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Thanks Moodle

Posted by Joel Kerr on 28 Apr

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You don’t need to be involved with Moodle for too long before you realize it has an enthusiastic community of users across the globe who are always singing the praises of the open source VLE.

As we know Welsh people sing better than most and one Moodle chorister has proved the point by coming up with a marvellous plan to raise money for Moodle.org.

Karen Coyle, a member of the Wales Moodle Steering Group, first contacted Synergy Learning back in January to request sponsorship for a run of Moodle “Diolch” badges. Karen explains further:

Moodle is the VLE of choice for most of Wales. As a form of national “Diolch” (thanks in Welsh) to Moodle.org for Moodle we have started the Diolch.org campaign. The aim is to sell as many “Diolch” badges as possible, helping towards sustaining the development of this now important resource in education.

And Synergy Learning was only too happy to help

Getting sponsorship for the first batch of badges was our biggest difficulty, but that all changed when I approached Synergy Learning. Their response towards the initiative was immediate and supportive and they have been integral in getting the diolch.org campaign up and running.

Having only recently been launched through Synergy Learning social networking channels and the UK Moodle Moot, interest in the badges has been explosive and continues to gather momentum. Already Karen has been approached by Moodlers from other countries looking to take her idea to the likes of Germany and Holland. This is something that Karen had aimed for from the outset:

I’m hoping other counties will take our lead and sell their own ‘Thanks’ badges. If you do, please get in touch because I will buy one! Who knows I may end up with badges from all over the world?

Here’s a photo of the boss himself, Alex Büchner (can you tell?), proudly wearing his badge pinned to his Synergy Learning fleece.

If you want like to purchase a badge please contact Karen Coyle karen@deeside.ac.uk or Richard Wenner richard.wenner@btinternet.com.

The pin badges are £2 each and ALL profit goes directly to Moodle.org. For more information visit Diolch.org

Go on… it’s for a great cause.

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Work Experience Christopher

Posted by Joel Kerr on 21 Apr

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We have had the pleasure of Christopher McKibbon’s company this week, a work experience student from our good friends at St. Louis Grammar. He has been kind enough / harassed into writing a post for the blog to re-cap on his week…and here it is:

I am a Year 13 student currently studying Applied ICT, Business Studies, Technology and Accounts.

I’m researching career options and considering a career in ICT. I’ve decided to complete a work placement as it will give me an insight into the world of business and ICT and the working environment. The work placement will also make an excellent addition to my UCAS personal statement.

I’ve come to Synergy Learning because I am currently considering a future in ICT and as a company with a good reputation, it was highly recommended to me to complete my work placement at this company.

I’ve been introduced to the business and taught what goes on at Synergy Learning, the software and hardware they work with, as well as the well-known clients they work with. Everyone at Synergy Learning was very friendly and helpful and the whole environment was very comfortable.

Thanks to the team at Synergy Learning I have learnt many new skills during my time, I have used Photoshop for the first time and I enjoyed designing things with the software. I have learnt how to help market a business via Facebook and Twitter and I have tested out some of their Moodle websites. I also learnt about the software needed to help the running of the business such as Salesforce and Basecamp.

My work placement has given me a good insight into the business environment and the use of ICT. It has helped prepare me for the future and has given me an idea of what it is like to work in an ICT business environment. It has also given me a better understanding of Moodle, Mahara and Totara and how they work, which helps me as my school uses Moodle and Mahara.

My time at Synergy Learning has been very enjoyable and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the team for their co-operation and for allowing me to participate in their work, allowing me to develop my knowledge and understanding of their business and what they do.

Christopher

We’d all like to thank Christopher for his help throughout the week and good luck with his A-levels! Also – enjoy yourself in Majorca!

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ELA Conference 2011 // Technology on a Shoestring

Posted by Joel Kerr on 25 Mar

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It was my pleasure to be in Edinburgh this week for the ‘Technology on a Shoestring’ conference – a pretty apt title given the increasingly tightening strings on which companies have to balance their budgets.

Of course any chance to visit Edinburgh gets a thumbs up from me and combined with the opportunity to meet with elearning types, those in the know and those who want to know, is a double whammy.

Keynote came from Euan Semple who’s got an impressive CV that includes time at the BBC, Nokia, the World Bank and NATO. Mr. Semple covered the benefits of Social Media and the challenges faced by the Senior Management in letting the employees loose on the various channels.

There was talk of the quality of networks compared to quantity, the need to make communications human as opposed to corporate and how to engage people by asking the right questions. Conversations, conversations, conversations; that’s what’s important!

The emphasis was not on how far we had come but the possibilities that are yet to present themselves; the new businesses and products that will develop, the new businesses models that will evolve and most excitingly the freedom that working online can offer.

