With all the excitement of BETT 2012 I almost forgot to post the updated Moodle 2.2 Administration Map. Click on the image below to download an A4 copy of the map.
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The map was first created to accompany our Moodle 2 Admin Training so if you want a ‘guided tour’ of the destinations on the Moodle 2.2 route (sorry – couldn’t help myself) email joel.kerr@synergy-learning.com for more information on our Training options.
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Much as I hate to use clichés I have to say – it’s that time of the year again! Everyone in the office is busy putting together the final arrangements and making sure everything is in place for THE WORLD’S BIGGEST EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SHOW OF THE YEAR!
There are a few points of interest at this year’s event:
BETT is always an amazing event packed full of new and cutting edge products, brilliant speakers and presentations – it’s a great way to kick start the year and get excited about the possibilities that come with it.
As always we are anticipating a frenzied interest in Moodle and Mahara and we’re prepared for five hectic, fun-filled days. We relish the opportunity to talk to the ever-passionate Moodle Community as well as the chance to convert newbies to the software.
If you haven’t added BETT to your calendar I strongly suggest you do so. If you are planning on attending please call by and say hello!
Don’t forget – Stand N26.
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It came and it went in a blaze of glory. That’s a bit of an exaggeration but it has been a good 2011 so it’s time to have a look back over the past 365 days (I should probably say the garish banner above is no reflection on the ability of our designers, I threw it together myself and may well get in trouble!).
Holywood
This was a big year for the team – the year we moved to Holywood! After many months of office hunting and many more months of carpet swatches, paint samples and furniture shopping we upped sticks and moved lock and stock to County Down. And we haven’t looked back once, we are very happy in our new home (call by and say hello sometime!)
Events
The BETT show was the first of many events we attended in 2011, Scotland also being high up in the agenda for the first part of the year and the ICT for Education conference circuit becoming a regular feature in the latter. We always love getting out and about to talk to new and existing clients and want to say a big thanks to all those who stopped by for a chat over the course of the year!
New People
The team has grown. Again. We have some familiar faces that have joined us on a permanent basis (hello Andrew Davidson) and some brand new brainpower in the incarnation of Alison Selby-Bettle, Davo Smith, Peter Potter, Dorel Manolescu and Adam Moran. You will hear more from each of them in the future when I finally browbeat them in posting on the blog!
Totara
Twenty Eleven is the year we welcomed Totara into the world. Like a beacon of light to the business world it is already strutting with a confidence that befits a software of such stature. The carefully considered additions tick all the boxes of our corporate clients and I have no doubt as word spreads its popularity will increase in 2012 (click here for more info)
Travel
This one is for you Jonny McAlister. With more air miles than an Arctic Tern you have jetted from city to city and back to that first city more times than I care to remember. And hasn’t it paid off nicely with the Synergy Learning flag being flown with more vigour than ever before in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland (North and South!)
The World!
With Alex having taken Synergy Learning back to his native Germany we are also pleased to be spreading the good word of Moodle, Mahara and Totara throughout Europe with lots of new contacts in France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Sweden and Norway. News of our wares has also spread further afield with new business coming from South Africa and the US.
Moodle 2 Point x
Aw Moodle. Our first love. Moodle 2 may have taken its time but the upgrades have been prompt and noteworthy. MyMobile is now part of the core code, you can restore your 1.9 back-ups, multi-tenancy is on its way and the list goes on. If you’re not there it’s time to give it some serious thought. Our Route to Moodle 2 options should help you on your way 
Mahara
This year saw the release of Mahara 1.4, called by some “a coming of age”. The ePortfolio is slowly but steadily increasing in popularity and offers the perfect compliment to Moodle. Built primarily for reflective learning it also boasts social networking capability and numerous integration possibilities (click here for more info on our Mahara services)
Awards
Everyone was delighted when the Scottish Social Services Council was shortlisted in the Skills Development section of the Guardian Public Services Awards in 2011. We were ecstatic when they actually won! We are proud to host the award winning SSSC Workforce Solutions Portal, which puts Moodle to good use throughout Scotland, more information on which you can read by visiting http://workforcesolutions.sssc.uk.com/
New Projects
In China 2012 is the year of the Dragon. In Synergy Learning it is the year of the Case Study. We have so many new projects under our belt that we want to share with you I hardly know where to start but keep posted to the blog as we will be rolling out case study after case study detailing what we have been up to over the past year. Here’s one to sink you teeth into in the meantime.
