Posts Tagged ‘Moodle’

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New Moodle and Mahara Hosting Platform

Posted by Joel Kerr on 07 Oct
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Synergy Learnings Senior Network Engineer, Peter Hinds, has been locked away in his office for the last few weeks, tirelessly building our new hosting platform.

Synergy Learning host Moodle and Mahara sites for a number of clients, from individual trainers to large universities and organisations. I managed to catch up with Peter to find out what he was up to and what benefits it will offer.

Hello Peter, could you tell us a bit about the hosting platform you are building?


Yes, it is a fully resilient platform comprised of hardware manufactured by industry leading vendors. The application tier, which resides on the hardware, allows us to assume full control of all services.

The advantage of building from scratch is that it has allowed us to standardise our operating system and installed packages, which will lead to a quicker diagnostic process and further optimisation for Moodle and Mahara hosting.

As a Senior Network Engineer creating a new hosting platform must be right up your street. What do you enjoy most about a job like this?

It really is, I’m not just saying that either!

I enjoy working with the latest technology and adapting it to best suit our needs. I take great satisfaction in the planning and implementation of the project. On a day-to-day basis working with Linux servers and Cisco brand network devices is excellent.

What are the benefits of the new hosting platform compared to the current?

The primary benefit is that the platform is engineered to be resilient from top to bottom. Every network device is redundant and every server is multi-homed in to the appropriate switches. Our firewalls run in a High Availability (HA) configuration with stateful fail-over, meaning should one firewall drop offline the other will maintain sessions without any noticeable switchover.

We already monitor our current platform 24*7 but improvements on the new platform will allow for even finer tuned monitoring.

Security is arguably the most important aspect of any network and on the new platform we have a really robust solution in place using the Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances (ASA’s). Our data centre also has ISO270001 accreditation, 24*7 physical security, redundant power supplies backed by diesel generators, strict environmental controls and fire suppression.

What differences will our customers notice?

Our high standard of service will be maintained when clients are migrated to the new platform however the new platform does have unique benefits.

One of particular interest is the ability to adjust server specs as required. For example, if it’s a particularly busy time of year for the client they could increase the CPU and RAM available to their server which would allow them to ensure the smooth running of their moodle application under heavier load than usual.

Increasing storage space will also be very straight forward which means the flexibility of our packages can be adjusted and refined to a particular clients needs.

Will there be a crossover period between the two systems that will impact upon the operations of our clients Moodle sites?

There will be a period of crossover but thankfully not one that will impact upon the operation of our clients Moodle sites. Each client will be contacted in due course and provided with details of when their site will be migrated and any actions they may have to undertake. The migration process is very straight forward and isn’t any cause for concern.

Peter is hoping to have the new system up and running by November, keep posted to the blog for more information. For more information on Synergy Learning’s hosting packages visit Hosting with Synergy Learning.

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The Moodle Philosophy

Posted by Joel Kerr on 01 Oct
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It is often said that Moodle is designed with pedagogy in mind. The developers are very transparent about the philosophy they use when making decisions about the direction of Moodle, a philosophy that focuses on what is best for the learner.

The design and development of Moodle is guided by a “Social Constructionist Pedagogy”, which can be explained in terms of four main related concepts: constructivism, constructionism, social constructivism, and connected and separate.


1) Constructivism

The constructivism theory supports a constructive form of learning – by reflecting on our experiences, we construct our own understanding. According to Moodle.org’s interpretation,

“Everything you read, see, hear, feel, and touch is tested against your prior knowledge and if it is viable within your mental world it may form new knowledge. That knowledge is strengthened if you can use it successfully in your wider environment.”

We generate our own rules that we use to make sense of our experiences. Learning, therefore, is simply a matter of adjusting our thought process to accommodate new experiences.


2) Constructionism

Constructionism is a theory that supports learning as being most effective when people construct something for others to experience, for example I am learning the Moodle philosophy by constructing this blog post.