Other speakers included Mark Clark from JISC, Kenny Shaw of Screen Media, Pauline Randall from Florizel Media and…me. That’s right. As an exhibitor I had the opportunity to pitch the benefits of the ever popular Moodle and Mahara.

That aside, points covered were how technology can facilitate change, the need for innovation given the budget cuts, the need for positivity in the face of adversity and the importance of not hitting the bottle (actually the last point wasn’t covered, I made that up to check if you where still with me).

It is increasingly clear that through careful research and planning, structure and strategy, online services can offer the necessary savings required by companies in today’s market. And the sooner you get started the sooner you get your head around the possibilities and the sooner you start reaping the rewards!

I’d like to thank the eLearning Alliance for the invitation and the possibility to showcase Synergy Learning. I’ll leave you with one extremely naff but amusing quote from Stuart Hilles of the eLearning Alliance, “How can I soar like an eagle when I’m surrounded by pigeons?”

Take from that what you will.

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ICT for Education | Belfast

Posted by Joel Kerr on 01 Mar

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Synergy Learning will be at the Belfast Hilton on Friday 11th March for the Northern Ireland leg of the ICT for Education conferences. While we’re there we will be exhibiting our wares, and as always will be keen to speak to people who are interested in the benefits of Open Source Software and the implications it has on elearning.

Moodle is making a pretty big splash over here at the minute, with a number of schools and businesses choosing it over the competition. If you are attending the conference and want to find out more about Moodle and Mahara, and the services we offer please call by and say hello. If there is something specific you want to find out on the day then feel free to leave a comment or email me at joel.kerr@synergy-learning.com so we can be fully prepared!

For more information on the conference and exhibition visit the ICT for Education website.

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Emtech 2011

Posted by Joel Kerr on 25 Feb

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I’m just writing a quick blog post on my experiences at this years Emtech event at Heriot Watt University . At the minute the 2nd phase of workshops are taking place so we’re between Keynote speakers and Exhibitions and I have a few minutes to re-cap.

The strapline for the event is ‘Are you afraid of IT?’and the theme throughout has been – don’t be! Don’t be afraid to pilot new technologies, explore possibilities, experiment, let your pupils or staff experiment and allow freedom to do so.

There has been some really interesting keynote speakers who have explained through case studies and real life scenarios the benefits technology can bring to an organisation. Steph Gray explained the need to be sensible about the risks involved with social media, but not scared. I sat in on Steph’s workshop on using socmed in the work place and it was great to see so many people exploring how they can benefit from twitter and facebook and how to overcome barriers that get in the way.

Gavin Oattes had the crowd laughing from the outset, effectively demonstrating the crux of his presentation which was the power of positivity. He asked us to think about the first time we sat in front of a computer, and how far we have advanced from then. As he was talking I was tweeting and writing notes on my iPhone without even giving it a second thought, the story being with time new technology is something that becomes second nature. It is up to us to start experimenting early…without fear.

Fraser Speirs gave a really interesting presentation complete with video footage, on how his school (Cedars School of Excellence) came to the decision to introduce one to one learning via the iPad. He re-iterated the need for an open minded approach to the use of technology and the internet, and the need for freedom to explore the possibilities – for both teachers and students. There were some great examples on the positive impact this ground-breaking approach was having on art, drama, geography and across the whole learning environment. Not to mention the fact every student got their own iPad!

There is one speaker left – Mr. Stephen Downes, ‘a leading proponent of the use of online media and services in education’, so I’ll look forward to that. Nothing left to say for now except that the time and preparation that has went into this conference is evident and I feel better informed as a result.

Now I’m off to get a sandwich.

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January // BETT 2011

Posted by Joel Kerr on 21 Jan

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It’s been a busy start to the year!

As has become the norm, our year kicked off by exhibiting at the BETT show. An important event in any edtechs calendar that attracts people from all over the world. It’s a great way to see first hand the new products available and the improvements to those that have been around for a while.

MOODLE

There was a non-stop flow of Moodle visitors throughout the week; existing users who stopped by to share their admiration of the software, organisations that wanted to migrate from other platforms and of course those who were taking their first tentative steps into the world of elearning.

Our job is made a whole lot easier by the fact that Moodle generates such good publicity through word-of-mouth. There were very few people stopping by who hadn’t heard good things about Moodle and the enthusiasm for the software continues to grow. The number of companies and schools who had done their research and were planning a full migration in the near future was overwhelming.

New clients range from primary schools, secondary schools, Local Authorities, FE colleges and universities to councils and large scale organisations. We were also pleased to answer questions from a number of the other exhibitors who were interested in partnerships and integrating Moodle into their own operations.

