The document discusses criteria for selecting the right social and collaboration platform for learning. It provides a tour of three platforms - Ning, Grou.ps, and Elgg - comparing their features such as user functionality, whether they are open source or hosted, ease of setup and customization, and cost. The document aims to help users determine which platform is best suited for their learning needs and purposes.

1. Choosing the right
Social & Collaboration Platform
for Learning
Jane Hart
CEO, Centre for Learning &
Performance Technologies
www.C4LPT.co.uk

2. Why are you here?
“I have created a “I use a different
Ning network but platform and am
am now looking checking to see if it’s the
‘right’ one”
for a different
platform”
“I haven’t created
a Ning network
but am actively “I am just curious!”
looking for a
platform”
{c) www.C4LPT.co.uk Slide : 2

3. Agenda
• 10 criteria for selecting the “right”
platform
• Tour of 3 social and collaboration
platforms
• Side‐by‐side comparison
• Links to more resources
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4. Disclaimer
The following are my personal comments, views,
suggestions and thoughts on a number of social
and collaboration platforms and should not be
taken as endorsement for the products
mentioned here; these are only examples of
platforms available.
I would of course be happy to be make specific
recommendations based on a fuller analysis of
requirements.
{c) www.C4LPT.co.uk Slide : 4

5. 1 – Purpose ‐
How is it to support learning?
Formal Informal
Formal Structured Personal Group Directed Intra‐Organisational Accidental &
Learning Directed Learning Learning Serendipitous
Learning Learning
formal learning group space sharing /updating
PLN
community CoP across org
enterprise‐wide social and collaboration platform
external learning network
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6. 2 – User functionality
Social Communication Sharing Sub‐groups Collaboration
networking tools links, open tools
Membership messaging resources or closed blogs, wikis ,
Profiling discussion (docs, ppts, group spaces micro‐
Connections chat videos blogging
Social Collaboration
{c) www.C4LPT.co.uk Slide : 6

7. 2 – User functionality
Social Communication Sharing Sub‐groups Collaboration
networking tools links, open tools
Membership messaging, resources or closed blogs, wikis ,
Profiling discussion, (docs, ppts, group spaces micro‐
Connections chat videos blogging
Social Collaboration
{c) www.C4LPT.co.uk Slide : 7

8. 3 – Closed or Open Source
4 ‐ Hosted or Installed
Closed Source Open Source
Hosted Installed
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9. 5 – Data ownership and export
6 – Terms of use
Terms of
use
determined
by Ning.
Can only
export
member
data
as CSV
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10. 7 – Ease of set up,
8 – Ease of customisation; 9 – Ease of use
1 2 3 4 5
Very easy Easy OK Difficult Very difficult
Ease of set up
Ease of
customisation
Ease of use
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11. 10 ‐ Cost
Free Variety of paid‐for plans Commercial
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12. Other pros and cons
Attractive themes available
1 profile page per network
Max no of Ning networks and Ning apps
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14. Grou.ps functionality
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25. Side‐by‐side comparison
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26. What do you think of the
3 platforms in the Tour?
What have you particularly
liked or not liked?
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27. 2 – User functionality
Social Communication Sharing Sub‐groups Collaboration
networking tools links, open tools
Membership messaging resources or closed blogs, wikis ,
Profiling discussion (docs, ppts, group spaces micro‐
Connections chat videos blogging
Social Collaboration
{c) www.C4LPT.co.uk Slide : 27

28. 3 – Closed or Open Source
4 ‐ Hosted or Installed
Closed Source Open Source
Hosted Installed
in beta
{c) www.C4LPT.co.uk Slide : 28

29. 5 – Data ownership and export
6 – Terms of use
Ownership Terms Export
You Grou.ps Member data CSV
You? You? Export as CSV on
appliance version only
You You Data held in My SQL
database
{c) www.C4LPT.co.uk Slide : 29

30. 7 – Ease of set up
8 ‐Ease of customisation; 9 ‐Ease of use
1 2 3 4 5
Very easy Easy OK Difficult Very difficult
Ease of set up
Ease of
customisation
Skinnable look and feel
Customizable dashboard
Ease of use
{c) www.C4LPT.co.uk Slide : 30

31. 10 ‐ Cost
Free Variety of paid‐for plans Commercial
in beta
{c) www.C4LPT.co.uk Slide : 31

32. Other pros and cons
Facebook integration; Appliance version has Completely
Can import data from integration with Sharepoint, customisable
Yahoo Groups, phpBB etc; and configurable;
and Ning Aligns working with learning Strong access
Good micro‐blogging permissioning
platform
Can’t export member Requires PHP
Can only export
data from hosted version expertise to set up
member data as CSV
and customise
{c) www.C4LPT.co.uk Slide : 32

33. Links & Resources
bit.ly/jhwebinar {c) www.C4LPT.co.uk Slide : 33

34. Jane Hart
Email: jane.hart@c4lpt.co.uk
www.C4LPT.co.uk
Twitter: @c4lpt
Facebook: facebook.com/c4lpt
{c) www.C4LPT.co.uk Slide : 34