The Team
It wouldn’t be right to round up the year without mentioning our brilliant team who are always a pleasure to work with and make coming to work not feel like coming to work at all. The supporters who Support, the theme machines who Theme, the developers who cynically pick the world to pieces every day (and do a bit of Developing), the trainers who Train and the directors who… pay us. Thanks one and all.
And finally…
I’d like to thank all our clients and partners for their continued support and want to wish everyone an enjoyable and prosperous 2012. Hurrah!
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Hi, I’m Adam Moran – a placement student at Synergy Learning. After 4 months of working here I am finally ready for my first blog post!
The post is a case study on Christel House Academy so read on for more information…
Introduction
Christel House Academy opened their first learning centre in 1998 after businesswoman and philanthropist Christel DeHaan had a series of life-changing visits to various children shelters in Mexico.
DeHaan realised that underprivileged children would need more than food and clothing to make a lasting difference in their lives and the way to do this was to give them the opportunity of an excellent education. In a bold effort, DeHaan opened charitable Christel House learning centres in Mexico, Venezuela, India, and South Africa.
In 2002, changes to state education law in Indiana allowed the Mayor of Indianapolis to authorise the first public Christel House in the United States. Located in Indianapolis, Christel House Academy is a K-12 school that uses holistic education principles, along with meaningful technology, to help children break the cycle poverty by earning a college prep diploma and gain access to further education opportunities.
After over 12 years of high expectations of student excellence and worldwide recognition, Christel House decided to come to Synergy Learning to introduce a new level of E-Learning to their operations.
Director Carey Dahncke has helped to explain the reason for this change in direction:
“We wanted to roll out a 1:1 netbook program for our students, but wanted to make sure that the netbooks would be used in meaningful ways. We also wanted the technology to be a ‘game changer’ in how we conduct teaching and learning. We looked at various options and decided that the ability of the internet to allow learning anywhere anytime was where we wanted to land.”
The Solution
Christel House need very specific functionality for their E-Learnin
g so it was concluded that the best option would be to combine the VLE Moodle with the ePortfolio Mahara (Mahoodle).
Carey has explained why an amalgamation of the two programs was important:
“We looked at a number of commercial programs and decided that something organic in nature would allow us to create a system that worked to support our curriculum and instructional practice– rather than having technology that disrupts and changes those patterns”
Results
Since introducing Mahoodle Christel House has worked hard trying to integrate the changes into how they operate on a day to day basis. Things aren’t always expected to run smoothly from the off and it is only natural to assume there will be some constraints. When asked about the potential barriers involved in introducing Mahoodle, Carey replied:
“Time and training have been our biggest challenges. We attempted to launch it on a domestic hosting site. That had issues with stability. Despite conventional wisdom pertaining to the physical location of the hosting site, having a Mahoodle site that cannot remain stable under heavy user demand, renders the entire project completely ineffective. After experimenting with hosting providers, we decided to work with Synergy Learning on the hosting too. Synergy’s experience with managing not only the design, but also hosting platforms, made all the difference for us. Synergy has been able to deliver a rock solid platform to run our site.”
Apart from these minor setbacks, Christel House has got off to a good start with Mahoodle and is excited to see the true capability of the software. When asked about how the experience was working with Synergy Learning, Carey added:
“Synergy Learning was able to produce a very high quality site in a relatively short time period. The finished product is simple and very attractive. Unlike a raw Moodle site, this conveys a professional finished appearance. We were very impressed.”
We are confident that in the future this VLE will be able to improve the operations at Christel House and it is clear that the feeling is mutual. We will be sure to keep you up to date with the progress at Christel House as their association with Mahoodle continues to grow!
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This is an excellent video I found on the Guardian website, showcasing how Moodle has benefited all those involved with Great Corby School. Students, Teachers, Parents and Governors all actively use the Moodle site and the footage explains how it adds to the education process. Well worth a watch.
As always – if you should require any further information on Synergy Learning’s Moodle Services please feel free to contact us on info@synergy-learning.com or by calling +44 (0) 28 9042 2000.
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Moodle 2.1 is here and now… so is the Moodle 2.1 Administration Map! Such was the success of the original version we couldn’t go without updating the map to include the new features of 2.1, most notably the addition of Mobile devices. Click on the image below to download an A4 version of the map.
