EFront (eLearning software): Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|ELearning software}}

{{DISPLAYTITLE:{{lcfirst:{{PAGENAME}}EFront (eLearning software)}}}}

{{Infobox software

|name = eFront

|screenshot = [[Image:EFront_admin_300dpiEFront admin 300dpi.png|300px]]

<!--

|screenshot = [[Image:Efront professor page.png|300px]]

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|caption = Admin page screenshot on Firefox

|developer = [[Epignosis LtdLLC]]

|latest_release_version = 3.6.1015.5

|latest_release_date = {{Start date and age|20112015|105|1015}}

|operating_system = [[Cross-platform]]

|programming language = [[PHP]]

|genre = [[Course Management System]]

|license = [[Common Public Attribution License|CPAL]]

|website = [http://www.efrontlearning.net/ efrontlearning.net]}}

'''eFront''' is an [[open source]] [[eLearning]] platform ''(also known as a Course Management System (CMS), or Learning Management Systems ([[Learning management system|LMS]]), or Virtual Learning Environment ([[Virtual learning environment|VLE]]))''. eFront has historically been coming in a number of editions, from an [[Open-source software|open-source]] edition to the latest eFrontPro edition (which is the only available one in 2018).<ref>{{cite web |title=eFrontPro |date=10 June 2015 |url=http://www.efrontlearning.net/blog/2015/06/efrontpro-4-2-0-your-favorite-lms-with-extra-awesome.html |accessdate= 2015-06-15}}</ref>

eFront is designed to assist with the creation of online learning communities while offering various opportunities for collaboration and interaction through an icon-based user interface. The platform offers tools for content creation, tests building, assignments management, reporting, internal messaging, forum, chat, surveys, calendar and others. It is a [[SCORM]] 1.2 certified<ref>{{cite web |title=SCORM 1.2 Certification |url=http://webapps.adlnet.gov/CertifiedProducts/Certification.aspx?ID=156 |accessdate= 2010-06-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721032216/http://webapps.adlnet.gov/CertifiedProducts/Certification.aspx?ID=156 |archive-date=2011-07-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and [[SCORM]] 2004 / 4th edition compliant<ref>{{cite web |title= SCORM 2004/4th edition Adoption | url = http://webapps.adlnet.gov/SCORMAdopters/Adopter.aspx?i=539 |accessdate= 2010-06-16 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100421220022/http://webapps.adlnet.gov/SCORMAdopters/Adopter.aspx?i=539 |archive-date= 2010-04-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref> system translated in 40 languages.<ref>{{cite web| title= Language packs|url=http://www.efrontlearning.net/download/language-packs.html|accessdate=2010-06-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100611210318/http://efrontlearning.net/download/language-packs.html|archive-date=2010-06-11|url-status=dead}}</ref>.