Moodle.org:

“You might read this page several times and still forget it by tomorrow – but if you were to try and explain these ideas to someone else in your own words, or produce a slideshow that explained these concepts, then it’s very likely you’d have a better understanding that is more integrated into your own ideas.”


3) Social Constructivism

The social constructivism theory applies the constructivism theory to a social setting. Members construct knowledge for one another, collaboratively creating a group culture of shared artifacts with shared meanings.

When people are immersed in a culture like this, they are constantly learning how to be a part of that culture.


4) Connected and Separate Knowing

The Connected and Separate learning theory describes two different ways that we can evaluate and learn about the things we see and hear.

Separate learners are people who learn without including feelings and emotions, trying to remain objective and factual. They rely on proven facts from reputable sources and their own direct experience. When faced with someone with a different idea the separate knowers will defend their own ideas, using logic to find holes in the ideas of their opponents. Separate learners are typically male.

Connected learners on the other hand are typically female. Their behaviour is more subjective and empathic, tending to ask questions until they feel they can understand things from another’s point of view. The connected learner, “learns by trying to share the experiences that led to the knowledge [they] find in other people.” (moodle.org)

For the purposes of productivity it would be best if everyone where able to use both ways of learning.


So that sums up the 4 main concepts of the Moodle Philosophy. As a Moodle Partner, Synergy Learning’s content developers also endeavour to follow these four principles because, quite simply, we think they make sense and they have proved successful for a number of our clients.

For more information on our content development services visit Moodle with Synergy Learning or contact Synergy Learning .

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The World of Moodle

Posted by Joel Kerr on 30 Sep
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I came across this presentation by Cecelia Foster a few months ago and was blown away by the amount of detail that was included and the simplicity of the navigation.  I stumbled across it again today by accident and was reminded why I was so impressed with it in the first place.  I have decided to put it on the blog to remind me that it is there, a must see for all Moodlers.  Thanks Cecelia

The World of Moodle on Prezi

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What makes Moodle so special?

Posted by Joel Kerr on 13 Sep
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I really enjoyed this short video posted on  Joseph Thibault’s youTube channel, taken at this years Moodle Moot Australia, asking the question “what makes Moodle so special?”

Any more thoughts on what makes Moodle so special?

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Moodle Case Study: The South East GP Training Programme

Posted by Joel Kerr on 07 Sep
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Introduction

The South East Training Programme for General Practice, based in the city of Waterford, was established in 1991 to prepare doctors for working in General Practice. In February 2009 the Programme commenced online training with the view to enhancing the onsite training.

After a review of course management systems in use by universities and businesses, it was decided Moodle offered the best solutions.  According to the research carried out by the South East GPTP(1), some of the benefits of Moodle included the ability to:

  1. Create a course for GP trainees and control access to the course
  2. Lay out the topics for a term and upload aims and objectives, documents, presentations, web links and multimedia
  3. Engage in discussion forums with teachers and learners
  4. Set and review assignments and receive submissions

Synergy Learning worked closely with the South East GPTP to implement the new Moodle site providing Moodle Hosting, Support and Training.

Results

Questionnaires carried out by the South East GPTP found trainee’s experience of Moodle was overwhelmingly positive:

  1. 84% of respondents believed that Moodle had brought positive changes to the training programme
  2. 95% respondents would recommend Moodle to colleagues in other GP training programmes

Respondents were asked to comment on their experience of Moodle.  In all, 95% of respondents made comments.  The most frequent topics raised in the comments were:

“ Easy to use, great communication tool, allows wide sharing of information and cuts down on paper waste.”

“Topics posted in plenty of time prior to meetings which allows for better preparation and planning.  Better follow-up by particiapants in topics raised as documents can be uploaded within the week.”

“Immediacy of contact, promptness of reply and all the information in one place.”