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We were delighted to hear how useful it has proved in the past and hope that continues.
If you are interested in reading Alex’s account of how he arrived at this novel interpretation of Moodle 2 Administration (and it is worth a read) you can do so by visiting the original post (click here).
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Would it be irritating if I wrote this whole post in green?
I won’t bother, but it would be in keeping with our green credentials.
I read in last week’s Sunday Times how David Cameron’s plans for the “greenest government ever” were causing many business leaders to threaten closure of their British plants; they would be rendered uneconomic.
Well Mr. Cameron you can rest assured that Synergy Learning will be going nowhere. Our data centres which house our servers and through which we supply our hosting have been confirmed to supply 100% green energy.
And here is a breakdown of how it is done:
These approaches demonstrate how we can challenge the way things are done by simply using common sense. By investing in the right energy-saving technologies, we are on route to meeting our objectives to reduce not only our own carbon footprint, but that of our clients.
If you require any further information on our Moodle or Mahara hosting services please call the office on 028 9028 8830 or email me at joel.kerr@synergy-learning.com.
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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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MoodleMoot UK is back on 19th and 20th April at Senate House London and it promises to be “even bigger and better” than ever. The Moots are always a great opportunity for Moodlers to get together, share information and discuss any developments that have occurred over the past year.
The title for this years Moot is ‘Strength through Diversity’ and the aim will be to “push beyond the mainstream” and explore the many ways in which Moodle is used today and the benefits it presents. Moodle no longer is confined to being the more cost effective solution; it competes across the board on flexibility, integration and personalisation.
MoodleMoot Keynote’s will come from:
There are a number of other speakers throughout the 2-day event, among whom are two members of the Synergy Learning team. Our Co-Founder and Techical Director, Alex Büchner will cover “Course, Chat and Match – Creating a Moodle Course as a Game” (sounds like fun). We are also very pleased to have recently welcomed Mary Cooch into our team of Moodle Trainers, Mary has opted for the intriguing title, “It’s not as scary as I thought.”
For the full programme and list of speakers visit the Moodle Moot UK website.
Raising funds for Moodle.org
Synergy Learning has teamed up with the Welsh Moodle Users Group to help raise additional funds for Moodle.org by selling ‘Diolch’ pin badges. The badges will be launched at this year’s MoodleMoot – Karen Coyle (a member of the Wales Moodle Steering Group) explains the concept,
“The aim of the ‘diolch badges’ is to raise funds for Moodle.org and
to say a big thank you (‘diolch’ meaning thanks in welsh) to Moodle from Wales Moodle community“I also hope that this initiative becomes a world first, encouraging other counties to produce their own Moodle.org ‘thank you’ badges and who knows…maybe start something!”
Badges will be available next Tuesday and Wednesday throughout the event; if you want like to purchase a badge before then please contact Karen Coyle karen@deeside.ac.uk (North Wales) or Richard Wenner richard.wenner@btinternet.com (South Wales). The pin badges are £2 each and ALL profit goes directly to Moodle.org
If you are attending the Moot and would like to meet up with a member of our team please let us know by emailing info@synergy-learning.com. Hope to see you there!
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There has been a lot of buzz around Totara recently and we at Synergy Learning are pleased to announce that we have been fully approved to supply Totara services as a Platinum Partner.
What is Totara?
Totara is a customised version of the Open Source Software Moodle, designed specifically to meet the elearning needs of the business world. It includes a range of extensions to the Moodle software to support:
Totara v. Moodle
We don’t need to tell you how great we think Moodle is.
As a corporate distribution version of Moodle, Totara comes with extra functionality that will be benefit the business user:
For a full comparison of the two pieces of software click here
Totara Demo
A demo of Totara can be viewed by clicking on the link below:
Totara with Synergy Learning
As the UK and Ireland’s leading Moodle Partner we have many year’s experience delivering elearning solutions to business costumers. We have an in-depth understanding of what is required for businesses to successfully facilitate CPD and now Totara provides the tools to take it to the next level.
We offer everything you need to get your Totara site up and running and to make sure it is working for you from it from the outset:
If you have any further questions about Totara or would like to discuss anything in more detail feel free to call us at the office 028 9042 2000 or email info@synergy-learning.com.
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Synergy Learning
Holywood House
1 Innis Court
Holywood BT18 9HF
T: +44 (0) 28 9028 8830
E: info@synergy-learning.com
