Glyndŵr University is upgrading their Moodle learning management system from version 1.9 to 2.2 and integrating it with their student information system (SITS) data. This will allow course sites to be automatically created based on student enrollment and improve tools like Turnitin integration. The upgrade is happening to support newer features, keep the system supported, and better meet student and staff needs. Communicating the changes, training staff, and addressing issues during the transition are priorities to help students and instructors. Lessons from the process emphasize the importance of communication, leadership support, and working closely with partners.
2. Overview of presentation
Moodle at Glyndŵr
Reasons for the upgrade
Reasons for the SITS integration
Communicating the changes
Staff development
What it means for the students
Issues
Lessons learned
3. Moodle at Glyndŵr
Currently From September 2012
• Moved from Blackboard to Moodle • Moving from Moodle 1.9 to 2.2
1.9 in 2010
• Hosted by ULCC
• Hosted by University of London
Computer Centre (ULCC) • 8,000+ Users
• 8,000 Users • Approx 2,400 course sites
• 250+ course sites • Native Integration with Turnitin
(Adobe Connect and Moodle txt)
• Basic Integration with Turnitin
(plagiarism detection software) • Integration with SITS data –
spaces will be automatically created
• Course creation manually
handled by IT Services • Students will be automatically
enrolled
• Students self-enrol with enrolment
keys supplied by tutors
4. Reasons for the Moodle upgrade
Technological
• Moodle 1.9 not supported from June 2012
• Moodle 2 supported and being developed
• Improved integration with external plug-ins, e.g. Turntin/GradeMark
• Improved access and display from hand-held devices, e.g. Tablets, mobiles
Educational
New features in Moodle 2, including:
• Track students’ progress with activity and course completion
• Restrict access to activities by date or conditional upon completion of other activities
5. Reasons for the SITS integration
Educational
• Student expectations
• Staff engagement with Technology Enhanced Learning
• More users? - partner institutions
• Policies: - Minimum standards for modules on Moodle
- E-Assessment Roadmap
• Increasing Moodle use (especially activities) → large course sites
Technological
• Large course sites → issues when backing up
• Spaces needed for modules and programmes
• More automation needed → SITS integration
6. SITS integration
• SITS (student records): student data on programmes and modules held centrally
• Data transferred to intermediary database at Glyndŵr University, then used by
• a custom module provided by ULCC
• Co-operation required between IT services, ULCC and SDS (student data
services)
• Change of processes. Students who are on the wrong module in Moodle must
contact SDS to change module.
7. Communicating the changes
• Meetings with Technology Enhanced Learning
champions group
• Open briefing sessions on Moving to Moodle 2,
led by head of CLTA
• Moodle newsletters for staff from head of CLTA
• Details of staff training events posted to academic
forum on staff intranet
• Glyndŵr Moodle blog
• Glyndŵr Moodle Twitter feed
8. Staff development: face-to-face
Moving to Moodle 2 training sessions
• Been running twice-weekly since April
• Suitable for both operational and academic staff
• Explanation of the upgrade and the integration
• Demo of the new features in Moodle 2
• Included hands-on practice (in ‘sandpit’) to
familiarise staff with the new site and its tools
Further Moodle 2 training sessions
• Starting June 2012
• On individual tools e.g. Assignments, Quizzes
• Suitable for academic staff
• Includes hands-on practice (in ‘sandpit’)
9. Staff development: online
Moodle Essentials: Getting Started with
Moodle 2
• Online course to deliver training to staff who
cannot attend face-to-face (e.g. at partner
institutions)
• Introduce staff to new tools and features, and
explain policy (e.g. Minimum standards)
• Allow staff to experience Moodle from
student and tutor perspectives
• Plans for ‘Advanced’ and ‘Expert’ levels
Moodle Support for Staff site
• Staff can access how-to documents, and
download or print off for future reference
• Links to video tutorial screencasts uploaded
to YouTube (using BB Flashback)
10. What does this mean for students?
• Links from every Moodle page to useful
internet and intranet sites, and tools like
email and eportfolio
• Moodle sites for academic subject,
programme and modules appear under
My courses
• Minimum standards to be met for each
Moodle site
• Improved performance from integrated
tools (Turnitin)
• Courses where tutors are tracking
progress or encouraging them to track
their own progress
• Improved display and accessibility
when using a mobile or tablet device
(through new theme)
11. Support for students
Tutors need to explain any changes
• particularly to returning students (used to seeing their courses set up differently)
Moodle Induction for new students
• When requested by staff, IT Services can provide hands-on induction sessions
(getting logged in, navigating around the site, where to find help)
Moodle Support for Students site
• How-to documents for students (can download or print off)
• Updated versions of screencasts, uploaded to YouTube and linked to from site
12. Schedule for upgrade/integration
Planned events
March 2012 Moodle 2.2 site made available to GU for customisation
Work on SITS integration started
Briefing sessions for GU staff
April Staff training sessions started; ‘sandpits’ made available
May ‘Dummy’ SITS integration; Staff training continued
June - July Staff training continues (staff at partner institutions invited
to access online training course)
IT Services assist staff to move content from M.1.9 to 2.2
August Student ‘diets’ confirmed and updated in Moodle 2.2;
IT Services assist staff to move content from 2011/2012
sites to 2012/2013 sites
September Students starting semester 1 are given access to new site
Current Moodle site becomes read-only
13. Issues
• Using Moodle means you are dependent on decisions made by Moodle
community (may not be in line with own business upgrade roadmaps)
• Hosted disk space relatively expensive - presents a challenge when using large files
(500Mb site limit on uploads)
• Move to online assessment – presents new issues of security to think through
• Archiving – how long should students have access to sites? (3 years?)
• Data in SITS not structured to be easily used by other applications
The need to manage expectations
14. Lessons Learned
• Important to communicate changes in processes to staff and students
• Benefits of having a head of Centre for Learning, Teaching and Assessment (new position):
• improved communication between IT, academics and committees
• provided the authority to action changes required
• TEL champions also key in providing feedback before and during
• University needs to address timeliness of centralised student data due to increased
integration with other systems (Day 0 availability)
• Staying close to the core product (limited/no customisation) has made migration easier
• Using ULCC adds value – plug-in testing, security, support
• Important to establish good working relationship between IT Services, SDS and ULCC
