowledge and skill more efficient, effective, and appealing." The process consists broadly of determining the current state and needs of the learner, defining the end goal of instruction, and...
and social/constructivist
Constructivism (learning theory)
Constructivism is a theory of knowledge that argues that humans generate knowledge and meaning from an interaction between their experiences and their ideas. During infancy, it was an interaction between human experiences and their reflexes or behavior-patterns. Piaget called these systems of...
approaches. It was built corresponding to the traditional instructional design, and its structure is very close to traditional teaching (set of tools clearly marked as content creation tools), but extends this base by providing tools that encourage constructivism (forums, blogs, wikis, chat, file exchange, personal messaging, etc.).
The instructional design generally improves the simplicity of use by using known teaching strategies and allowing teachers to extend on this known base by adding social tools step by step.
Tools
- SCORM Courses authoring
- Rapid learningRapid learningRapid learning has traditionally referred to a methodology to build e-learning courses rapidly.Typically the author will create slides in Powerpoint, record narration on top of the slides, with some software he/she will be allowed to add tests, or even collaboration activities between the slides...
- Templates-based document production
- Tests : multiple choice, fill-in-the-blanks, matching, open questions, hotspots
- Interaction : forums, chats, groups
- Web conferencingWeb conferencingWeb conferencing refers to a service that allows conferencing events to be shared with remote locations. Most vendors also provide either a recorded copy of an event, or a means for a subscriber to record an event. The service allows information to be shared simultaneously, across geographically...
(available on Pro and Medical editions) - Conversion of PowerPoint and Impress presentations to SCORM courses (available on Pro and Medical editions)
- Surveys
- LDAP and OpenIDOpenIDOpenID is an open standard that describes how users can be authenticated in a decentralized manner, eliminating the need for services to provide their own ad hoc systems and allowing users to consolidate their digital identities...
authentication - Gradebook
- Reservations
- Users sessions
Adoption of Dokeos
- Companies like Alcon Labs, Medtronic or Securitas run Dokeos on a wide scale and the company has some 200 corporate clients
- More than 30 languages are supported (with varying quality levels)
- The largest known Dokeos installation (Ghent UniversityGhent UniversityGhent University is a Dutch-speaking public university located in Ghent, Belgium. It is one of the larger Flemish universities, consisting of 32,000 students and 7,100 staff members. The current rector is Paul Van Cauwenberge.It was established in 1817 by King William I of the Netherlands...
) currently has 28,696 active users and 3,604 active courses (the courses are not created in batch but the teachers decide when and if they create their course). When the results of the exams were released to the students Minerva peaked at 7,197 simultaneous users (28 feb 2006). More information: http://icto.ugent.be or http://minerva.ugent.be). - Companies like Alcon Labs, Medtronic or Securitas run Dokeos on a wide scale
- Dokeos is also used in public administrations : Belgian, French and Spanish ministries, as well as unemployed services and NGO's