MOODLE 2.0

At last years BETT we were enthusiastically telling our Moodle visitors the virtues of Moodle 2.0 so it was a pleasure to be able to offer some real solutions at this year’s show. We have upgraded a number of our own client’s sites with successful results and the improved navigation and increased functionality has not gone unnoticed.

BETT offers the opportunity to gauge a real response to the upgrade; both teachers and trainers recognise the benefits of the new conditional activities feature, cohorts, the repository API, the Portfolio API and the list goes on.

We have a queue of people waiting to upgrade with our Route to Moodle 2.0 packages and the demand is only going to increase.

MAHARA

As Moodle becomes as increasingly integral part of the learning environment so the need for an ePortolio also increases. We had a record number of inquiries about our Mahara Services this year. Again the software is proving popular with both educational and commercial establishments who are looking to facilitate records of ‘life learning’ within their establishments.

I’ve spent this week getting in touch with the new contacts we made at the show and the whole office has felt the full benefit of BETT 2011.

I would like to thank all those who visited us at the BETT show for making our trip a rewarding one. If you are in need of our Moodle or Mahara Services get in quick! Our 2011 calendar is filling up fast.

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Moodle at BETT 2011

Posted by Joel Kerr on 06 Jan

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BETT 2011
Stand N2
12-15 January 2011
Olympia, London

Synergy Learning is looking forward to next week when we get to exhibit our wares at the world’s largest education technology event. BETT brings together the leading names in innovative education technology, new elearning organisations and the global teaching and learning community from early years to universities.

This will be the 27th year of BETT which has grown to feature almost 700 exhibitors, attracting close to 30,000 visitors. According to the organisers, “BETT is an indispensable part of the annual knowledge-gathering process, coming at a time when establishments are planning and budgeting for the new school year.”

Why should you attend?

BETT is a showcase of all that is new and innovative within the industry and is an opportunity for education professionals to pick up a wealth of knowledge as well as evaluate and purchase a comprehensive range of ICT products and services.

There will be the opportunity to “touch, test and compare” resources for learners at all levels. There will be free hands-on training, technical help, over 100 seminars, product launches, networking opportunities and the chance to discuss education technology with industry experts and established suppliers

Who should attend?

BETT 2011 covers the entire education spectrum and is aimed at everyone from early learners to higher education and all that’s in between.

BETT 2011 will benefit:

Teachers
Department Heads
Subject Heads
Education Officers
Governors
Librarians
Bursars
Facilities Managers
Teachers Trainers
Inspectors
School Boards
Network Managers IT/ICT Co-ordinators
Head Teachers/Principals
School Management Teams
Parents
LEA’s
Special Needs Teachers
Technicians
Classroom Assistants
Home Educators
Student Teachers
Nursery Staff
Lecturers

Registration for BETT 2011 is now open, for more information visit the BETT show website. See you at stand N2

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Twenty Ten

Posted by Joel Kerr on 30 Dec

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It’s said so often (and I’m not afraid of a good cliché so I am going to say it as well) where did the year go? It seems like yesterday since I was walking through the doors of Synergy Learning for the first time and since I was sitting down to my first blog post.

In fact it was a year ago!

So as we get ready to see in the New Year I am going to give you ten of my highlights from 2010 – things that stood out in my mind at the time of writing (bearing in mind I am still in the grips of my Christmas recovery!).

In no particular order…

The BETT Show

A great start to any e-learning calendar I was lucky enough to get over to BETT for a day trip. Roy, Alex, Jonny, Ian and Andrea were the core team manning the Moodle stand at London’s Olympia from 13th – 16th January and as always the response was mighty

iMoot

2010 played host to the first iMoot where the who’s who of the Moodle glitterati presented to Moodlers around the world. Among the presenters were Synergy Learning’s Technical Director Alex Büchner and Moodle Trainer Ian Wild.

The World Cup

Vuvuzela’s weren’t the only thing that caught the attention of the Synergy Learning office. Our heated Fantasy Football League was a close one and I was delighted to come out on top and very disappointed for Jonny McAlister who spent so much time at the bottom of the table he contemplated making it his permanent address.

Moodle 2.0

Is it this month? Next month? No, tomorrow you say? Yes that’s right – with more ‘will they, won’t theys’ than a soap extra-marital affair Moodle finally released the much anticipated Moodle 2.0. The biggest Moodle release to date with more new and improved features than could be mentioned in this short post (don’t forget to visit our ‘Route to Moodle 2.0’ page to see how we can seamlessly facilitate your upgrade).