“Has fitted in well with the running of meetings and also useful as a study tool”

“It has resulted in better communication between trainees and programme directors and facilitated better planning of day release.  It has also made it easier to communicate with the programme administrator”

“Very positive, all GP training schemes should have one.  Has facilitated communication and information-sharing, I think it has been of enormous benefit”

Conclusion

In conclusion, the authors of the Research Article comment:

“Moodle is easy to use [and] the online learning environment was rapidly adopted and maintained to facilitate teaching and learning.

“Moodle has been successfully implemented in the South East GPTP.  The course management system has received widespread acceptance and participation from trainees, programme directors and trainers.

“Moodle repays the time and effort made by all parties in making it work.  The members of the South East GPTP recommend the use of Moodle to augment general practice training.”

(The South East General Practice Training Programme is funded by the Health Service Executive.)

(1) O’Mahony, B. Rouse, M. Drennan, P. Farrel, J. Dowling, S. Brennan, D. (2009) ‘Training programme gets ‘in the Moodle’’ Forum, Journal of the Irish College of General Practitioners December. p33 – 34.

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Moodle Themes from Synergy Learning

Posted by Joel Kerr on 01 Sep
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I’ve finally managed to drag Caroline Kennedy, our Multi-Media Designer (and recent winner of the Moodle 2.0 Theme Design Contest), away from her computer to talk us through designing Moodle Themes, her experiences of Moodle 2.0, and her time at Synergy Learning…

Congratulations on your success in the Moodle 2.0 Themes Contest. You must be pleased?

Yes I’m delighted and really excited to see the theme in the Moodle 2.0 core. It has been a huge learning curve for me over a short period of time and a great opportunity to get to grips with Moodle 2.0.

How long have you been working with Synergy Learning?

I am pleased to say I have been working at Synergy Learning since September 2007. This excludes my time here for placement during my University years.

As a Multimedia Designer at Synergy Learning, I am responsible for creating engaging and interactive eLearning content that will make your virtual learning environment unique to you.

Synergy Learning is a leading Moodle and Mahara partner in the UK and the only Moodle Partner offering full service solutions, therefore, I play a huge role in the design and development of themes for these eLearning platforms. I am also very much involved in any multimedia/web-based design that goes on here at the studio.

What makes Synergy Learning themes different?

Apart from having years of experience and a specialist team of designers and developers, we also offer a personal touch to each and every theme. We work very closely with our clients, to produce a theme that is right for them in design and functionality, whatever their budget.

We love a challenge and also have the expertise to fully customise a theme to give the client exactly what they need. With Synergy Learning you can achieve a theme, which is slick and professional, showcasing your learning environment.

What process do you go through when designing a Moodle Theme?

This will vary slightly depending on which of the 3 Moodle Theme packages the client purchases.

The Bronze theme package, allows the client to choose one of our template designs and personalize it with their logo and a colour scheme.

The Silver theme package allows me to design a complete Moodle makeover based on the client’s logo and any visual identity guidelines they may have in place.

The Gold theme package allows the client to experiment more with their Moodle environment and incorporate customized functionality in order to achieve more of a website style look and feel.

I would work closely with the client to make sure I understand their requirements and start a process of ‘Moodle-boarding’ and feedback, which leads to a professionally designed Moodle theme.

What do you think makes a good Moodle Theme?

Moodle is Open Source, the functionality is there and continually being improved, so for me a good Moodle Theme is one that makes excellent use of the features Moodle has to offer but at the same time, comes with a strong design concept.

A lot of the core themes are pretty standard in terms of design, so to be able to build upon what is there and give it an edge, is very important.

What challenges did Moodle 2.0 present?

Moodle 2.0 came with a huge number of core changes to the platform. Getting to grips with the new layout structure was possibly the most challenging. However, these changes have created greater flexibility in terms of skinning a theme.

Any tips for Moodle Themers out there?

Have patience! It is not always easy to work with someone else’s code. Think outside the box… almost anything is possible when it comes to themeing for Moodle.

