SchoolsICT are excited to announce Synergy Learning as the sole Moodle Partner in the UK appointed to sell ZiLink throughout the UK and Ireland. ZiLink, based upon an implementation of the Systems Interoperability Framework (SIF), provides genuine interoperability between Moodle and school management information systems, in particular SIMS.Net and CMIS.

Jeremy Meades, Director of ICT Strategy and e-Learning at SchoolsICT says, “Why produce a separate system to meet the needs of schools and their desire to involve parents in their child’s learning? ZiLink, as an integration with Moodle, is a unique implementation of SIF and is a sea-change in the interoperability of disparate information systems within schools. Plus, schools can also meet the September 2010 target of being able to report online to parents about their child’s attainment, progress, attendance, behaviour, SEN information and more.

ZiLink is a sustainable, affordable and scalable solution to the problem of interoperability of disparate systems in schools.

We are absolutely delighted that Synergy Learning, as the leading Moodle Partner in the UK, has joined with us in this very exciting development.”

Roy Kerley, Synergy Learning Director, comments:

“Synergy Learning is pleased to add ZiLink to our growing portfolio of Moodle products.  As the UK and Ireland’s leading Moodle Partner we are increasingly aware of the vital role parental engagement plays in a student’s development.

ZiLink offers a straightforward, effective solution to support communications between parents and teachers”

For more information about ZiLink and other services from Synergy Learning go to http://www.synergy-learning.com/zilink/index.php

At the recent quarterly conference in London’s Kingsway Hall Hotel, SchoolsICT were welcomed as one of the new members of SIFA UK.

We are very pleased to be at the heart of the development of this exciting specification which enables true interoperabililty and integration of data between disparate management information systems in UK schools today.

SchoolsICT have already taken an active part in the development of the specification. Jeremy Meades said, “Our new product, ZiLink, builds upon the work of our SIMS2MOODLE integration in a way that could not be contemplated without the Systems Interoperability Framework. For the first time, data can be transferred between previously isolated systems resulting in data duplication and loss of data integrity. The ZiLink infrastructure brings an affordable, sustainable and scaleable solution to UK schools for the first time.”

ZiLink was presented to the Moodle community at the recent MoodleMootUK 2010 in London. It brings online reporting, school timetable, timetable week and additional Moodle blocks into a cohesive whole to support parents in their engagement with their child’s learning.

SchoolsICT is a member of the Suppliers Association for Learning Technology and Interoperability in Schools, an industry group which is working to improve the effectiveness of learning technology in schools by raising standards of technical interoperability.

SchoolsICT intends to become actively involved in interoperability issues as SALTIS begins to extend its work to consider interoperability issues in terms of data transfer between diverse applications within schools. Our SIMS2MOODLE product achieved a level of integration between SIMS and Moodle enabling the automatic population of course information and enrolment of students onto courses.

The release of our new product ZiLink is eagerly awaited and expected in just a few weeks. For the first time, parents will be able to realise the potential of Parental Engagement and create a genuine dialogue between themselves, their child and their school in a 24/7 environment without increasing the burden on schools. Communication and access to real-time information of a child’s progression in school is to become a genuine reality. More infomration about ZiLink is available at our demo site.

This SchoolsICT visionary product will exceed the stated expectations of Jim Knight, Minister of State for Schools and Learners in his letter of 2008 and enable genuine parental engagement in their child’s education.

SchoolsICT are very pleased to be a provider to the Vital community. This is a very exciting project supported by ‘The Open University’ and ‘e-skills UK’. Vital’s tag line, “transforming lessons, inspiring learning” is very close to our vision as a serious provider of Continuing Professional Development supporting teachers in their use of learning platforms.

The SchoolsICT Case Study ‘Overworked Biology Teacher!’, was very well received by the Vital community and we are keen to continue our contributions to the community as part of our collaboration. We believe our experiences and support are a positive influence in supporting teachers in a timely way.

During the course of the next few weeks we will be building our space in The Market Place as part of the Vital community and look forward to working with anyone wishing to develop their own pedagogy as they work with their learning platforms.

SchoolsICT is delighted to have been appointed by Groupcall to supply Groupcall Xporter as part of enabling interoperability between the leading management information systems and the Moodle learning platform.

Ian Tasker, Director of Innovation and Development at SchoolsICT said, “GroupCall are market leaders in extracting data from school management information systems and with their latest product Xporter SIF in partnership with our product ZiLink, schools will be able to engage parents and report online using the Moodle learning platform.”

The release of ZiLink is eagerly awaited and expected in just a few weeks. For the first time, parents will be able to realise the potential of Parental Engagement and create a genuine dialogue between themselves, their child and their school in a 24/7 environment without increasing the burden on schools. Communication and access to real-time information of a child’s progression in school is to become a genuine reality.

SchoolsICT visionary product will exceed the stated expectations of Jim Knight, Minister of State for Schools and Learners in his letter of 2008 and enable genuine parental engagement in their child’s education.