eFront is commonly included in lists of well known open-source learning systems<ref>{{cite web | work = Techworld | title = 10 open source elearning projects to watch | url = http://www.techworld.com.au/article/223565/10_open_source_e-learning_projects_watch| accessdate= 2010-06-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | publisher = Web Resource Depot | title = 7-widely used and open source elearning applications | url= http://www.webresourcesdepot.com/7-widely-used-and-open-source-e-learning-applications/ | accessdate=2010-06-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | work =ITmanagement | title = 50 open source tools that replace popular education applications |url= http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/features/article.php/12297_3888901_3/50-Open-Source-Tools-That-Replace-Popular-Education-Apps.htm | accessdate =2010-06-20}}</ref><ref>Ozarslan, Y. (2008). [httphttps://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B8vrY4OEQsbRODU5MTg0MTYtODNjNS00ZWM4LTk2OTktOGEzOTUzYTk2MTA2&hl=en Uzaktan Eğitim Uygulamaları için Açık Kaynak Kodlu Öğrenme Yönetim Sistemleri], Akademik Bilisin, 2008 (in Turkish)</ref> or is referred to as a [[Moodle]] alternative.<ref>{{cite web | title=Open-source LMS: Beyond Moodle | url=http://keemanxp.com/blog/2009/open-source-lms-beyond-moodle.html | year = 2009 | publisher = KeemanXP | accessdate=2010-06-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Barry Sampson: Alternatives to Moodle | url=http://barrysampson.com/2009/04/open-source-lms-10-alternatives-to-moodle/ | accessdate= 2010-06-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | publisher = Aplicaciones Empresariales | title = eFront article | language = Spanish | url= http://www.aplicacionesempresariales.com/efront-mas-rapido-y-productivo.html | accessdate= 2010-06-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | work = Edutechwiki | typeformat = article | title = LMSs | url=http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/LMS | accessdate= 2010-06-16}}</ref>. Independent comparison matrices between learning management systems often favor eFront, especially under usability characteristics.<ref>{{cite web | publisher = Edutools | title = Comparison matrix for LMSs | url = http://www.edutools.info/item_list.jsp?pj=4 |accessdate=2010-06-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | publisher = Innovate | ___location = DE | title = Comparison matrix for LMSs | url= http://matrix.innovate.de/elsystems | accessdate=2010-06-15}}</ref>. Several research papers and technology portals describe the system under functionality,<ref>Ozarslan, Y., Ozan, O. (2010). [httphttps://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B8vrY4OEQsbRZDczNTAxNjgtZDZmMS00ZDUzLWEyODAtOTQ2OWY1MzdkYjFl&hl=en&authkey=CM_K_fEP eFront Öğrenme Yönetim Sistemi], Akademik Bilisin, 2010 (in Turkish)</ref><ref>Kor, B. & Tanrikulu, Z. (2008). [httphttps://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B8vrY4OEQsbRZjY1MDQxN2UtOWViMi00ZmJiLWE1NDktMjMxYjUxYzNkN2Fh&hl=en Evaluation of Learning Management Systems with Test Tools]. In J. Luca & E. Weippl (Eds.), Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications, 2008 (pp. 5261–66), Chesapeake, VA: AACE</ref><ref>{{cite web | publisher = Genbeta | title = eFront | date = 23 March 2010 | language = Spanish | url= http://www.genbeta.com/herramientas/efront-intuitiva-plataforma-de-e-learning | accessdate = 2010-06-15}}</ref>, usability<ref>Zaharias, P (2007) [httphttps://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B8vrY4OEQsbRMzQ4NmYyYjgtMTNlYS00YTc0LWE2NDgtMGQ5NDQ4Yjc2Y2Vk&hl=en Heuristic evaluation in e-learning context: Selecting the appropriate tasks and reporting usability problems]. International Conference on eLearning (ICEL), 2007</ref> and standards perspectives.<ref>Tesseris, G. (2010). [httphttps://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B8vrY4OEQsbRN2JjMTM4Y2UtODk5YS00NjdiLTg3ZjYtN2ZhNzI1MGZjZDFl&hl=en Towards standards based e-Learning tools and technologies]. MSC dissertation, University of Crete, 2010</ref>.

== History ==

Initial development of the platform began in 2001 as a research prototype funded by the Greek government, led by [[Dimitris Tsingos]] and [[Athanasios Papangelis]]. SCORM development together with a shift on [[AJAX]] technologies lead to the publishing of a stable 2.5 version during 2005. eFront was then rewritten from scratch, making essential changes to the core structure of the system and released under an open-source license in September 2007.<ref>{{cite web | title=eFront interview | work = LMS Selection | url=http://www.lms-selection.com/en2/?p=87 | accessdate = 2010-06-20}}</ref>. Enterprise extensions were integrated with the platform on version 3.5. Social extensions were the most significant addition to version 3.6.<ref>{{cite web | title=eFront 3.6: What's new? | url=http://www.efrontlearning.net/product/whats-new.html | work = eFront learning | accessdate=2010-06-15}}</ref>.