To view the winning Moodle 2.0 ‘Splash’ Theme click here.

For more information on Synergy Learning’s Moodle Theme Services click here or email info@synergy-learning.com.

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Moving to Moodle | Northwestern State University

Posted by Joel Kerr on 09 Aug
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I read an article recently about Northwestern State University’s move from Blackboard to Moodle and thought it did a good job of highlighting some of the reasons Moodle is fast becoming the VLE of choice for educators around the world.

I have picked out a few key quotes for those of you who are reading on the go.  To read the full article click here.

“We wanted a course management system that was more flexible and could be customised to meet our needs”

“One major advantage of Moodle is it’s compatibility with mobile devices. The interface has a different look and feel, but it is very user friendly”

“Students will be able to walk around campus and access hot spots to listen to podcasts of lectures, check assignments and take part in class discussions”

“Using Moodle will eliminate some software licensing fees”

“Faculty will be able to record all or part of lectures and make them available for students to download and view”

NSU are introducing Moodle over a transitional period, running it simultaneously with Blackboard for a 12 month period.  Previously Moodle has been piloted in classes for a year, and the Faculty has undergone training to learn about the software’s features.

For more information on Synergy Learning’s Moodle services, including Training and Content Development visit www.synergy-learning.com/moodle


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Course Overview Reports in Moodle

Posted by Joel Kerr on 04 Aug
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One of the most overlooked features in Moodle, and also a very useful one is the ability to generate Course Overview Reports.

The Course Overview Reports are a record of certain actions a user partakes in within a course over a set period of time.  These actions are divided into, “Views “ and “Posts”.

“Views” are when a user accesses, reads or downloads a Moodle resource or activity.

“Posts” are more active responses such as submit a quiz, submit an assignment, respond to a discussion forum etc.

The actions the user takes are captured in the Moodle site database, ready for counting when a Course Overview Report is run.

The list of modules a Course Overview Report can be generated include:

  1. Assignment
  2. Chat
  3. Choice
  4. Database
  5. Forum
  6. Glossary
  7. Hot Potatoes Quiz
  8. Journal
  9. Lesson
  10. Quiz
  11. Resource
  12. SCORM/AICC
  13. Survey

To obtain course overview reports you must first enable statistics in Administration > Server > Statistics.

You can choose to view reports of the most active courses or the most participatory courses over a certain time period. Results are displayed in a bar chart and in a table.


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What’s new in Moodle 2.0? Conditional Activites and Completion Tracking

Posted by Joel Kerr on 28 Jul
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By now most of you will know the alpha release of Moodle 2.0 is likely to be closer to September 2010. This is because the Moodle team is putting the emphasis on getting the release right rather than rushing it out.

In the meantime to continue on with the ‘What’s new in Moodle 2.0’ theme here is a quick introduction to two of the most talked about new features, designed to help students manage their learning:

  1. Conditional Activities
  2. Completion Tracking

Conditional Activities, developed by Sam Marshall of the Open University, will appear as a standard feature in Moodle 2.0 onwards, enabling teachers to restrict the availability of any activity according to certain conditions such as date, grade obtained, or activity completion.

There are arguments for and against this form of control over a students progress throughout a course as opposed to allowing them to find their own paths, but that is another blog post altogether.

Completion Tracking allows teachers to specify conditions that define when an activity is considered to be complete e.g. when a certain number of posts have been made, or a grade has been reached or a choice has been made

The Completion systems itself will consist of 2 parts:

  1. Activity Completion
  2. Course Completion

Activity completion enables teachers to specify conditions that define when a student has completed an activity, for example when a certain number of posts have been made or a grade has been reached

Course Completion enables teachers to specify conditions that define when a student has completed a course.

For more information on all of Moodle 2.0’s features you should read the Moodle 2.0 Release Notes on Moodle.org.

For more information on implementing Moodle 2.0, or on any of the Synergy Learning services email info@synergy-learning.com.


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