Our Fifth Birthday

Although not the fifth year of Synergy Learning, 2010 was the fifth birthday of the company under the ownership of Roy Kerley and Alex Buchner. We celebrated in style…that’s all I’m saying!

Race for Life

We were very proud of our girls who raised a non-to shabby £700 for Cancer Research by taking part in the Race for Life up at Stormont (Belfast) in May. Inspired by photos they had seen from previous years of girls stumbling over the finish line looking red, sweaty and like they were on their last legs, our girls finished the 5k with dignity and grace – and then swore never to put themselves through a similar agony again!

Award-winning Theme Design

While I am being proud I may as well mention Caroline Kennedy who won Moodle 2.0 Theme contest, hosted by New School Learning, with her ‘Splash’ Theme. Caroline won herself an iPad and Splash can now be found as part of Moodle 2.0’s core code.

iPad

It is worth mentioning that 2010 was the year the newest addition to the Apple family was released and a number of iPad‘s have found their way into the Synergy Learning offices. Received with a mixed response the tablet is sure to impact the future of elearning one way or the other.

New Hosting Platform

This was also the year our Senior Networks Engineer, Peter Hinds, built our new Hosting Platform from scratch. Optimised for Moodle and Mahara, “it is a fully resilient platform comprised of hardware manufactured by industry leading vendors.” Click here to read all about it in Pete’s blog post. Not bad Pete!

Scotland

Our Belfast office is just a stone’s throw from Scotland so everyone was delighted for our Managing Director, Roy Kerley, who was appointed to the Board of the eLearning Alliance – a member-based organisation that supports Scotland’s elearning community. We have enjoyed a lot of new business from that direction and met some great people.

And one lowlight…

We were sorry to say goodbye to Fearghal Murphy who left us for sunnier climes (Florida to be more specific). I would like to wish Fearghal all the best for the future, and given that he’s prone to sunburn I would like to wish him good luck for the present as well!

So there you have it – ten memorable moments from the last 365 days… obviously it is difficult to fit a year into one blog post but not a bad list!

Here’s to the next 365…in the meantime I would like to thank you all for reading and wish you all a very happy and prosperous New Year!

Joel

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Seasons Greetings from Synergy Learning

Posted by Joel Kerr on 23 Dec

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Everyone in the office is feeling very festive with a little help from a few fairy lights, our Christmas tree and Cliff Richards playing on-loop in the background…

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our clients and partners for their support throughout the year and wish everyone the very best Seasons Greetings and a very prosperous New Year.

We will be closed on Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th December, then back to business as usual.

Enjoy yourselves!

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The Changing Face of Team Synergy

Posted by Joel Kerr on 10 Dec

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It’s almost the end of the year but at Synergy Learning there are a number of new-starts. We have had an influx of new team members, a re-shuffle of roles among our existing team members and the addition of a rather attractive Christmas Tree.

As you will know from the last post Thomas Worthington was the first of the new additions to our team – filling the PHP developer void that was left by Fearghal, who has made a permanent move to Florida (and who could blame him!).

As well as that I would like to welcome both Kenny McCormack and Yair Spielmann (right) to the team. Kenny joins us as the new Operations Manager and has already demonstrated a very regimented thought process that has manifested itself as a number of grids and boxes graffitied over, among other things, Laura’s to-do list.

Mr Spielmann is not really a new face, having been a regular on the freelance scene for well over a year. I often hear Yair being hailed as a genius for solving some unsolvable problem or other and it was only a matter of time before he became a permanent fixture.

I am assured by both Kenny and Yair that there will be a contribution to the blog in the near future with a more formal introduction, but at the minute they are being pulled 10 different ways by 10 different people, so we’ll just have to wait!

Another familiar face is Jonny McAlister (left) who will be well known by most of our clients having been with the company for over 5 years. Jonny joined the company as a designer and during the course of his employment moved his way up to becoming the Creative Director. Along the way he has picked up an enviable knowledge of all aspects of education technology with his specialised subjects being Moodle and Mahara. In his new role as Business Development Director Jonny will be exploring opportunities in the world of education technology while continuing to work closely with our clients and partners to fully understand the best way of moving the company forward.

Finally, with our team of designers working round the clock to meet the quota of design work that comes in (so much so I have started to call them the Theme Machines) we have recruited the support of a whole bunch of new Theme Machines. Welcome to Synergy Learning Damien Gribben, Adam McAllister, Rebecca Northey, Jonny Campbell and Ruth McAlister…I look forward to getting to know you all and working closely with you in the future!

So as you can imagine the office is a-buzz with new faces and personalities (and the Christmas Tree of course) and we are all very excited about the year ahead. I think I’ve remembered everyone in my list…I’m sure I’ll hear about it if I haven’t!

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