On May 9, 2016, Epignosis LLC announced the signing of a strategic partnership deal with US-based software consulting and services provider DHx Software.<ref>{{cite web | title=Epignosis In Partnership With DHx Software | url=http://elearningindustry.com/press-releases/epignosis-announces-partnership-us-based-dhx-software | work = eLearning Industry | accessdate=2016-05-12}}</ref>

== Editions ==

Apart from the community edition that is distributed as open source software, there are three commercial editions with a modified features set, targeted at learning professionals, educational institutions and enterprises.<ref>{{cite web | title=eFront editions | work = eFront learning | url= http://www.efrontlearning.net/product/functionality-matrix.html| date= 2010-06-15}}</ref>. All versions are provided with their source code but only the community edition uses an [[Open Source Initiative]] (OSI) accepted license. The commercial versions of eFront are distributed via a partners network.<ref>{{cite web | title=eFront partners map | work = eFront learning | url=http://www.efrontlearning.net/partners/partners-map.html | accessdate=2010-06-15}}</ref>.

== Awards ==

In September 2012 eFront won an award from Elearning! Magazine as the best Open Source Solution.<ref>{{cite web | work =eLearning! Magazine| title = eLearning Awards for 2012 | url = https://news.yahoo.com/best-elearning-2012-award-winners-named-021621203.html}}</ref> In April 2010 eFront won a coveted{{Citation needed|date=February 2012}} bronze award for technology excellence in the Learning Management Technology for Small- and Medium-sized Businesses category from Brandon-Hall Research.<ref>{{cite web | work = Brandon-Hall | title = eLearning Technology Awards for 2009 | url = http://www.brandon-hall.com/awards/award_winners/lta2009_winners.shtml | accessdate = 2010-06-15 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100507010814/http://www.brandon-hall.com/awards/award_winners/lta2009_winners.shtml | archive-date = 2010-05-07 | url-status=dead }}</ref> eFront is also listed as one of the Top LMS Software Solutions for 2012 and 2013.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.capterra.com/infographics/top-lms-software | title=Best Learning Management Systems (LMS) 2022 &#124; Reviews of the Most Popular Tools & Systems }}</ref>

== Features ==

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* Certifications

* Reports generators

* Extensibility via modules<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.efrontlearning.net/download/modules.html | publisher = eFront learning | title = DowloadDownload | contribution = Modules | access-date = 2009-07-29 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100527003820/http://www.efrontlearning.net/download/modules.html | archive-date = 2010-05-27 | url-status = dead }}.</ref>

* Payments integration (through PaypalPayPal)

* Social tools (lesson & system history, user wall, user status, Facebook interconnection)

* Customizable notification system through email

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== Specifications ==

eFront runs without modification on [[GNU]]/[[Linux]], [[Microsoft Windows]], and any other operating system that supports [[PHP]] 5.1+ and [[MySQL]] 5+. The platform is being built using the [[object oriented programming]] paradigm and its architecture is based on the [[3-tier]] design approach separating the system's presentation from its logic and data.<ref>{{cite web | title=eFront architecture | url=http://docs.efrontlearning.net/index.php/EFront_Architecture | accessdate=2010-06-26 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626020838/http://docs.efrontlearning.net/index.php/EFront_Architecture | archive-date=2010-06-26 | url-status=dead }}</ref>. The platform is maintained through a community driven process. This leads to small development cycles that produce incremental improvements to the system, followed by bigger development cycles that integrate features requiring architectural changes. The development and testing procedures utilize several aspects of [[extreme programming]].<ref>{{cite web | title= eFront development practices | url = http://docs.efrontlearning.net/index.php/Development_Practices | accessdate= 2010-06-26 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100626062959/http://docs.efrontlearning.net/index.php/Development_Practices | archive-date= 2010-06-26 | url-status= dead }}</ref>.

== See also ==

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[[Category:Virtual learning environments]]

[[Category:Free learning management systems]]

[[el:EFront]]

[[fr:EFront Learning]]

[[it:EFront]]